Edwin G. Hapgood Obituary (1938 - 2012)

OAKLAND -- Edwin George Hapgood passed away on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at 2:55 a.m. at his home, losing his lengthy battle with recurrent brain cancer. 2. Edwin "Ed" was born on Sept. 22, 1938, in Boston, Mass., the son of Chrissy McKeage and Lee Ellingwood. He was adopted at the age of eight months by Perley and Hazel Hapgood of North Stratford, N.H. Ed grew up in North Stratford and graduated high school there. He received his associate degree in farm and ranch management from Cooke County Junior College in Gainesville, Texas, in 1986. After graduating from high school, he worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in Connecticut, and then joined the Air Force in 1958. He spent his four-year enlistment at three bases in Texas, Wichita Falls, San Antonio and Big Spring, working in grounds maintenance, building roads. After discharge from the Air Force, he and his wife, Mojie, and their two children, moved to Lancaster, N.H., where he worked for Timberland Machines, repairing logging equipment. The company transferred him to Chelmsford, Mass., as shop foreman. The family returned to Texas in 1968, where he worked for various companies, first as an auto mechanic and then moving onto truck and heavy equipment repair and fabrication. Ed worked for a Chevrolet dealer in Cleburne, Texas. He then operated his own backhoe business, doing excavation and road building in Indian Harbor, Granbury, Texas. He then joined Merrill Buick in Denton, Texas, and then worked for several years as maintenance foreman for Pilot Point School District, Pilot Point, Texas and Denton School District, Denton, Texas. He then worked for a sod company in Pilot Point, repairing and building trailers. He later worked for Dustrol in Roanoke, Texas, repairing highway recycling equipment. Ed then worked for B&H Backhoe Company in Sanger, Texas, repairing heavy equipment and trailers. The family moved to Oakland in 1999, where he worked for M&H Logging in Rangeley, repairing and rebuilding logging equipment and fabricating trailers. His final employment was with J&M Logging in Augusta, operating a wood processor. He retired in 2006. Ed loved cutting firewood, and sold firewood at different times throughout his lifetime. During his long illness, he spoke often of wanting to cut wood again. He loved to help anyone in need, and did so many times during his lifetime, providing home to troubled teens. It was well known that if you needed a part to fix almost anything, Ed probably had one, or he could build one for whatever you needed. He was an active member of the Oakland Lions Club and was a member of Living Waters Community Church. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mojie; three children, Cindy Kanabe and her partner, Bruce Davis, of Cartwright, Okla., Steven Hapgood and his wife, Pamela, of Sanger, Texas, and Daniel Hapgood and his wife, Corinne, of Oakland; three grandchildren, Roger Williams of Sanger, Texas, and Melina and Megan Hapgood of Oakland; five sisters, Patricia Nye and her husband, Marvin, of Alfred, Hazel Tilton and her husband, Keith, of Nottingham, N.H., Becky Prosper and her husband, Patrick, of Milton, N.H., Carol Emerson of Rochester, N.H., and Sarah Ellingwood of Colchester, V.t; two brothers, Claude Ellingwood of Fairfax, Vt., and Maynard Ellingwood and his wife, Agnes of Pittsfield, N.H.; two stepbrothers, Patrick Decker and his wife, Betty, of Bucksport, and Elwood Decker and his wife, Elizabeth, of Louisiana; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to express thanks and appreciation to the Hospice team and to Amelia Pierce, personal care giver to Ed, for all the care and support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Oakland Lions Club, 51 Gifford Place, Oakland, ME 04963. Calling hours will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19 at Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church St., Oakland. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, at Oakland United Methodist Church, Oakland. Burial will follow at Lewis Cemetery, Oakland. Arrangements are by Wheeler Funeral Home, Oakland.