Ernest “Ernie” C. Lilley
LILLEY, Ernest “Ernie” C., 61, MASARDIS, September 6, 2014. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, at Masardis Pentecostal Church. Arrangements are under the care of Lajoie Funeral Home, Ashland.
MASARDIS – Ernest “Ernie” C. Lilley, 61, passed away with his family at his side on September 6, 2014, following a battle with cancer. He was born August 10, 1953, in Smyrna Mills, the eldest son of the late Charles and Lovina (Morton) Lilley.
He began working at a young age with Salmor Farms. He later accepted work with Levesque Lumber from 1970 until 2003, after J. Paul personally offered him a position. J. Paul considered Ernie an asset; employees like Ernie are what made former Levesque Lumber, former J. Paul Levesque & Sons and now Fraser Timber LLC what it is today. Ernie also pursued self-employment for a short time operating his own skidder and selling harvested logs.
On May 31, 1986, he married Ruthine A. Bragdon and had three beautiful daughters. In 1987, they purchased the old MacDonald farmhouse in Masardis. While raising their daughters, and, with hard work and determination, they completely remodeled their home; hardly recognizable from the old farmhouse they started with.
Ernie was a true “county” person, enjoying all outdoor activities the North Maine Woods has to offer: fishing, canoeing, hunting, snowmobiling, etc. He had a knack for catching fish, which earned him the nickname “Trout,” and every year would go to SquaPan Stream to fish his limit of trout. Ernie often went to his camp he built in 1973 in Howe Brook at St. Croix Lake, which was his favorite place. He made special friendships with other camp owners, Randy and Barb, Bruce and Stacy, Bryce and Bonnie, Jay and Laurie, Walfy “Woofy” and Shelly, and many more whom he loved to challenge to a good game of cribbage. He also enjoyed watching the high school basketball tournaments every year and was an avid Red Sox baseball fan.
Ernie is survived by his wife of 28 years, Ruthine A. (Bragdon) Lilley of Masardis; three daughters, Crystal and Chelsea Lilley of Masardis and Ann-Marie Lilley of Ashland; a step-daughter, Bambi Dyer of Glenburn; step-granddaughter, Brandy Duperry, and step-great-grandson, Cameron Duperry, both of Bangor; six siblings, Charlene Burby of Mapleton, Edmund Lilley and his wife, Trudy of Masardis, Anthony Lilley and his wife, Susan of Masardis, Donald Lilley and his wife, Sandy of Fredericksburg, VA, Burnham Lilley and his wife, Kristen of Ruther Glen, VA, and Vivian Madore and her husband, Mark of Presque Isle; and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents he was predeceased by a sister, Cheryl-Ann Lilley.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Masardis Pentecostal Church, 1306 Garfield Rd., Masardis, with Rev. Donald Morton Jr. officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to greet the family from 11 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family at Masardis Municipal Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are a service of Lajoie Funeral Home, 114 Exchange St., Ashland. To share condolences online, please visit www.LajoieFuneralHome.com.
