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Lee B. Oxton
ROCKLAND - Lee B. Oxton, 86, died Oct. 7, 2005 at Penobscot Bay Medical Center following a long illness.
He was born Oct. 11, 1918 in Rockville and was the son of Edmond and Susan M. Avrill Oxton. He grew up in Warren and attended Warren High School.
After his senior year he joined the Army National Guard. With the onset of World War II he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving in many locations overseas.
Upon his return to the states he married Glendelyn D. Cochran on June 29, 1947 in Thomaston. The couple made their first home on North Haven. For several years they resided in Warren before settling in Rockland where they lived for the past 34 years.
As a young boy Mr. Oxton was employed with several area stores. He made his career in the maintenance department at Marine Colloids, or FMC. In 1985 he retired after 34 years of employment.
His family remembers him as a very active man, one of many talents. He kept busy splitting and stacking wood even as his health was declining. He was once quoted as saying that he had seen enough of the world during the war and was a homebody after that. He did however enjoy hosting guests in his home.
For many years he was a member of the Warren Baptist Church and the Warren Odd Fellows.
He is survived by his wife Glen of Rockland; two brothers, David Oxton of Warren and Paul Oxton of Aiken, S.C.; one sister, Elizabeth Preston of Thomaston; and several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of his life will be held Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11:30 a.m. at Patten Cemetery. The Rev. William Meader will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Warren Baptist Church, P.O. Box 249, Warren, ME 04864.
Arrangements are with the Burpee, Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home at 110 Limerock St. in Rockland.
Richard H. Armstrong
NEWCASTLE - Richard H. Armstrong, 95, of Newcastle died Oct. 7, 2005 at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta.
He was born Jan. 29, 1910 in Cambridge, Mass. and was the son of the late James Harding and Ada Jane (Brown) Armstrong. He was a graduate of Westborough High School, Worcester Academy and the Harvard University class of 1931. In 1933, he received an MBA from Harvard Business School.
He was head of an industrial engineering department at Western Electric Company in South Kearny, N.J. He was transferred to Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, N.J., where he organized the industrial engineering group.
In 1936, he married the former Elizabeth Schuh of Westborough, Mass. For 35 years they lived in Livingston, N.J. where he was a member of the Federated Church; a member of the board of education for 13 years and president for two years; leader of the Boys Scouts of America, Troop 20; a member of the West Essex United Fund; and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Livingston. He taught a management course at Rutgers University in Jersey City and Newark.
For the last 31 years, he lived in Damariscotta and Newcastle. He was treasurer of the Lincoln Home and a board member and treasurer of the Weymouth House; on the board of the Midcoast Chapter of the American Red Cross and on the advisory board of the Central Maine Agency on Aging; and treasurer of People to People and a trustee, treasurer and president of the Second Congregational Church of Newcastle.
He enjoyed hiking, skiing and swimming.
He was predeceased by his first wife Elizabeth; and a grandson, Ian Armstrong.
He is survived by his wife Dorothea (Frederickson) Armstrong of Newcastle; a sister, Marguerite Newton of Orono; a son, Peter Armstrong and his wife Janice of Temple; two daughters, Judith Prevost and her husband David of Summit, N.J., and Ellen Endris and her husband Stephen of Barnstable, Mass.; a stepdaughter, Edna Parke and her husband Charles of Lona Valley, N.J.; eight grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Second Congregational Church of Newcastle. The Rev. Kenneth Dale will officiate. Interment will be in Westborough, Mass.
Memorial donations may be made to the Second Congregational Church, 51 Main St., Newcastle, ME 04553; NFI Heinrich House (formerly Weymouth House), P.O. Box 160, Bristol, ME 04539; or Senior Spectrum, Coastal Resource Center, 521 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543.
Arrangements are with the Coast of Maine Cremation and Funeral Service in Waldoboro.
James A. Hodgkins
WALDOBORO - James A. Hodgkins, 58, died Oct. 7, 2005 at his residence after a brief illness.
He was born June 8, 1947 in Jefferson and was one of 14 children of Ralph and Angie Bowman Hodgkins. He attended Jefferson Schools.
He was a longtime employee at Bath Iron Works, with 31 years at the yard until he left in December of 2004 due to his illness. At that time, he was a lead man in the painting department.
A true family man, he enjoyed watching his children play sports and then continued to watch youth sports in town. He also enjoyed family gatherings and reunions, fishing trips to Tunk Lake twice a year for 30 years, hunting, gardening, feeding wild turkeys at his home, traveling with his wife to Prince Edward Island, harness racing, bowling at DePatsy's Lanes, and playing cards and cribbage.
