CASCO — Wendell Arthur Strout Sr., 68, of Casco, died on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 6, 2011, at Bridgton Hospital.

Wendell was born on Feb. 24, 1943, in Lewiston, the son of the late Weston Strout and Myrtle Daly Strout Mailman. He was raised on the old family farmstead on College Road in Greene. His father was killed in WWII when Wendell was only two years old. He was brought up by his mother and his late stepfather, Warren Mailman.

He attended Greene schools and graduated from Edward Little High School in the Class of 1961. He attended the University of Maine in Orono and graduated from the two-year agriculture course in 1963.

He married Theresa Roy of Auburn, the daughter of the late Victor and Janice Roy. They were married for 30 years and lived on College Road in Greene. They raised three children, Wendell Jr., Cynthia and Scott. Theresa died in June of 1993.

Wendell worked for Wonder Bread and operated his own milk delivery business, Strout’s Dairy for nine years. In 1983, he went to work for Locust Farm/HP Hood Dairy until his retirement in 2008 from HP Hood.

He was a member of the old Greene Men’s Club and served as coach, athletic director and 15 years as the treasurer. For years, he raised a large garden and cut his own firewood. He and his son, Scott, were in the sports card business, selling cards at shows and for a short time, had a shop on Lisbon Street in Lewiston.

In 1996, Wendell moved to Higgins Beach, Scarborough with his fiancée Valerie Hodsdon Knight. They were married in 2009.

In 1994, he started hiking and mountain climbing and climbed all 48 of the 4,000-foot peaks in New Hampshire and 150 other peaks including the Knife Edge in Baxter State Park. He enjoyed boogie boarding at Higgins Beach, kayaking and white-water rafting with his wife Valerie.

For 20 years, Wendell was an ASA and Federation softball umpire. He was an avid fan of the Red Sox and saw his dream come true when they won the World Series in 2004.

With his interest in history and genealogy, he researched many branches of his family back to the Pilgrims. He was a member of the Portland Genealogical Society. He had a passion for the Civil War and read many books on the subject.

In 2009, Wendell and Valerie moved to Thompson Lake in Casco.

He is survived by his wife Valerie; son Wendell Jr. of Greene; daughter Cynthia MacDonald of Greene; son Scott Strout of Greene; stepdaughters Tandra Knight and Erin Goetzger and stepson Philip Knight, all of Maryland; 10 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and one stepbrother, Rodney Mailman of Kansas.

Visitation was held at Fortin Group of Auburn on Monday from 6-8 p.m. and on Tuesday at 11 a.m. The funeral service was Tuesday at 1 p.m. Committal prayers followed at Valley Cemetery.

You are invited to share your thoughts, condolences and fond memories with the Strout family by visiting their guestbook at www.thefortingroupauburn.com

Those wishing may make donations in his memory to: Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, P.O. Box 761, Portland, ME 04104.