SOUTH PARIS – Earlon “Lefty” Keniston, 88, of Bethel, died Feb. 14 at the Maine Veterans’ Home, where he had been a patient since October.

He was born in Albany on May 25, 1917, the oldest child of Albert and Iva (Andrews) Keniston. He grew up in Albany and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse until his family moved to Bethel.

Upon graduating from high school, he became a saw filer, a trade he learned from his uncle, Silas Keniston. He was employed by various mills in the area.

In January 1942, he married Myrtle Lapham of Albany; she died in April 1972. They had one daughter, Llona.

He served in the battle of Rome-Arno and in the Northern Apennines. He won the EAME Theatre Service Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, the Good Conduct Medal, World War II medal and a Purple Heart. He was wounded while in action in Italy and received an honorable discharge on Nov. 4, 1945.

He married Mary (Clough) Rice of Bethel in October 1973.

He was a member of the Albany Congregational Church and was a deacon for many years and served as treasurer with his wife, Mary, for 20 years. He served as president of the Songo Cemetery Association, as well as on its board of directors.

He is survived by his wife, Mary, of 32 years; daughter, Llona Keniston Meaux and her husband, Carl, of Amelia Island, Fla.; stepchildren, Doug Rice and his wife, Sandra, of Guilford, Conn., Donald Rice of Waterford, and Donna Rice-Howe and her husband, Alton, of Waterford; two grandchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; three great-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; several cousins, nieces and nephews; and sisters-in-law, Muriel Kimball of South Paris, Phyllis Bancroft of South Paris, Elizabeth Lapham of Albany, Ida Clough of Bryant Pond and Shirley Clough of Monks Corner, S.C.

He was predeceased by a stepdaughter, Sally Rice Twitchell; his parents; two brothers, Elwyn and Lloyd; and a sister, Phyllis Andrews.

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