1928 – 2013

EUSTIS — Duluth Everard Wing, 85, of Eustis, passed away suddenly at his home on Thursday, Oct. 31.

He was born on June 16, 1928, in the village of Flagstaff, the son of Clifford E. Wing and F. Ettie Bachelder Moody. He graduated from Flagstaff High School and always maintained that he ranked third in his class, because there were only three students in his senior class. He married Betty A. Petty of North Anson on April 9, 1948, and they lived in Flagstaff until it became Flagstaff Lake in 1950, then moved to Eustis.

Duluth was a forest ranger for the Maine Forest Service for 38 years, first as watchman on Bigelow Mountain at 18 years old, then promoted to a patrolman in the Flagstaff area and finally promoted to the rank of district ranger in 1954, as supervisor of the Dead River District until his retirement in 1983. He served in the Army Reserve in 1948 and 1949.

He enjoyed his many years of happy retirement with his hobby of local prehistory, being a serious student of Benedict Arnold and his march to Quebec and many other local historic interests. He was a founding member, life member and special honorary member of the Arnold Expedition Historical Society and served on its board of directors for many years, a position he still held. He was a member of the Dead River Historical Society and was a current board member. He was also a member of the Embden Historical Society, the Lexington Highland Historical Society and The Maine Archaeological Society.

He was past president and current board member of the Flagstaff Chapel Association and the current sexton of the Flagstaff Cemetery, a position he held for nearly 50 years. He was a proud life member of the National Rifle Association, a part-time deputy at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department for Sheriff French and an honorary deputy sheriff for Sheriff Dennis Pike.

Duluth was a longtime member of the Wing Family of America Inc. and the Wing Assembly of Maine, and was always very proud of his family roots. He was a longtime member of the Eustis Planning Board. He was a 63-year member of Mount Bigelow Masonic Lodge 202 AF & AM, serving every chair during his many years, including master in 1966 and 1967. He was also a Kora Temple Shrine member, affiliate member of Mount Abram Lodge in Kingfield and the old Lingwick Lodge in Lingwick, Quebec, and a 61-year member of Somerset Chapter 80 Order of Eastern Star, where he was a past patron of 14 years and grand representative to the state of Washington.

Duluth is survived by his adoring wife, Betty; his son, Kenny, of Eustis; his daughter, Judith and husband, the Rev. Richard Lambert, of Swanville; his brother, Maj. Lubert Wing, ret., and wife, Betty, of Phenix City, Ala.; his grandchildren, Jennifer Lambert Campbell, Nathan Lambert, Jonathan Lambert, Ryan Wing and Sean Wing; and his great-grandchildren, Kendall Lambert, Ethan Lambert, Hattie Lambert, Thaddeus Lambert, Rhowen Campbell, Jovan Duluth Lambert, Finnegan Wing and Avery Wing.

He was predeceased by his stepbrothers, Dewey Wing and Dr. Lemuel Moody; his stepsisters, Deliana Moody Fenwick, Gwendolyn Wing Burke and Dorothy Wing Stevenson Jones; and his sister, Margaret Wing Rogers.

Duluth had many passions in his life besides his family: boating on Flagstaff, enjoying his camp on the lake, guns and reloading, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, fishing, hunting, looking for Indian and Arnold artifacts, writing, researching, harmonica playing, watching every Celtics game, tree farming, helping out in the Wing Community and spending time with all of his close friends in Maine, New Hampshire and Canada.

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