Kenneth Stephen Prior, 89, of Bremen, died Nov. 7 at the Cove’s Edge in Damariscotta surrounded by his family after a brief illness.
Kenneth was born Sept. 25, 1921 in Friendship, the son of Lawrence and Alvada Carter Prior, and attended school on Bremen Long Island.
A lifelong fisherman, he began fishing in his early teens, often stating “he couldn’t wait to get out of school to go fishin’.”
As the war in Europe raged, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Nov. 27, 1940, and trained as a gunner in an anti-tank platoon, infantryman in the “Big Red” 1st Division. When he finally shipped out, it was aboard the Queen Mary and the soldiers were transported to Scotland. As a member of this division, he saw combat in Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy and the Rhineland. Kenneth received six citations for bravery and a Purple Heart and two Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Clusters. During his training in England for D-Day, June 6, 1944, he was part of the sixth wave of the Allied invasion, making it ashore at Omaha Beach on June 7. The fifth day ashore both his lieutenant and sergeant were killed with one shell.
Upon his discharge, he returned to Bremen and resumed fishing in his beloved waters around Bremen. During the winter, he would build his own boats, including lap streak dories and skiffs. When not on the water, his love of being outdoors turned to hunting for deer in the fall.
He is predeceased by sons, Stephen and Franklin Prior; granddaughter, Lori Prior; sister, Lucille Palino; and brother, Floyd Carter.
Survivors include son, Craig Prior and wife Cindy of Bremen; daughter, Diane Drinkwater and husband Allen of Owls Head; sisters, Pauline Studley, of Thomaston and Gertrude Young of Brunswick; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Private service will be held by the family.
Should friends desire, memorial donations in Kenneth’s name may be made to the Soule-Shuman Memorial Post #4525, 50 Mill St., Waldoboro, ME 04572; or the Veterans Administration Voluntary Service, Togus VAMC, 1 VA Center, Augusta, ME 04330.
You are invited to share your condolences, memories and photos with the Prior family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.
