Obituary

Michael Cardner, obituary

Tue, 12/06/2016 - 3:30pm

LINCOLNVILLE — Michael Mark Cardner Jr., 64, passed away on Dec. 4, 2016, at home in Lincolnville, after a short bout of pneumonia. Born April 29, 1952, he was the son of Michael M.P. and Carmela C. (D'Anthony) Cardner in Long Branch, N.J.

Michael lived most of his youth and early 20s in Atlantic Highlands, N.J. In the early 1970s, he worked for a plumber in town installing sewer lines and always liked to be busy. While working on a sewer line at work, the pavement collapsed for several hours on top of him. Michael emerged from the accident saying that he had seen the light.

Michael had a life-long passion for Elvis Presley, and got to realize his dream in visiting Memphis, Tenn., last year with his niece, Toni.

After moving to Maine with his parents and brother, Anthony, to be near his sister, Michael found many odd jobs working around Camden. He would walk seven miles or get a ride to Camden, where he enjoyed washing windows even if they did not need it on that day.

Most people didn't understand Mike, especially when he would bring roses to all of the secretaries in town. It wasn't until the 1990s while living in Texas during the winter months, that his mother took Michael and his brother to a specialist who diagnosed them with a very rare disease, which eventually crippled them. Michael has spent the last 20 years being cared for by his mother up until her death in 2009, his sister and nieces. For the past eight years, his loving care was provided by the caretakers from Beacon Family Living.

Predeceased by his parents, he is survived by his sister, Michele Malone and her husband, James; his niece, Michele "Toni" Carpentier and her husband, Ron, and their son, Justin, all of Augusta; his niece, Stacey Rossiter and her husband, Matt, of Lincolnville; his niece, Cassandra Camber of Union; his great-nieces, Trinity and Jay-Lynne Degreenia; his great-nephew, Lukas Camber; his aunts, Dolly, Gloria and Rosemary; and many cherished cousins.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Beacon Family Living for their exceptional care of Michael and Anthony, with a special thank you to Joe Kuhn, Don Reimer and Lorna Thomas.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Long Funeral Home, 9 Mountain St. in Camden. There will be a funeral mass on Friday, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church, 7 Union St. in Camden. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery in Camden.

Memorial gifts may be made to PAWS, P.O. Box 707, Rockport, ME 04856 or to The Salvation Army Northern New England Divisional Headquarters, 297 Cumberland Ave., P.O. Box 3647, Portland, ME 04104.