OBITUARY: Alfred L. Carkin, Sr
Alfred Leroy Carkin, Sr., 89, of Pepperell, died March 17, 2015 at the St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Brighton. He was a descendant of Mayflower passenger George Soule and of many of the early settlers of Groton Massachusetts including John Nutting, Peleg Lawrence, William Lakin, Timothy Cooper, Matthias Farnsworth, Benjamin Crispe, and John Page.
Alfred was a WWII Veteran, serving as a motorman in the U.S. Navy on "LST 582" and the "Mt. Olympus" in the Pacific Theater. Among his vivid memories were the invasions of Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa and transporting stranded Japanese soldiers to their homeland at the close of the war. For his wartime service, he received the WWII Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal---one Bronze Star, Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal-two Bronze Stars.
After the war. he returned to his job at the Groton Leather Board but soon opened "Carkin's Garage." He later operated "The Bike Shop" and "Al's Power Equipment" in Groton where he "sold the best and repaired the rest" bicycles and power equipment. Alfred could fix just about anything and was known as a superb diesel mechanic.
Alfred was a 50+ year member of the Caleb Butler Masonic Lodge, AF & AM in Ayer, a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Scottish Rite, Shriner, and member of the Aleppo Shrine.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Charlotte (Oldershaw) Carkin; infant sister, Eleanor and sister Carol (Ernest) DiCicco; brothers, Norman(Charlotte), Gerald(Mildred) and Roger(Shirley) Carkin; and his only son Alfred Leroy (June) Carkin, Jr.; grandson, Brian Doucette; and great-grandson, Henry William Carkin Stevens.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Phyllis Lorraine (Seidl) Carkin; three daughters, Sandra (Dr. Steven) St. Martin of Columbus, OH, Karen Doucette and Donna (John) Wyman, and a very special daughter-in-law June (Lunn) Carkin, all of Pepperell; 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He also leaves four siblings, Louise (Frank) Scimemi of Groton, George(Helen) Carkin of Lake City, CO, Sidney (Donna) Carkin Jr. of Oklahoma City, OK and Charlotte (Paul) Hyden of Leominster and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Alfred will also be missed by his shipmates of LST 582 with whom he retained a life-long friendship.
Alfred was buried in Groton cemetery Sunday, April 19th, the 240th anniversary of the Lexington Alarm. It was a fitting time since many of his ancestors were area Minutemen who served in that alarm so many years ago. Many thanks to Reverend Christina Williams who led the service, the Masonic brothers from Caleb Butler lodge who attended, and the U.S. Navy Color Guard who helped us bring Alfred to his place of final rest.
