Daniel David Lourie. William Jerome Hamilton. Linda Anzalone Woolley. Deborah Jean DeRaps. Kendall Franklin Stratton Jr. Karen Sue (Olson) Van Tine. Everett D. Haycock. Edwin W. ‘Sonny’ Colburn.
Mar 01, 2026
Note: “People We’ve Lost” is a feature of the Bar Harbor Story where we share obituaries of people that the island lost in the previous 1-2 weeks.
We’re doing this because we think everyone deserves to be remembered as widely as possible and not behind paywalls or at a cost of $500 for people mourning. We’re free.
If you have an obituary for a loved one or friend that you can’t afford to place in other spaces, please let us know, and we’ll share it here for you. We will also share obituaries that have been in other places, too. Just let us know.
This week, by request, we’ve started sharing obituaries from throughout Hancock County. This is a bit of a bigger lift for us, but we’ll try to keep doing it if it’s something that you all want. We all are so connected here.
Daniel David Lourie
Daniel David Lourie, 88, of Bozeman, Montana; Orono and Bar Harbor, Maine; Austin and Houston, Texas; New York, New York; and Antwerp Belgium, left this realm in the comfort of his home, next to his wife, Tyrrell (Ty) Lourie, under a full moon, on February 1st, 2026. Dan was born on May 11, 1937 in Antwerp, Belgium to Israel Lourie and Sophie Elkon Lourie.
Dan attended Trinity College, where he studied history and played both football and baseball. After serving in the army, and playing semi-professional football, he settled in Houston, Texas where his day job of selling life insurance was overshadowed by his passion for playing hard with his kids and a life of social justice work.
Dan organized, marched, wrote letters, and rallied for racial equality, the peace movement, and women’s rights. He was a fixture in local, national and international political activism in every community in which he lived. Dan attributed his tireless commitment to disenfranchised people to his early experiences as a European Jew who was forced to flee his childhood home, traversing Europe in 1940 and 41 until his family secured passage to the United States. Dan, and his sister, Doris, spent the rest of their childhoods in the Bronx, where he attended the Bronx High School of Science and developed his lifelong passion for baseball and football.
Dan was an avid reader, an eloquent writer, community builder, cross country cyclist, marathoner, hiker, doting husband and father, and expert gardener. He loved art, theatre, the Maine coast, and music of many genres; danced always and everywhere; and never passed up an opportunity to travel the world, make new friends, offer help to others, or teach children about civil rights, the Holocaust, non-violence, and the Yankees.
Dan is survived by his wife of 30 years, Tyrrell (Ty) Lourie; daughter, Stephani Lourie; daughter-in-law, Claire Craig; and his grandchildren, Anitra Lourie and Geist (Isaac) Lourie. He was preceded in death by his parents, Israel Lourie and Sophie (Elkon) Lourie; his sister, Doris (Lourie) Kastenholz; and his son, Kevin Joseph Lourie.
Dan was a force, a light, an inspiration who will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to https://www.wfmn.org/funds/immigrant-rapid-response/; or better yet, in his name, please commit to making this world a just and safe place for all people.
There will be a celebration of Dan’s life in the summer.
William Jerome Hamilton
William Jerome Hamilton, known to all who loved him as Billy, passed away peacefully at home on January 16, 2026, surrounded by family and the love he so freely gave throughout his life. He was 78 years old.
Throughout his life, Billy dedicated himself to giving to others. All who met him will remember his warm, broad smile, his lively sense of humor, and his ability to see the best in everyone. Billy had the compassion that comes from overcoming difficult times, and the kindness that comes from a genuine belief in the goodness of other people.
Billy was born in Northampton, MA on Sept. 18, 1947, the son of Willie and Louisiana (Fortson) Hamilton, who left Mississippi to make a new life in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where Billy grew up. It was there that he met his high school sweetheart, and the love of his life, Suzanne Field.
At Greenfield High School, Billy made lifelong friends and developed the love of music that he would carry with him throughout his days. He received the GHS music trophy and served as the chorus president, he played tuba in the school band and string bass in the orchestra, and he performed with the Gamma Psi Sigma Chorale, Western Mass District Chorus, and the Pioneer Valley Symphony Chorus and Orchestra. Billy also received a National High School Poetry Association Award, served as Vice President of the student council, and competed on the track team. Outside of school, Billy found time to play guitar with the Mark Taylor Trio and string bass for the Vy-counts, two popular local bands.
