Friends Remember Don Aikman’s Quiet Leadership, Passion For Preservation

CHATHAM – Don Aikman dedicated years of his life to preserving Chatham’s past. But he always remembered to savor the present — the people and the activities that make Chatham a special place to call home.

Mr. Aikman, who died last week at the age of 90, was an active member of the town’s historical commission at the time of his passing, having served for 23 years.

“Don Aikman was from a generation that believed strongly in trying to make the world a better place,” said friend John Whelan. Mr. Aikman was an intelligent leader who believed in using his skills to benefit the community, Whelan said. Why did he choose to embrace historic preservation?

“He loved Chatham and he loved living in the Old Village. The older homes and their history spoke to him,” Whelan said. “I believe the experience of living in the Old Village increased his interest in preservation.”

“He spent every summer of his life here so he knew every nook and cranny of Chatham,” said friend and fellow commissioner Frank Messina. “He was a great friend. In a lot of ways he was a mentor to me.” When the historical commission began, it received maybe one application per month from property owners looking to change or remove historic structures. Last year there were 66 applications.

“That’s the change that we’re seeing, and it required a lot more attention,” Messina said. Some volunteer board members review documents just hours before their meetings, “but not Don. He was heavily involved in each and every house” that was in need of preservation, he said. As a preservationist, and as a neighbor to many of the applicants coming before the commission, Mr. Aikman was passionate about saving history but knew how to compromise. His legacy as a preservationist lies not only in the old houses he cherished, but in several legislative changes he helped craft, including one that extended the town’s demolition delay bylaw from six to 18 months, giving more opportunity for historic homes to be saved.

“He was a gentle leader. You’ve got to be careful of those kinds of guys,” Messina said with a chuckle. Mr. Aikman knew how to disagree respectfully and never lost his cool, aided by a strong grasp of the facts. “He would schmooze you into his position. We didn’t always agree, which was great,” he said, but more often than not, people came around to see his point of view.

They were skills the Brooklyn native honed over years during his career in sales management for several companies, most notably D.H. Litter Company, a specialty chemical distribution company. Striking out on his own, Mr. Aikman purchased Alvin Products, a Worcester-based paint and coatings manufacturer, and when living in Andover, was active in creating affordable housing. Starting at about age 5, he spent summers in Chatham, and as a college student, worked at the old Mattaquasson Hotel. He met his wife, Debbie, in the summer of 1959, and the two were married about three years later. They became year-round residents of Chatham in 1999, and both became active in community affairs and town government.

“They were a dynamic duo,” Messina said. On town boards, while Debbie could be more direct, her husband was quieter but no less persuasive. They complemented each other as civic leaders and in every other way.

“I think his long marriage to Debbie was very important to him. Together they raised their four children,” Whelan said. He taught his children how to fish and dig clams, how to sail and handle a motorboat, and how to savor summertime beach picnics.

“It was family, fishing and his bridge game on Thursdays,” Messina said. His bridge group was “an old school suit-and-jacket” affair, he recalled.

“He took advantage of so much that Chatham has to offer,” Whelan said. “I will miss him, and Chatham will miss him as a talented, interested citizen who made Chatham a better place to live.”

Mr. Aikman was also a generous supporter of charities throughout his life, volunteering as a Boy Scout leader and working for many civic organizations. In 2015, he even dressed up in women’s clothing and took part in a “My Dad Is Prettier Than Your Dad” fundraiser to support cancer research. In his photo in The Chronicle, Mr. Aikman is grinning in a wig, a pink boa and a floppy hat. He told the paper he was thrilled to help.

“My grandson asked me if I would do this. How could I say no?" he said. He took first prize.