RANGELEY – Ronald W. Sargent, 75, died Wednesday evening, April 13, at his home in Rangeley.

He was born Sept. 22, 1928, a son of the late Wilson E. and Mabel (Hutchinson) Sargent.

He became a Maine Guide at 14-years-old and graduated from Phillips High School class of 1946. He served in the U.S. Army R.A. from 1951 to 1953; S & F Sergeant, 593rd engineers, stationed at Fort Devons, Mass., and Camp Drum in Watertown, N.Y. He was Structural Sections Leader at Westpoint Military Academy.

He married Maxine Eustis on Nov. 24, 1951; they were married for 22 years.

He was a builder in Rangeley, working with Fred Welch in 1954 until 1958, when he started his own business. He built the Episcopal Church in Rangeley in 1964, and the Saddleback Ski Area base lodge in 1967.

He was one of the first Ski-Doo dealers in Maine from 1962 to 1988, and he ran a hardware and building materials store from 1964 to 1985, as well as being a real estate broker from 1972 until present.

Bonnie Broadus is a lifelong, devoted friend as are Deane and Pat Roberts. He is a former member of the Lions Club, Rangeley Rotary, and a mason with Kemankeag Lodge in Rangeley. He loved the outdoors, with beaver trapping and deer hunting among the many activities he enjoyed.

He was one of the founders of the Rangeley area snowmobile trail system. His crew put on the annual July 4th, town park cookout from 1976 to 1988. Among his closest companions was the 500 pound black bear which he aptly named “Blackie”, whom he fed for the last 15 years.

He is survived by three sons, Craig R. Sargent and his wife Sharon of Rangeley, Steven W. Sargent and his wife Dora of Rangeley, Eric B. Sargent and his wife Kelly of Tuftonboro, N.H.; seven grandchildren, Jamie Sargent, Alexander E. Sargent, Christopher C. Sargent, Kevin R. Sargent, Devon Sargent, Regan Sargent and Casey L. Sargent; a sister, Wilma Plog of Phillips.