LINCOLNVILLE – Gerry Wickford Libby, 79, died March 22, 2009, at his home surrounded by his loving and devoted family. Born Nov. 8, 1929, in Presque Isle, he was the son of Merle F. and Ruth (Soderstrom) Libby. He was a graduate of Caribou High School and served in the U.S. Navy. After his discharge from the U.S. Navy, Gerry worked as a heavy equipment operator in Morocco. He was employed as a deputy sheriff for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California before working in security at Johnson’s Island missile site in the Pacific. He married Julia Brown, July 2, 1969, in Camden. In 1970, they moved to Lincolnville. During the 1970s Gerry owned and operated Damariscotta Boats, Rockland, which specialized in the construction of commercial vessels. The company built fiberglass hulled Pogo boats and other aluminum and steel vessels. In 1986, Gerry was commissioned by adventurer Ned Gillette to build the Sea Tomato. Gillette and his crew rowed 603 miles from Cape Horn, South America to the Antarctic Peninsula in the 28′ aluminum craft weighing only 1,500 pounds built by Libby. Gerry was most proud when National Geographic published an article about the boat and the expedition. Another special boat built by Gerry was the Boston Fire Boat. While living in California, he owned a ST Ryan airplane and was known as a daredevil pilot. In his later years, he enjoyed flying radio-operated airplanes. Gerry will be remembered for his fearless and adventuresome personality and his ability to fix just about anything. Surviving is his wife of 39 years, Julia Libby of Lincolnville; four children, Kendall Libby of Lexington, Mass., Julie Allen and her husband, Brian, Kevin Widdecomb and his wife, Sarah, all of Lincolnville, and Lori R. Libby of Utah; five grandchildren, Brian Libby, Brian Allen, Chelsea Allen, Andrew Widdecomb and Gabrielle Widdecomb; a sister, Martha Rice of Bluff, Utah; three brothers-in-law, Edwin Brown and his wife, Debra Jo, of Hampden, George Brown and his wife, Deanne, of Lincolnville, and Melvin Brown and his wife, Margaret, of Orrington; nieces and nephews, Stephen King of Belmont, Mass., Christina Hardy of Rockland, Deborah Libby of Sammanish, Wash., Bob Libby of Portland, Ore., John Rice of Zurich, Switzerland, and Jennifer Rice of New Mexico. He was predeceased by a brother, John Libby; and a sister, Thelma King. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at United Christian Church, Lincolnville. Memorial donations may be made to Camden First Aid Association, P.O. Box 368, Camden, ME 04843. Arrangements are with Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain St., Camden.
GERRY W. LIBBY
