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BLUE HILL — Lloyd Edward Astbury, 85, of Blue Hill died peacefully at the Deer Isle Nursing Home on Wednesday, April 5.
Lloyd was born in Blue Hill on Nov. 25, 1931, to John and Hazel (Wescott) Astbury. He was married to his beloved wife, Colene, for 65 years.
Lloyd was predeceased by his parents, John and Hazel Astbury, and two granddaughters, Amy Jo McNeal and Tara Lou Astbury. He is survived by his wife, Colene, sister Jeanette Eastman and husband, Clarence, brother Clyde Astbury and wife, Gloria, son Perry Astbury and wife, Sylvia, daughter Diane McNeal, daughter Crystal Norris and husband Wayne, four grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Also his dear friend since childhood, Gordon Howard, with whom he spent over 60 years hunting and fishing.
Lloyd had a long and successful career as an equipment operator. He began working for the state as a teenager operating a hand shovel and moved up through several construction companies until he retired from Cianbro Corp. in 1994, having worked on several mills and bridges in the state while operating one of Cianbro’s largest cranes. Bored with retirement, he worked for E.L. Shea for a few years, had a brief spell of caretaking and finished up with Mike Astbury Construction until his body said, “That’s enough!”
Lloyd loved hunting and fishing almost as much as breathing. Colene was often with him on fishing trips to East Grand with Uncle Merle and Aunt Co, on the Alagash camping with Gordon and Pat, or on one of the many family weekend camping and fishing times at Tunk Lake. He also loved moose hunting trips with the old gang and deer hunting the Bowden Place with Gordon and Perry.
Lloyd enjoyed going to snowmobile races with Clyde, David and Henry that always led to discussions about whose snowmobile was the fastest. Sunday morning breakfast at his mother’s was something he looked forward to. They always involved a debate between Lloyd, his father, Henry, and Clyde over whose truck was the strongest and whose rifle could shoot the straightest!
Lloyd played hard but worked harder his whole life. He always told Perry, “Don’t smoke, work hard and always pay your bills and everything else just fills in.”
A graveside service for Lloyd will take place on April 22 at 1 p.m. at the Mountain View Cemetery in Blue Hill. A gathering will follow at the home of Perry and Sylvia Astbury.
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