Robert G. Ifill, 92, of Damariscotta, formerly of Readfield, died March 27 at his home.
He was born in Bremen on Jan. 9, 1924, the son of Walter and Marion (Davis) Ifill.
He graduated from Waldoboro High School in 1941 and joined the Navy, serving from 1942 to 1946. While in the Navy, he started the “V-12” program at Bates College and later transferred to Tufts University, where he was a member of the swim team. He graduated from Tufts on June 14, 1947 and the following week he married J. Virginia Dilks.
He was called into the Marine Corps for a year before being discharged in 1952. Robert started work at Central Maine Power in 1955 and in 1956 he and Ginny adopted a baby girl. He retired from CMP in 1984.
Robert always lived on a lake and had a love of the water, whether it was in liquid or frozen form. He loved to sail his ice boat, ride snowmobile and swim. He was proud to be a New England Champion competition pumpkin grower. He could often be found in his shop “tinkering” or just making something useful out of nothing. He was a member of the Readfield Blizzard Busters snowmobile club and the Manchester Lions Club.
He was predeceased by his wife Ginny in 2003; brothers, Edward and Clinton Ifill; sister, Jeanne Conley; and son-in-law, George Lane.
He is survived by daughter, Joyce Lane and companion David Young of Litchfield; sister, Lila SanAngelo of Bremen; grandchildren, Tracy Pushard and life partner Brent Duncan of Jefferson, Christopher Lane and wife Amy of Litchfield, Cathy Carey and husband Jason of Belgrade, and James Lane of Litchfield; great-grandchildren, Jessie, Marcia, Percy, Julia, Sierra, Lexy, Joshua, Wesley and Charlie; great-great-grandson, Dion; as well as several loved nieces, nephews, cousins and a close lifelong friend Terri Bond of Damariscotta.
A committal service with full military honors will be held at 1 p.m., Fri., April 1 in the chapel at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon Rd., Augusta. There will be a small reception following the service in Damariscotta at Schooner Cove at 2:30 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may make memorial contributions to CLC YMCA, P.O. Box 787, Damariscotta, ME 04543 with the memo line “Pool Fund.”
Arrangements are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop, where condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com.