Billy graduated from Greenfield High School in 1965 and became the first in his family to attend college, receiving his associate’s degree in Electronics from the University of Hartford in 1968. As he had in high school, Billy showed the breadth and variety of his talent in his working career: he worked as a photographer, a software engineer, a videographer, and as a professional musician. Music was at the heart of Billy’s being from his school days on; he was a talented musician and an enthusiastic lover of all genres of music. There was always music playing in the Hamilton household, and love of music is something that he instilled deeply in both of his daughters. Billy brought out the music in all of us; he liked to remind us that “if you can talk, you can sing; if you can walk, you can dance.”
Billy and Sue married in 1969 and shared 56 years of devotion. They lived in Middletown, CT, in Allston, MA, and eventually settled in Arlington, MA where they lived for 42 years and raised two children. While living in Arlington, Billy gave his time and energy to groups throughout his community, including First Baptist Church, First Parish Unitarian Church, The Arlington Boys and Girls Club, Arlington High School, and Revels Cambridge. In 2006, he left his work as a programmer at Fidelity Investments to join WCCA TV in Worcester, where he was a videographer, an editor, and a producer of community television. He spent fifteen years at WCCA, sincerely valued the friends he made and the diversity of viewpoints and experiences that he encountered there, and would often describe it as his dream job.
Early in their marriage, Billy and Sue began visiting Mount Desert Island, Maine, and they developed a deep love for the island. Billy was the very first musician to perform at Geddy’s Pub in Bar Harbor, which would become a local staple for live music. Billy performed as a solo guitarist at Geddy’s for 15 summers, opening for acts including Bonnie Raitt, Nicolette Larson, Livingston Taylor, Lyle Lovett, and Wynston Marsalis, among others. Billy also became lasting friends with Geddy, the proprietor, as he did with so many people whose lives crossed with his. In 2021, Billy and Sue retired to Somesville, Maine, turning their weekend and summer retreat into a year-round home, as they had long dreamed of doing. Billy’s life in retirement was full of love: he spent his days reconnecting with old friends, firing Sue’s pottery and doing shows with her, walking the trails with their neighbors on the island, pampering their cat Cleo, and enjoying all that life on Mount Desert had to offer.
Billy is survived by his beloved wife, Sue; his brother Kenny and sister-in-law Alison; his daughters Sara Rattigan and Elisa Hamilton and his sons-in-law Richard Rattigan and Bill Unsworth, whom he embraced as his own; and his three grandchildren Berwyn, Ivy, and Wesley, to whom he was simply their proud and loving “Papa”. Beyond his immediate family, he leaves behind an extended family of relatives and countless friends whose lives were touched by the warmth of his being. He was predeceased by his sister Barbara Hamilton of Greenfield, MA and Lumberton, NC.
Billy’s legacy lives on in the family he cherished and the countless moments of connection he created with friends and strangers alike. He had a special way of making people feel seen and valued, whether they had known him for a lifetime or had just met him. His love for family and community was evident in everything he did; Billy treated everyone as if they might become a lifelong friend, and in doing so, he welcomed all into the ever-growing community of love that surrounded him. He will be remembered always for the joy in his spirit, the kindness in his smile, and the continuing melody of a life well lived.
Per Billy’s wishes, no service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to hospice care organizations.
Linda Anzalone Woolley
Linda Anzalone Woolley, a distinguished Washington, D.C., legal and public affairs leader, passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 20, 2026. A devoted mother, grandmother, sister, colleague, and friend, she was known for her integrity, leadership, and service.
Born in New York City and raised in West Orange, N.J., Linda was one of four sisters in a close-knit Italian-American family. She earned her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and a B.A. from Hamilton College. Linda began her career on Capitol Hill and spent over 30 years in public affairs, government relations, and policy, including work with the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health & the Environment. She led the Environment Section at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, held senior advocacy roles at ITT Corporation, and founded Legislaw Consulting. She also served as Executive Vice President and then President & CEO of the Direct Marketing Association and later led the Trustworthy Accountability Group, advancing ethical practices in digital advertising.
