SOUTHWEST HARBOR – B. Conley Worcester, Jr., 90, died February 21, 2012 at a Bar Harbor Health care Facility. He was born November 28, 1921 in Southwest Harbor, son of Ben C. and Sophie (Ramsdell) Worcester.
Conley grew up in Southwest Harbor and attended local schools, graduating from Pemetic High School in 1939. Following high school he attended Boston University for several semesters. On June 23, 1942 he married his high School sweetheart Annabel Janet Dam. In September of 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army, attended Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. under the Army Service Training Program (ASTP) and then serving with the Ninth US Army, XIII Corps, 102nd Infantry Division (known as the “Ozarks”), 405th Infantry Regiment supporting the 379th Artillery as a Forward Observer during World War II from September 1944 to January 1946. As a member of this unit he participated in action from Cherbourg, France through Belgium, Netherlands and eastern Germany to the Elbe River and among other decorations and citations he received the Bronze Star. After VE Day he attended Biarritz American University, Biarritz, France before returning home. Upon completion of his military service, Conley returned home and worked with his father, Ben C. Worcester for the next four years. Conley and Annabel had three children, two sons Mark C. Worcester, Ben C. “Lee” Worcester, III and a daughter Damaris W. Smith. In 1949 Conley decided to return to Boston University under the GI Bill. Conley, Annabel and family moved to Mansfield, MA while he attended school. He graduated in 1951 from Boston University with a B.A. degree in Business Administration. Shortly after graduation he began his professional career with Chicopee Manufacturing Company a division of Johnson and Johnson in New Brunswick, NJ. Conley, Annabel and family resided in nearby East Brunswick, NJ for 23 years. For several years he worked in their financial divisions and then in quality assurance, both of these positions required travel to several Chicopee textile manufacturing facilities throughout New England, Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas on a periodic basis. He was director of Quality Assurance when he retired from Chicopee in 1979.
In 1965 Conley and Annabel built Smuggler’s Cache gift shop on Carroll’s Hill in Southwest Harbor. They operated the gift shop during the summers until 1978 when it was sold. In 1969 Conley and partner Wallace Birlem began Smuggler’s Den Campground. Today, Conley’s family continues to operate the Campground. In 1971 Conley began Worcester’s Sanitary Landfill which operated until 1986 providing solid waste services to MDI area towns. In 1979 Conley and his three children began E.M.R., Inc. (Eastern Maine Recycling) to provide recycling services for the eastern Maine beverage industry and eventually evolving into the environmental services company it is today.
In 1979, after 36 years of marriage Conley lost his wife Annabel to breast cancer. In 1979 after his retirement from Chicopee Manufacturing Company, Conley returned to his childhood home of Southwest Harbor. During his retirement Conley worked at improving his blueberry field on the Long Pond Road and Smuggler’s Den Campground and helped with the development and management of E.M.R., Inc.
During his childhood and his retirement he received great joy from his numerous visits to his camps at Township 25 and Mopang Lake both in Washington County.
Conley married Dorothy Lee “Daisy” Boardman in 1981. They enjoyed traveling to his Washington County camps, England, California and the Caribbean. Many enjoyable times were had by our families at Daisy’s home at Long Pond.
Conley and Alice (Sargent) Dunham were married in 1994. They enjoyed trips to California, Canada, the Caribbean and relaxing at Mopang Lake. They lived between her home in Franklin and his home in Southwest Harbor.
Conley was a member of the Southwest Harbor Congregational Church of Southwest Harbor, the Southwest Harbor-Tremont #77 Masonic Lodge and the MDI Lions Club.
Conley is survived by his wife Alice (Sargent) Worcester and Alice’s daughters Gloria Austin of Ellsworth and Mary Farnsworth of Cherryfield, his cousin Grace (Hinckley) Johnson of Ellsworth, his son Mark C. Worcester and his wife Constance of Southwest Harbor, Ben C. Worcester, III of Southwest Harbor, his daughter Damaris W. Smith of Southwest Harbor, his grandchildren Megan W. Hills and her husband Nate of Gorham, Rain W. Holbrook and her husband Todd of Mount Desert, Jennifer P. Williams and her husband C.J. of Waterville, Ross H. Worcester of Southwest Harbor, Anna L. Smith of Philadelphia, PA. and Rebecca R. Smith of Harrisburg, PA, his great grandchildren Hayden Emerson Hills and Sophie Lydia Hills, his nieces Mary Louise Curtis and her husband Myron of Brooksville, Me, and Molly L. Woodsum and her husband Richard of Winterport and Addison, Juliemae W. Swan of Peterborough, NH and Janet W. Ellis of Greenfield, MA.
Conley was predeceased by his wife Annabel (Dam) Worcester, his second wife Dorothy Lee “Daisy” (Boardman) Worcester, his sister Idabelle W. Long, his brother Alfred S. Worcester, his nephews Ralph H. Long, Jr., Ben W. Long and David Worcester, and his grandson Shayne C. Worcester.
A memorial service will be held 10:00 am, Saturday, March 3rd, at the Southwest Harbor Congregational Church, 29 High Road, Southwest Harbor, Maine. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Shayne Conley Worcester Memorial Scholarship, Maine Community Foundation, 245 Main Street, Ellsworth, Maine 04605.
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main Street, Mount Desert.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com