SPRINGVALE -Charles Thomas “Tom” Jagger, 85, passed away peacefully with his wife Judy, and family by his side on Jan. 23, 2023.

Tom was born to Lillian Taylor Jagger and Winston Royal Jagger on Oct. 13, 1937, at Goodall Hospital in Sanford. He grew up on Lenox Street in a home that his parents built, with his maternal grandparents living next door and his paternal grandparents living just down the road on Main Street. He was always grateful to have his entire family so close by.

Many of Tom’s lifelong hobbies, activities and memberships were rooted in his childhood.

Beginning at age 3, Tom started as a faithful servant to St. Georges Episcopal Church when his grandmother began bringing him with her to church each week. He was involved with weekly mass throughout his life, serving the church as a Deacon and sitting on many boards and committees. Throughout his life, Tom gave of his faith freely to anyone who needed it with love, beauty and grace.

With his grandfather, John Taylor, Tom learned all the aspects and joy of hunting and fly fishing, which he enjoyed throughout his entire life. His grandmother would lovingly scold him and his grandfather when she came home from an evening walk, hearing target practice shooting in the basement. She would always remind him when he and his grandfather were heading out rabbit hunting that she needed four big rabbits to make a pie. He had hunting dogs, enjoyed the family Scottie dogs, and owned many breeds in his life, until his last beloved dog Lucy passed away.

Tom was an avid lifelong reader, with favorites being WWII, history, the sea, boating, boat building, fly fishing, and favorite authors. He spent many a summer evening as a child with his books. His mother began showing him how to cook as a very young boy, which he enjoyed immensely, with cookies and pies being his first endeavors. He always told of the cookie jar at home, filled with either his mother’s and later his own cookies. His wife Judy continued this tradition and always kept the family cookie jar filled with favorites for him, up until the time he had to move into special care.

Tom helped his dad with the greenhouse his dad built in their back yard, learning to grow beautiful tomatoes. He told of cold winter days going out to load the small woodstove in the greenhouse, as the plants thrived. Hours of summers were spent playing baseball with friends, his favorite sport, and was a lifetime Red Sox fan.

Tom started piano lessons at the age of 5, and he continued to take lessons though high school graduation. He moved up through three different instructors to accommodate his skills and always wanted to learn more. His free time was filled playing in a jazz band, and he even landed a spot on Channel 6 TV. He played piano throughout his entire life for pleasure and for organizations he was a member of, including the weekly Rotary Club meetings for many years. Every evening for several years of their life together, he could be heard playing his baby grand piano in the living room with Judy asking him to play her favorites. Such joy it brought to both of them.

Tom began his lifelong commitment to the Masons in high school, first joining the local DeMolay chapter. Among many other Civic organizations within Southern Maine, he was a member Preble Lodge # 143, A.F. & A.M. His Masonic family association with the fraternity dates back to the 1800’s, following in his father, grandfather and great-grandfather’s footsteps

Tom was a graduate Sanford High School, Class of 1955. He met Judith Carolyn Stansfield during their high school years and became sweethearts. Soon after she graduated, they married. The time they spent together participating in the plentiful and fun events that Sanford High School offered in the late 1950s provided many lifelong memories. Following in his mother’s footsteps, he attended the former Nasson College in Springvale, and graduated with a Bachelors degree in English, and a minor in history. Tom was a Nasson College Alumni Board member for many years up until his recent decline in health.

In his adult life, Tom was able to merge his family history, his love of the outdoors and other personal interests with his various career paths.

His grandfather emigrated with his family from England and began Jagger Bros. Inc. in Sanford and Tom grew up working in the mill. He shoveled coal for the furnace and stood on the edge of the Mousam River behind the mill, shooting snakes caught in the water works with his .22 rifle.

As the third-generation owner of Jagger Textile Mill, he continued mastering the creation of fine worsted yarns. The care of his work family (which was everyone in the mill), commitment to quality and accepting the newest technologies, along with his dedicated lifelong work ethic, earned him the respect of the community by the time of his retirement in 1987.