A committed volunteer and mentor, Linda served 10 years as a divorce mediator, 15 years with the Flower Guild of the Washington National Cathedral, and co-led the Bar Harbor Garden Club Youth Gardening Program in Maine. She also supported global health initiatives as a board member of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Linda was predeceased by her husband of 46 years, George Woolley, and survived by her children Charlotte Stewart (Blount) of Bethesda, Md., Nina Ragunanthan (Braveen) of Pittsburgh, Pa., stepdaughter Jennifer Skinner (Matthew) of Milwaukee, Wis., five grandchildren, and her sisters Carole, Mary Jo, and Nancy. Linda and George were homeowners in and summer residents of Bernard, Maine, MDI.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Albemarle Street NW, Washington, DC. Memorial contributions may be made in Linda’s name to the Bar Harbor Garden Club (https://www.barharborgardenclub.org/donate-to-bhgc/) or Washington National Cathedral Flower Guild (https://cathedral.org/support/flowers/).
Deborah Jean DeRaps
Deborah Jean DeRaps (“Debbie”), of Franklin, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Feb. 17, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She faced illness with remarkable strength and courage, always more concerned for the well-being of those she loved than for herself. Caring for others was simply who she was.
Debbie was born on May 25, 1946, in South Portland. At just 13 years old, she met the love of her life, and over the years, began building a warm, welcoming home filled with laughter, love, and open arms. Everyone always felt they belonged there. Debbie had a special gift for connection—she made people feel seen, heard, and valued.
Those who knew her best will remember her as optimistic and fun-loving, with a playful streak. She found joy in crafting, quilting, and baking—talents she seemed to carry out effortlessly. A gifted storyteller and writer, Debbie delighted in sharing memories of lighthearted prank wars, family adventures, and especially the latest accomplishments of her beloved children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Nothing brought her greater joy than speaking about her grandchildren and their families: Brianna and husband, Wayne; Brandon; Chelsea; Katelyn and husband, JT; Christopher; Aidan; Addison; Ethan; Paisley; and her great-grandchildren, Caleb, Carter, and Brinley. She carried immense pride in each of them and never missed an opportunity to share stories of her love for them with her friends.
Debbie is survived by her children: John DeRaps Jr. and partner, Shayna Engelhard, of Lamoine, his ex-wife Marianne Corvah of Laurel, Md.; Wendy DeRaps Richardson and ex-husband, Micah Richardson, of Orlando, Fla.; Tammy Derr and husband, Jesse Derr, of Ellsworth; Julie Nicola of Franklin; her ex-husband and his wife, Matthew and Darcy Russell, of Harborside.
She is also survived by her beloved sister, Audrey Schofield and her husband, Bill Schofield, of Caribou, and their families, as well as countless dear friends and extended family members whose lives she touched deeply — and who touched hers. She loved you all so deeply.
She was predeceased by her beloved parents, Ethel and Henry Brooks; siblings, Eleanor Saville, Lou Willis, Ivan “Jr.” Warden, Tommy Warden, Robert “Bobby” Warden, Richard “Dickie” Warden; and her nephews, Bo Warden, Jimmy Brewster, and Steven Warden, as well as her devoted husband of 50 years, John DeRaps Sr., and their twin daughters, Lisa Mae and Laurie Jean.
At Debbie’s request, a small, private service for immediate family will be held in the spring. Although her family misses her immensely, they know she is at peace, dancing in Heaven with her forever love, John, holding her twins, and being reunited with family and friends she has deeply missed.
Special thanks to the team at Seal Cove Assisted Living Center and Bristol Hospice for their incredible care, kindness, compassion, friendship, and love for Debbie and her family. Family is deeply touched by all who loved her, and are forever grateful for the incredible support received. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish make a donation to their favorite charity in Debbie’s memory. Her legacy is one of unwavering love, resilience, laughter, and the kind of kindness that leaves a lasting imprint on every heart she touched.
Kendall Franklin Stratton Jr
Kendall Franklin Stratton Jr. passed away at home on Feb. 22, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Kenny was born to Kendall and Madeline (Woodworth) Stratton Sr. on Sept. 11, 1931. He graduated from Sullivan High School in 1950 and enlisted in the United States Air Force in January of 1951. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and served for four years in Colorado, England, Morocco, and Texas. He returned to Maine from Texas with his bride, Deloris (Dodie) Fenton of Sorrento, and joined New England Telephone and Telegraph in Caribou, Maine. He worked on Loring Air Force Base for 17 years as a civilian contractor installing and repairing telephones. Kenny transferred to Ellsworth and completed 18 more years of his 35 years with Ma Bell in Downeast Maine, where he enjoyed every single day. He was a longstanding member of the Telephone Pioneers.
