ARNOLD J. HARTFORD Hartford, 78, died Feb. 5, 2008, in Marianna, Fla., after a long illness. He was born Feb. 24, 1929, in Dexter, son of Chester and Georgianna (LaBree) Hartford. He graduated from N.H. Fay High School, Class of 1947. He worked for Ramsey and Gates, where he learned his flooring trade. He was skilled in carpentry work and loved to build things out of wood. For more than 25 years, he owned and operated one of the first Sears catalog franchises in the state of Maine. He retired from Fay Scott Landis, Dexter, where he was highly respected for his knowledge of machines and his kindness to his co-workers. He is survived by his wife, Constance (LaBonte) Hartford of Malone, Fla., where she and Arnold have made their home for the past three years; seven children, Gregory Hartford of Bangor, Robert “Bobby” Hartford and his wife, Earlene, of Dover-Foxcroft, Debbie Taylor and her husband, Roy, of Dover-Foxcroft, Susan McCormick and her husband, Mike, of Dexter, James Hartford and his wife, Rachelle, of Pittsfield, Lynda Patterson and her husband, Jerry, of Lamoine and Lorna Leighton of Dexter; five stepchildren, who thought of him as their father, Patty Thompson and her husband, Kendall, of Corinna, Paul Berry of Florida, Michael Berry of Corinna, Carol May of Texas, and Steve Berry and his wife, Donna, of Newport; two brothers, Chester Hartford and his wife, Joanne, of Garland and Ronald Hartford and his wife, Doris, of North Dexter; a sister, Geneva Pisano of Connecticut; 20 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and his dog, Bonnie, who he loved just like one of his kids. Friends may call 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, at Crosby & Neal, 61 Main St., Dexter. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make donations to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 B. Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401. To sign an online guest book, go to www.CrosbyNeal.com.