Obituaries, Week of August 3, 2017

KENNETH R. JUDKINS

OHIO/WINSLOW­­ – Sgt/Major (retired) United States Army, Kenneth R. Judkins, formerly of Winslow, passed away at the home of his daughter, Donna Judkins Workman, on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, in Conneaut, Ohio. He was born April 7, 1920, in Augusta, son of the late Harold C. and Gladys (Morin) Judkins.

Kenneth was educated in the Augusta schools and attended Cony High School. He obtained his GED in the Army, plus he received two years of college credits and educational certificates within the U.S. Army.

He served 21 years in the U.S. Army, including 27 months in the South Pacific Theater in World War II. Post war, he served in Europe in Germany and numerous U.S. bases, retiring as a Command Sgt. Major in 1964. Throughout his years of service, he was supported by, Barbara Olive (Sweet) Judkins, his wife of almost 70 years. They were married on June 30, 1943. She preceded him to eternity on November 28, 2013.

He was business manager of Northern Lebanon School District, in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, for three years. He returned to Maine in October 1967 as an assistant to Superintendent of Schools of Union #52, retiring in 1982. He did odd jobs until he joined the Kennebec Sheriff’s Department in 1984, where he attained the rank of lieutenant and was placed in charge of court security in Kennebec County. He worked there for seven years, retiring from the department in 1991.

He served on the Winslow Town Council in 1982 and was chairman from 1987-–88. He was an honorary member of Winslow Police Department, American Legion, member Veterans Foreign Wars, lifetime member of Disabled American Veterans, Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department and Maine Association of Retirees.

He moved to Conneaut, Ohio, in 2012 to live with his daughter and family, along with Barbara, when she became too ill for him to take care of by himself.

Kenneth attended Edgewood Christian Missionary Alliance Church regularly while living in Ohio with Donna.

Kenneth was predeceased by his wife, Barbara, in 2013, and brother, Dana, in 2016.

He is survived by daughters, Donna J. (Sid) Workman, NP, Elizabeth (Matt) Barbour; son Harold “Chuck” Judkins (Martha); nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; three great-great-granddaughters; and a sister, Edith Brown, of Mesa, Arizona.

Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan ME 04976.

Memorial donations can be made to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka KS 66675-8517

GEORGE H. TAYLOR

FAIRFIELD­­ – George H. Taylor, 94, passed away on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at his home in Fairfield. George was born January 14, 1923, in Waterville, son of Brunswick and Maude (Porterfield) Taylor.

He graduated from Lawrence High School, in Fairfield, and earned a degree in diesel mechanics from UEI in Chicago, Illinois.

He had a lifelong passion for cars and always owned several at a time, evident to anyone who drove by his house. He raced one time at Unity Raceway and won, driving his 1937 LaSalle.

George was well known and revered for his strong character and tireless work ethic. After dedicating 20 years to the family farm, he purchased his own truck to haul pulp in the winter and gravel in the summer. George also worked for the town of Fairfield for 65 years in various positions including director of public works, plumbing inspector, and as a volunteer firefighter. He maintained great physical strength lifelong, even cutting, splitting, and piling several cords of wood each year through the age of 93––last year, four cords alone!

George’s legacy as a beloved baseball coach is forever embedded in Central Maine’s youth sports history. A ball player himself, he played for Lawrence High and continued on in the old Somerset semi-pro league, playing left field for Kennebec Mills from the late 1940s into the early ‘50s. He began his coaching career in 1956 for the Waterville Elks-sponsored Babe Ruth team, and when Fairfield started its own Babe Ruth/PAL program the following year, George remained as a coach for 50 seasons. During that span, he also coached American Legion baseball for six years while his sons were playing in Fairfield. One season, he coached three teams at once across the Babe Ruth, Pony, and American Legion leagues. George took pride in his role as coach, teaching his players to put sportsmanship above all else while on the field and in the dugout. Between coaching games and practices, George could be found in his lawn chair behind home plate as a steadfast supporter of Lawrence High and all area Babe Ruth teams––­­youth baseball’s biggest fan.

