1918 – 2003

SOUTH PARIS – Willard (“Bill”) M. Chute, Jr., of Casco, died peacefully the night before his 85th birthday, Oct. 19.

He was born Oct. 20, 1918, in Casco to Willard M. Chute Sr. and Mary Gertrude Moody. After graduating from Casco High School, he attended the Philadelphia School of the Bible before leaving to serve in World War II in the 1st Medical Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa.

He married Velma H. Boyer in 1942. Upon returning from military service, he worked as a Maine State Game Warden, based in Rangley. He later returned to Casco, where he worked at the Chute Lumber Co.

In 1963, he joined the staff of Dublin Christian Academy in Dublin, N.H. He returned to Maine in 1971 to study at Glen Cove Bible College to become an ordained minister, where he was graduated in 1974. He served with the Children’s Bible Fellowship of New York on Long Island for several years before returning to Casco to retire, later making South Paris his final home.

While he lived in Casco, he was very active for many years in The Gideons International and the Bridgton Road Church as a deacon, treasurer and Sunday school teacher, and he served for several years on the Casco school board.

An avid hunter, fisherman and woodworker, he spent many happy retirement hours building Chute family style Adirondack chairs in his garage and shipping them to friends in far flung corners of the world.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Velma; daughters, Judith Brown of San Francisco, Calif., Carol Solak of Sonoma, Calif., Linda Chute of Tiburon, Calif.; son, Paul Chute of Santa Rosa, Calif.; his grandchildren, Stephen Calhoun, Meghan Chute and Shannon Chute; his brother, Leander; sister, Ruth; as well as hundreds of nieces and nephews and their descendents.

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