LEWISTON – Paul F. Crafts, 65, a resident of Main Street, Lisbon Falls, died Monday evening, Oct. 11, at Russell Park Manor following a courageous battle with brain cancer.

He was born in Bangor, Dec. 30, 1938, the son of Don and Leta (Card) Crafts. He was educated in the grammar schools of Auburn and graduated from Desert High School in Mojave, Calif. Mr. Crafts served his country during the Vietnam era in the United States Air Force as an experimental machinist at the Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base from 1962-1968.

He was employed as a tech rep. for American Motors Corp., later owned and operated his own automotive body shop and for several years served as shop manger for Crafts Transport of Lisbon Falls until he became disabled in 1988. On May 13, 1960, he married the former Sylvia Walton of Auburn. He was a member of Shiloh Church, American Legion Post 66 in Lisbon Falls where he had served as post commander.

Mr. Crafts was a talented automobile enthusiast with an incredible knowledge concerning them and was an avid NASCAR fan. Mr. Crafts enjoyed cooking and canning, gardening, his woodworking shop and was an avid outdoorsman. He went hunting every year in Fifth St. John near the Maine, Canada border. He also enjoyed fishing, having once caught a 750 lb. blue fin tuna at Jeffrey’s Ledge in Maine.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years of Lisbon Falls; two sons, Travis W. Crafts of Auburn and Brandon P. Crafts and his fiancee, Amanda Chartier, of Chapel Hill, NC; two sisters, Mrs. Wilber “Red” (Loanne) Morse of Durham and Mrs. Emily Petty of Randolph; two brothers, Justin Crafts and his wife, Glenyss, of York and John Crafts and his wife, Madelyn, of Lisbon Falls; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Carmella Murphy, of Lisbon Falls; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, one brother, Chauncey Crafts, and a brother-in-law, John Petty.

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