Douglass Washington Gladden Jr., of Waldoboro, passed away Sept. 12.
Doug was born in Hartford, Conn. on Jan. 10, 1942 to Douglass and Dorothy (French) Gladden. He was the eldest of their children.
Doug served honorably in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1959 to 1962. His proudest accomplishment was being part of the U.S. Coast Guard Glee Club. His most challenging assignment was a year assigned on Baffin Island, near the Arctic Circle.
Doug was married four times, to Nanina; Linda; Debbie; and Molly (Paulette). Doug gladly welcomed several children into his life as stepfather and friend.
Doug accomplished many skills and lines of work, taking him from Connecticut to Maine and places in between. He was skilled at motorcycle repair and restoration, metallurgy and welding, sometimes in very harsh conditions. Doug mastered timber framing and barn restoration. Many midcoast Maine barns have benefited from Doug’s skill. One barn in particular was raised from the ground up.
Doug’s most recent jobs were held with local businesses in varying descriptions, lastly with marine repair at Sabre Yachts and at Stuart Marine. Doug’s work ethic and strength were remarkable.
Doug was predeceased by his parents; first wife Nanina (McBain), the mother of his three children; and sister, Mary.
Doug is survived by partner, Julie Vaughan; three of his former wives; sister, Janet; brothers and their wives, Rob and Maggie Gladden of Geneva, N.Y., and Don Gladden and Sue Davis of Lyman; children, Beth (Babb), Douglass III, and Traci (Cook); several nieces and nephews, and especially nephew Dan Gladden from northeastern Maine; several grandchildren; and great-granddaughters, Camdyn and Lilliann.
Funeral services will be private at the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta.
A celebration of Doug’s life, remembering the occasion of his 76th birthday, will be held from 4-7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 10 at Bella Gia’s restaurant, 1587 Atlantic Highway, Waldoboro.
