NORWAY — Evan A. Thurlow, 93, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Stephens Memorial Hospital with his loving family by his side.
A lifelong resident of Oxford, Evan was born Dec. 2, 1924, in Lewiston. He was the son of Alfred and Marcia Keller Thurlow. He went through the first eight grades in the one-room schoolhouse across the road from his family’s farm on Pigeon Hill. He graduated from Oxford High School in 1942. He went on to Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass., for a semester before returning home to help his father on the farm. Due to his severe asthma, he wasn’t able to serve in the armed forces during World War II. Evan took a job away from the farm for Floyd Webber carrying grain to local farms. Webber grain was located at Oxford Station. He married Priscilla J. Brett on Nov. 11, 1946, in Woodstock. They lived on the Pigeon Hill farm where they raised two daughters, Suzanne and Sandra.
Evan and Priscilla owned a school bus which they drove for the town of Oxford until going to work for SAD 17 when the district was formed. At this time, they each had their own bus and route. He continued to drive for the district until he retired at age 82. During some of the early years driving bus for himself, he also owned his own milk truck. He went from farm to farm picking up cans of milk and hauling them into Oakhurst Dairy in Portland. At the same time, he was also milking 20 cows of his own. He continued milking cows on his farm until December of 1974. At this time, the cows were moved next door to his daughter Suzanne’s and son-in-law Leslie’s farm.
Along with his many other jobs, Evan found the time to be active in the local community. He served on the board of selectmen in the town of Oxford for 39 years. He was also a director for the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District, and a lifetime member of the Rock-O-Dundee Riders’ Snowmobile Club. Evan was an avid sports fan. He especially enjoyed the Boston teams whether it be the Celtics, the Red Sox or the Patriots. He also supported Oxford Hills Athletics as a fan and a bus driver. Evan was very proud of the fact that he had lived to be 93 years old as none of his male relatives on the Thurlow side had lived that long.
Evan is survived by his sister, Alberta and husband, Robert Harlow of Freeport; two daughters, Suzanne Hall of Oxford and Sandra and husband Steve Roderick of Oxford; five grandchildren, Brian Hall, Marcia Hall, and partner Glenn Mason, Sonya Roderick and husband William Locke of Oxford, Laurie Hall and husband Scott Huff and Sara Roderick and husband John Lavertu of Norway; four great grandchildren, Shawn Morse and William Locke VI of Oxford and Emily and Anna Huff of Norway; several nieces and nephews; special friends Richard and Donna Bean.
The family would like to give special thanks to his wonderful caregivers for their round-the-clock care which enabled him to stay at home.
Evan was predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Marcia Thurlow; his in-laws Florence and Lawrence Brett; sister-in-law Charlotte Brett and her husband William Irwin of New Jersey; son-in-law Leslie Hall; and his wife of 69 years, Priscilla Brett Thurlow.
Evan A. Thurlow
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