William R. Love, Jr.

William  R. (Bill) Love Jr. died April 17 2025.  He was born in Peru Indiana on 5 November 1929 the son of William R. Love Sr. and Dorothy (Johnson) Love.

Upon graduating  from Peru High School with a letter in Music with  the class of 1948 he joined the Navy. While in Boot Camp, he was one of the Battalion Buglers and a member of the Recruit Training Command Drum and Bugle Corps. In 1952 he married Ivis Agatha Steuart of Oranjestaad, Aruba, N.W.I.  They had ten children.  During his thirty year Naval Career,  Bill was stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois,  Memphis, Tennessee, and  Trinidad, B.W.I., Key West Fl., Quonset Point R.I., Chincoteague, Va., Norfolk, Va. Moffett Field, Ca., Lemoore, Ca., and Brunswick, Me.  He retired as a Chief Petty Officer in Aviation Electronics.  He made deployments of various lengths to Iceland, Scotland, Norway, Sicily, Italy, Greece, Crete, Malta, Puerto Rico, Panama, Grand Bahamas, Azores, Bermuda, Newfoundland, and Greenland.  Flying as an Aircrew member he ended his flying career in 1974 with more than 10,000 hours in 8 different aircraft types.  After retiring from the Navy, Bill worked for the Western Region Counsel on Alcoholism as a Grant Writer and Staff Aide.  He opened and operated the first Alcohol Rehab unit in the Androscoggin County Jail, and was instrumental in writing the original grant to open the St. Mary’s Hospital Alcoholism Treatment Facility.

In 1982 he was hired by the State of Maine as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and held that position for more than fourteen years.  Retiring from the state in July 95.

He was politically active in 2nd amendment rights, Military Retiree rights and benefits, and Senior Citizen Medical programs.  He was a member of the, American Association of Retired Persons, Law Enforcement Alliance of America, Fleet Reserve Association, American Legion, The Retired Enlisted Association, Patrol Squadron Eight Alumni Association, Sportsmans Alliance of Maine, National Rifle Association, Capitol City Rifle and Pistol Club, Lincoln County Rifle and Pistol Club, and the American Motorcyclist Association.  

A long time member of Alcoholics Anonymous, he was active in service work.  He dated his sobriety from 28 January 1974.   He was interested in working with others, music, motorcycle riding , firearms collecting, and competitive pistol shooting. 

He is predeceased by his son William Charles Love, and is survived by eight children, Nancy Kathryn Sosa, Pamela Jane Dunning, Byard Burton Love, Robert Raymond Love, Richard Franklin Love, Mary Evangeline King, Dorothy Ann Jost,  and Roger Allen Love, 18 Grand children , 12 Great Grand children and  his sister Carolyn Anderson. 

Condolences may be made on line at www.DaigleFuneralHome.com