William Grovenor Cleaves

PRESQUE ISLE – William Grovenor Cleaves, 74, peacefully went to be with the Lord with his loving family by his side on Sept. 27, 2013. Bill was born March 16, 1939, the son of Benjamin Franklin and Phyllis (Holmes) Cleaves.
Bill attended Presque Isle High School and graduated in 1959. Bill was a member of the Future Farmers and spent many hours working on his grandfather William Holmes’ farm. Many of Bill’s favorite memories include his Grandfather Holmes and the time they spent together on the farm. Bill took his background of “being down on the farm” into his life’s work with the State of Maine as a Supervisor with the Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Land for 37 years. Bill was very proud of his career serving the people of the great state of Maine. Bill retired in 1995, enjoying many great years of retirement. During this time, Bill took pride in helping others, volunteering for the Central Aroostook RC&D as well as the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District for over 20 years. Bill was also a member of the Aroostook Shrine Club, as well as the Masonic Trinity Lodge No. 130. Bill was an active member of the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church and enjoyed going to church regularly.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Judy of Presque Isle; and their respective children, daughter, Julie Brown and her husband, Paul, of Winslow and their children, Logan, Ben, and Molly Feeney; sons, Michael Cleaves of St. Petersburg, Fla., William Jr. Cleaves of Liberty and his children, Carly, Dillon, and Alex, Cleaves and his wife, Diane, of Hampden and their children, Jacob, Megan, and Max, and Gene Cronin and his wife, Brandy, of Presque Isle and their children, Mallory, and McKinley; daughters, Kristen Clark and her husband, Grant, of Mapleton; a special daughter and son-in-law, Laura Hunter and her husband, Daren, of Presque Isle; two great-grandchildren, Grady and Landon Feeney; and several nieces and nephews. Bill is also survived by eight siblings, a special brother, Duane and his wife, Gail, of Brooksville, Fla., and Alan and his wife, Patty, of Presque Isle, a special sister, Lillian and her friend, Farmer, of Presque Isle, Lillias of Old Orchard Beach, Marlene and her friend, Cathy, of Brooksville, Fla., Dianna and her husband, Bruce, of Weld, Mary and her friend, Annie, of Durham, Conn., and Sherry of West Palm, Fla.
The family would like to thank Dr. Carl Flynn and the staff at The Caribou Rehab and Nursing Center for taking such wonderful care of Bill. They would also like to thank the many faithful in-home volunteers and home health care providers especially two very special ones, Karen Hammond and Willard Green.
Friends may call 2:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, at Duncan Graves Funeral Home, 30 Church St., Presque Isle, where a memorial service will be held 3:30 p.m. with Pastor Wes Lavigne officiating. Donations may be made in Bill’s memory to the Alzheimer Association Maine Chapter, 383 US Route One, Suite 2C Scarborough, ME 04074; or the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging’s Gathering Place, 1 Edgemont Drive, Presque Isle, ME 04769; or the Aroostook House of Comfort, P.O. Box 867 Presque Isle, ME 04769. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.