Obituary

Glendon Erskine, obituary

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 8:30pm

CAMDEN — Glendon Lloyd Erskine, 82, died peacefully March 3, 2015, at home, surrounded by his immediate family.

Born in Etna on Dec. 21, 1932, he was the son of Lawrence and Lena Shaw Erskine. In Etna he learned farming and a lifelong love of animals, but by high school, he had moved to Camden where he was very active in shop class and learned a multiplicity of trades that he applied throughout the rest of his life.

Glen met his wife, Judy, roller-skating and immediately fell in love. The couple made their home together on Oak Street in Camden.

Early in his adulthood, he joined the Army and served during the Korean War. At the end of the war, he remained a reservist for years, while he began building a family and career in Camden. A man never still, he worked as a foreman for Harry Goodrich in Rockport, doing tree surgery throughout local towns. At the same time, he rebuilt a wooden lobster boat and went to haul in Camden Harbor. He was a self-taught engineer, always tinkering away in the shop he built across the drive from his home. There he built amazing mechanical contraptions, including wood-splitters, forklifts and boat trailers. He also had a saw mill in Lincolnville. It was generally agreed that Glen had a solution for every problem. There was never an end to his enthusiasm for work and creating.

For sport, Glen loved deer and rabbit hunting, and smelt and ice fishing. Before it was outlawed, he used to go out in the bay and spearfish for great white sharks with his employer and friend, Harry, and he also helped take care of Andre the seal and enjoyed scuba diving. Glen made sure to include his kids in many of these adventures and projects and left them both with a great love of the outdoors and a strong sense of ingenuity. Ever a hard working family man, he instilled an enormous work ethic in his children that is apparent today. Aside from working hard and sporting, he also made sure to take time to have fun with his family. The highlight was going to Dix Island in the summer. He loved to fish off the dock and hang around on the boat catching dogfish, or float over to Birch Island and go clamming. After he retired, he really got into his ice fishing and smelting, and spending time with his wife.

Regardless of the period of life, or season of the year, Glen was always available to help his family, both immediate and extended, and was generous with his knowledge and effort. He was perpetually happy and enthusiastic to spend time with the many people that he loved.

Glendon is survived by his wife of 53 years, Judy Erskine; his son, Scott Erskine and his partner, Reilly Harvey, and grandchildren Calen, Noah, and Maizie Erskine; his daughter, Debbie Murgita and her husband, Brian, and granddaughter Sierra Pettee; his brothers, Leroy Erskine and his wife, Donna, and Mike Erskine; his sisters, Shirley Rego and Linda Emery; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held Monday, March 16 at 1 p.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St. in Rockland.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully accepted in his name to P.A.W.S. Camden Animal Adoption Center, P.O. Box 707, Rockport, ME 04856 or online at info@pawsadoption.org.