Jepson, Floyd Arthur, 91, New Sweden, July 2, 2008. Arrangements are in the care of the Lancaster-Morgan Funeral Home, Caribou.
NEW SWEDEN – Floyd Arthur Jepson, devoted husband, father, grandfather and uncle, went home to be with the Lord on July 2, 2008, at the age of 91. Born in New Sweden, September 22, 1916, Floyd was the son of A. Otto and Hilma (Lundin) Jepson. His life was a testament of faith, humility, integrity, resourcefulness and determination.
Floyd is survived by his bride of nearly 60 years, Elaine (Taylor) Jepson, of New Sweden; daughter Diane (Jepson) Ward and son-in-law Kenneth Ward of New Sweden; son Alan Jepson and daughter-in-law Brenda (Nasberg) Jepson of Madawaska Lake; daughter Nancy (Jepson) Treu and son-in-law Kris Treu of Auburn Township, Ohio; son Wayne Jepson and daughter-in-law Kathleen (Ely) Jepson of Helena, MT; five grandsons, David Ward, Lukas Treu, Karsten Treu, Torrin Treu and Mattias Treu and two granddaughters, Bethany Ward and Britta Treu. He is also survived by his niece Linda (Carlson) Forsman and family of Worcester, MA; cousin Clyde Jepson and family of New Sweden; and by his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Marilyn and Almon McDougal of New Sweden and by his nephews and nieces, Brian McDougal, Eileen McDougal, and Kathy (McDougal) Burden of New Sweden; Janice McDougal of Caribou and Barry McDougal of Minot, ME.
Floyd was predeceased by his parents, his sister Carola (Jepson) Carlson, his niece Laurie (Carlson) Meader and by one grandson, Erik Jepson.
Floyd has been a regular attendee of the First Baptist Church of New Sweden for 91 years and a faithful member since 1927. He played the guitar with a string band at church.
He served as a trustee before his marriage to Elaine in August of 1948, then as a deacon for over 45 years and later as a deacon emeritus. During the 1970’s, he served as a Stockade leader for the Christian Service Brigade.
For many years, Floyd was a member of the New Sweden Planning Board and also a trustee and member of the New Sweden Historical Society. In 1971, he used his farm truck to help rescue artifacts from New Sweden’s historical museum during a devastating fire. He also served on the New Sweden School Committee. For 26 of his farming years, he acted as a local representative for the Eastern States Farmers’ Exchange and later for Agway, Inc., for whom he sold farm supplies – feed, seed and chemicals – to neighboring farmers.
As a young boy, Floyd walked 1.5 miles over Jacobson Hill to attend grammar school. During his high school days, he either skied through the woods or rode his horse to the AVR station to take the trolley to Caribou. His favorite sports as a youth were sledding, cross-country skiing and skating. Floyd’s love of farming, especially planting potatoes and peas, began with walking behind a team of his father’s horses and continued until recent years as he tilled the soil with his signature John Deere tractors. For many years, he made weekly deliveries of fresh eggs and cream to customers and restaurants in Caribou. Although he rarely had time to spare from farm work, he always enjoyed brook fishing, boating or hunting. Floyd, who dwelt for all of his 91 years on the family farm, often insisted in Swedish, “Away is good, but home is best.”
Family and friends called 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 4, at the Lancaster-Morgan Funeral Home, 11 Clover St., Caribou, and 1-2 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at the First Baptist Church of New Sweden, 23 Westmanland Road, New Sweden, ME 04762. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Baptist Church, conducted by Pastor David Moore. Interment will be at the New Sweden Cemetery. Donations in Floyd’s memory may be made to the First Baptist Church of New Sweden Memorial Fund, or to the New Sweden Historical Society, PO Box 33, New Sweden, ME 04762. Friends may express their condolences to the family at www.lancastermorgan.com.
