Newry native chosen as Veteran of the Month at Maine Veterans Home

PARIS — The Maine Veterans’ Home has named Frederic Owen Wight, Army E3 corporal, as its Veteran of the Month.

Wight was born in Newry on April 12, 1932. He attended Gould Academy in Bethel, graduating in 1950.

In 1954 Wight enlisted in the Army and served at Ft. Benning, Georgia, initially, then at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, where he was assigned to the motor pool and worked as a mechanic. During his service, Wight earned the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Medal. He was discharged from the service in 1956.

Wight married Sue Lewis Brooke in 1958. They had three children together, joining three children from Sue’s previous marriage. She died in 2005. He has 11 grandchildren.

Wight was employed by the Rumford paper mill, working as a millwright for 37 years.

He came to the Maine Veterans’ Home in 2016. He enjoys playing bingo, exercising, going to church and going on excursions.