Obituary: Floyd Evans Whitmore – Kennebec Journal And Morning Sentinel

SKOWHEGAN – Floyd Evans Whitmore, 83, passed away peacefully with his daughters by his side on March 9, 2022 in Skowhegan. Floyd is survived by his daughters, Kimberley Knox-Lawrence and her husband Norman “Ziggy” of Albion; Darlene Whitmore of Ellington, Conn.; Pamela Collins and her husband Stephen of Cornville; his son Dennis Nelbach and his wife Cindy of Puyallup, Wash.; his grandchildren Justin Knox, Nike Whitmore, Stephen Michaud Jr., Travis and Tasha Nelbach; his great grandchildren Avery Whitmore and Stephen Michaud III; his sister Gladys Cyr; and his best friend Rita Chaykowsky of Norridgewock.He was preceded in death by his wife Joani Whitmore; parents Solomon “Dyke” and Adalaid Whitmore; brothers Forest and Sydney Whitmore; sisters Della Rowell, Beulah Sidell, Dorothy Harrington, Helen Smith, Beatrice Cyr, Rosilla Chouteau, Dolly Butler, and Mary Lou Brice. He leaves behind many loved nieces, nephews, and friends who will miss him. Floyd was born March 19, 1938, in Caribou. He grew up working on his father’s potato farms in Aroostook County. He entered the United States Air Force in 1955 and was stationed in Amarillo AFB in Texas, Tachikawa AFB in Japan, and Griffiss and Sampson AFB in New York. After his service, he went through the UA Plumber and Pipefitters Apprenticeship Program and became a licensed union plumber, working for Local 777 and worked in Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida and California. He held Master Plumbing and Heating licenses in Connecticut and Maine. During his work career, he taught plumbing and heating in Danbury, Conn., obtained a realtor’s license when he lived in New Mexico, owned a plumbing and heating business in Connecticut, and after moving to Norridgewock, Maine, he and his wife bought an old Victorian home in the center of Norridgewock that he renovated, and she decorated turning it into the beautiful and successful Norridgewock Colonial Inn which they ran together until 1995. He also renovated the adjacent Carriage House into apartments where he lived until 2018. He established Norridgewock Plumbing & Heating as well and ran it until his retirement at the age of 78. As a resident of Norridgewock, Floyd served at one time as President of the Chamber of Commerce, and he proudly organized a yearly town Christmas event that included Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving by plane at the local airport to a crowd of children, having a parade through the town, and events throughout the day including a nondenominational candlelight service in the evening at a local church. He loved to make people happy by bringing them together as a community. He also enjoyed hunting and taking trips to the Kittery Trading Post with his friend Tim Soucy, and most recently had a successful moose hunt with his friend Buzzy Jelley who is the son of his wonderful pastor friend Ralph Jelley.Floyd most loved to organize events that included people coming together to worship the Lord. He and his wife Joani had a musical ministry in the 1970s (prior to her death in 1975), which included a local monthly variety show and singing in various churches, prisons, and events throughout the Northeast. He managed Joani’s singing ministry which led them to record two gospel albums. Floyd kept that ministry moving forward throughout his life by encouraging people in many ways, giving Joani’s CD to a person he felt needed to hear the gospel through music. He volunteered for various organizations such as the VA Togus Medical Center in Augusta, the Maine American Red Cross where he went to New Orleans to help the victims of Katrina, was a hospice volunteer, and visited various nursing homes such as Cedar Ridge Center, spending time with the residents. He likely touched many people we do not know of that he met due to his outgoing personality, finding out their life story and encouraging them. He supported various churches and retired pastors through his tithing.Floyd loved to travel and experience new places. He was known to take many, many “moving” vacations throughout his life with his family in tow, meeting many lifelong friends until finally settling down in Norridgewock in the 1980s. Before his illness, he had begun writing a book of stories about his life experience and dreamed to again testify in churches about how much he loved Jesus and what God did for him and could do for you. He loved his children and brought his daughters up to serve and love the Lord, which was the best gift he gave them. A Celebration of his Life service is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 10 a.m., at the Norridgewock Baptist Church, 22 Main St, Norridgewock, Maine 04957 with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Revs. Roland and Faith Tracy, Floyd’s niece and nephew who pastor Hartford Full Gospel Church in Connecticut, and his friend Chaplain Kenneth Hellmer of the VA will officiate. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Floyd’s life. The family would like to thank Cedar Ridge Center staff and Beacon Hospice for caring for our father during his illness and Gary and Melissa Mann for all their kindness during this time.Donations can be made in lieu of flowers in his memory to the Wounded Warriors Project: http://www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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