Almon Rathbun Meister Jr.

Groton - Almon Rathbun Meister Jr., 91, of Noank, husband of Frances (Pfuhler) Meister, passed away Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London.

Born in Groton, he was the son of the late Almon Rathbun Meister Sr. and Charlotte (Akerley) Meister and was a lifelong resident of Noank.

Almon was an electrician working for many companies over the years such as Pfizer, Western Electric, and Southern Bell. He eventually went on to work at Electric Boat up until his retirement in 1983.

Almon joined the National Guard and was promptly nationalized into the U.S. Army in World War II. He attained the rank of staff sergeant while battling his way across the the Pacific. His most harrowing experience during the war was having his transport ship torpedoed and fending off circling sharks while waiting for rescue.

Almon's hobbies included sailing on the open waters in this area and singing. He served as a longtime member of the New London Barbershop Chorus and sang bass for the Promissory Notes Barbershop Quartet. Almon was a member of the American Legion Post 115 Noank, a former Noank Volunteer Firefighter, and co-founder of the Noank Historical Society and the Mystic River Homes Congregate.

Besides his wife, he is survived by two children, Karen Jean (Meister) Willis and her husband, James, of Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Kevin Bryce Meister and his wife, Rosemary, of Orlando, Fla.; grandson, Jeffrey Paul Daggett and his wife, Jennifer, of South Mills, N.C.; two great-grandchildren, Travis and Hannah Daggett; and a nephew, Arthur Geyer and his wife, Faith, of Noank.

He was predeceased by his first and second wives, Minnie Condon Loughborough and Nancy Phelps Matzdorff and his sisters, Thelma Fee, Doris Geyer, and Vivian Roth Calhoun.

A private graveside service with full military honors will be held at Elm Grove Cemetery, Route 27, Mystic. There are no calling hours.

For those who wish to honor his memory in words and song, a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31, at Noank Baptist Church, 18 Cathedral Heights, Noank.

Please visit www.mysticfuneralhome.com to leave an online message of condolence.