O. Kendall Bemis Obituary (1931 - 2023)

O. Kendall Bemis died on February 7, 2023. He was born in Milo, ME on June 26, 1931, the son of Frank O. and Marion Cook Bemis. Kendall graduated from LaGrange High School in June 1949 (class of 8). After high school he worked for his father's company, Bemis Express, hauling gasoline and other products for the next two years. Being draft age, he joined the U.S. Navy in June 1951. He spent the next four years as a Radarman Second Class (RD2) on two different destroyers, the USS McGowan DD678 and the USS Corry DD817. On one cruise to the Mediterranean, the task force was involved in a call when the carrier Wasp CV 18 collided with the USS Hobson DMS 26, cutting the ship in half at midship with the loss of 176 sailors. The USS Corry DD817 was one of the destroyers involved in the rescue of 61 sailors. This was the worst Navy peacetime disaster in American history at the time (April 26, 1952). After his honorable discharge in June 1955, he enrolled at the University of Maine, Orono in September 1955. Along with the help of the G.I. Bill, he worked his way through school hauling lumber to Montreal and potatoes to Boston when time permitted. He met his later to be wife, Gretchen, at the University in the fall of 1955 and they were married July 5, 1956 in New York City. He told their friends at school reunions that she was older because she graduated three years before he did. Prior to getting married his freshman year in school, many students went to Florida during spring break and he was home hauling lumber to Montreal. He said, "there is something wrong with this program as I see it!" After graduating in May of 1959, they moved to Malone, NY where he taught social studies at the Malone Junior High School. Soon after arriving, Coach Cahill asked him if he would help with the football team, film the football games, and later time the basketball games, which he did for many years. The following year, he also coached the junior high football team for several years, prior to being appointed Vice Principal of the school (16 years). During these years, he went to school at SUNY Plattsburgh during summers and nights and earned his master's degree in Education Administration in May 1966. In 1982 he was appointed Principal of the junior high school. The following year they converted the school to the Malone Middle School after a three-year period because of a lack of rooms at the time. He retired in August of 1990 after 31 years in the Malone School system. During his time in Malone, he served as a Village Trustee for a short time, was a past President of the Malone Lions Club, and served several years as Chairman of the Malone Town Democratic Committee during the time when the prisons were being built in Malone. Not having enough to do, he drove a tractor- trailer for Langdon Oil Co. and Malone Oil Co. for 20 plus years. Nights, weekends, vacations, etc., traveling anywhere from Montreal to New Jersey and places in between prior to becoming Principal of the school. He enjoyed sports and traveling to most of his children's games, which were anywhere from Ottawa, Montreal to Connecticut when the boys were playing football. He was an avid Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins fan and went to many games earlier in his life. He also liked to hunt and fish and was a Charter Member of the Carry Falls Hunting Club. He was also a member of the Centenary United Methodist Church of Malone, the Elks Club 1303 and the American Legion Post 219. Also, during these years, he and Gretchen did a lot of traveling including several cruises as well as other trips during their 60 years of marriage. After 1957, when time permitted, summers were spent at the shore in Rhode Island, where the family still gathers every year. He is predeceased by his parents, his brother Derwood Bemis of Bangor, ME, his wife Gretchen Bemis, and sister Donna Bemis Brown of Dana Point, CA. He is survived by his son Gordon Bemis and wife Patti of Meredith, NH, daughter Pam Bemis and Sarah Bazydola of Roslindle, MA, son Barry Bemis and wife Rhonda of Mansfield, CT, daughter Linda Godinez and husband Alex of Derry, NH, and daughter Janet Adams and husband Michael of Malone, NY; grandchildren Mathieu Bemis, Kelsea Caffy, Tina Gibbs, Corey Godinez, Cassandra Godinez, Andrew Godinez, Jessica Jones, Tucker Adams, and Cooper Adams; great grandchildren Genevieve Gibbs, Shilo Caffy, Kendall Caffy, Lainey Jones. A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 12:00 PM (Noon) at Frary Funeral Home, Malone, with Rev. Jane Hill officiating. Visitation will be held prior from 10:00 AM until the start of the service. Interment will be held in the spring at Morningside Cemetery in Malone, NY. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Frary Funeral Home.