George is survived by his sons, George “Allen” and wife Jeannean, of Skowhegan, Robert and wife Teresa, of Melbourne, Florida, Michael and wife Dawn, of Fairfield; step-children Clarence Whitman and wife Dottie, Bobby Whitman and wife Elizabeth, Bonnie Bucknam and husband Ron, of Oakland; seven grandchildren, George D. and wife Kathy, Gina, Shannon, Kristie and husband Josh, Nichole, Amanda and husband Johnny, and Ashley; seven great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; nephew Fred Taylor and wife Eleanor; nieces Carolyn Bushey and husband Frank, Laura Bartram; and his companion for many years, Joyce Nadeau.

An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.lawrybrothers.com.

Memorial donations can be made to Fairfield PAL Sports for the Baseball program, c/o Frank Bouchard, Treasurer, 135 Main St., Fairfield ME 04937.

VERNON E. HUTCHINS

JEFFERSON­­ – Vernon E. Hutchins, 83, of Jefferson, passed away at LincolnHealth­­––Miles Campus in Damariscotta on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, following a long struggle with declining health. He was born on January 17, 1934, son of Myron and Marguerite Hutchins, of Waldoboro.

He graduated from Waldoboro High in 1952 and attended the University of Maine in Orono for one year before enlisting in the Navy during the Korean War.

Vernon married the former Carolyn Vannah, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1954.

His Navy career started in Washington, D.C. where he attended Fleet Training School. He served on submarine tenders in West Key, Florida, Charleston, South Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia. In Newport, Rhode Island he taught battery alignment and gun fire support at the Fleet Training Center. In Groton, Connecticut he was an instructor at the Submarine Attack Center, from which he retired after serving 20 years as a chief fire control technician. He worked at Sears, Roebuck in New London, Connecticut, in the building supply department and for John Hancock Insurance Company before moving back to Maine in 1983.

Before retiring completely he drove a school bus for the town of Jefferson for a few years.

He was a longtime member of the Orff’s Corner Community Church where he served as a trustee and usher with his brother Raymond for many years. He was also a member of the American Legion in Waldoboro, the Fleet Reserve Association and the Jefferson Historical Society.

He was predeceased by parents, Myron and Marguerite Hutchins; and brother Raymond Hutchins.

Vernon is survived by his wife of 62 years; son Gary V. Hutchins and wife Sheila, of Salem, Connecticut; daughter Marcia Vertefeuille, of Frankfort; grandson, Justin Vertefeuille, of Belfast; granddaughters, Andrea Paxton and husband Bill, of Quaker Hill, Connecticut, Shelly Hutchins and partner Robert Richman, and Ashley Drago and husband Russell; great-grandchildren, Hannah, Ethan, Ryan and Jack; brother Harold Hutchins and wife Cindy, of Waldoboro; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to the Orff’s Corner Community Church, P.O. Box 1021, Waldoboro ME 04572; the Orff’s Corner Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 1000, Jefferson ME 04348; or the Miles & St. Andrews Home Health & Hospice at Maine Health, 40 Belvedere Rd., Damariscotta ME 04543.

To extend online condolences to the family please visit www.hallfuneralhomes.com.

BRUCE VAN WAGNER

BENTON­­ – Bruce Van Wagner, 72, passed away at Eastern Maine Medical Center, in Bangor, on Friday July 14, 2017, from a sudden illness. Bruce was born March 30, 1945, in Newport, Rhode Island, to Frederick and Roberta (Hubble) Van Wagner.

Bruce spent over ten years of active service in the U.S. Navy and completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. Bruce experienced many careers including residential construction, general management and customer service. Regardless of his job, Bruce loved being able to interact with people as he was truly a people person – always putting the needs of others before his own. Bruce most recently worked at Brown’s Power Sports, in Benton, and Aubuchon Hardware, in Waterville.

Throughout his life he was an avid reader, die hard Patriots fan, and an experienced outdoors man. Bruce had many amazing experiences including a military project that was put on display at the Smithsonian Institute, in Washington, D.C.

Bruce was predeceased by both of his parents; and his three siblings.

He is survived by his stepmother Marguerite Van Wagner; wife Cheryl (Brown) Van Wagner; daughters Amanda McCaslin and Elizabeth Van Wagner; son Bruce G. Van Wagner; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.lawrybrothers.com

Memorial donations may be made to your local American Legion.

JOHN W. TAPLEY

BENTON––John Webster Tapley, 78, passed away on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at MaineGeneral Medical Center, in Augusta. John was born on September 30, 1938, in Waterville.

He attended Clinton High School.

He loved to go dancing and being with close friends. In later years, he enjoyed watching the old cowboy movies.

