SIDNEY,Maine – Clifton Alfred Thomas passed away on Thursday, April 13, 2017, at Lakewood Continuing Care Center in Waterville, Maine. He was born on the family farm in Mapleton, Maine, on November 25, 1924. He was the second son of Harvey E. and Elena (Lena) G. Green Thomas.
His early life was spent on the family farm doing the work with horses which he always loved. He was never happier than when he had a pair of reins in his hands. He was always proud that in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades he transported fellow students to school in the winter in a “School Buggy” a covered sled pulled by a team of horses with a wood stove for heat.
In 1946, he married Mary Rose Hoffses (his bunny) together they had 7 children. They were married 64 years before he lost her to Alzheimer’s disease in 2010. He worked for Bridge Construction Corporation starting as a project mechanic on the Mapleton project in the late 50s. In 1975, he was promoted to Maintenance Superintendent of the Paving division. He moved the family to North Belgrade in 1960 and in the 1980’s he and Mary moved to Sidney to get back to farming, working for his son-in-law Wayne on a dairy farm.
Retirement found him and Mary traveling around the state participating in pony pulling events, his sweepstakes team, Jerry and Rusty, were hard to beat winning him many ribbons and trophies. He was active in the Lions Club and the Capitol Draft Association. He was an avid Red Sox fan who was thrilled when they won the World Series and always looked to next year when they didn’t.
He was predeceased by his wife, Mary; his daughter, Bonita; his mother and father; his brothers, Elwood F., Earl C. and Robert L. Thomas; and his sisters, Christine N. Swiger, Dorothea B. Heard, Wyona M. Graham and Linda A. Thomas. He is survived by Terry (Beth) Thomas of North Belgrade, Sharon (Dennis) Tilton, Patty (Wayne) Bragg, Cindy (Jeff Campbell) Thomas, all of Sidney; Sandra (Ken) Peckham of West Gardiner and Dan (Monie) Thomas of Lompoc, California; 19 grandchildren; 38 greatgrandchildren; his sister-in-law, Claudette Thomas of New London, Connecticut; and many nieces and nephews A special thank you to the staff of Lakewood Continuing Care Center for the care they gave to make his last days comfortable.
By request, there will be no visiting hours. A graveside service will be held at Southside Cemetery in Mapleton, Maine, on June 11, 2017, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in the name of Mary and Clifton Thomas to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481. Website: info@curealz.org. Arrangements are by Lawry Brothers-Wheeler, 26 Church St., Oakland. An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.lawrybrothers.com.