He also owned York Harbor Marine Service in York for 10 years, which gave him the opportunity to be a part of the ocean, which he loved so much. Days spent sailing on his boat the Foxy Lady, lobstering and fishing for haddock and flounder with friends were many. After his retirement from Jagger brothers, he continued with all of his community service and also began a new “retirement career’ of becoming the only on the road sales representative for the then Shaw’s Ridge Equipment in Sanford. It was another opportunity to enjoy meeting new people from all over York County, fulfilling their needs, and making their experience the best it could be. He did this for several years and found great joy and happiness in doing it.

Tom proudly served for two terms as a Commissioner on the Board of Directors of the State of Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and wildlife, further sharing and giving to his love for the outdoors. He also was a long-term commissioner for the Sanford Housing Authority.

He was an avid outdoorsman, with fly fishing being his own heaven on earth. One of Tom’s favorite places on earth was Pierce Pond Camps in North New Portland, Maine. His home away from home, Tom spent many weeks each summer and fall over many years of his life at this pristine spot. Other times were spent fishing at various ponds and lakes all over the state, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the outdoors and doing something he loved.

Tom also loved spending time in his woodshop making beautiful cedar strip canoes to be given away or auctioned off for charity. He also loved making furniture and any other project, like the tack boxes he made for his granddaughter’s horse and the porch swing he made for his daughter’s first home. His shop was a special place for him – tying flies, building things, and hosting Rotary club board of directors meeting. The overflow of any party hosted at his home always ended up in that treasured space.

Tom loved traveling and vacation time with his family. Wherever they went he enjoyed every moment of the trip, especially watching his daughters and grandchildren having fun. The smiles in photographs show how much being together with his family in all of these adventures meant to him. Bermuda, Canada, Europe, and Caribbean cruises were all vacations filled with joy, but his favorite place of all to spend time with his family was at the family camp on Mousam Lake in Shapleigh. The entire family being together in this beautiful place each summer brought him endless happiness and great joy. Family dinner every night around the dining room table all summer long, overlooking the lake and his dogs at his feet, brought him great joy and made memories for a lifetime. Casting a hand tied fly on a line from one of the canoes he built on a late summer evening was a favorite activity.

Tom was a member of the Sanford-Springvale Rotary Club beginning in 1975. He served on its Board of Directors and had other roles such as President and club secretary. Tom is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow among many other duties and accomplishments that supported the Rotary mission, and its guiding principle of “Service Above Self”, throughout his life. He was a founding member of the club’s Scholarship Fund, which gives out $12,000 to $18,000 a year to Massabessic and Sanford High school students furthering their education. With his daughter, he formed the Christmas Angel program that supports families and the elderly in need at Christmas time with the support of the Rotary Club. Tom cooked chicken livers and any other tasks needed every year at the Acton Fair and created floats with his daughter Kim for annual 4th of July parades. The fun had and the memories made remain priceless.

Tom will always be remembered for his life well lived, making every day count, always finding joy in the simplest of things, giving of himself to others, and sharing words of wisdom that came from his strong faith and desire to bring out the best in others.

May everyone whose life Tom touched feel his gift of making you feel special and at ease. Please know how much he truly cared about you.

Tom is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Judith Stansfield Jagger, two daughters that he had profound love for, Kimberly Jagger LaChance of Springvale and her partner Steven Ford from Shapleigh, and Kathryn Jagger Brock of Springvale and her partner Gerald Day of Shapleigh. Two beautiful grandchildren, Ashley Victoria LaChance and Jonathan Thomas Brock, and a great-grandchild, Clara Ann Brock, all of Springvale. He was pre-deceased by his late son-in – law Daniel H. LaChance, whom he loved dearly.

Visiting hours will be held 1-3 and 4-6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, at the Little Theatre on the Nasson College Campus, 457 Main St. Springvale. A Masonic Memorial Service led by the brethren of Preble Lodge will be held at 6 p.m. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 138 York St. Kennebunk. Spring interment will be held in Oakdale Cemetery, Sanford. Please consider carpooling to both locations, if possible, to maximize parking for all guests.

To leave a message of condolence, please visit Tom’s Book of Memories at www.bibberfuneral.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St. Kennebunk.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Rotary Club of Sanford-Springvale, Rotary Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1166, Sanford, ME 04073

Or to the Pierce Pond Watershed Trust,

PO Box 5660,

Augusta, ME. 04332.

www.app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/MaineWildernessWatershedTrust/SpecialDonation.html