Hugh Merritt Hamlin ⁵⁹¹¹

Three Rivers News
Milo, Maine
November 2007

HUGH M. HAMLIN

BROWNVILLE/CARIBOU - Hugh Merritt Hamlin, 71, passed away Nov. 23, 2007, at a Brewer health care facility. Hugh was born Dec. 18, 1935, at his parents, Verdi L. and Catherine Mary (Smith) Hamlin, home in Brownville. He was educated in Brownville public schools and graduated from Brownville Junction High School in 1953.

He served in the Air National Guard, Bangor and was honorably discharged.

He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Husson College, Bangor and a master's degree from the University of Maine in Orono.

He married Althea (Hanscom) in 1956 and moved to Caribou, where they were both teachers in the Business Education Department at Caribou High School, until their retirement in 1992.

He was an active member of the educational community. He was head of the Business Education Department at Caribou High School for many years, the first Distributive Education director at Caribou High School and spent many years assisting in the assistant principal's office. He taught in Adult Education at Caribou High School and was an adjunct accounting instructor at Northern Maine Community College, Presque Isle. He also started and administered the first Husson College outreach program in Caribou.

He was very proud of his contributions to education and particularly enjoyed meeting former students, whether at their class reunions, on the street, at the post office or even in Florida. He loved to reminisce about adventures selling tickets for athletic director, Dwight Hunter, chaperoning band trips with Ken Matthews, tracking down "school skippers" and many, many classroom antidotes.

Hugh's family and friends will remember him fondly doing his favorite things: riding his motorbike with his sons and friends, picking blueberries at the Cold Stream Pond camp, teaching his granddaughter to mow the lawn, being surrounded by family at Sunday dinners and holiday celebrations, playing bocce in Florida with his Italian buddies, sharing daily morning walks "around the park" with his wife and friends, creating woodworking projects, helping the kids with building and/or remodeling their homes, encouraging and supporting educational pursuits by the grandkids, and most recently, adoringly playing with the great-grandkids. He will be sorely missed, but lovingly remembered.

Hugh was a 50-year member of Pleasant River Lodge No. 163, Brownville and proud to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was even prouder to have his son, Jeffrey; and grandson, Jon, also join the same lodge. He was also a Shriner and enjoyed directing the Shrine Circus for several years when it came to Caribou and Presque Isle.

After retirement, Hugh and Althea moved to Sarasota, Fla., for several months each winter. They particularly enjoyed their home in Oakwood Manor and the many friends they met. They also loved having family and friends visit there.

Hugh was predeceased by both parents; an older brother, Ernest; and a grandson, Michael Hamlin. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Althea of Caribou; two sons, Jeffrey Hugh and his wife, Corina, of Brownville and Jon Mark and his wife, Denise, of Caribou; one daughter, Nancy Hamlin-Cowett and husband, Timothy, of Caribou; seven grandchildren, Teresa, Nanci, Jon, Nicole, Courtney and Sara Hamlin, and Alexis Cowett Deveau and husband, Derek; three great-grandchildren, Connor Jeffrey Hamlin, Addison Taylor Deveau and Angelina Martiana Douglas; a nephew, David; cousins, Anita and Milton; special best friends, Frank and Karlyn Dawes of Bangor; and many, many other friends.

He will be long remembered for his devotion to his family, his loyalty to his friends and his dedication to his profession.

Hugh's family wishes to express a heartfelt thanks to the staff at Brewer Rehab and Living Center for their incredible care and support both to Hugh and his family during his stay there.

Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Mockler Funeral Home, 24 Reservoir St., Caribou. Funeral services will be conducted 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, at Mockler Funeral Home with a Masonic funeral service afterward.

Those who wish to honor his memory may do so by contributing to the Hugh and Althea Hamlin Scholarship Fund, Caribou School System, Caribou, ME, 04736.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.mocklerfuneralhome.com.

  Events

• He had a residence in Caribou, Aroostook County, Maine.

Hugh married Living