HOPE — Alfred E. Luce, 97, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, July 28, 2025 after a period of declining health.

Born July 26, 1928, in Union to Leroy and Geneva Mears Luce, Alfred grew up in Burketville as the oldest of 8 children. He received his education in local Union schools. With prompting from friends, Alfred went on a blind date where he met the love of his life, Bertha Merrifield. They married July 31, 1949, settled in South Hope and raised three children.

Together, Alfred and Bertha were active members of South Hope Community Church, South Hope Grange and the Hatchet Mountain Snowmobile club, where they formed many lifelong friendships. Alfred always gave 150% of what he was involved in.

Known as "the John Deere man", Alfred started his career with Frank Burgess at CM Burgess & Son John Deere dealership. There wasn't a tractor or baler that he couldn't fix and he would travel to farms any time of the day or night for repairs. He ran his own shop for approximately 16 years on Pushaw Road before moving to Florida where he worked for another John Deere company. He got to know many of the ranchers there, and when he moved home in 2007, they would call him and he would tell them how to fix their tractor over the phone.

While his garage was full of tractors being repaired, his side hobbies included blueberry fields and crews, (too many stories to tell) strawberry plants and berries, and he always had a huge garden big enough to feed the town. He was very generous with his bountiful harvest and never had a weed in his garden! He enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, boating, and water skiing.

He cherished his children, grandchildren and greats, enjoying their visits, playing cards with them, doing a puzzle together, making ice cream, popcorn or chocolate milk. He loved being silly just to make them laugh. He was the hardest working, most generous man we will ever know and he will be missed greatly by many.

Besides his parents, Alfred was predeceased by his wife, Bertha, just 5 months ago; his brothers Earland and Leslie; sisters Arlene and Alice; brothers-in-law Frank Willis and Merle Prock; a sister-in-law, Dawn; and a daughter-in-law, Valerie Kaler.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Steven and Ann Luce, Wayne and Molly Luce, Sharon and Scott Harris; his grandchildren and their spouses, Lisa and Kelly LaChance, Steven and Sarah Luce, Jason and Jenny Luce, Ben and Mandie Luce, Sam Luce, Christopher Harris; his great-grandchildren, Lindsay, Steven, Braden, Isaac, Eli, Elise, Vanessa, Eliza, Natalia; great-great-grandson, Elias; his brother Walter; sisters Shirley Savage and Lorraine Prock; sister-in-law Joyce Luce; brother-in-law Donald Orff, and many special nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 10 a.m., at South Hope Community Church, 142 Main Street, Hope.

To share a memory or condolence with the Luce family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com. Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, Rockland.