He was predeceased by two sisters, Helen Hodgkins and Charlotte Pendexter; and two brothers, Wallace and Ralph Hodgkins.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Georgia Ross Hodgkins of Waldoboro; a daughter, Bridgette Hodgkins of Barrington, Ill.; a son, Dale Hodgkins of Waldoboro; his siblings, Donald Bowman of Jefferson, Amzy (Bud) Hodgkins and his wife Mary of West Rockport, Ellen Courtney and her husband Bruce of Brunswick, Md., Betty Dunton of Windsor, Phyllis Quimby of Windsor, Ruby Ellis and her husband Milford of Waldoboro, Daisy Cass and her husband Gerry of Augusta, Charles Hodgkins and his wife Barbara of Jefferson, and Harold Hodgkins and his wife Linda of West Rockport; two brothers-in-law, William and his wife Dona Ross of Randolph, and Larry and his wife Sally Ross of Hughesville, Md; his sister-in-law, Barbara and her husband Tom Wright of Nobleboro; several nieces and nephews; and his dog Blackie.
Visiting hours will be held Monday, Oct. 10 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hall Funeral Home at 949 Main St. in Waldoboro, where a funeral service will be held Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Shuman cemetery in Waldoboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1 Main St., Suite 300, Topsham, ME. 04086.
Arrangements are with the Hall Funeral Home in Waldoboro.
Arnold H. Higgins
STOCKTON SPRINGS - Arnold H. Higgins, of Church Street, Stockton Springs, died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005, at a local health-care facility. He was born in East Blue Hill on April 14, 1920, the son of the late Ralph R. and Hazel (Webber) Higgins.
Arnold was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Europe during World War II. He also served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1951. Among other service ribbons and medals, he was awarded three bronze Battle Stars and the unit he was assigned to was awarded the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. He also served in Japan in the Army of Occupation. His final assignment was with a military advisory group assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, Vietnam. He was a life member of the V.F.W., a member of the American Legion, former member of the Belfast Rotary Club and East Blue Hill Grange. Arnold attended Blue Hill schools and graduated from George Steven's Academy. He attended North Eastern Business College in Portland, where he studied accounting and business law. He was associated with Eastern Maine Towage Co. in Belfast as vice president and assistant treasurer for many years. He also worked for Fournier Marine Corp. for five years, retiring in 1982.
He is predeceased by a stepdaughter, Hazel O'Leary Marcia and husband, Donald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth D. O'Leary Higgins; three stepchildren, Basil O'Leary and wife, Linda, of Derry, N.H., Darrell O'Leary and wife, Donna, of Belfast, and Beryl O'Leary Libby and husband, Larry, of Stockton Springs. He is also survived by one son from a previous marriage, Porter H. Higgins and wife, Connie; three grandchildren, Wendy Huebner and husband, Jim of Largo, Fla., Troy Higgins and wife, Wendy of Springfield, MO and Robin Catalano and husband, Richie of Thomaston; eight great-grandchildren; two dear sisters, Thelma Fordham and husband, Warren of Manning, SC, and Rita Savage and her late husband, Edwin of Belfast; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Belfast at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12. Arnold was a 52-year member of Triangle Lodge 1 A.F. & A.M of Portland and in his later years became a communicant of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ellsworth. Internment will be held in Grove Cemetery, Belfast.
Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so to the charity of their choice. Arrangements are under the care of Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave, Belfast.
Clara Ellen Ward Hustus
SEARSPORT - Our loving mother, Clara Ellen Ward Hustus, went to be with the Lord on Oct. 9, 2005. She was born June 6, 1912, in Searsport, the daughter of Estella Tozier Ward and Raymond Ward. She attended Searsport schools. Sept. 8, 1929, she married Rev. George Forrest Hustus; they were married 34 years.
Clara Hustus enjoyed a full life as wife, mother, homemaker and Christian mentor. She enjoyed assisting her husband with the family farm work, raising animals and crops. She raised 21 children and sometimes worked outside the home as a Bible School cook. She worked seasonal blueberry and potato crops, and she enjoyed cooking, baking and canning for her large family. Her love for her ever-expanding family kept her dedicated to prayer.
She resided with her daughter, Wanda, son-in-law, Denny, and grandson, Travis Rowe, in Searsport. She was a member of Grace Tabernacle in Northport.
Predeceasing her were our sisters, Barbara Canning, Edith Grover, Gertrude Cole and Arlene Parker; our brothers, Lloyd, Kenneth and Lauriston Hustus; and three infant children, George Jr., Betina and Juanita. She had 99 grandchildren, some of whom also predeceased her. Clara enjoyed her large family extending to six generations.
