APPLETON — Earl R. Norwood III, 68, of Appleton (Burkeville), went to be with our Lord on June 27, 2016, after a short battle with cancer. He spent his last days with his family at his parents’ cottage on Alford Lake in Hope. The day of his death, he chose to be transported to the Sussman House in Rockport. Family members were present when he passed in the beautiful setting of this incredible hospice facility.

Earl was born Oct. 7, 1947, in Camden. He was raised on the family farm in Appleton. He attended Appleton Village School and Union High School, and graduated in 1966. He was on the track team, baseball team and basketball team, and excelled in all three sports.

In 1968, he married Beatrice Hastings and during their marriage, they had two sons.

He had several places of employment, starting with the tannery in Camden and Fuller's Equipment in Union. His true calling was working in the woods and eventually he made this his career.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Earl spent time in Deerfield Beach with a special friend, Randy Fuller Goderre and her two sons, Travis and Jason. While in Florida, he was employed as a heavy equipment operator and took pride in his excavating expertise in the landscaping of large housing developments.

In 1991, he moved back to his beloved state of Maine and back to working in the woods, which he continued doing the rest of his life.
Earl had three passions...anything with a motor, guns and women (not necessarily in that order). As a young boy, he would make go-carts from bits and pieces around the farm. In his 20s, he did a bit of stock car racing at Wiscasset, always pushing the limit. He grew up with a gun in his hand as the whole family were avid hunters. Anyone who knew Earl at all was aware of what a flirt he was.

He loved a pretty face and made them very much aware of it.

Earl had to overcome many obstacles in his life. He had dyslexia, which was never discovered in his growing up years, therefore he had a very hard time in school. He could barely read and this haunted him his whole life. So much of the time, he had to depend on people he trusted to help him with paperwork, billing, etc. He also suffered with constant pain from logging and other accidents he had in his life. Because of these issues, he had to put on a shield of armor and to many, he came across as being arrogant and sometimes downright mean. Anyone who could get close to him found a kind heart under that coat of armor.

Earl had a love for animals but there was two that really touched his heart and gave him the unconditional love that he so needed. One was a big old work horse named Watson. Watson would roam the fields at the family farm and occasionally cause havoc by escaping the fence and roaming the countryside. The other was a German shepherd named Bailey. From the time Bailey was a pup, she went everywhere with Earl and was by his side through the last days of his life. Now Bailey has a new home with Ryan, Earl's son, and is doing well.

Earl is survived by his parents, Earl Rodney Norwood Jr. (age 91) and Marian (Morse) Norwood (age 90) of Appleton; his sons and their families, Earl R. "Rod" Norwood IV of Rockland and his children, Seraphine, Kristina, Jamie and Bradley Norwood of Monroe, and Ryan A. Norwood of West Rockport and his significant other, Keirstin Weaver, and her children, Taylor Crosby, Alexis DeLano and Logan Delano; his sons' mother, Beatrice (Hastings) Norwood of Lincolnville; three siblings, Jeannie Carson and her husband, Reed, of Etna, Deborah Evans and her husband, Kenneth, of Moore Haven, Fla., and Bonnie Deane and her husband, Randy, of Appleton; his nieces and nephews, Tammy Carlisle, Kimberly Wickenden, Christopher Grotton, Shane Gerrish, Harley Deane and Dakota Deane; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

Visiting hours were held July 5 at Riposta Funeral Home in Belfast. A funeral service followed on July 6 at Faith Temple Church in Belfast, with burial at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Appleton.

If desired, gifts may be made to the Earl R. Norwood II Memorial Fund at the Camden National Bank at P.O. Box 135, Union, ME 04862.