ROCKPORT — Dale “Hank” Burton Ludwig, 57, passed away, Monday, January 22, 2024, at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport after a brief illness.

Born in Augusta, Maine, April 7, 1966, he was one of four children born to Burton Ludwig and Rebecca Ripley. Dale attended Rockport and Camden schools and graduated from Camden-Rockport High School in 1984. At an early age, he played baseball on the Little League team for Camden-Rockport. During high school, he attended Region #8 Voc-Tech where he completed the carpentry program.

Growing up in Rockport, Dale worked as a cook at the Sail Loft and Corner Shop Restaurants. After high school, he worked for a local construction company building homes.

In 1985 Dale moved to Florida where he lived in a few locations until finally settling in Bonita Springs. Continuing to work in construction, Dale started his own business, Ludwig Construction, where he built beautiful homes.

He enjoyed the warm weather, his friends, fishing and going to the dog track with his friend, Ernie, and golfing on the beautiful golf courses. Dale had a connection and love for animals especially his dogs, Angie and Wolf. Over the years, he would travel back to Maine for family reunions, weddings, and births of nieces and nephews. Always willing to lend a helping hand, Dale built and renovated homes and cottages for his family. During the winter season, he would come home to help his father sell Christmas trees in Massachusetts.

During the last eight years, Dale moved back to Maine to be closer to his family. He enjoyed being with his mom helping her with the vegetable gardens, cooking, making bird houses, feeding the birds, squirrels, and crows. Dale and his mom would often watch sports together making their weekly picks and tracking their winnings on a chart. They also enjoyed watching the show Jeopardy which Dale consistently shouted out the correct answers before the contestants. He split his time between Maine and North Carolina as his sister Debbie, lived there. Dale and Debbie had a close bond. He built her a beautiful deck for her home and helped care for her flower and vegetable gardens. Dale also helped his nephew, Ben, with his business mixing cement and carrying supplies to the cemeteries.

To know Dale, was to know that he loved people. He could go anywhere and strike up a conversation with anyone. He was a storyteller, often telling you something that he experienced in his life which would lead to another story but always ending in a good laugh. Dale loved his family and would do anything for them. He was an avid sports enthusiast who loved the Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Patriots, NASCAR racing, and golf. He kept track of the stats of his favorite players and teams so he could place family bets with his mother and sister Debbie. Music was his life especially songs by Hank Williams, Jr, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. He would often break out in song to his family and friends. Dale was well versed in the Bible as he had read the Bible three times.

He is deceased by his father, Burton Ludwig; sisters, Deborah Powell and Lynette Ludwig; and stepfather, Richard Ripley, Sr.

Dale is survived by his mother, Rebecca Ripley of Rockport; sisters, Melanie Ludwig, Dixie Wallace and husband Mark, Sonia Browder and husband Matthew, Amanda Ludwig, Natalia Ludwig; brother, Burton Ludwig III and wife, Aphtyn; and stepmother, Barbara Ludwig. He has fourteen nieces and nephews and one great niece. Special friends, Ernie Knowles, Bill Rankin, Michelle Davis, and the Davis Family.

A graveside service with be held at a later date at the Lakeview Cemetery in Union, Maine.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall’s of Waldoboro. To extend online condolences, light a candle for Dale or to share or story or picture, visit Dale’s Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com