Neil T. Dodge of Boothbay Harbor and China, Maine, died July 2, 2012, after a long struggle with prostate cancer. During his last months of life, Neil received special care from his daughter Cheryle Dodge Fasano and his home care housekeeper and friend Ann Bako. Their good humor and hard work certainly made things easier.

Neil was a graduate of Boothbay Harbor High School’s Class of 1953. He was an Eagle Scout with 28 merit badges, of which he was very proud. The Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club should be commended for supporting his scouting and for sending him as a representative to the 1950 National Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

He graduated from the University of Southern Maine in 1955 for machine tools and metalworking and served with the U.S. Air Force as a senior machinist. In 1974, he graduated from the University of Maine at Gorham with a major in Vocational Machine Shop and a minor in Industrial Arts. Just after tech school, he worked in Boothbay Harbor at Marine Service Inc. and Hodgdon Brothers/Goudy & Stevens Shipyard as a machinist and marine mechanic. He also worked three years for Scott Paper Co. in Winslow as a finishing room machinist, manufacturing towels and tissue. In later years he ran his own business in Waterville and China, A-1 Engine and Machine Shop.

He enjoyed working with young students and encouraging them to learn a trade. He taught shop at Gardiner Area High School, Rumford Area High School, and Waterville High School. He also taught wood and metal construction at Rockland High School before finishing his teaching career teaching advanced welding at Rockland’s Region 8.

He is survived by a son, James Dodge of Windham who is a CNC machine operator at Nichols Machine in Portland and part-time employee at L.L. Bean in Freeport; a daughter, Cheryle Dodge Fasano of Jefferson and her husband Peter and children, Robbie and Julia; a daughter, Margaret of New York City; and a daughter, Abigail, a sixth-grade English teacher at Dover-Foxcroft Elementary School and her husband, Matt Howard of Whitefield, a chemical engineer at Sappi Paper Company in Skowhegan. Neil is also survived by his wonderful pet tiger cat and companion named Wiley Coyote, who kept him company and walked on a leash with him.

At his request, there will be no public visiting hours. A graveside service will be held at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mt. Vernon Rd., Augusta, on Monday, July 16, at 1 p.m.

Many thanks as well to Maine General Home Health personnel for their kind hospice care; to Dr. Andrew Hertler and the help at the Alfond Cancer Center.

Arrangements are under the direction of Plummer Funeral Home, 983 Ridge Rd., Rt. 32, Windsor.

Condolences, photos and memories may be shared at www.plummerfh.com.