Wellington "Duke" Ramsey

NEW SHARON -- Wellington "Duke" Ramsey, 92, passed away peacefully on July 16, with loving family singing and praying by his side.

Duke was born April 18, 1919, in Bryn Mawr, Pa., the son of Herbert Marseilles and Bessie Laura (Light) Ramsey. He graduate in 1941 from Cornell University with a degree in chemical engineering, earned the nickname of "Deacon" by his Psi Upsilon fraternity brothers because of his regular church attendance and was the captain of the varsity basketball team his senior year.

On April 24, 1948, he married Jeanne "Deedee" Weir, whom he met on a blind date. They happily settled in Haverford, Pa., where they raised their three children.

Duke established a career at the Atlantic Oil Co. (later ARCO) refinery in Philadelphia that lasted nearly 25 years. His love for the outdoors was instilled in his children through many family camping vacations, touring the East Coast from Nova Scotia to Florida. In their mid-50's, he and his wife backpacked some of the White Mountains and Mount Katahdin. They were surprised on their 40th wedding anniversary with an all-expense paid trip to Yellowstone National Park.

In the spring of 1976, Duke and Deedee left the "rat race" of suburban Philadelphia and moved to New Sharon to pursue a back-to-the-land dream of farming vegetables. After three years of truck farming, Wellspring Farm began producing a variety of herbal vinegars, dilly beans and novelties. Duke also worked at the State Office of Energy Resources. Duke had a wonderful (sometimes silly) sense of humor, loved to create gag gifts, play practical jokes and joined heartily in family dress-ups when the costume box came out.

He and his wife sold Wellspring Farm and relocated in New Sharon near his son's family in 1999, and Duke resided there until entering Sandy River Center in early May of 2011.

He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Elizabeth Sample; and a grandson, Christopher Luke Ramsey. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Deedee (Jeanne); children Pamela Ramsey of Union, Phyllis Stitt and husband, Jeff, of Vida, Mont., and Tony Ramsey and wife, Cathy, of New Sharon; six grandchildren, Janis, Jason, Noah, Welly, Emily and Julia; two nieces, Sandy Kulpinski and husband, Bish, of Pennsylvania, and Dorothy Ray and husband, James, of New Jersey.

Public memorial services will be held 1 p.m., Tuesday afternoon, July 26, 2011, from Old South Congregational Church, 227 Main St., Farmington. Following services, a reception will be held in the church vestry, hosted by the Hospitality Committee. All are welcome.

Remembrance gifts may be given in Duke's memory to the Sandy River Center Resident Council (for gardening projects), Sandy River Center, 119 Livermore Falls Road, Farmington, ME 04938. Condolences and tributes may be shared with his family on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.

Arrangements are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, U.S. Route 2 and Route 27, Farmington.