John was predeceased by his parents; son James L. Tapley; and sister Gloria Tapley Patterson.

John is survived by his wife Cynthia Foster Tapley; four daughters, Julia Tapley McEnhill, of Sharpsburg, Georgia, Johnna Tapley Neil, of Beaufort, South Carolina, Jean Tapley Pender, of Beaufort, South Carolina, Judy Tapley, of Atlanta, Georgia; step-son Daniel Hallee Jr.; step-daughter Angelique Hallee; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three nieces and several cousins.

An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.lawrybrothers.com.

PRISCILLA MCINTYRE

WINSLOW – Priscilla McIntyre passed away on Sunday, July 16, 2017, at her home in Winslow. She was born April 3, 1931, in Newton, Massachusetts, the daughter of Roger and Agnes (Taylor) Farley.

Priscilla graduated from Brighton High School and the Boston Clerical School. She proudly worked as the secretary at Winslow High School for 25 years. Many past students would always remember her when she was out and about in town.

She enjoyed knitting, puzzles, reading, and going to the movies and plays. She looked forward to the annual girls trip to Wells Beach each October and traveling to Florida first with her sister each spring and with her “sisters” later in life.

She had many wonderful friendships in her life. Her special friend, Rita Gershman, has been her friend since kindergarten. She had been a member of Beta Sigma Phi for 50 years. Each and every one of those girls had truly become a sister to her.

Priscilla was predeceased by her husband, Raymond McIntyre and her sister Sheila Chalmers.

She is survived by her daughters, Elaine Motley and Thomas, of Shawmut, Sheila Poulin and Robert, of Waterville, Karen Derosby and partner James, of Waterville; her sister-in-law, Elaine Pantos, of Moultonboro, New Hampshire; her brother-in-law, Philip Chalmers, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and niece and nephews Larry, Steven, Donnie, and Laura; her grandchildren, Garrett, Amelia, and Marcus Derosby and Christopher Motley.

Condolences may be expressed and guestbook signed at gallantfh.com.

Memorial donations may be made to Waterville Area Humane Society, 100 Webb Rd., Waterville ME 04901.

ROBERT M. WESCOTT

WINDSOR – Robert Michael Wescott, 82, of Windsor, passed away on Sunday, July 16, 2017, following a brief illness. He was born in Portland on May 27, 1935.

He attended Erskine Academy in South China.

On June 4, 1960, he married Nanette Crane.

He worked for Mowlem ­Centriline Pipeline, Sanborn Motor Express, R.C. Moore Trucking and Hussey’s Store. He owned and operated a general store, Wescott’s Market, in Gardiner and also owned his own trucking company, Wescott Trucking, for many years.

He was predeceased by his parents; and two brothers, William and Peter Wescott.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nanette (Crane) Wescott; his sons Michael Wescott, of Somerville, Richard Wescott and his partner Ivana Wilson, of Windsor; and his daughter Marcia (Wescott) Luszczki and her husband Carl, of Manchester; two grandsons; and one great-grandson.

STEVEN GLOWA

SHELTON, CONNECTICUT – Steven Glowa, 61, of Shelton, Connecticut, passed away on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Steve was born in Bridgeport on May 18, 1956, the son of Margaret (Beaton) Glowa and the late John Glowa, and lived in Shelton most of his life. Steve was a former baseball standout at Shelton High School (‘74), Fair­field Uni­versity, and University of New Haven. He played Cape League baseball for Wareham (‘75) and Harwich (‘76, ‘77). When he wasn’t attending cheerleading competitions, he was watching or coaching baseball. In his spare time Steve enjoyed golfing, fishing, and cooking for his family and co-workers.

He worked for the Aquarion Water Company where he retired as Pipeline Coordinator after nearly 40 years of service.

He is the father of Jeffrey Glowa and Leanne Honious and her husband Zane. He also leaves two grandchildren, Zander and Bennett; a brother, John Glowa; nephews John, Joseph and Michael Glowa; a niece Andrea Glowa; several great-nieces and nephews, and his former wife Cheryl Rich.

He was predeceased by a brother, Andrew Glowa.

Friends may greet the family at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, Shelton, on Saturday, August 5, from 9 – 11 a.m. A funeral service will begin in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery Shelton.

Memorial contributions can be made to Swim Across the Sound, ℅ St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606, or to Water for People at www.waterforpeople.org.

Online condolences can be offered at www.riverviewfh.com.