CANTON – Ralph Waldo Goding, 83, of Canton, died Wednesday, June 29, at his son’s home where he had been cared for after a long period of failing health.

He was born in Canton, on Sept. 20, 1921, the son of Edward L. and Ethel (Demerritt) Goding.

He attended Canton schools and graduated in 1939. In high school, he was active in drama, baseball, cross-country and ice hockey.

After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He saw World War II action in both the Pacific and European theaters. He was stationed at Barstow, Calif., Hickman Field, Hawaii, where his unit was attacked during the December 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, and at RAF in Huntington, England. After his discharge, he served in the Coast Guard.

On June 10, 1944, he married Florence E. McLaurie in Bedford, England. In May 1946, they relocated to Canton where they made their home.

He worked on the section crew for the Maine Central Railroad for a few years. During that time, he built and ran Ralph’s Cash Market which he operated in the evenings until the town voted to go “wet.” When he obtained his beer license, he left the railroad and ran the store full-time for the next 40 years, retiring in October 1987.

He enjoyed life to the fullest. He always had a garden, and loved canning and making pickles. He also loved to travel. He and his family would spend a week to a month during the winter at Jolly Beach in the island country of Antigua, West Indies. There he made many lifelong friends.

During the month of August, he would camp at Popham Beach. In December 1991, he returned to Hawaii to participate in the 50-year memorial at the Punchbowl Cemetery and at Pearl Harbor.

A devoted husband and father, he always found time to take his son hunting or fishing, or to spend Sundays taking his daughter and her horse to compete in shows and competitions.

He served several years on the Canton school board and later as a Canton representative on the SAD 21 board.

He belonged to the Rumford American Legion Post 24, the Rumford VFW and the Pine Tree Chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

He is survived by a son, Robert Sr., and his wife, Glenda, of Canton; a daughter, Sylvia Crafts and her companion, Steve LeBlanc, of North Jay; a brother, Warren Goding of Hagerstown, Md.; a sister-in-law, Madaline Goding of Florida; three grandchildren, Robert Jr., and his wife, Cindy, of Farmington, Sandra Lynn Goding of Farmington, and Jason Crafts and his wife, Julie, of Jay; a step-grandson, Alan Noyes of Hartford; three great-grandchildren, Catherine and Ian Goding of Farmington, and Sarah Crafts of Jay.

He was predeceased by his wife of nearly 60 years, Florence, in October 2003; two brothers, Carl and Lawrence; an infant daughter, Jean; an infant great-grandson, Bradley Terrance Crafts; and a stepgrandson, David Noyes.

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