1927 – 2013

WALES — David J. Sanborn, 86, of Pond Road, Wales, passed away peacefully, Thursday, Aug. 29, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

He was born June 9, 1927, on the family farm in Wales, the son of Ralph E. and Myra (Jordan) Sanborn. He attended school in Wales and was a 1948 graduate of Edward Little High School. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, from June 1952 through March 1954. On Oct. 12, 1952, in Sabattus, he married Barbara Austin of Sabattus.

After the war, he returned to his bride and the farm and worked through the years as a self-employed farmer, working alongside his father and brother and eventually his sons, and retired three years ago. During the 1970s, he was involved in farmland conservation on his property, served on the school board at Wales Central School and enjoyed farming and community building activities with his family, friends and neighbors. He was a trustee and lifelong member of the Community Baptist Church in Sabattus, where his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ grew throughout the years.

He enjoyed many ice fishing and snowmobiling excursions to Moosehead Lake and Maine’s northern regions, and in later years especially enjoyed traveling, with trips to Alaska, Arizona, California, Nova Scotia, Florida, upstate New York, North Carolina and our nation’s capital.

He is survived by his generous and loving wife, Barbara Sanborn, of Wales; two daughters, Lynne Brooks and her husband, David, of Lisbon Falls and Laurel Morton and her husband, Charles, of Syracuse, N.Y.; two sons, Ralph J. Sanborn and his wife, Carol, of Wales and Barry Sanborn of Wales; five grandchildren, Jason Brooks and wife, Katie, Lisa Brown, Eric Sanborn and wife, Michelle, and Jordan and Austin Morton; five great-grandchildren, Ethan Brown, Jackson and Jillian Sanborn, and Nolan and Grant Brooks; his brother, George A. Sanborn of Wales; two sisters, Carolyn Reeverts and her husband, Daryl, of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Marilyn Greenwood of Wales; along with many supportive and loving nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank his loving caregivers for the blessings of their work.

Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfuneralhome.com.