1931 – 2003

EAST MACHIAS – Ralph L Gile Jr., 72, husband of Jessie (Donaghy) Gile, passed away June 23, at his home, after a long battle with cancer.

Born at home in Fayette, April 3, 1931, the son of Ralph L. and Florence (Carver) Gile Sr., he attended Kents Hill and Livermore Falls High Schools.

When he was 16, he traveled by train to Kansas City, Mo., and Chicago, Ill., with the future Farmers Group. He played baseball for the Fayette Hobos from 1948-1950. The team was recently honored with an exhibit in the Maine State Museum in Augusta. He retired from the State Highway Patrol after 25 years. While working for the state, he received several safety awards. In his spare time he drove a charter bus for Harold Macomber. He also worked at Inmont until the plant closed and worked for Carleton Woolen Mill until he retired in 1998.

He and Jessie were avid square dancers and belonged to the Squire Town Squares. They traveled to Acadia National Park and participated in a sunrise dance on top of Cadillac Mountain. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, tinkering with Nick and going for rides with his best pal, Ebony.

He married Jessie (Donaghy) Gile on Dec. 31, 1940 at Wayne and they had five children who survive him, Vanessa Carter and her husband, Ralph Jr. of Readfield, Ralph Gile III of Winthorp, Darren and his wife, Ann of Livermore Falls, Barbara and her husband, Charles of Readfield and David and his wife, Marlene of Mexico; 10 special grandchildren, Nikki Grant, Anissa and Rodney Boisvert, James, Ethan and Gabrielle Gile, Justin and Casey Gile and Evan and Melinda Allen; and two great-granddaughters, Selena Grant and Brynn Boisvert.

He was predeceased by his parents.