Earl Mckusick

Earl Alfred McKusick was born July 13th, 1920, in Bangor, Maine, and passed away peacefully on March 31, 2021, in Kenduskeag, Maine, surrounded by his loving daughter, Cindy and her family. He was a lively and strong 100 years young.
Earl was the son of the late George A. McKusick and Florence Sarah “May” Urquhart McKusick of Bangor, Maine. Earl went to Bangor schools and worked at Dow Air Force Base before he joined the Navy during WWII in 1942. He went to Sound Operator School, and was then stationed in Hawaii, Asiatic Pacific, Aleutian Islands, and ATB Coronado, Calif. The U.S.S. Austin (DE 15) was his home for the next three years. He was 1st gunner on this Destroyer Escort and also worked as a coxswain transporting officers from ship to shore.
He met Celeste M. Staley while she was a first class mechanic and spot welder at Mare Island Shipyard in California. They married in Santa Rosa, California at the Church of One Tree in August 1943. They spent many early years living in Maine and raised six children together. They moved back to California and settled in the Central Valley for many years. Earl was a hardworking man and worked at General Cable Corporation until he retired in 1989 at nearly 70 years old. He spent his later years living in Newport, Maine where he was beloved by much of the community and participated in many Memorial and Veteran’s Day parades.
Earl’s favorite hobby was fishing and he traveled all over Maine and California in search of the perfect fishing hole. His favorite place to fish was in Three Rivers, California. He loved fly fishing and spent his vacations camping in the wilderness and at the ocean. He was a talented woodworker and had a love for music and dancing. His childhood love was going to his Aunt Maggie and Uncle Vin’s farm in Glenburn, Maine, where he would stay all summer until school began in the fall.
Earl came from a big loving family and he loved all of his brothers and sisters. He was preceded in death by brothers, Carl R. McKusick, Neil McKusick, Daniel McKusick, Bruce McKusick, and sisters, Nellie Wozneak, Thursa Kitchen, Phyllis Joy, and Faith Day. He has two remaining baby sisters whom he loved dearly; Gloria Burke Cameron of CitrusSprings, Fla. and Sondra Spencer and husband Irving, of Bangor, Maine. His wife, Celeste was laid to rest in 2008. He was recently saddened by the loss of a grandson, Seth McKusick.
Dad is sadly missed by his daughter, Cynthia Berry and companion David Closson, whom he lived with when he passed. His granddaughter Nerissa Berry/ companion Eric Lovely, and great grandchildren Emmerald and Domanic will miss him dearly. He will also be missed by his sons Earl Larry McKusick/ wife LaVaune, Ronald McKusick, Terry McKusick /companion Wendy Hunt, Michael McKusick and daughter Nancy White. He is survived by 11 grandchildren: Ronald “Peanut”, Kevin, Randy, Nanette, Nerissa, Misty, Christine, Nathan, Jacob, Bryan, and Denisha. He is also survived by 24 great grandchildren.
A graveside service with military honors will be held Tuesday July 13, 2021 at Pine Grove Cemetery, Bangor, at a time to be announced. Condolences to the family may be expressed at Memorial-Alternatives.com.
Dad, love you and miss you, be at peace, love Cindy.