Kenny and Dodie had four children, Dan, Teri, David and Lori. Following Dodie’s tragic passing in 1965, Kenny later remarried three times and had four more children, Kenny III, Kimmy, Jean and Marc. His final marriage to Marcia Ann Pinkham lasted 38 years until her passing on June 11, 2022. He is survived by eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Kenny treasured his entire family including his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, and many close friends throughout Downeast Maine. Kenny was a devoted member of the Union Congregational Church of Hancock for 80 years, where he volunteered extensively. He coached the Hancock Hornets Girl’s Basketball Team. The American Institute of Public Service honored him with the Jefferson Award for being the prime mover behind the community ball field in Hancock. Following his retirement, Kenny spent the next 25 years working in the woods (“my therapy”) on family property. He was an avid hunter but gave that up after a young moose befriended him for nearly a year while working on his property. He enjoyed morning coffee with friends and patrons at both Hancock Grocery and Merchant’s Garage.
A memorial service will be held for Kenny at the Union Congregational Church of Hancock on Saturday, March 7, at 2 p.m. A celebration of life will be held for family and friends on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 12 noon on Stratton Shore in Hancock.
Karen Sue (Olson) Van Tine
Karen Sue (Olson) Van Tine, 86, passed away peacefully at home with loved ones by her side on Feb. 18, after a long illness.
She grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska, lived in several places around the world, and eventually settled in Maine. She and the love of her life, John, raised their three children in Penobscot on their Angora rabbit farm.
She enjoyed knitting, reading books, and spinning yarn with the Wednesday Spinners. She taught French at Ellsworth High School, introducing a generation of students to French language, culture, and travel.
After retiring, she and John relocated to Hawaii, where she appreciated the warm weather and beautiful flowers. She became active in the community center, taking classes such as Hawaiian language, Hulu dancing, and ukulele. She also enjoyed swimming and playing dominoes with her friends.
She loved all things French, especially “On ne voit bien qu’avec le coeur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”
Everett D. Haycock
Everett D. Haycock, 83, died peacefully at his home on Feb. 22, 2026, surrounded by his family.
He was born Sept. 7, 1942, the son of Clarence and Lydia (Young) Haycock.
Everett was no stranger to hard work. He started working at a young age with his father peeling pulpwood and lobster fishing. He worked at Stinson’s Sardine Factory in Prospect Harbor, A.R. Whitten Construction in Winter Harbor, and as a carpenter with his brother-in-law Walter and nephew Gordon Harrington. He then went on to work as a home fuel delivery driver for Church’s Fuel in Gouldsboro, H.G. Tucker in Cherryfield, and then Dead River Company in Ellsworth. In 2004, he retired from Dead River Company after 30 years of service. Retirement didn’t slow him down though. He went on to work part-time at Walmart in Ellsworth and went lobster fishing with his nephew, John Haycock Jr.
Everett enjoyed going to “slots” and playing bingo. He loved hunting and fishing with his best friend, Charlie Bagley, at camp in Smyrna Mills. Everett told many tales of their memorable adventures with Charlie’s sons and grandsons, who Everett loved like his own. He was also a lifetime member of the Knights of Pythias in Gouldsboro.
Everyone who knew Everett knew he was all about family. He had a big heart full of love that he shared with everyone he met. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 64 years, Donna (Manley) Haycock, and his three daughters: Terri Beal and husband Peter of Sullivan, Vicki Haycock and Peggy Thoner, both of Gouldsboro. Everett was the beloved Bampa to 5 grandchildren: Alicia Thomas and husband Blake, Lauriann Beal, Becki Harden and husband Stephen, Joshua Beal and wife Amanda, and Jessica Thoner; 6 great-grandchildren: Liana Seavey, Delainey Thomas, Braelynn Harden, Zachary Beal and fiancée Abigail Brand, Keegan Beal, and Makenzi Beal; and 3 great-great-grandchildren: Ashton Grant, Autumn Grant, and Aubree Beal. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents and his daughter, Laurie Ann Haycock, brothers Charles Haycock Sr. and John Haycock Sr., and sisters Thelma Johnson, Gertrude Harrington, and Jean Noiles.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Knights of Pythias Lodge, Route 1, Gouldsboro. A private graveside service will be held in the spring.