She was also predeceased by all of her siblings, Nettie Seekins, Clifton Ward, Reynolds Ward, Margaret Seekins, Baxter Ward, Virginia Lamphier and Elliott Ward.
Clara Hustus is survived by her children, Beatrice Moody, Doris Scammon, Dalton Hustus, Charlene Howell, Evelyn Heard, Arthur Hustus, Sterling Hustus, Althea Dakin, Ronald Hustus, Roberta Poole, Elzadia Parsons, Carol Shaw, Dale Hustus, Wanda Rowe, and their families.
Family and friends may gather at Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave., Belfast, 6-8 pm. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005. A celebration of the life of Clara Hustus will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2005, at Glad Tidings Church, 1033 Broadway, Bangor. A time of fellowship in her memory will follow after the service.
Donations may be made to Soul's Harbor, P.O. Box 275, Corinth, ME 04427.
Robert T. Sylvia
DAMARISCOTTA - Robert T. Sylvia of Damariscotta died Oct. 5, 2005 at his home surrounded by his family. He had never smoked, but fought a three-month battle against aggressive lung cancer.
He was born in New Bedford, Mass. on July 1, 1940 and was the son of Martha Turner Sylvia and Robert O. Sylvia. He grew up in Padanaram, Mass., across the street from Concordia Yacht Company where he began his lifelong love affair with sailboats and the sea.
There he learned to sail as a young boy and by his teenage years was working on a large yacht cruising from Massachusetts to Maine. He graduated from Dartmouth High School in 1958 and Colby College in 1962. That same year he married Judy Van Dine, and during their 25-year marriage they raised two daughters and a son.
He worked at Concordia Company from 1965 to 1978, interrupted only by his active duty service in the Army at Fort Benning, Ga. from 1968 to '69.
He was harbormaster for many years and a member of the New Bedford Yacht Club. He sailed in the Newport, R.I. to Bermuda race several times and became famous for being able to bake a cake in the ship's galley during the race out on the ocean. In the early 1970s he purchased the 36-foot Crocker ketch Torino, a beautiful wooden sailboat that was his pride and joy for three decades. He sailed the waters of Buzzard's Bay and the coast of Maine.
In 1978, he and his family moved to Bristol, where he and Judy founded Midcoast Marine Services, one of the first boatyards in Maine to utilize a Brownell hydraulic boat hauling trailer. In the company's early years small crowds would gather at the boat ramps to watch this new contraption as Bob deftly moved power- and sailboats from the harbor to the owners' yards and back again in the spring. In his early 50s he went back to college and became certified as a surgical technician. He worked as an operating room technician for several years at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta.
Throughout his adult life he also worked in emergency services, first as a volunteer fireman and first responder, then as an EMT, and finally as a paramedic for the past 11 years. Most recently he worked at Lyman-Morse Boatbuilders in Thomaston, while also serving as a paramedic at the CLC Ambulance Service in Damariscotta.
He was known for his can-do attitude, extensive knowledge and hard work in both his chosen fields, dry wit, blueberry pancakes, sense of tradition, and love of his family. "A job isn't done until it's well done," was one of his mottos, and he was a mentor to those who were following in his footsteps.
He will be greatly missed by his family.
He was predeceased by his mother and father, Robert and Martha Sylvia; and his brother Roger Sylvia.
He is survived by his daughters, Anne Geisler and Nina Sylvia; his son Benjamin Sylvia; his son-in-law Miles Geisler; his grandson Mel Geisler; his former wife Judy Van Dine; his brothers, Andrew Sylvia and Timothy Sylvia; his nephews, Thomas Sylvia, Michael Sylvia, Alex Sylvia and James Sylviap; and his niece Paula Slayton.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. at the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle. A procession to Pemaquid Point for a brief seaside ceremony will follow, and a reception will be held immediately afterward at the Anchor Inn in Round Pond.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the CLC Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 373, Damariscotta, ME 04543.
Arrangements are with the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center at 612 Main St. in Damariscotta.
Ruth Ellsworth Dow
NOBLEBORO - Ruth Ellsworth Dow, 101, died on Oct. 9, 2005 at Coves Edge Nursing Home in Damariscotta, her home for the past four months.
She was born at her uncle's home in Portland on Patriot's Day, April 19, 1904 and was the daughter of J. Henry and Abbie (Farrington) Dow. Her first six years were spent in South Portland at Coleman Cottage on the grounds of the Reform School for Boys, where her father was the assistant superintendent. Not wishing to bring his children up at the institution, her father bought a farm in rural Kennebec County in Fayette. This remained the family home from 1910 until 1944.
