Lloyd W. Ackerman

Fairlee, Vt. Lloyd Wm. Ackerman, 94, lifelong resident of Fairlee, passed away October 20, 2016. Born July 25, 1922, the 5th of what would be 9 children of Louis J. & Esther R.(Sanborn) Ackerman. As a youth, he lived at Aloha Camp, his father being the caretaker. One of his 1st jobs (not favorite) was cutting ice out of Lake Morey for $.25/day. He attended Fairlee Grammar School & Orford High School (walking 3 miles). After graduation, he started work as a machinist (which he liked) at Bryant Chucking Grinder Co. in Springfield, VT. In 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in World War II along with 2 brothers and 2 sisters. He went from Fort Dix NJ, Texas, California, England, to France, landing on Utah Beach, Normandy, 1st wave, June 4th, 1944, D-DAY. As Staff Sgt., he went onto the Liberation of Paris, getting his photo in Yank magazine, finally being shot on the German Western Front. Multiple surgeries and 13 months later he returned to Fairlee with a Purple Heart & Bronze Star among the honors. He became a Union carpenter working on numerous projects including: Wilder & Littleton ( Moore) Dams, Interstate 91 bridges (all still standing), Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, Dartmouth College: Leverone Fieldhouse & Hopkins Center. He married/eloped with Edith M. Dorian September 13th,1948. Edith of West Springfield, MA. having come to work for the summer. Using his carpentry skills, he built them 2 homes over the years. They had a daughter whom he taught to hunt & fish, drive, play poker & golf. He loved his dogs: Suzie, Heidi, Fritz & Comet II; a cat, weasels, rabbit with a custom build hutch & 2 orphaned raccoons. He loved anything chocolate, everything Christmas & playing Chinese checkers. Besides the Carpenters Union, he was a member of the Fairlee Fire Department, VFW and DAV. Later in life he enjoyed antiquing all over New England and Quebec, spending summers on the coast of Maine, adventuring from White River Jct. Vt. to Miami Beach Fl. , via Amtrak (his choice) for a vacation of beach, Florida keys & alligators, visiting his daughter & a surprise visit to his brother-in-law, he had helped build his house in Miami 50 years earlier. Predeceased by his mother and father and 7 siblings: Marjorie , Lois, Virginia, Ransom, Leeds, Calvin & Shirley, Lloyd is survived by his wife of 68 years, Edith, daughter Laurie-Ann Ackerman of Swansea MA., granddaughter Alena Campagna & husband Edwin Gonzales & great- grandson Taran of Santa Clara, California, his brother Glen Ackerman and wife Nettie of Piermont.N H. , Leed's companion Beatrice Robinson of Woodstock, VT. and lots of nieces and nephews and old friends. With country music playing on Sirius XM, he was always ready for "a road trip",Dunkin' Donuts jelly donut and iced coffee or Coolatta in hand watching the country side go by. Life was Great. Funny, kind hearted & generous of spirit, in a "spiffy" color-coordinated outfit (frequently red & involving flags). Smiling to the last, always on the move, joking, making people laugh. A life well lived. A proud American Veteran. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.Hales Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Bradford, VT are in charge of arrangements.To view an online guestbook go to www.halefuneralhomes.com

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