The family would like to express special thanks to the doctors and staff at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center – Intermediate Care Unit – as well as Katherine and Jenny from Northern Light Hospice for their excellent and compassionate care.
Edwin W. ‘Sonny’ Colburn
Edwin W. “Sonny” Colburn, 93, passed away Feb. 20, 2026, at home, with his wife by his side. He was born April 9, 1932, to Edwin L. and Leola (Weston) Colburn.
Sonny was a member of the Anah Shriners, having many roles; City Club and Morning Rotary. His biggest accomplishment was being one of the founders of the Kenduskeag Canoe Race.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Faith; children, Karen and her son, Colburn “Tom” Roberts, Walter, Traeger, and his sons, Luke and Nathan and Tina Therriault and her husband, Roland.
Ed lived life to the fullest.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. The family would like to extend a special thank you to St. Joseph’s Hospice and to all of their special church friends and beyond who checked on them. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
Dolores Seymour
Dolores Seymour gracefully left us on Jan. 19, 2026, from the sanctity of her home in South Blue Hill, Maine. During the last four years of her life, she lived with many health complications that she overcame with diligence and wit. Parkinson’s disease, though, she could not conquer.
Dee, as she preferred to be called by friends, and those that met her quickly became her friend, was born in Chicago, Ill., in 1941. Her parents were Art and Bernice Liberacki, who owned a corner grocery store, a local gathering place in densely populated South Chicago. It included barrels of goods and a stove that the neighborhood would gather around and tell stories in all seasons, likely instilling in her at an early age a strong sense of community. She later attended the University of Michigan and went on to have a successful career in business in Florida and was highly respected by her colleagues and clients for her ability to persuasively accomplish extremely large commercial and industrial projects.
Throughout her life, she was an advocate for respecting human differences and civil rights. Her two college roommates encouraged that passion by their own innate example, one going on to be the head of Women’s Studies at Columbia and the other being the first women sportswriter covering the field of hockey. Dee was active in The League of Women Voters, The NAACP, and other community groups in St Petersburg, Fla. Throughout her life, she walked many miles in marches for civil rights, including numerous events in Washington, D.C., for the rights of women, and also at an early age marching with Martin Luther King Jr. Ironically she passed away on the day that celebrates his birth.
Dee also was a single parent, sharing her passions with her daughters and ensuring that they always had a secure and solid place of respite, unconditional support, and unflinching love. Her daughter Audrey D. Seymour evolved to be a highly respected professional in city management in the San Francisco Bay area. And her daughter Raechel Garafalo followed her mom’s path in St. Petersburg, Fla., by volunteering and actively engaging in political campaigns, The League of Women Voters, and the NAACP. Daughters and mom also shared many vivacious and adventuresome trips to England and Europe. Audrey, Raechel, Bernice, and Dee hold a family gift of melodic vocalization, and for many years Dee was a performing member of the Bagaduce Chorale in Blue Hill.
On a blind date fabricated by common friends, Dee met Thom McLaughlin in early January, 2002. By Valentine’s Day of that year, they realized that they had a connection of souls and they were destined to share their life together. He was a university art professor in contrast to her business acumen, which at first glance perhaps put them at opposite ends of a spectrum. But they capitalized on their talents combining those into a shared passion. Thom had been visiting Downeast Maine since 1980 doing research on visual artists. Dee first visited Brooklin, Maine, in late summer 2002, where Thom was a teacher at WoodenBoat School. They spent New Years 2003 in the home of a friend in Penobscot, and it was there that Dee realized she truly missed winter and seasonal changes. By the summer of 2005, they purchased property in South Blue Hill, got married, and Thom left the university. Together they built an artful house and developed a pastoral landscape that has given them a revered and sublime life together.
Aging in place would not have been possible for Dee without the community of health professionals that exist on the Blue Hill Peninsula and nearby towns. There cannot be enough praise and thanks given to all those who assisted Dee, her personal physician and crew at Northern Light Hospital who guided her through hip replacements, wrist palsy, and compression fractures; all the Northern Light nurses that visited for home care, therapy and later hospice; plus the additional nurses that attended Dee in the afternoons and at night. Can there be anything better than having crackers in bed at 3 a.m. and telling stories while at the same time bouncing on the alternating air mattress trying to smooth out the lumps to make Dee more comfortable? That dedicated group of people truly make the world a better place.
