John Willis Osier, 90, passed away on June 18, 2019 at The Sussman House in Rockport, Maine.

John was born on May 19, 1929 in Bremen, Maine to parents Llewelyn Osier and Florance Hilton Osier.

John went to school in a one room schoolhouse at Medomak School from grades 1-8 and graduated from Waldoboro High School.

After high school John became a dairy farmer until 1960, he then became a herdsman for Benson Dairy Farm in Gorham, Maine. John drove truck for Waldoboro Agway for 6 years, and also raised Mink for Pelts while driving truck.

John also sold shoes to farmers and one day at Moody’s he sold a pair of shoes to Adney Peck. Adney wanted a jacket with lettering which led to John selling shoes and uniforms for twenty years. When Agway closed down, John saw an ad for carpet cleaning. He and Marion went to Chicago for training for Duraclean carpet and upholstery cleaning. This became a job for them for over 28 years.

John’s hobbies were many and included raising vegetables and while always a gardener, John took up raising roses, first joining the Maine Rose Society with John Robinson and was a founding member of the
Mid-Maine Rose Society along with Glen Jenks and Benjamin Kirkland. He was a Master Rosarian which allowed John to speak on growing roses. He was the editor of the Mid-Maine Rose Society’s newsletter
for many years.

John also enjoyed bowling (Agway team), moonlight toboggan runs, woodworking, board games, lawn croquet and practical jokes. John and Marion enjoyed dancing at the Blue Goose Dance Hall on Saturday nights in Northport. Some of their favorite times there were the Halloween costume contest, often winning first place for their creative costumes and sometimes their identity was never discovered. In their later years together he and Marion looked forward to their annual winter cribbage tournament.

At the age of 80 John wrote the first of two books which were self published:
“As I Remember- Memories of Down Home” in Bremen, Maine 1934-1951; and
“As I Remember II, Memories of Dairy Farming” 1950-1960.

Never one to sit idle, John belonged to many organizations including The Orff’s Corner Methodist church, then Village Methodist; and later The Word of Life Church in Waldoboro. John especially enjoyed the summer tent revival meetings at the top of the hill in Waldoboro. John also belonged to The FFA, Nobleboro Grange, Methodist Men’s Group in Waldoboro, Maine Rose Society, where he received the 2006 Mid- Maine Rose Society Honorary Service Award.

Some of John’s favorite memories were meeting Marion for the first time at the Waldo Movie Theater, potato harvests and cookouts with Ray and Ava Weaver’s family in Winterport as each family had 6 children and all pitched in to gather potatoes, play games and eat. John fondly recalled the day he and Marion went up the hill behind the barn while farming, only to find twin calves had just been born. He and Marion each carried a calf on their shoulders back to the barn with mother “Pontiac” breathing down their necks.

John was pre-deceased by his parents, a sister Isabel in 1935, and a grandson Dustin Osier in 2011.

John is survived by his loving wife, Marion, his children; Marilee Osier and partner Ken Leavitt, Shelley and husband Brian Wheelock, Connie and husband Gilman Gauvin, Cindy and husband David York, Janie and
husband Bill Miller, along with a son John William Osier.

He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 16 great grand-children, many nieces, nephews and friends.

Per John’s wishes no services were held. A private family graveside service was held at the Evergreen Cemetery in Bremen, Maine.

The family would like to extend their special appreciation to the Maine Healthcare at Home Hospice Team for the caring professionalism and dedication: Val Depres, Marianthe Andrews, Brenda Hamilton, Georgia Brown, Herb Hartman, Ken Dale and many others. As well as the Sussman House and staff. Hall’s of Waldoboro has care of the arrangements.

To extend online condolences visit www.hallfuneralhomes.com.