Robert "Farmer Bob" Morehouse

GEORGETOWN - Robert N. "Farmer Bob" Morehouse, 81, of Wheeler Brook Farm in Georgetown, passed away Wednesday evening at Anna Jacques Hospital after collapsing at home. He was the husband of Barbara A. (Rogers) Morehouse with whom he shared 64 years of marriage. Bob first met Barbara when he was 16 while working on her father's, S. Eugene Roger's, farm on Essex Center, Vermont. Falling in love with the farmer's daughter changed his life in a beautiful way. After his family, farming was his passion. Wheeler Brook Farm meant the world to him. There was no other plot of land on earth that was better loved or cared for than those acres. He loved showing off the farm and teaching his grandchildren how to drive a tractor, pick strawberries, or husk corn. He, along with Barbara, taught his family to appreciate the wonder of the natural world. He taught us to leave it a better place than when we arrived. He enjoyed canoeing, boating, skiing, hiking, fishing, crabbing, camping and made sure his family learned to love these things as well. While he was frugal to a fault with his money, he was incredibly generous with his time and talent helping friends and family, sharing the fruits of his labor with all and sundry. He was a resident of Georgetown for the past 51 years, a town he grew to love. He was a great believer in civic duty, volunteering in many capacities, including: Erie 4 Volunteer Fire Dept.; a founding member of the Recycling Committee; member of the Penn Brook School Building Committee; chairman of the Georgetown Dump Committee; chairman of the Master Plan Committee; chairman of the Board of Selectmen; chairman of the Town Hall Committee; chairman of the Camp Denison Committee; volunteer on the Con Com. He served on the Essex County Reservation Committee; Essex County Bee Keepers Assoc.; was chairman of Essex County Mosquito Control, was active in many local farming organizations, and served in many other capacities. Bob was a graduate of Essex Junction High School and received a bachelor's degree in Animal Husbandry and a master's degree in Agronomy from the University of Vermont. Bob worked for the Soil Conservation Service for the U.S.D.A. between 1962-1988. He then worked for the EPA until retiring in 1995. He was a veteran of the United States Army, holding the rank of Captain. He also served with the National Guard as a company commander. Bob was born October 11, 1934 in Hartford, CT, son of the late Robert A. Morehouse and Edith (Fitton) Morehouse. In addition to his loving wife, Barbara, Bob is survived by a son, Robert E. Morehouse and his wife Joanna of Alton Bay, NH; two daughter's, Ellen M. Langsner and her husband Alex Langsner of West Lebanon, NH, and Gail E. Morehouse of Georgetown; two brothers, Harold Morehouse of Hillsboro, NH and Douglas Morehouse of Simsbury, CT; five grandchildren Andrew and Abigail Langsner, Evan Morehouse, Jessie and Robin Morehouse. He was predeceased by his sister Jean L. Morehouse. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Bob's Funeral Service on Monday, October 19th at 11AM in the First Congregational Church, 7 Andover St. Georgetown. Calling hours will be held on Sunday October 18th from 2-5 PM in the Merton E. Roberts, Jr. and Conte Funeral Home, 14 Pleasant Street, Georgetown. Interment with Military Honors will be Tuesday at 12:00 noon in the Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Georgetown Bank in care of Friends of Camp Denison, Inc., 2 East Main St., Georgetown, MA 01833.