1932 – 2017

KINGFIELD — Neal G. Tranten, of Kingfield, passed away at home surrounded by his four daughters and four sons Tuesday, Jan. 10. He accepted death knowing he had lived a full and rich life.

Neal was born 84 years ago on Nov. 19, 1932. He was raised in Anson by his parents, Harold and Mary Tranten. He had one sibling, a brother, Donald Tranten, who died at a young age of leukemia. Neal attended Madison High School, playing football all four years. Neal continued to love the sport of football.

As a young man, Neal joined the U.S. Marines and was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. While escorting a young lady to a weekend dance on base, he met another young lady, his future wife, the late Eva Mozelle Tranten. Neal and Mozelle exchanged dance partners that night, and became partners themselves for more than 50 years of marriage.

He returned to Maine in 1955, moving to Kingfield to work for his father at the Tranten General Store. His butcher block was often surrounded by locals deciding town politics. He brought the delicatessen idea to town by selling Italian sandwiches from behind the meat case. He not only was the butcher, but had a roll-top desk tucked in the back serving as the town office to carry out his town clerk duties. He’d sell fishing licenses and perform marriages in that corner of the store. He ventured to build a new grocery store 30 years ago, which is now Tranten’s Family Market on Main Street in Kingfield.

He taught the love of the outdoors to his children by being an avid hunter and fisherman. He would often spend an evening fly-fishing below the dam in Kingfield. Even though he got to experience fly-fishing in Newfoundland and Iceland, everyone knew his favorite spot to fish was Shiloh Pond. Neal also had another favorite pastime, raising and training horses for harness racing all over the state of Maine, out of state and in Canada. He became a very well-respected member of the Maine harness racing family. He was a member of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association and the Maine Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association. He was awarded the Lifetime Award by the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association.

Neal is survived by his eight married children, 20 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.