OXFORD — Arthur P. Bragdon Sr., 86, of Oxford died Thursday, Feb. 24, at his home, surrounded by his family.

He was born in Eaton on March 2, 1924, the son of Cecil and Etta Morse Bragdon. He attended school in Eaton and started working at the age of 13 to help provide for his family.

He joined the military at the age of 19. He served his country proudly during World War II, from 1943 to 1946 in the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign. He was injured during combat in Italy and spent 19 months in a military hospital in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Honorable Service Medal, National Defense and Maine Silver Star.

He married his wife, Phyllis, on Dec. 16, 1957. He worked at Auburn Metal Buildings for many years. He also did carpentry work in his later years, retiring in 1970.

He was an outdoorsman, enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping and camping. He built ice fishing traps and also a camp in Masardis with his two sons in 1991. He was an avid cribbage player and enjoyed playing with his grandson, Jacob, up until a few weeks before his passing. He also enjoyed motorcycle riding with his brother, Clive and wife, Lona, and friends, Richard and Lillian Purington. He loved his dogs and had several German shepherds over the years. He enjoyed traveling New England and Canada and making many long day trips with his wife, Phyllis. They would drive to Vermont just to get an ice cream.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; seven children, Bonnie and husband, Ronald Carbary, of Meredith, N.H., Levi “Rick” Bragdon and wife, Barbara, of Lewiston, Cindy Giguere and husband, Richard, of Oxford, Debra Harnden and longtime companion, Richard Alexander, of Brunswick, Sue Purington and husband, Anthony, of Mechanic Falls, Arthur “Bub” Bragdon Jr. and wife, Stephanie, of Bethel, and Tracy Davis and husband, Edward, of Oxford; two grandsons that were like sons, Michael and Joshua Harnden, who always called him “Dad”; 18 grandchildren, Shari, Wesley, Levi, Jessica, Jennifer, Jaime, Eric, Jason, Denise, Keith, Mathew, Mitchell, Kaitlyn, Andrew, Jacob and Dylan; 21
great-grandchildren; and his siblings, Martel Craig of Auburn, Clive Bragdon of Masardis, Clair Bragdon of New York, Donald Bragdon of Stockton Springs and Patricia Mollison of Maine and Florida.

He was predeceased by his parents; a grandson, Lesley; a great-grandson, Deontae; and four sisters, Lois Watt, Phyllis Emery, Julia Stoddard and Nancy Tomh.

Online condolences may be shared with his family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.