Dee is survived by her husband, Thom McLaughlin, of South Blue Hill, Maine; daughter Raechel Garafalo and her husband Michael Garafalo of St. Petersburg, Fla.; daughter Audrey D. Seymour and granddaughter Parker Ramberg both of Mountain View, Calif.
As Dee’s health declined, her daughter Raechel wrote an elegant letter to her mom. Dee read that letter every remaining day of her life, and it seems appropriate to quote from a part of that letter in this eulogy as it captures what Dee gave to us all and likewise what Dee will continue giving us as inspiration into our future:
“Mom, you didn’t just tell me how to live a meaningful life — you showed me. You modeled strength, integrity, courage, love, resilience, and joy. You showed me how to meet challenges head on, how to reinvent myself, how to care for others, how to stay curious, and how to keep my heart open.”
Those who desire are encouraged to make contributions in Dee’s memory to the Blue Hill Heritage Trust (a land, water, wildlife conservation organization) at P.O. Box 222, Blue Hill, ME 04614; or the Blue Hill Public Library at 5 Parker Point Rd., Blue Hill, ME 04614.
Marian Joyce Kelley
Marian Joyce Kelley passed away peacefully on Feb. 17, 2026, at the Bangor Veterans Home. She was born on Oct. 3, 1933, to Frank Russell and Bernice Candage. She loved her time on the Lee Lord farm in her youth and raised a 4-H prize-winning bull named Prince.
She was fond of puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, and cribbage. Marian loved to knit and crochet and made garments that were better than store-bought. She also loved her dogs.
Marian was the valedictorian of the Class of 1951 at Bucksport High School and was the youngest Grange Master of Verona Island. She was the Sandy Point postmaster for 7 years.
She is survived by her brother Bob Candage, sister Donna Violette and four children, Joyce M. Rollins, Nancy J. Huckins, Janet M. Faust and husband Allen, and Dana F. Bouchard and wife Bonnie; 12 grandchildren: Christopher Rollins, Heather Chandler, Chrystal Bowden, Jeffery Bouchard, Eric Bouchard, Thomas Bouchard, Catherine Mandoka, Nicole Bouchard, Caroline Cairns, Dominick Bouchard, Francis Bouchard, and Lowell Bouchard.
She was predeceased by her parents Frank Russell and Bernice Candage, her husband Allan Kelley, her brother Donald F. Russell and sons David and Richard Bouchard.
Marian will be greatly missed by her friends and family. She will be buried at Riverview Cemetery in Bucksport. Arrangements are under the care of Michell-Tweedie Funeral Home and Cremation Services Bucksport. (mitchelltweedie-young.com).
Ralph A. Gray Sr.
Ralph A. Gray Sr., 91, passed away peacefully at his home in Orland on Feb. 21, 2026. He was born in Orland on Jan. 18, 1935, the son of Beulah (Conary) and Manley Gray.
Ralph loved to be outside, whether working, tinkering on equipment in his garage, or enjoying the great outdoors hunting and fishing. He was a man who preferred to stay close to home but with a little persuading did make it to Alaska on a fishing trip and to Canada hunting. He was always there for a friend or member of his community in need. Ralph also gave back to the community as a member of the Orland Masonic Lodge for more than 50 years. He also served as the town of Orland’s Constable for many years.
Ralph retired after 25 years of service from the Department of Transportation. At the same time, he operated his own small business doing logging, small construction jobs, and plowing to help his neighbors all his life. For many years he enjoyed managing the town of Orland’s alewives weir in the spring of each year. He was known for smoking alewives and selling them to local stores.
He is survived by his loving partner and wife of nearly 60 years, Nancy (Holmes) Gray, his children, Rose and husband Keith Gross, Susan Westfall, Thomas Pelkey, Ralph Gray Jr. and wife Linda, Donna and husband Todd Jacobson, and Linda and husband Robert Howard; 20 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, and one sister, Leona Brown. He also had two very special young men (Matt & David) in his life that were basically family to him. In addition, to his parents, he was predeceased by daughters Pamela Atwood and Terri-Jo Naihe, grandsons Thomas Jellison and Chad Jacobson, and siblings Carroll Gray, Virginia Gibson, Mildred Gibson, and Margaret Gray.
In keeping with Ralph’s wishes, there will be no services. Arrangements are under the care of Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home and Cremation Services Bucksport. (mitchelltweedie-young.com).
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