Ludwig, Leland O., 84, May 3, 2014. Visiting hours are tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dunn Funeral Home. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements by Dunn Funeral Home, Houlton.
HOULTON – Leland Ornell Ludwig, III, 84, died May 3, 2014, at a local hospital. He was born October 16, 1929, in Houlton, the son of Leland O. Ludwig, Jr. and Ruby (Stone) Ludwig.
Leland attended Houlton schools and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1948, and from Bowdoin College in 1952. Following his graduation from Bowdoin, he was employed by the Sales & Marketing Division of Texaco, Inc. in Boston and at other Texaco sales and operations locations throughout New England. In 1957, he married the former Margaret Helen Grant of Houlton, and returned to Houlton to work for Petroleum Products, Inc. a Texaco Distributor, eventually becoming Treasurer of the company. He was an accomplished alpine skier familiar with the mountains of the western United States (especially Colorado and Utah) where he used to join his close friend Col. Eames Yates (deceased), one of the owners of the “Over The Hill Gang” skiing company. He was a member of the NASTAR (National Association of Standard Alpine Racing) from which he received many awards. In 1994, while racing in the Budweiser NASTAR Challenge at Snowmass, Colorado, he placed 5th among Maine’s 60-69 year old men as part of the All Stars Rankings Program. He was also an avid kayaker, paddling for pleasure and participating in races. He much enjoyed paddling with his son Fred Ludwig, a United States champion kayaker. He also loved to fly, his favorite plane being his Piper PA 18A on floats which, on one occasion, he flew to Newfoundland. Following his retirement, he trained with the U.S. Peace Corps in Malawi, East Central Africa, and then served as Technical Advisor to USAID (US Agency for International Development) on special detached assign-ments. He was also a delegate to the first Malawi/ USAID Inter-national Trucking Symposium. In addition to holding a commercial pilot’s license (land & seaplane ratings) and a class 1 motor vehicle driver’s license, and he was president of the Aroostook General Hospital, treasurer of the Houlton Regional Hospital, served on the Houlton Town Council, Budget Committee and Planning Board. He was chairman of the Cary Library Board of Trustees, director of the Houlton Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of the Aroostook County Planning Commission, Director of Key Bank of Northern Maine, and served on the Aroostook County Finance Committee. He was also Life Member #86 of the Over the Hill Gang, Int’l., Colorado Springs, CO.
Leland is survived by his widow, Margaret; children, Kathryn and her husband, Mark Murphy, of Minneapolis, Frederick and his wife, Beth, of Houlton, Anne and her husband, Michael Michaud, of Gray; grandchildren, Margaret and Andrew Michaud, Benjamin, Alana and Rebecca Murphy. He also leaves a sister, Virginia McLaughlin of Houlton.
Friends may visit with family Wednesday 6 to 8 p.m. at the Dunn Funeral Home. Family will memorialize Leland at a graveside service in Evergreen Cemetery. Those who wish may make contributions in his memory to the Cary Library, c/o Dunn Funeral Home, 11 Park Street, Houlton, ME 04730. Online condolences and guest book: dunnfuneral.com.
Motto: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might! If it is to be, it’s up to me!