In 1922, Ruth graduated from Kent's Hill in Readfield with recognition as class valedictorian. After a year earning the funds to help finance her education, she matriculated at Colby College in 1923. She majored in Latin in preparation for being a high school teacher. She was active in girls sports and worked part time mopping the gym floor, washing dishes, and helping in the campus dining room and kitchen. Her senior year she was house chairman of Dutton House, which had no resident adult supervision. She became a member of Phi Beta Kappa and spoke at commencement exercises in 1927.
Her first teaching position was at Pemetic High School in Southwest Harbor. After three years of teaching in Chatham, Mass., she enrolled as a full-time student at Boston University where she received her master's degree in Latin and Greek in 1933.
She returned to Maine for the rest of her teaching career. Her final years of teaching were at Bucksport High School and the Higgins Classical Institute in Charleston, and in Pittsfield. Besides Latin, she taught French, English and algebra at the high school level. She also served as a school librarian, with two summers of graduate courses in library science at the University of Maine at Orono in 1969 and 1970 when she was in her mid-60s.
From 1946 to 1961, she left public school teaching to minister to others while residing with her extended family at the home of her brother and sister-in-law, George and Myrtle Dow in Orono. For a number of years she went into community settings and rural schools with weekly Bible stories on a flannel graph board. (Since then the Supreme Court has banned such classes on school time.) After her mother's death in 1948, she also spent considerable time caring for her invalid father until his death in 1961, in his 100th year.
After going back to teaching from 1961 to 1971, she returned to Nobleboro and made her home with George and Myrtle Dow. She was a member of the Maine Education Association, National Retired Teachers Association and Lincoln County Retired Educators. She was active in the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro, primarily as a Sunday school teacher and vacation Bible school teacher, but also held other offices. In addition, for many years she wrote articles for children's Sunday school teachers in a national weekly, the Sunday School Times.
She was a charter member of the Nobleboro Historical Society. She served for many years as cataloger of artifacts and data on buildings, genealogy and other historic material for the society. In recognition of this service she was granted an honorary membership.
Her longtime hobby was genealogy, with a special focus on the Dow family. Her extensive collection of 3-by-5-inch cards documented information on Dows in Maine (and beyond). Until last spring she was still updating material and sharing her knowledge with correspondents.
Ruth received the Boston Post Cane as Nobleboro's oldest resident on her 101st birthday last April. She rejoiced that she was able to participate in both the family and town birthday parties to celebrate her brother George's 100th birthday last July.
She was predeceased by her sister-in-law, Myrtle Dow in 1992.
She is survived by her brother, George Dow of Nobleboro; three nieces, Margaret Ricker and her husband George of Windham, Barbara Turner and her husband James of Cary, N.C., and Elizabeth Scott and her companion Maurice Furbush of Bangor; two grand-nephews, William Ricker and his wife Pamela of Dorchester, Mass., and Timothy Turner and his wife Kim of Wilmington, N.C.; three grand-nieces, Ruth Ricker of Boston, Mass., Carol Carter and her husband Wayne of Glenburn, and Barbara Scott and her companion Scott Thibodeau of South Portland; and three great-great-nieces, Louisa Ricker of Dorchester, Mass., Janis Ricker of Boston, Mass. and Amanda Carter of Glenburn.
Friends may call Thursday, Oct. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Strong Funeral Home in Damariscotta. A celebration of her life will be held Friday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro. Relatives and friends are invited to share conversation and refreshments at the church after the service on Friday. Interment will follow at the Alna Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro, P.O. Box 35, Nobleboro, ME 04555; or the Cove's Edge Care Fund, Cove's Edge, 26 Schooner St., Damariscotta, ME 04543.
Arrangements are with the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center at 612 Main St. in Damariscotta.
Donald Rogers Jr.
BELFAST - Donald Briar Rogers Jr., 87, of Belfast, passed away Saturday, Oct. 8, 2005, at a local health-care facility. He was born in Belfast on Jan. 15, 1918, the son of Donald and Dorothy (Bickford) Rogers.
At age 14, he began working on a two-masted bay schooner that worked around the Midcoast. During World War II, Donald joined the Merchant Marine and sailed on Liberty Ships. After the war, he became the first captain of the new State Ferry serving Vinalhaven, and later captained coastal tankers for the Boston Fuel Co.
After retirement, Donald enjoyed writing and often wrote articles for local Belfast papers and Down East magazine. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Christie Watts.
Donald is survived by his wife, Margaret Rogers, of Belfast; four children, Donald "Skip" Rogers III and wife, Sandy, Stewart Rogers and wife, Cinda, Christopher Rogers and wife, Pamela, and George Rogers and wife, Susan; twelve grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; nephew, Walter Ash, and niece, Valerie Kaler.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Route 3, Belfast. Arrangements are under the care of Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave., Belfast.
