OTISFIELD – Ellis Alfred Stone died peacefully Monday, Nov. 6, at his long-time home in Otisfield at the age of 92, with his family by his side.

He was born in East Otisfield Feb. 5, 1914, in an early house that sat just east of his grandfather, Ellis R. Stone’s general store. He walked across the Mill Pond bridge to elementary school in one of Otisfield’s eight one-room school houses now a residence. There were eight grades, sometimes nine with one teacher. He graduated from Mechanic Falls High School in 1932. His early recollections are of a small close-knit village with a busy sawmill, mill pond, coopers shop, two stores, his fathers garage and a cannery. The majority of the traffic through town was horse drawn and Otisfield did not yet have phones or electricity.

After graduating from high school he moved to Portland living with his family and working at various interesting places. Returning to Otisfield after a couple of years of city living, he worked in Norway first at a restaurant and then at B.E. Cole shoe company. Over the years stories have surfaced of interesting calamities of tapping the beer kegs in the restaurant.

On Sept. 2, 1938, he married Estelle Margaret Pottle of Otisfield and settled down to farm and raise a family at the Pottle family homestead on Stonehirst Road, where he spent the remainder of his life.

He and Estelle had three children who shared their parent’s love of the farm at “Pottles Crossing.” He never minded work and soon found himself working the farm with its small herd of dairy cattle during the day and at Robinson Manufacturing Co. in Oxford at night. He described his years at Robinson as starting at the bottom and over the course of 40 years working up to overseer of picking and carding. He retired in 1981.

An active Mason, he belonged to Oxford Lodge AF & AM No. 18 of Norway, Royal Arch Masons Chapter No. 29 of Norway, Royal and Select Masters Counsel No. 14 of Norway, Oriental Commandery Knights Templar No. 22 of Bridgton. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of Kora Shrine of Lewiston, a past master of Oxford Lodge and a past deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Maine. He was also a member of Oxford Chapter No. 168 Order of the Eastern Star.

He was a long-time member of the East Otisfield Free Baptist Church serving as chairman of the diaconate, moderator and greeter for many years. He portrayed Joe Holden at the annual Joe Holden church picnic.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling and visiting friends and relatives across the United States and Europe. He had many friends scattered across the face of the earth with whom he stayed in contact. He was a consummate birthday, get-well and Christmas card sender. His many friends will miss his cheerful greetings.

He is survived by three children and their spouses, Elizabeth Watson, and husband, David, of Casco, Robert Stone, and his wife, Jessica, of Nottingham, Pa. and Caroline (Callie) Zilinsky, and husband, Joseph, of Otisfield; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren: Betsy Wandishin and children Megan, Rachael and Nicholas of Casco; Melissa, and husband, Kevin DeBruyne and children McKenna, Christopher, and Padraig of Seattle, Wash.; Valerie, and husband, Matthew Schmidt and children Kayla and Kathleen of Damascus, Md. and Ellis Edward Stone of Phoenix, Ariz.; also many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews, and yes even three great-great-great-nieces and nephews, all of whom he knew well as they all congregated at the Pottle family camp on Lake Thompson every summer.

He was predeceased by his dear wife of 55 years, Estelle Pottle Stone.

He will be sadly missed by his friends and acquaintances.