CARIBOU – Alfred “Hap” Cote passed away unexpectedly Saturday afternoon, May 3, 2008, at his home, after a long battle with cancer. “Hap” was the middle son of the late Reuben Joseph and Annette (Cyr) Cote of Limestone. Hap grew up on the family farm in Limestone, taking over when his father, Reuben, became disabled with lung disease. Hap loved farming and was named “Young Farmer of the Year” in the mid-’70s. When farming became less economically viable for small family farmers, he moved into law enforcement, first as a reserve officer and then as a patrolman for Limestone Police Department. He then served Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department Transportation Division for 25 years, during which he became well known as a fair and genial man. Hap retired in 2005 as the lieutenant in command of the transportation division. Hap’s friends knew him as a self-taught “jack-of-all-trades,” who enjoyed gardening, hunting, cooking, woodworking, mechanics and carpentry. After designing and building his home with wood from his own land, Hap continuously found improvements and projects to hone his many skills, one of which was clock-making. Many friends and family members have enjoyed the bounty of Hap’s gardens and his culinary specialty, smoked turkey. Hap was predeceased by his parents, Annette and Reuben Cote of Limestone; sister, Frieda “Sis” Classy of Fairfield, Conn.; brother, Paul “Bert” Cote of Rock Hill, S.C.; and an infant brother, Patrick Cote of Limestone. Hap is survived by his wife, Darylen (McQuirk) Cote; their children, Shane Philip Cote and his wife, Erin, of Farmington and Shanin Deborah Cote of Caribou; brother, Nathan “Nate” Cote and his wife, Monique, of Las Cruces, N.M.; sister-in-law, Ther?se “Tess” Cote of Rock Hill, S.C., Gladys “Doe” Cote of Charleston, S.C., Cheryl “Bonnie” Turo and her husband, Steve, of Cartersville, Ga.; brother-in-law, George Classy of Fairfield, Conn.; sister-in-law, Marylen McQuirk Snyder of Overland Park, Kan.; and brother-in-law, Patrick McQuirk and wife, Mary Lynn, of Lansing, Kan. Hap was also a beloved uncle to 20 nieces and nephews and treasured his relationships to many aunts, uncles and cousins. The family welcomes friends to pay their respects at a memorial service 11 a.m. Thursday, May 8, at Unitarian Universalist Church, Caribou, with the Rev. Maury Landry officiating and the Rev. David Cote serving as lector. A reception will be held after at the church. Donations to Annette Cote Memorial Scholarship for Nurses, care of Mary Harrigan, Cary Medical Center, 163 Van Buren Road, Caribou, ME 04736 or Lance Armstrong Foundation, LAF, at www.livestrong.org will be appreciated in lieu of flowers. Honorary pallbearers are Hap’s lifelong friends and colleagues, Dale Brooker, Wayne Bubar, Gerald Michaud, Greg Ward, Randy Brooker, Steve Belanger and Dan Robertson. Arrangements by Moc-kler Funeral Home, 24 Reservoir St., Caribou. For online register, please go to www.mocklerfuneralhome.com.
ALFRED ‘HAP’ COTE
