FARMINGTON – Ernest E. Hinkley Jr., 86, a resident of North Livermore, died Thursday, Jan. 5, at Franklin Memorial Hospital where he was a patient for six days.

He was born in North Livermore on Aug. 10, 1919, the son of Ernest E. Sr. and Mary Lothrop Hinkley and was a graduate of Livermore Falls High School. On Oct. 7, 1942, he married Ruth E. Grant of Benton, in Waterville. She died Dec. 13, 1998. He lived and worked the family farm all of his life and was employed by New England Creamery for a time after high school; he was also a bus driver for M.S.A.D. 36 from 1965 to 1995, and as a substitute driver prior to that.

He had a special relationship with his students, having had the first radio on a bus. He received many awards at school bus competitions, including the championship in the state school bus “road-e-o” in 1984.

He was a former Master of the Norland Grange in East Livermore; a member of the Farm Bureau and the Town of Livermore Ministerial Fund. He loved marching band music; played the baritone in the Livermore Falls Town Band for many years; was a member of the Old Crow Indian Band in Farmington from 1963 through 2005.

He is survived by four daughters and their husbands, Mrs. Llewellyn (Linda) Lyman, of North Livermore, Mrs. William (Marilyn) Graham, of Pittsfield, Mrs. Dennis (Ernestine) “Tina” Dorey, of Raymond, and Mrs. William (Genevieve) Clark, of Standish; a sister, Mrs. Mildred Wright, of Livermore Falls; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Veatrice Fehlau, of Scarborough; brother-in-law and his wife, Richard and Kathy Powers, of Apple Valley, Calif.; brother-in-law and his wife, Rev. Bertrum and Dena Grant, of Mineral Wells, W.Va.; five grandchildren, Donald Lyman, of Skowhegan, Mrs. Tod (Elizabeth) Houk, of Findlay, Ohio, Cinda Foster, of Livermore Falls, Charles Graham II, of Pittsfield, Mrs. Joshua (Kristyn) Plamondon, of Pittsfield; three great-grandchildren, James and Alyssa Foster, of Livermore Falls and Jordan Plamondon, of Pittsfield; and several nieces and nephews.

In later years, he had a special friendship with his nephew, Lawrence Hinkley, who chauffeured him to all of his band events and was a companion at many country fairs and antique tractor shows.

He was predeceased by a son, Roger Ernest Hinkley; a brother, C. Everett Hinkley and his wife, Vivian; a sister, Mrs. Helen Whynot and husband, Doran; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Powers; brothers-in-law, Ralph Wright and Martin Fehlau; and a brother-in-law and wife, Albert and Grace Grant.

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