ROBERT W. MACPHERSON

PRESQUE ISLE – Robert W. MacPherson, 81, died Oct. 31, 2008, at the Maine Veterans’ Home, Caribou. Bob was born Oct. 3, 1927, in Castle Hill, the youngest of 10 children to Jasper and Flossie Hilton MacPherson. Bob started school at 4 years old in a small country school in Castle Hill. Shortly after the family moved to West Chapman, their house burned resulting in an additional move. The second move required a change in school to Pendexter School, where he, as a third grader, met a little first grade girl he “thought was the prettiest girl I ever saw. She hated me and cried about going to school because I chased her and tried to kiss her.” It took Bob two years to convince Greta otherwise. Bob and Greta Maxine Gardiner were married Jan. 9, 1946. Their relationship had not only lasted throughout school, it lasted through 53 years of marriage. Two weeks after his 18th birthday, Bob’s draft board notified him to report for his military physical. He served the majority of his 18-month U.S. Army enlistment in Tokyo. While working at Presque Isle Air Force Base and local oil and construction companies, Bob studied electronics in the evenings. Ted Grant, then chief engineer of Maine Public Service Co., hired Bob as a radio technician to maintain their new two-way radio equipment and gave him 90 days to get the required Federal Communications Commission license. Bob was extremely thankful for that opportunity and easily passed the necessary exams to garner his First Class FCC license. From that beginning, Bob built a radio repair business that grew from Bob’s Two-Way Radio Service to Aroostook Communications, Inc. and thrived until the business was sold in 1994. Bob’s Two-Way Radio Service was only the third Motorola Service Station in the state of Maine. In 1977 Bob was instrumental in starting Aroostook Paging, Inc., the first paging service in Aroostook County and only the third paging service in the state of Maine. Upon his retirement, Bob was honored by Motorola with a 40-year pin as a Motorola Service Station. Bob served his God and his church with more than 60 years of membership at State Street Baptist Church. There are very few, if any, positions in the church that Bob did not hold at one time or another. His tenure as a Sunday school teacher and as a deacon were long and rewarding. While his sons were young, he led the Christian Service Brigade for the young men of the church. He served his community as a member of SAD 1 school board and as a longtime supporter of Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce. Bob is survived by two sons, Brian R. and Michael D.; his special daughter-in-law, Carol C. MacPherson; his grandson, Andrew M. MacPherson; his sister and her husband, Rose and Chester DeMerchant; and many special nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Greta; and his siblings, Almon, Marjorie, Donald, Evelyn, Doriene, Roland and Ruth. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s memory may be made to State Street Baptist Church, 225 State St., Presque Isle, ME 04769. Visiting hours are 7-9 p.m. Saturday at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. A reception will be at the funeral home after the committal service at Fairmont Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.duncan-graves.com.