Richard “Rick” T. Bessey

KINGFIELD – Richard “Rick” T. Bessey, 36, of Kingfield, died early Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, 2025, at his home in Kingfield after a long battle with the disease of alcohol addiction.

He was born in Farmington, Feb. 8, 1988, a son of Thomas and Tracy (Taylor) Bessey and was a 2006 graduate of Mt. Abram High School where he attended Foster Vocational Tech welding program. Rick graduated from Eastern Maine Community College with a degree in welding and pipe fitting. He was a top student in all his welding classes.

While attending Eastern Maine Community College he was an advocate for the school’s pipe fitting program when the college had decided to end the program. Rick went to newspaper and television stations to get support to keep the program to remain open until the current students finished their degree for pipe fitting. His efforts kept the program available for students to finish their degree. Upon graduation Rick had two large welding companies in a bidding war trying to get him to join their welding company. In the end he decided to go to work for Phoenix Welding out of Portland where he became a very young supervisor on his site. This profession gave Rick the opportunity to travel all over the country with his two close friends, Chance Brown and David Trenholm. Rick later went on to work at Bath Iron Works as a welder where he worked until 2018 when he had to get done due to medical issues.

Chance introduced Rick to Lauren Frank, the love of his life. In 2014, Rick and Lauren bought a home in Sabattus. In 2016, Rick and Lauren were married and welcomed their son, Owen Richard, in 2018.

From a young age Rick loved being out in the woods. He loved to trap, hunt, fish, snowmobile and being out on a 4-wheeler. He loved visiting Old Orchard Beach, where he proposed to his wife at the 4th of July fireworks. He and Lauren ventured to Old Orchard many times taking Owen to what he called the “holiday house”. Rick enjoyed music, especially country. At 18, he taught himself to play the guitar and recently bought a second guitar to begin teaching Owen how to play. He loved Dodge Ram trucks and has passed that onto his son who says “there’s a Ram like my Dad’s” every time he sees a Ram logo.

Rick is survived by his son, Owen; and Owen’s mom, Lauren; his mother, Tracy Bessey and her boyfriend, Fonz, his father Thomas Bessey; his maternal grandmother, Dawn Norton Taylor, his paternal grandmother, Josephine Bessey Holmes (David); his sister, Samantha Bessey; uncle Scott Taylor, aunts Karen Pease (Steven), Christine Anzalone (Chris), Peg Bessey (Scott); cousins Guy Atwood, Elizabeth Savage, Cassandra Sherman, Josie Pease, Elias Pease, Joseph Lane and Andy Lane; his in-laws Chris and Rena Frank; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kelsey and Jack Wise; and nephew Dylan; several special friends, Chance, David, Casey, and John. He also leaves behind his best friend, Daisy Duke, his full-blooded Bloodhound.

He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Frank Taylor, paternal grandfather, Chuck Bessey, and special great-uncle, Dick Bessey.

Public memorial services will be held at Western Mountains Baptist Church, 928 Carrabassett Rd., New Portland on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. Refreshments will be served following the service at the church.

Rick’s family encourages anyone who needs assistance with the disease of alcoholism to please reach out to a healthcare professional and use your local AA for support.

Family and friends are encouraged to visit Rick’s Book of Memories at http://www.wilesrc.com to leave words of sympathy, reflections, or a story. Honored to be caring for the family and friends of Richard “Rick” Bessey, is the Wiles Remembrance Center of Farmington.

In lieu of flowers,

the family kindly asks that those who desire consider memorial gifts in Rick’s memory to his son,

Owen Bessey

c/o Tracy Bessey,

241 Main St., Beehive 2,

Kingfield, ME 04947

to start a college trust fund or to the

National Institute

on Alcohol Abuse

and Alcoholism,

Financial Management

Branch – Gift Fund,

National Institute of Health,

6700 B Rockledge Dr.,

Room 1336,

Bethesda, MD 20892

(must include donors name and in memory of

Rick Bessey

241 Main St.

Kingfield, ME 04947)