ROCKLAND – John W. Ludwig, 73, died peacefully, Friday, July 13, 2018 at the Sussman Hospice House in Rockport.  

Born July 31, 1944, in the birthing home at Holmes Street in Rockland, he was the son of Ralph and Barbara Lindsey Ludwig.  When he was six years of age, John’s mother remarried and he was raised by his stepfather, Llewellyn Baines.  

John attended Thomaston schools, graduating from Thomaston High School in 1962.  Next he furthered his education, attending the National School of Meat Cutters in Toledo, Ohio.

John began his working career in 1964 at the Snyder Brothers Slaughter House in Sutton, Massachusetts, while living there with his brother. He worked for many years at several grocery stores serving as meat cutter in each location.  He was a smiling face behind the meat counter at Hodes Supermarkets in Worcester, Mass.; Finest Stores and First National Stores in Rockland, as well as with Paul Barnes in his Thomaston store.  

Later, John worked food concessions at fairs and events up and down the East Coast.  He also had a pizza concession stand with Smokey’s Greatest Shows.  

In the fall of 1998, he began working at the Rockland Lodge of Elks, becoming manager there in 2000. 

Up until this spring, John had organized countless weddings, events, daily lunches, bingo nights and general Elk’s business.  After meeting Donald Crudell in 1971, while working at First National, John and Don became partners in the carnival concessions business.  Later they continued their friendship working side by side at the Rockland Elks Lodge where Don ran the kitchen.  The two have been fast friends and coworkers for many years.  

John was a 45-year member of the Rockland Lodge of Elks, a member of the Orient Lodge of Masons, and a long-time volunteer with the Thomaston Fire Department.  

John was a good old Maine boy with an incredible work ethic.  Even against all odds living in New England, he was a die-hard New York Yankees fan, always with a Yankees cap on his head.  He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.  

Predeceased by his sister, Kathy Archer in 2007 and his niece Lori Ludwig in 2017, he is survived by his brothers, Raymond ‘Buddy’ Ludwig and his wife, Helen, of Thomaston; George Baines and his wife, Dannett, of Durham; his nephews, Scott Archer, of Rockland, Tim Archer, Mike Archer, and Kurt Ludwig, all of Thomaston, Edward Ludwig of Naples, Florida, Brandon Baines of Japan; a niece, Becky Foster, of Scarborough; cousins Priscilla Barnes and her husband, Paul, and Edward Ludwig, all of Thomaston; as well as his special friend, Donald Crudell, and his fiancée, Susan White, of Rockland.  

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, July 27, 2018 at the Rockland Lodge of Elks, 210 Rankin Street, Rockland.   In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Elks National Foundation, c/o Rockland Elks Lodge, P.O. Box 983, Rockland, ME 04841.

John will be laid to rest privately at the Village Cemetery, Thomaston.  

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.  

To share a memory or condolence with John’s family, please visit their Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.