1925 – 2015

TURNER — Clifton William Ledger, 89, passed away Friday, March 13, at his home in Turner.

He was born in Milford, N.H., on Sept. 10, 1925, the son of Clifton A. Tevyaw and Alice Leger. Upon his father’s death, his mother married Clifford Anderson, who became a wonderful father figure to him. Clifton had the utmost admiration for him.

When World War II broke out, Cliff joined the Navy on Nov. 11, 1943, during his junior year of high school. He served aboard the DE-173 USS Eldridge and DE-144 USS Frost as a gunner’s mate third class. He later served during the Korean War aboard the ACC-16 USS Pocono. He received the World War II Victory Medal, American Theater Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

Upon returning from active duty, he finished his junior and senior year of schooling at Edward Little High School, graduating in 1947. Throughout these school years, he loved playing basketball, and excelled in the game.

After school, he married his high school sweetheart, Juliette Dechene, and they had a son, Michael, whom he also considered his best friend, and a daughter, Kathryn.

He worked for the Auburn Fire Department and then for HP Hood Dairy, retiring after 20 years of service. After that, he was employed by Snow’s Tire and at Bath Iron Works as a security guard, which he enjoyed. Being an active person, he couldn’t stay retired, so he joined his son in the body shop business, helping out wherever he could.

After his divorce, he met Sharon M. Bremner, an Auburn school teacher, and they spent 34 happy years together. Through her, he would spend countless hours at Fairview School, sitting with the children at breakfast, listening to their stories, helping them with various activities and encouraging them in his many grandfatherly ways. This friendship has continued with many of the students through the years.

In addition, he became very involved in a Native American unit of study, preparing projects for the students, setting up a pow-wow night for the parents, and traveling to different reservations throughout the U.S. and Canada, learning firsthand the Native-American culture.

He was especially proud of his granddaughter, Michelle Ledger, and her accomplishments in the medical profession and Kendall Bremner, who became a special part of his life, and his accomplishments as well.

Cliff was a diehard sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite teams, the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics. Because of this love, he coached girls’ basketball at Auburn Middle School for a number of years, Montello School for one year and most recently, at Martel School in Lewiston. Cliff retired from Martel School last year after 16 years as girls’ basketball coach.

Of special interest to him were the years when he and his son, Michael, owned several race horses. One in particular, Freedom Deal, became his favorite, and Cliff would be at the track, cheering louder than anyone around him.

He enjoyed traveling, jigsaw puzzles, woodworking, gardening, painting pictures and telling jokes to his friends.

He was past member of the Knights of Columbus, NRA and DESA.

Surviving are his son, Michael and wife, Elena Ledger, of Boyton Beach, Fla., and her daughters, Audra Fleury and Erika Beverly; daughter, Katherine Ledger of Auburn; granddaughter, Michelle Ledger of Auburn; sister-in-law, Muriel Dechene; nieces, Annette Roy and Sue Bemont; life companion, Sharon Bremner and her son, Kendall Bremner and wife, Tisha Bremner, of Turner.

He was predeceased by his mother, Alice Anderson; father, Clifton Tevyaw; stepfather, Clifford Anderson; former wife, Juliette Ledger; and brother-in-law, Alex Dechene.