FARMINGTON — Herbert C. “Herbie” Mosher Sr., 88, of Farmington, died early Wednesday morning, Feb. 21, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. He was born Aug. 23, 1929, a son of Madeline (Toothaker) and Calbert Mosher, and was one of five children.

Herbert grew up in Chesterville and quit school at the age of 13 to drive a pulp truck for Clyde Wheeler, and also to work in the woods. Herbert got married at the age of 19 to Emma Maxim, and had five children. When his boys were young he was a Little League baseball coach for the Farmington Falls Hawks, and also a volunteer fireman for the town of Chesterville.

Herbert worked at Bass Shoe Co. for 20 years, hand-sewing, and later becoming a supervisor. He decided he needed a change of occupation and bought the old French Farm and started Mosher’s Slaughter House. He did this for several years, then decided to try something new. Herbert became a contractor for International Paper Co. and harvested and trucked wood. All of this time he was an active member of the Odd Fellows of Wilton.

He retired in the late ’80s to concentrate on gardening, and pulling his oxen and sweepstake horses at county fairs across Maine. During 2008-2010, he was superintendent of the pulling ring at the Farmington Fair, organizing all of the pulling activities. Herbert used his sweepstake horses to provide sleigh rides during the winter at Sugarloaf and in-town Farmington. Many lasting memories were created when he gave families rides through the field behind their home at Christmas. Herbert loved to sit and talk about old times working in the woods, buying woodlands and exercising his sweepstake oxen and horses.

He is survived by his wife, Emma, of Edgewood Manor, Farmington, and their five children: Stephen (Peggy) of Farmington, Herbert Jr. (Diane) of Temple, Michael (Suzanne) of Chesterville, DeAnna (Donald) of Northport, Fla., and Terry (Maureen) of Farmington; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild. He is also survived by his sisters, Blandine Frost, of Norridgewock, and Shirley Tracy, of Bowdoinham. Herbert was predeceased by his sister, Ruth, and his brother, Norman.

Condolences and tributes as well as a memorial video may be shared on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.

Herbert C. “Herbie” Mosher Sr.