AUBURN – Clinton Arthur Conant, 75, of Canton, died Friday, Sept. 12, at the Hospice House in Auburn after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Clinton was born April 15, 1933, the eldest son of John Carleton and Gladys Conant of Canton. He graduated valedictorian of Canton High School, Class of 1951 and then graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1955 with a degree in animal husbandry. He later completed his master’s degree on a full national 4-H fellowship at the University of Maryland.

Clinton had a tradition of community service beginning with an active 4-H career as a youth. Immediately after graduating from the University of Maine, Clinton served as the Franklin County 4-H Club extension agent. After completing his graduate degree Clinton was an extension agent based in Orono. In 1965, he became the director of the Franklin County Community Action Council. He was later the co-founder and executive director of the Rural Health Associates Community Health Center in Farmington.

Raised on a dairy farm, Clinton extended that tradition, purchasing the Mallory Farm in Strong in 1960 and operating it as a dairy farm until 1970. He continued to pursue his love of animals, raising, training and driving standard bred racehorses from 1980 to 2008, compiling 83 career driving wins.

During Clinton’s working career, he served as chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Health and Welfare, was chairman of the Maine Coalition of Ambulatory Care Centers and was on the executive committee and served as treasurer of the Maine Health Systems Agency.

Clinton was also a 45-year member of the Masons, the Kora Temple Shrine and Chairman of the Bradbury Memorial Chapel.

The oldest of nine children, Clinton is survived by a large and loving family including his wife of 57 years, Jeannette (Cobb) Conant of Canton; his daughters, sons-in-law and grandsons, Kathy Alexander, her husband, Ronald, and their son, Nathan, of Auburn, and Kelly Ross, her husband, David, and their sons, Nolan and Neil, of Portsmouth, R.I.; siblings and their spouses, Olive Dubord of Jay, Norris and Jackie Conant of Canton, Ralph and Beverly Conant of Turner, Duane and Betty Conant of Canton, Ann and Gene Allen of Jay, and George and Pat Conant of Scarborough; sister-in-law JoAnne Conant of Mesa, Ariz.; cousin Lola Sayer of Canton; 29 nieces and nephews; and loving companion, Janet Davis and her family.

He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Clifford; and sister, Lucille.

The family would like to thank everyone at the Hospice House for the phenomenal support over the past two weeks.