Merrill G. Leavens, of Waldoboro and Quincy, Mass., passed away on Aug. 17, 2023 at the age of 99, surrounded by his loving family in the home he built in Squantum, Mass. in 1948. Born in Dorchester, Mass., to Josephine (Ulrich) and Merrill W. Leavens. He graduated from Boston Mechanics High School before serving in the Navy during WWII. He was stationed at Clark Airbase and Palawan Island in the Pacific and served as a 3rd class aviation metalsmith.
Upon his return home, he met and married his wife of 75 years, Pauline Rupprecht Leavens, the love of his life and best friend. Together they had six children: Deborah MacAllister, of Marshfield, Mass.; Jane Estabrooks, of Hanover, Mass.; Merrill E. Leavens, of Guilford, Conn.; Nancy Skraback, of Marshfield, Mass.; Carole Comeau, of Norwell, Mass.; and Christopher Leavens, of Squantum, Mass. Merrill was predeceased by his brother, Robert Leavens. He is survived by his sister, Barbara Hannah, of Madbury, N.H.; and brother, Harold Leavens, of Monrovia, Calif.
Merrill’s profession as a sheet metal worker began at Peter’s & Sons in Neponset, Mass. He was a proud member of Local 17. He also worked at Interstate, Blackburn and Blouin before he retired from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. He was a skilled craftsman, much admired and respected by all who worked with him throughout his career.
Merrill loved the coast of Maine, the pointy pines and rocky shoreline. He and Polly built their “camp” on the Medomak River in Waldoboro, where they spent as much time as possible. He filled his home with treasures collected at estate sales and barn sales over the years. He was a self-taught connoisseur of early American furniture, antiques, art, and old wagons.
Merrill is survived by 15 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. He had a way with children, especially a fussy infant, and was always in his glory with a child on his lap.
Visiting hours are at the Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home, 326 Granite Ave., Milton, Mass. on Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Agatha Church in Milton, Mass. on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
