RANGELEY – A retired doctor was remembered Monday for his contributions to conserving characteristics of the Rangeley region – mountain views, hiking trails, clear lakes and rivers – for future generations.

Dr. Paul L. Chodosh, 84, died peacefully at his home in the village of Oquossoc with his wife, Melba, by his side on Sept. 5, his daughter, Pam Chodosh said.

He was a founding member of the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, where he served on the board for decades, many of those as treasurer. He was also a charter member of the Rangeley Crossroads Coalition and an early member of the Mooselookmeguntic Improvement Association.

Dr. Chodosh, a native of New Jersey, was an ear, nose and throat surgeon practicing medicine in New Jersey and New York.

Chodosh visited Rangeley as a young boy and when he married, he and his wife honeymooned at a lakeside cabin, and continued returning summers with their family.

“I was 2 when he first brought me here in 1953,” Pam Chodosh said. “His father had brought him here when he was a boy because relatives knew of the place. … I really think that a landscape with the mountains, lakes, the smell of wood burning. … It gets under your skin. I just think he loved the rustic nature of the place. It was such a contrast to New Jersey where he was a busy doctor. My father liked people, he could talk to anybody. It didn’t matter who they were.”

He just loved this place. It got inside him. Both of my parents – everything was always geared to getting back to Rangeley, Chodosh said.

Even buying Mingo Springs Golf Course in Rangeley was an act of conservation by her parents, in her opinion, she said.

The couple made Oquossoc their primary residence in the mid- to late-1990s.

“(Paul) had the vision to recognize the importance of conserving the special character of the Rangeley region and the courage and determination to make it happen,” Heritage Trust Executive Director Nancy Perlson said. “With Paul’s leadership and support, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust has conserved over 12,000 acres of land, including 45 miles of shoreline. Paul was instrumental in the protection of Bald Mountain in Rangeley, which is the site of a very popular hiking trail and a summit viewing platform which offers 360 degree views of the Rangeley region.

“He also played an important role in the conservation of miles of shoreline on the west shore of Mooselookmeguntic and Cupsuptic lakes,” Perlson said. “His commitment to conservation in Rangeley is a legacy which will be appreciated not only by his children and grandchildren, but by residents and visitors to the region for generations to come. We will greatly miss his wit and wisdom and be forever grateful for the role he played in helping us achieve our mission of ‘permanently protecting the natural and historical resources of the Rangeley Lakes region for the benefit and enjoyment of the public and future generations.'”

“Paul was a firm, thoughtful, level-headed man who really had everybody’s interest at heart,” trust President Kfoury said. “He was known for his love of the area and desire to maintain the characteristics of the region. It’s a spectacular region and its outstanding characteristics are worth conserving.”

Dr. Chodash was also involved in the Mooselookmeguntic Improvement Association, which helped sponsor the state’s personal watercraft legislation. He also worked to prevent invasive plants from entering lakes and rivers, Kfoury said.

“He loved this region. He basically, with the golf course and other things, wanted to keep it for his kids and his grandkids, and they all come here,” Kfoury said. “He was a great guy.”