Obituary

Gordon P. Blackler, obituary

Tue, 08/12/2014 - 11:00am

DAPHNE, Ala. — Gordon P. Blackler died July 23, 2014, at home with his wife and son at his side after a brief but courageous battle with lung cancer.

He was born in Damariscotta on June 8, 1952, to Ronald Francis Blackler and Louise (Boggs) Blackler. He attended Waldoboro High School and was a member of the first graduating class of Medomak Valley High School in 1970.

He began working at an early age, delivering newspapers, and during high school he worked as a short-order cook at Dave's Drive-In and Diner in Waldoboro and Thomaston. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and after training in Great Lakes, Ill., he was stationed at Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., in the aviation unit, until his honorable discharge in 1974. After discharge from the Navy, he began working for Galen Collamore Construction of Friendship building houses until 1975, after which he began his career at Bath Iron Works in Bath. He began as a union member in the rigging loft and was promoted to supervisor in 1977 until his retirement in April 2010. From April to December 2009, he was assigned to the Austal shipyard in Mobile, Ala., to participate in constructing the Navy's littoral combat ship. In April 2010 he started working in the marine division of Computer Sciences Corporation, Sterling, Va., as a naval marine engineer and he and his wife moved to Daphne, Ala. He was a dedicated employee who was highly respected for his work ethic by his peers and the Navy.

He traveled to many locations for his job and spent time in St. Simon's Island, Ga.; San Diego, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Pascagoula, Miss.; Virginia Beach, Va.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Mount Hood, Ore.; Freehold, N.J., and the island of Taiwan.

He appprenticed with his father-in-law, and obtained a Maine commercial lobster license in 1996, which he held until 2012. He enjoyed spending time at his camp on Friendship Long Island in Friendship, and enjoyed lobstering on his boat, Close Enough, which he sold in 2012.

He loved dogs and at one time trained German shepherds at Sukee Kennels in Warren. He enjoyed woodworking and was proud of his Lie-Neilsen woodworking planes.

He was predeceased by his father in 1990; his mother in 1995; and his brother, Gary Blackler, in 1999.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille (Simmons) Blackler of Daphne, Ala., and South Thomaston; his sons, Nick Sprague of Daphne, Ala., and South Thomaston, Todd Elwell of Newton, Mass., and Gabe Elwell of New Freedom, Pa.; his daughter, Christa (Elwell) Holmes and her husband, Greg; his brothers, Gregory Blackler of Waldoboro and Mark Blackler and his wife, Tammy, of Jefferson; his sisters, Barbara (Blackler) Lacount and her husband, Donald, and Jane (Blackler) Lary and her husband, Steven; his grandchildren, Jessica (Gerrish) Correll of Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., and Cameron Gerrish of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.; his aunts, Linda Miceli and her husband, Sal, of Wakefield, Mass., and Jean Kelly and her husband, Bob, of Tewksbury, Mass.; his uncle, Harold Blackler of Medford, Mass.; his father-in-law, Carl Simmons of Friendship; his sisters-in-law, Susan Blackler of West Rockport and Jeanette Hayes and her husband, Paul Geisler, of Waldoboro; his brother-in-law, Gilbert Simmons and his wife, Sharon, of Friendship; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was a very generous man with a big heart. He always quoted Will Rogers’ "I never met a man I didn't like," and truly never met a stranger. He always looked for the best in people.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. at Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St. in Waldoboro, with the Rev. Robert Dorr officiating. Burial will follow at Harbor Cemetery in Friendship.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Pope Memorial Humane Society (Knox County Animal Shelter), 17 Buttermilk Lane, Thomaston, ME 04861; Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry, PO Box 113, Rockland, ME 04841; or another animal shelter or food pantry of choice.