BLUE HILL – Rufus Candage, 87, died Jan. 15, 2007, with his family at his side at his residence. He was born Nov. 12, 1919, in South Blue Hill, the son of Uzial F. and Nellie (Maxwell) Candage Jr. Rufus attended school in Blue Hill and graduated from George Stevens Academy in 1936. He joined the Army in 1942. He served overseas in the Pacific theatre being among the first troops entering Japan after the bomb. He returned home in 1946. He met and married his wife of 601/2 years, Jeannette (Nash), May 1946. Their son, John Douglas Candage was born May 1947. Rufus worked for Ellsworth Builders Supply, Ellsworth when Ben Hinckley was owner until it burned in 1958, at which time he opened his own hardware store in Blue Hill on the corner of Main and Parker Point Road. He started his own newspaper when he opened the first store to report town and local area news. The two page mimeographed paper was used to advertise items on sale in the store. This continued until the early 1970s. Copies of the “Man on the Street,” as it was called, are bound and part of the Blue Hill Library Archives thanks to Roland Howard, a former Blue Hill native. After the Blue Hill fire in the spring of 1968, he bought the Jordan lot where the First National Store burned and he built a larger hardware store. With the assistance of his wife, Jeannette, they operated the store for 32 years. Being a huge sport enthusiast, Rufus wrote sports articles for the Portland Sunday Telegram during the 50s and 60s. He founded the Waldo/Hancock Baseball League in late 1950s and into the mid 1960s. In 2002, he advertised for baseball teams in surrounding area towns to form a league named Bay League, which is still flourishing today. He was a strong supporter of GSA sports and had a great interest during the years when a grandson played. He himself played baseball while attending the Academy. He served two terms on the Maine State Boxing Commission, first appointed by John Reed during the Clay/Liston fight in Lewiston, second term was appointed by John McKernon. He had an interest in horse racing in the state and owned three horses at various times that raced in Bangor and Lewiston. He was a member and chairman for the town Republican committee and was also active in the county Republican committee. He and Jeannette were members of the Blue Bay square dance club and attended dances in Hancock and Penobscot counties as well as danced on the Blue Nose Ferry going from Maine to Nova Scotia dance gatherings. They danced on their trip to Hawaii in the 70s plus while in Florida. He obtained a real estate license in the early 60s and continued selling and doing appraisal work until he turned 80. Rufus is survived by his wife, Jeannette (Nash) Candage of Blue Hill; son, John D. Candage and his wife; Annette (Billings); grandsons, Robert Joseph “Joey” and Christopher John, all of Blue Hill; sister, Maud Beede of Blue Hill; several cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; and a sister, Audrey Beede. A commemoration of his life will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the South Blue Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Horace Varnum officiating. Interment will be held after the service at the South Blue Hill Cemetery. Contributions in Rufus’s memory may be made to the South Blue Hill Baptist Church, care of Peggy Hodgdon, 424 Falls Bridge Road, Blue Hill, ME 04614. Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 141 South St., Blue Hill. www.jordanfernald.com
RUFUS CANDAGE
