APPLETON — Charles Spencer Choate, 80, of Burkettville, passed away March 13, 2017, at the VA Hospice Care Unit in Togus from complications after a fall in his home. He was born Nov. 2, 1936, in Montville, a son of Arland "Stub" and Annie (Blake) Choate.

Charlie was drafted in the U. S. Army in 1959, He was a corporal and served in the Special Forces in the Motor Pool Division. Charlie worked for many years as a mechanic and electrician at Penobscot Poultry in Belfast. After they closed he worked at Barker's Garage in Union. As a licensed electrician, he helped many local families with their electrical work. Charlie enjoyed gardening as long as he could. He loved to feed and watch the birds and enjoyed his two cats in the last few years.

Charlie loved to share stories from his school days. He attended a one-room school (first through eighth grades). Seventh- and eighth-graders were usually in charge of opening the school each morning to start the wood fire and gather a bucket of spring water (one ladle was shared by everyone). One year Charlie was given $10 for the year to start the wood stove and fill the water bucket. Before the end of the year, Charlie got a growth under his arm and could no longer do this. He got quite upset with his teacher, Mrs. Bagly, when she took $5 of that money from him because she had to do it. The one room schoolhouse's outhouse was located through a hallway where there was one for the boys and one for the girls. If you had to "go," you would raise your hand for either #1 or #2 to let the teacher know. No words were spoken. She either nodded yes or no and that was it. When the school closed for vacation, the floors would be cleaned and then coated with used motor oil to preserve them. The smell was horrible.

Even though Charlie was a smoker, he had this to say about tobacco: “Tobacco is a stinking weed. From the devil comes the seed. Picks your pockets, burns your clothes and makes a smokestack come out your nose!”

Charlie was predeceased by his parents; a daughter, Arlene Choate in 1968; a son, Alan Choate in 1979; his wife of 45 years, Dycal (Esancy) Choate in 2005; two brothers, Arland Choate Jr. and Lowell Choate; two sisters, Pauline Choate and Lita Choate; as well as several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

He is survived by a sister, Beverly Choate Villa and her husband, Fred, of White, Ga.; a brother, Wilbur "Butch" Choate and his companion, Shirley Noyes, of Montville; several nieces and nephews; two special friends and caretakers, Tracy Wyllie and her partner, Craig Leonard, of Union; as well as friend and neighbor, Glen Alexander and his wife, who watched over Charlie throughout the years.

There will be no visiting hours. A graveside memorial service will be held later in the spring at Pine Grove Cemetery in Appleton.

Hall's of Waldoboro has care of the arrangements.