Bernard Charles Houghton, 78, of Nobleboro, passed away with his loving wife Sarah and son Kenneth by his side at Mid Coast Hospital on Feb. 11.
He was born on June 11, 1935 in Framingham, Mass. to Bernhardt Houghton and Eunice Peloquin.
Bernie grew up in Cochituate, Mass. and graduated from Wayland High School in 1953. While in high school he was an avid football player for all four years and baseball player for three years. He taught his young brother Kenneth the sport of football and later in life his son Ken how to play both football and baseball and coached his son’s team.
He was an outstanding swimmer, spent summers as a lifeguard at Lake Cochituate and So. Natick Beach.
As noted in his yearbook Bernie was a nice looking, easy going, and quiet person, often asking “What can I do for you?”
He married his young love Catherine Meagher and they eventually settled down in Hudson, Mass., while raising their six children.
Bernie worked for the Raytheon Co., mainly at Wayland Plant in Mass. for 42 years as an experimental machinist. While there he worked on electrical panels for Moon Shot (Rocket) Radar and Sonar for ships and aircraft, the “Age” system designed to reflect enemy radar, submarines for polar ice cap, the first microwave, the Hawk missile, the Patriot missile, and the Minute Man missile, and the tourette machine.
He was a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Bernard spent six years in the Army National Guard’s 126 Tank Battalion Company B in Boston.
Bernie loved animals, especially his two cats, and bird watching. He also enjoyed teaching his children to swim, and going on camping and hunting trips with family and friends. He was an American Indian history enthusiast. Bernie was only 14 years old when he made an Indian headdress while working on his Boy Scout Eagle award.
His other interests included working on home improvements and lawn grooming to perfection! He loved riding his motorcycle and traveling, especially his trip with Sarah to the Grand Canyon, and three trips to Disney World. Bernie was a real movie buff, especially the oldies, Westerns with John Wayne, and recently Johnny Depp movies. He remembered every screen actor in every movie.
Bernie was a longtime member of the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minutemen based at the Longfellow Wayside Inn, Sudbury, Mass. He participated each year with the April March to Concord (Paul Revere), and the fall “Colonial Fair and Muster of Fyfes and Drums.” In 1975 he was part of the reenactment of Arnold’s Expedition to Quebec and many other militia events.
He remarried in 1995 to Sarah Monaghan, they moved to Nobleboro in 1997. The love they shared is something special, filled with laughter, friendship, warmth of understanding, and tenderness of caring. The candlelight at their Bistro table may be snuffed out but the power of their love will ever be in Sarah’s heart and soul.
He served three years on the Nobleboro Planning Board.
Bernie was predeceased by his father, Bernhardt Houghton; mother, Eunice Peloquin; infant son, Daniel Joseph; wife, Catherine; brother-in-law, Floyd Bancroft, friend and confidant.
He is survived by his wife, Sarah Monaghan-Houghton of Nobleboro; children, Laura M. Hutt of Franklin, Mass., Lynn A. Rossi of Worcester, Mass., Kenneth Mark Houghton of Fairhaven, Mass., Courtney B. Corneau of Nashua, N.H., Amy Danielle Belisle of Hookset, N.H., and Erin E. Paetzold of Spring Town, Tex.; sister, Jeanne Bancroft of Millis, Mass.; brothers, Ronald Houghton of W. Yarmouth, Mass., Kenneth V. Houghton of Alna, and Richard Houghton of Marlboro, Mass; 16 grandchildren; and 2 ½ great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held at the Dunbar Cemetery in Nobleboro with a celebration of life in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bernard’s name to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, 27 Atlantic Hwy., P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb, ME 04556 or American Cancer Society, 1 Bowdoin Mill Island, Suite 300, Topsham, ME 04086.
Arrangements are by Riposta/Direct Cremation of Maine, Belfast.
