Luke Caiazzo Sr.

NAPLES — Luke E. Caiazzo Sr., 90, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016.

He was born on July 17, 1926, the son of Mary Lafavore and Henry Caiazzo in Portland.

Luke grew up in the Portland area and attended Portland High School. During his junior year, he was called to serve his country and entered the U.S. Navy. He served for 29 months and holds the American Theatre Ribbon and Victory Bar. While serving, he attended Radio School in Sampson, N.Y. for communications and served mainly in Philadelphia and Norfolk, Va. during WWII.

On June 22, 1947, Luke married Audrey Wetmore. Luke and Audrey were fortunate enough to have celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary earlier this year. Together, they raised three children — Luke E. Caiazzo Jr., Cynthia J. Strout and Rendell L. Russell. The family loved to take weekend trips to the mountains doing various outdoor activities. They never tired of seeing new sights and exploring many favorite spots in New Hampshire and Maine.

Luke and Audrey made their home in Portland and Westbrook before relocating to Naples in 2007.

Luke later returned to school to graduate and earn his high school diploma. He began his career at Cushman Bakery and, ultimately, retired with a 29-year service award in 1985 from the U.S. Postal Service in Westbrook.

Luke loved to create and build and spent many hours building furniture for their home. One of his, and Audrey’s, greatest accomplishments was the log cabin they built together from the ground up on the lake at Coffee Pond in Casco. It was a place of many wonderful memories for family and friends. He also served as the road commissioner for many years.

Luke also loved to travel and, once he retired, he and Audrey did just that. They traveled to nearly all the lower 48 states and made a winter home in Zephyrhills, Fla. and summered in Maine. During that time, they were also frequent visitors to Richmond, Ind., where Luke Jr. lived and raised his family and to Bishop, Calif., where oldest daughter, Cindy, resided with her husband and children. Youngest daughter Rendell and her family lived nearby in Maine and kept the home-fires burning while they were away.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Audrey Wetmore Caiazzo of Naples; son, Luke Jr. of Richmond, Ind.; daughters, Cindy of Naples and Rendell of Raymond; nine grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Services will be private. You may offer your condolences to the family at www.jonesrichandhutchins.com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Alzheimer’s Association, Maine, 383 US Route One #2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.