Obituary for Ralph A. Gould Jr.
Ralph A. Gould, Jr. passed on Friday, May 8, 2020 after a short period of declining health.
Born in Haverhill, MA on May 20, 1923, the son of Ralph A. and Thelma (Swan) Gould, his family moved to Auburn when he was five. He was a graduate of Edward Little High School in the class of 1940, Hebron Academy, ’41 and the University of Maine in 1948, re-affiliating with his original class of 1945.
His wartime service was with the US Army Air Corps, Ninth Air Force in Europe as a B-26 Marauder pilot, continuing as a “stand by” reservist with the USAF until 1956.
Upon graduating from college, Gould joined the family business, Gould & Scammon, Inc. of Auburn, manufacturers of shoe components. He became President in 1958, continuing until the business was sold in 1983, then in its 55th year. He remained active with the successor until his retirement at the end of 1990.
On June 25, 1948 he married the “prettiest RN in town”, Hazel Hayman, a CMG nursing school graduate. She died at 94 while they were living at Schooner Estates in Auburn, having reluctantly left Cove Road at Taylor Pond where they had resided for forty years. Had she lived 22 more days they would have been married 70 years.
Gould was a member of High Street Congregational Church, UCC, a trustee of Central Maine Medical Center for forty years, first chairman of Central Maine Healthcare in 1983, and for long time served on its Development Committee.
He was a trustee at Hebron Academy for ten years, for many years a director of Northeast Bankshare and Norstar Trust Co. beginning with the acquired banks. He had the interesting experience of serving on the Fee Arbitration Committee of the Maine Bar for six years.
Gould was a member of the Tranquil Lodge of Masons, the Scottish Rite Bodies, serving as Most Wise Master of Rose Croix and was a Potentate of Kora Temple, AAONMS. in 1968 and a Director of the Jesters in 1974. He was a 33rd degree Mason.
As an active skier at Sugarloaf where the family had a condo, he was one of the founders of the Washingtonians, a ski group that began with local families skiing in Quebec on Washington’s birthday in the early 60’s, continuing with ski trips to Europe for more than thirty-five years. It was a delight to say that the Goulds were a four generation skiing family. As a long time resident on the east shore of Taylor Pond, he was a member of the Taylor Pond Yacht Club and was active with the Taylor Pond Association as a water tester.
He is survived by their two children, David and his wife Anne (Chaplin) of Kennebunk, ME; Barbara Gould of Portland, ME; four grandchildren: Elizabeth Gould, Benjamin Gould, also of Kennebunk; Betsy Flaherty and her husband Colin of Westwood, MA, and James and Sarah Hochadel of Barrington, NH; his sister Diana and Robert Coleman of Longwood, FL; six great grandchildren: Hadleigh, William and Charles Daniels, Caroline and Joseph Flaherty, and Noah Hochadel.
Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, there will be no funeral services at this time. In lieu of flowers contribution to: The Gould Center at Maine College of Health Professionals c/o Maine College of Health Professions 70 Middle St. Lewiston, ME. 04240 or the Gould Fund at the Auburn Public Library c/o The Auburn Public Library, Attn: Director of Development 49 Spring Street, Auburn, ME 04210.
Born in Haverhill, MA on May 20, 1923, the son of Ralph A. and Thelma (Swan) Gould, his family moved to Auburn when he was five. He was a graduate of Edward Little High School in the class of 1940, Hebron Academy, ’41 and the University of Maine in 1948, re-affiliating with his original class of 1945.
His wartime service was with the US Army Air Corps, Ninth Air Force in Europe as a B-26 Marauder pilot, continuing as a “stand by” reservist with the USAF until 1956.
Upon graduating from college, Gould joined the family business, Gould & Scammon, Inc. of Auburn, manufacturers of shoe components. He became President in 1958, continuing until the business was sold in 1983, then in its 55th year. He remained active with the successor until his retirement at the end of 1990.
On June 25, 1948 he married the “prettiest RN in town”, Hazel Hayman, a CMG nursing school graduate. She died at 94 while they were living at Schooner Estates in Auburn, having reluctantly left Cove Road at Taylor Pond where they had resided for forty years. Had she lived 22 more days they would have been married 70 years.
Gould was a member of High Street Congregational Church, UCC, a trustee of Central Maine Medical Center for forty years, first chairman of Central Maine Healthcare in 1983, and for long time served on its Development Committee.
He was a trustee at Hebron Academy for ten years, for many years a director of Northeast Bankshare and Norstar Trust Co. beginning with the acquired banks. He had the interesting experience of serving on the Fee Arbitration Committee of the Maine Bar for six years.
Gould was a member of the Tranquil Lodge of Masons, the Scottish Rite Bodies, serving as Most Wise Master of Rose Croix and was a Potentate of Kora Temple, AAONMS. in 1968 and a Director of the Jesters in 1974. He was a 33rd degree Mason.
As an active skier at Sugarloaf where the family had a condo, he was one of the founders of the Washingtonians, a ski group that began with local families skiing in Quebec on Washington’s birthday in the early 60’s, continuing with ski trips to Europe for more than thirty-five years. It was a delight to say that the Goulds were a four generation skiing family. As a long time resident on the east shore of Taylor Pond, he was a member of the Taylor Pond Yacht Club and was active with the Taylor Pond Association as a water tester.
He is survived by their two children, David and his wife Anne (Chaplin) of Kennebunk, ME; Barbara Gould of Portland, ME; four grandchildren: Elizabeth Gould, Benjamin Gould, also of Kennebunk; Betsy Flaherty and her husband Colin of Westwood, MA, and James and Sarah Hochadel of Barrington, NH; his sister Diana and Robert Coleman of Longwood, FL; six great grandchildren: Hadleigh, William and Charles Daniels, Caroline and Joseph Flaherty, and Noah Hochadel.
Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, there will be no funeral services at this time. In lieu of flowers contribution to: The Gould Center at Maine College of Health Professionals c/o Maine College of Health Professions 70 Middle St. Lewiston, ME. 04240 or the Gould Fund at the Auburn Public Library c/o The Auburn Public Library, Attn: Director of Development 49 Spring Street, Auburn, ME 04210.