Avon Kenneth Libby, Jr. 1926 – 2022 AUGUSTA – Avon Kenneth Libby Jr., 95, of Brunswick, died Monday evening April 18, 2022 at Maine General Medical Center. He was born in Lewiston, June 2, 1926, the son of Avon Kenneth Libby, Sr. and Annie Louise (Newcomb) Libby.

He was educated in Lewiston public schools graduating from Lewiston High School in June 1944. While in high school, he worked as an usher in the Strand Theater and on the produce counter of the A&P grocery store. Having enlisted in the Navy in April of 1944, he was put on active duty upon graduating high school and was sent to Sampson Naval Base in Geneva, N.Y. for basic training. Upon graduating from basic training, he was sent to “Fire Control School” at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he was trained to be a range finder operator for the firing of the ship’s gun firing power. Upon leaving Florida he was assigned to the USS John A. Bole (DD 775) at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In May 1945 the Bole began her wartime duties by sailing through the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor to Japanese-held Wake Island to Leyte, Philippine Islands to picket duty at Okinawa. At war’s end, the Bole was assigned to Korea and Shanghai, China.

He returned to Lewiston in June 1946 and went back to work for the A&P until December 1946 when he went to work for the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company (NET&TCo). In December, 1947, he was transferred to Brunswick. On April 18, 1948, he and Dorothy Talarico married. They lived in Topsham until 1954 when they moved to Brunswick. He retired in February 1986 after 39 years with the telephone company.

In 1950 he was recalled from the Inactive Naval Reserves for duty in the Korean Conflict. Assigned to the USS Cony (DD/DDE 508). The Cony retraced the Bole’s route through the Panama Canal on its way to Korea where she saw service, among other things, as a transport vessel for Republic of Korea (ROK) troops raising havoc on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) troops ashore.

Avon was a member of the Brunswick United Methodist Church. He belonged to Ashlar Lodge #105 AF&AM; Bradford Royal Arch Chapter #9; Dunlap Council #8 Royal and Select Masters; Lewiston Commandry #6 Knights Templar; Scottish Rite Bodies Valley of Portland and Valley of the Androscoggin; Kora Temple Shrine of Lewiston where he was Past President and Captain Emeritus of the Kora Arab Patrol and the Director from 1992 to 2000. He was also a member of the Royal Order of Jesters Put Stevens Court No. 107, Merrymeeting Shrine Club, Kennebec Valley Shrine Club, York County Shrine Club, Androscoggin Shrine Club and the Androscoggin Valley Square and Compass Club. Additionally, he was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America; Past President of the Chester C. Stevens Council and Past President of the Chester C. Stevens Life Member Club as well as a Life Member of American Legion Post #202 in Topsham.

He was predeceased by his wife Dorothy (Talarico) Libby on August 26, 2000; his baby brother Irwin Earl Libby on Dec. 6, 1932; his father Avon K. Libby, Sr. on Sept. 8, 1989 and his mother Annie (Newcomb) Libby on June 5, 1998; spouses-in-law and their spouses Louis C. Talarico and Annis (Brown) Talarico, Filomena (Mamie) (Talarico) Beaulieu and Rene Beaulieu, Mary (Talarico) Dennis and Rosario (Slick) Dennis, Frank Talarico and Marcella (Labonte), Nicola (Nick) Talarico and Gloria (Figoli) Talarico; and nieces and nephews, and Raymond Allen (Louise).

Surviving are their three children Robert Kenneth Libby (Joan Perry Moulton) of Ballston Spa, N.Y. and grandchildren/spouses Nellie Perry (Moulton) Sandler (Tyler), great-granddaughters Lola, Rue, Una & Zuzu; Bonnie Jo (Moulton) Kenna (John), great-grandson Jack; Kelsey Carmela (Libby) Goodier (Cameron) and great-grandchildren Greydon, Jocelyn and Lennon; Richard Torrey Libby, Sr. (Cindy) of Brunswick and grandson Richard Torrey Libby, Jr.; and Marcia Ann (Libby) Gray (Charles) of Seminole, Fla. and grandchildren Steven Robert Gray, great- grandson Dalton Gray, granddaughter Donna Marie Gray and great-granddaughter Kayla Ramage; Paul Aaron Gray (Cherise Gardner) and great-grandchildren Adalyn and Jaxson Gray; his sister Louise (Libby) Allen (Raymond) of Lewiston; his companion Priscilla Laganiere of Topsham; and many nieces and nephews on both sides.

Visitation The Fortin Group / AUBURN Monday 5-8 PM with a Masonic Prayer Service at 7:30 PM. 

A funeral service will take place in the funeral home on Tuesday at 11 AM.

To leave a message in the family’s online guestbook, please visit http://www.thefortingroupauburn.com Committal prayers and Interment will take place later in the Spring at Mt. Hope Cemetery. A service of The Fortin Group Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 217 Turner St. AUBURN, 783-8545 In lieu of flowers, those wishing may make donations in Avon’s memory to: Shriners Childrens Hospital 516 Carew St. Springfield, MA 01104

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