Matinicus Island. Photo by Sharon Daley, RN.
capenews.net
Merrill Raymond Webber
Jan 9, 2020
In Loving Memory Merrill Raymond Webber left on his hunting and fishing trip on November 24, 2019. He was born in Portland, Maine on June 13, 1955 to Kenneth and Barbara (Merrill) Webber. He grew up in Hatchville, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. After graduating Lawrence High School in Falmouth, Massachusetts, he went on to Wentworth Institute in Boston where he got his degree in Building Construction. He wanted to go lobstering on Matinicus after high school, but his grandmother said he had to have “something in his back pocket” in case lobstering didn’t work out. He worked summers while in school for Bob Hampton, whom he credits for teaching him to be a skilled carpenter.
Merrill moved to the island and started out as a sternman for Albert Bunker. He bought a small outboard and a few traps to haul on days he wasn’t with Albert. He later bought his great Uncle Vernon’s boat with a spray hood. In a couple years he was ready for a larger boat and found in Belfast, Albert’s old boat that he had first worked on. His last boat, the Laurie Lee, was a 35 ft Duffy.
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A service and celebration of his life will be held on Matinicus in the spring. Donations may be made to the Matinicus Congregational Church 311 Seal Harbor Road Spruce Head, ME 04859, the Maine Seacoast Mission 127 West St Bar Harbor, ME 04609 or the MW Island Medical Transport Fund in care of Penobscot Island Air PO Box 273 South Thomaston, ME 04858. Checks for this fund may be made out to PIA.