Wayne Gary Andrews
OAKLAND – Wayne Gary Andrews of Oakland, passed away at the Maine Veterans Togus Springs Hospice Center on the morning of June 15, 2025.
Wayne was born in Pembroke Maine to Nellie and Reginald Andrews on Feb. 21, 1937 on the family’s kitchen table as he would like to tell about in his stories from the old days.
He spent his younger childhood years in the Pembroke area and would occasionally tell stories of his high jinks, hooliganisms, and summers spent at Knowlton Family Dairy Farm in Pembroke which his aunt and uncle ran.
He attended elementary school in Pembroke and Portland area, and high school in Old Town where the family settled. Wayne spent a few teenage summers working on Indian Pond as a surveyor’s assistant and on the construction of the Harris dam.
Wayne attempted to enlist in the United Sates Army at the age of 17 but was unsuccessful as his mother refused to grant permission for him to go. Wayne did eventually enlist in the Army in 1955, went through boot camp at Fort Dix New Jersey, and was stationed in California for a short time before being deployed and stationed at the Thule Greenland Airforce Base serving at the Advance Radar Warning Station where he received a good conduct medal and remained in service status until his honorable discharge in 1958. He then continued in the Air Force Reserves for a while after that.
Wayne returned to Old Town where he met his future wife, Beverley Stimpson and they were married in Old Town in 1961. Wayne started work in the local area textile and woolen mills, a career that took him across the state working in mill locations from Old Town, Waterville, Corinna, and eventually to Oakland at the Cascade Woolen Mill where he ran and managed the mill dye house. Wayne and Beverley moved to Oakland in 1970, where they both resided until his passing.
Wayne was always fun to be around and was always willing to help when help was needed. He participated in several house, barn and garage raisings even though he’d claim to not know how to read a tape measure or run a Skilsaw. His Friday night card games, cribbage games, horseshoe tournaments, fishing trips, hunting trips, week-end ice fishing overnights and boating excursions provided years of storytelling after. He was an avid reader and enjoyed hundreds of books but particularly liked a good western novel. He would often claim he would cut, split, stack and burn wood for “only one more year” until he finally gave up the effort at the age of 86.
He helped raise his two children and two grandchildren into happy, healthy and successful adults, and provided support to his family in a strong, quiet way many rarely noticed. Wayne will be greatly missed by his family and the many that knew him.
Wayne had loss in his life as he was predeceased by his father, Reginald and mother, Nellie Andrews of Old Town; and his son, Wayne Gary Andrews II, of Oakland.
Wayne is survived by his wife, Beverley; sister, Shireen Burse of Eastport; daughter, Deborah Luce, her husband Brian Luce, and grandchildren Neil and Katie Luce of Sidney; and niece, Lisa Burse of Eastport.
Special thanks go to the Togus Maine Veterans Hospice Center for the care Wayne received in his last days. The care and understanding shared with all that visited Wayne in his final days was and is much appreciated.
Interment services with Military Honors will be held at the Lewis Cemetery on Cottle Road Oakland on Sept. 20, at 11:30 a.m. A memorial gathering will be held at O’Brien’s Restaurant located at 375 Main St., Waterville, following the service.
This will be a shared interment and memorial service for Wayne and his son, Gary, who previously passed away on Dec. 6, 2021.
Services are under the care of Wheeler Funeral Home, 26 Church Street, Oakland. An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at http://www.wheelerfh.com.
Wayne Gary Andrews