Joseph Baldridge Wentworth, 87, of Wiscasset, died Oct. 14 at the Hospice Center at the Togus Veteran’s Medical Center in Augusta surrounded by his family.
Born in Searsmont on June 28, 1926, he was the youngest of 10 children of Leslie A. and Bertha E. Wentworth, grew up on Moody Mountain and attended school in that area. During WWII, he proudly served his country with the 60th Infantry of the U.S. Army in the European Theatre and fought in Germany.
On Sept. 14, 1946 in Camden, he married Clara Dow and they have resided in Wiscasset for many years. In his earlier years, Joe had worked for the Bath Times, as a soda fountain clerk in a drug store, for Bath Iron Works, a driver for a poultry farm in Edgecomb, and as a construction worker building the Leeman Highway overpass. Joseph worked at Central Maine Power Company’s Mason Station in Wiscasset where he held many positions, retiring as a turbine operator after 35 years of service there.
Joe was a family man in every sense of the word yet found time to go hunting, camping and to do carpentry work. He studied and received his flying license and was a member of the Wiscasset Yacht Club. He was also a member of the Lincoln Masonic Lodge No. 3, AF & AM; the American Legion Post #54, the Kora Temple Shrine; and the VFW Post.
Joe and Clara enjoyed country line dancing and were members of the Silver Fox Country Dancers and the Country Line Club. They also were also members of the Family Motor Coach Association of Maine and the Maine Wheels. He will be remembered as having served his country and family well and for his great sense of humor.
He was predeceased by one brother and seven sisters.
Surviving is his wife of 67 years, Clara Dow Wentworth; sons, Leslie “Les” Wentworth, and Schuyler “Sky” Wentworth and wife Michelle, all of Wiscasset; sister, Gertrude Dickey of Belfast; grandchildren, William Maxwell Wentworth, Cole Wentworth, and Elizabeth Leclerc and husband Christopher; great-grandchildren, Dana Green, and Grace Leclerc; and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be held 5-7 p.m., Sat., Oct. 26 at the Long Funeral Home, 9 Mountain St., Camden. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m., Sun., Oct. 27 at the Wiscasset Yacht Club.
If desired, memorial gifts may be made to the Maine Cancer Foundation, 970 Baxter Blvd., Ste. 2, Portland, ME 04103.
Condolences may be shared with the Wentworth family by visiting their book of memories at www.longfuneralhomecamden.com.
