EASTBROOK – George Herbert Bragdon, born Nov. 11, 1922, in Fayette, the third son of Melvin and Sarah (Bartlett) Bragdon, departed his earthly life April 22, 2006, at a Bangor hospital after a brief illness. George was four years old when his mother died, from that point he was raised by his Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lil Abbott in Eastbrook, with all the love any parents could give to a child. George joined the U.S. Army in the fall of 1942, graduating in February 1943, from the Army Air Corps Technical School in Salt Lake City, Utah. SSgt. Bragdon and the crew of his B-17 Flying Fortress left Wyoming in June 1943, for an overseas destination. They were forced down in heavy fog, at Dow Field in Bangor and the next day the crew continued on to England. By November of 1943, as a waist gunner on a B-17 bomber, he had shot down his 18th plane. On his 21st mission, over Germany, Jan. 14, 1944, his plane was shot down. He spent 18 months as a prisoner of war at Stalag 17B, in Austria. George was known for his storytelling and great sense of humor. Everyone that knew him, found him to be a friend. He was always ready to enjoy a good time and loved to dance. He found great pleasure in hunting, ice-fishing, tending his garden (shared extensively with others) and above all else, spending time with his family. George’s 80th birthday party saw nearly 300 friends and relatives who helped him celebrate, with plenty of stories and dancing. George was a member of the Eastbrook Volunteer Fire Department, the Franklin Veterans Club, the Ellsworth VFW Post No. 108 and the David A. Hooper Masonic Lodge. George was married to Norma Foster (Giles) on Nov. 22, 1947 and for 58 years they worked and played together. In most recent years they traveled extensively. George enjoyed keeping in touch with his war buddies, those from his squadron and from prison camp. They took trips all over the country visiting with these men. He was too full of life to ever be kept down for long, and just months after a triple by-pass, he and Norma took a trip to Ireland. You know what they say….”You can’t keep a good man down.” George is survived by his loving wife, Norma; four children, Theo Bragdon of Bradford, Skye LaVoie and her husband, Tommy, of Otis, Susan Hart and her husband, Tom, of Eastbrook and Martin Bragdon and his wife, Michelle, of Mount Vernon; two brothers, Raymond Bragdon of Bar Harbor and Erlon Bragdon Rose of Livermore Falls; grandchildren, Thomas Hart Jr. and his wife, Michelle, of Ellsworth, Scott Grindle and his wife, LeAnne, of Ellsworth, Spencer Grindle and his wife, Heather, of Ellsworth, Janet Hart and her husband, Marc, of Franklin, Alisha Wyman and her husband, Jason, of Fort Riley, Kan. and George Bragdon of Mount Vernon; great-grandchildren, Madeline Hart of Ellsworth, Riley Grindle of Ellsworth, Lydia Hart of Ellsworth and Ethan LeClerc of Franklin; he also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors who will miss him. George was predeceased by his brother, Meltiah of Westbrook. Services will be held 1 p.m. Friday at the Bragdon-Kelley-Campbell Funeral Home, 215 Main St., Ellsworth. Relatives and friends are invited to call 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Sunnyside Cemetery, Eastbrook. If desired, donations may be made to the Eastbrook Volunteer Fire Department, Eastbrook, ME 04634. After the interment, family and friends are invited to a celebration of George’s life at the Eastbrook Community Building. For more information, please visit our web site at www.bragdonkelley.com
GEORGE HERBERT BRAGDON
