CHESTERVILLE — John R. Hinkley, 81, of Chesterville, died late Saturday evening at his home.

He was born in Plymouth, N.H., April 30, 1936, a son of Kenneth and Alice (Hodgdon) Hinkley and attended schools in Upton and Rangeley, graduating from Rangeley High School in 1956. On Oct. 24, 1964, he married Louise Bean of Vienna in Vienna.

John was a member of the Mill Stream Grange and the Franklin Lodge #123 of New Sharon. He was active in his community having served on the board of directors at SAD 9 and as a selectman in Chesterville for several years. He was active in the MSEA-SEIU Union and served on its board for approximately 24 years.

He was a veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1956-1958 and was employed by the state of Maine for 44 years, first with DOT and then as a fire warden, and the remainder of his career as a ranger with the Department of Conservation. He retired in 2004.

John enjoyed hunting, fishing, and his grandchildren. In recent years he enjoyed traveling to North Carolina during the winter months.

He is survived by his wife, Louise, of Chesterville; children, John and his wife, Debbie of Dover, N.H., Anne Rackliffe and her husband, Jamie, of Chesterville, and Paul of Wilton; grandchildren, Jonathan and Amie Hinkley of Dover, N.H., Alysa Tracy of Chesterville and Robert Tracy of Livermore; a great-grandchild expected in May; sister, Eleanor Clark of Vienna, Va,; brother, Kenneth Hinkley of West Gardiner.

He was predeceased by a brother, David.

Condolences and tributes and a memorial video may be shared on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com

John R. Hinkley