Waltham
Roland A. “Ropie” Wilbur Sr. left this Earth May 11, 2021. He was born March 2, 1934, in Ellsworth, the first child of Roland E. Wilbur and Beatrice Giles Wilbur.
He attended Waltham schools and one year and one day at Ellsworth High School before he decided that he had acquired enough education. Wrong!
At age 16 he went logging with a two-man cross-cut saw and an ax for the huge sum of $1 an hour, six days a week. He soon became the proud owner of a 1940 Chevy car. Life couldn’t get any better!
At age 18, he purchased a 1952 Dodge truck, hauled pulpwood, gravel and plowed snow for Waltham and East Mariaville. He spent most of his working life as a small contractor in the woods and driving a truck. At one time he employed one to three men. Small business!
He was a 40-plus-year member of the Lygonia Lodge of Ellsworth and later the Anah Shrine of Bangor.
In 1956, the government sent him greetings. He ended up in the U.S. Army for two years after training. He went to Korea for 16 months and served with the 24th Infantry Division until they deactivated after a year. He finished his tour with the 1st Cavalry Division operating an M-62 five-ton wrecker.
He came home the spring of 1958 and got a job painting on the Deer Isle bridge. He said from time to time he knew his fingerprints were still visible on the I-beams. Later that year he worked on the Augusta toll bridge until he met a young lady from Ellsworth.
He and Carolyn E. Edgecomb were married May 9, 1959.
He couldn’t get trucking out of his head, so he went back at it until health issues at a very young age halted his career.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, who stuck with him through thick and thin. He also leaves behind children Susan Berry, husband, Robert, Roland A. “Rollie” Wilbur Jr., wife, Becky Maddocks-Wilbur; six grandchildren, Jason Berry, Payden Maddocks-Wilbur, wife, Chelsea, Cheyenne Smith, husband, Mark, Justice Maddocks-Wilbur, wife, Lara, Kiana Maddocks-Wilbur and Seneca Maddocks-Wilbur; four great-grandchildren, Jasmine Berry, Annabelle, Kowen and Isaac Smith, and many cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and brother, Kennard “Kenny” Wilbur.
He will miss morning coffee at Joe’s Garage and all the BS.
At his request, he will be cremated. At a later date, there will be a private graveside service for the family at Hillside Cemetary followed by a celebration of life for the family at Abrams Pond.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to a charity of your choice.
As he said from time to time, “I did it my way!”
If there are any errors in this, they’re all mine.
Ropie