ERVIN L. KIRK
ABBOT- Ervin L. Kirk, 79, died unexpectedly, January 20, 2009 at his winter home in Brooksville, FL. He was born March 28, 1929, on the family farm on the Moosehorn road in Monson, son of Harry J. and Mary (Dicker) Kirk. Following the death of his mother during childbirth, he was raised by Charles and Bessie Mabel Bennett. During this time he developed a close relationship with Ray and Leah (Bennett) Ames. He attended Abbot and Guilford schools. Marrying Patricia (Schultz), Ervin began work and parenting at the very young age of 16, and handled it well for all of his life. As a young man he worked at a variety of jobs, including woods work, and garage work, wherever jobs were available. As he got older he worked at Hardwood Products Company in Guilford and at the Guilford Woolen Mill. For a time he and his wife even worked for a private estate in Connecticut. Later in life he worked for Seven Islands Land Management Company, retiring as a Forestry Technician. Following the death of his first wife, Patricia, and his subsequent retirement from Seven Islands, he remarried and moved to the Rockland area, where he worked as the parts manager for Sheppard’s Auto Dealership. In 1988 when he and his wife, Celia both retired, they bought a home in Brooksville, Florida, where they spent their winters. He was a member of the Mt. Kineo Masonic Lodge #109 A.F. & A. M. in Guilford for 45 years.

He was blessed with the love and companionship of 2 special wives, Patricia (Schultz) Kirk who predeceased him in 1982, and Celia (Dennison) Kirk, who survives him. In addition to his wife, Celia, he is survived by two loving children, Bonnie Goggin and her husband, John of Guilford, and Ervin R. “Butch” Kirk and his wife, Michele of Abbot; five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, Shelley and James Lobdell and their children Brady and Jenna all of Hampden, Jason and Danielle Goggin and their children, Matthew and Caroline all of Guilford, Robin Kirk and her fiancé, Teruo Tacihatchi of Quincy, Mass., Tanya and Walter “Butch” Goodwin and their children, Samantha and Molly all of Millis, Mass., Nicole and Ryan Mahan and their children, Isaac, Elias, and Maya all of Fryeburg; a stepson Colin Dennison and his son, Clayton of Rockland; a brother, Harland Kirk and his wife, Patricia of Edmonds, Washington; also special nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by brothers and sisters, Raymond, Philip, and Donald Potter, Ernestine Smiley, Zelda Richards, Urban Kirk , Mae Race, and Inga Knaide.

Memorial services will be held in Florida. Graveside Masonic services will be held in the spring at the Abbot Village Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his memory to the Mt. Kineo Masonic Lodge Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 555, Guilford, ME 04443. Local arrangements by Crosby & Neal, Guilford. For an online guest register, go to www.CrosbyNeal.com.