Eleventh Generation

12686. Mary Constance "Connie" PHILBRICK⁴⁵⁵ was born on 29 December 1921 in Rangeley, Franklin, Maine.^455,493 Twin of Lanson.
She appeared in the census on 2 April 1930 in Rangeley, Franklin, Maine.⁴⁹³ Age 8, born Maine, father born Maine, mother born Canada [English], living with parents. Name on census: Constance M. Phillric.

Mary Constance "Connie" PHILBRICK and Murray Winthrop "Mike" THURSTON were married on 1 June 1947 in Maine.⁴⁵⁵

Murray Winthrop "Mike" THURSTON⁴⁵⁵, son of Paul C. THURSTON and Florence Helen PERRY, was born on 6 March 1921 in Bethel, Oxford, Maine.^455,3186

He appeared in the census on 30 April 1930 in Bethel, Oxford, Maine. Age 10, born Maine, parents born Maine, living with parents. Name on census: Murray W. Thurston.

He appeared in the census on 24 April 1940 in Bethel, Oxford, Maine. Age 19, born Maine, living with parents. Name on census: Murray W. Thurston.

Mike enlisted in the US Army on 13 November 1942 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine.

He died on 25 November 2008 at the age of 87 in South Paris, Oxford, Maine.^455,3186 His obituary was published on 6 December 2008 in the Advertiser Democrat in Norway, Oxford, Maine.

SOUTH PARIS - Murray W. "Mike" Thurston passed away on November 25, 2008 at the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris at the age of 87, leaving, in his words, "to be in heaven with my friends."
He was born in Bethel on March 6, 1921, the second child of Paul C. and Elsie Hall Thurston. He grew up on the Thurstonia Farm (now the Riverview Resort in Bethel). He graduated from Gould Academy and Dartmouth College (1943), completing and leaving early his senior year to enlist in the Army and participate in WW II, serving in North Africa, Sicily, Corsica, the Philippines and Japan.
Upon his return from WWII he spent his business career as President of J. A. Thurston Company, retiring in 1986. He was very involved with the Wood Products Manufacturers Association, serving as its President in 1970 and as a board member for many years. Following retirement he used his business skills, experience and wisdom as a mentor in SCORE. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors at Rumford Community Hospital, Maine National Bank and the Maine Turnpike Authority and was an active member and President of the Rumford Rotary Club.
Mr. Thurston contributed much time in quiet support of many public causes, serving as a charter Trustee of Gould Academy, a Town of Bethel Selectman and Assessor, a volunteer with the Androscoggin Health Association and was an instructor with the Maine Handicapped Ski Program. A lifelong Democrat, he spent a term as a Maine State Senator and was a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention that nominated John F. Kennedy for the U. S. Presidency. In 2008 he received the Maine Veteran's Public Service Award.
He was a founding member of the Bethel Area Development Council, formed in the mid-1950s, to explore the expansion of recreational activities, particularly skiing, in the Bethel area. Resulting from that, he was particularly proud of his contribution to the origination of Sunday River Skiway, designing the original lift line, helping to build the Barker Mountain base lodge, and organizing volunteer labor to cut the first trails. He served as President of Sunday River for 10 years and was directly involved in the sale of Sunday River to the Killington Corporation. He was recognized by the Maine Ski Association for his contribution to and positive involvement with Maine skiing and was inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame in 2007. Skiing was a tremendous part of his life; he and Connie, his wife of 61 years, enjoyed more than 30 ski trips to Europe with their great friends in The Washingtonians ski club. Their travels also took them to Bermuda, Morocco, Hawaii, England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Greece.
Mr. Thurston is survived by his beloved wife, Connie; a sister, Rosalie T. Wight; three sons, David, John and Peter and their respective families and a legacy of wit, wisdom, humility, honesty and fairness.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 4, 2009 at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel with a reception following at Ordway Hall at Gould Academy. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in his name to Gould Academy, P. O. Box 860, Bethel, ME 04217 and/or to Maine Handicapped Skiing, 8 Spruce Lane, Newry, ME 04261. Arrangements are under the care of the Meader & Son Funeral Home, 3 Franklin Street, Rumford, ME 04276. E-mail condolences and memories may be shared at.

Mary Constance "Connie" PHILBRICK-53525 and Murray Winthrop "Mike" THURSTON-63725 had the following children: