PARIS – A town stunned by the deaths of three of its residents in a plane crash paid its respects Friday to Selectman Harlan Abbott.

Mourners filled a double viewing room, hallways and stood on the front steps for an hour while Pastor Lloyd Waterhouse of the Grace Fellowship Church and relatives and friends fondly and tearfully remembered one of the town’s favorite sons.

Abbott, former Paris Postmaster Vernon Inman and William Aridas were returning from a fishing trip on Sept. 14 when the float plane they were in crashed several miles east of Moosehead Lake.

Waterhouse delivered the eulogy. He spoke of Abbott’s love of family, willingness to help others and noted that he loved to fish.

“Everyone will miss Harlan driving around in his red pickup with a boat on top and smoking a William Penn cigar,” Waterhouse said. “He is the only man I know who could eat a trout like a ear of corn.”

Waterhouse, and family members and friends who spoke after the eulogy, attested that Abbott was an honest, good-natured man with a hearty laugh that was always there for people, ready to help.

Abbott, 67, was a lifelong resident of the North Paris area of West Paris. He served residents there in many capacities through the years. He was a paramedic for Tri-Town Ambulance, president of the West Paris Historical Society, the Mollyocket Sportsmans Club, Old Home Days and Derby Track, and the North Paris Cemetery Association.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Faye; a stepson, Bobby; five sisters; a brother; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial services for Inman are set for Sunday at the Jackson-Silver American Legion Post 68 at 2 p.m. No announcement of services for Aridas has been made.

Inman died at the scene. Abbott and Aridas suffered severe burns and were taken to Boston hospitals. Abbott died at about midnight that night and Aridas died Wednesday.

The pilot, Richard Dill, 32, of Greenville was the only survivor. He pulled Abbott and Aridas from the plane.

Inman, 78, was a highly decorated World War II veteran who served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded and received two Purple Hearts. He also received The Bronze Star for valor.

He was a postmaster at Paris and occupied other postal positions in West Paris and Bryant Pond.

Inman was known for being a moderator at town meetings, announcing the horse races at the Fryeburg Fair and announcing the Soap Box Derby races in West Paris.

He had had his own masonry business and was a lapidary.

Inman was president of the West Paris Cemetery Association, and vice president of the West Paris Historical Society. He was a member of the Paris Fire Department, Granite Masonic Lodge 182, Kora Temple Shrine and the Ring-Mckeen American Legion Post and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Inman is survived by two sons; two daughters; six grandchildren; brother; sister-in-law; and many cousins.

He was predeceased by a son, Michael; and his wife, Miriam; and a brother, Byron.

Aridas was his son-in-law.

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