SOUTH PARIS — The Maine Veterans’ Home has announced that Arthur Baril is its Veteran of the Month.

Baril was born in Lewiston on Dec. 10, 1916. He attended local schools and began working in 1933 for Gould-Scammon Inc., a shoe counter manufacturer in Auburn. He worked as a skiver there until 1945 and then enlisted in the Navy on April 23, 1945.

Baril trained at the Naval Training Center in Sampson, N.Y., and then served at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Waldron Field, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He became a Seaman 2nd Class and was honorably discharged out of Boston, Mass., on Oct. 17, 1945.

When Baril returned to Lewiston, he went back to work as a skiver at Gould-Scammon Inc. He would retire from there after 40 years of service. He married the love of his life, Rita, in 1938. They made a home in Lewiston and together raised four children. He loved to work with wood – he loved to chop it, stack it and burn it in his wood stove.

He planted many trees and was an avid vegetable gardener. He also enjoyed playing cards every Saturday night. Arthur and Rita were married for 68 years and greatly enjoyed their seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Baril came to the Maine Veterans’ Home in March of 2009. He loves a good rocking chair, reading, beans and hot dogs and teasing the staff. He resides on the Residential Care Unit.