Ellsworth/Eastport
Calvin C. Greenlaw, 92, went home to be with his Lord and Savior at 5am, Feb.2, 2020 at home with his dear family surrounding him. He died from a rare form of Pecoma Cancer. He was only one of three people diagnosed with this form of cancer in the world. He was born August 13, 1927 in Eastport to Martha Ellen (Avery) Greenlaw and John Rufus Greenlaw.
Calvin attended Eastport schools. He graduated from Shead Memorial High School in 1946 as Salutatorian. He served in the Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force as a Sergeant Major. He served at Dow, Grenier, Griffiss, and Sioux City Air Force bases. He attended Officer Candidate School-Air University for Air Technician. He attended the University of Maine at Machias and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 3 ½ years.
During his lifetime he held many positions. They included working at the Eastport Sardine Factories, for Dr. Buker and the local drug store, a writer at the Eastport Sentinel, for Judge Whalen and the Eastport Police Department, at Maine Central Railroad, House Director at the University of Maine at Machias, office manager of the Mearl Corporation and he taught school at the Pembroke High School during it’s last year then went on to teach at Eastport Elementary and following retirement he taught at Perry Elementary.
Calvin was a member of the North Christian Church for 15 years. He accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized there and was active in the choir. He then transferred his membership to the Washington St. Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon for 50 years as well as being a Trustee, Adult Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Treasurer, Song Leader, Choir and Nursing Home Ministry, Baptist Youth Camp Counselor , Bible Teacher, Sports Organizer and Song Leader. He was involved at Camp Good News for many summers. He was a member of the Perry Bible Fellowship where he was a Deacon, Song Leader, SS Teacher and lead prayer meetings. He continued his Nursing Home Ministry. After moving to Ellsworth, he transferred his membership to Emmanuel Baptist Church where he enjoyed singing as a soloist and in groups. He continued serving the Lord at the Nursing Home Ministry with Pastor Barry Blackstone up until he was 90 years of age.
Calvin served his hometown of Eastport on the 4th July Committee, Recreation Director at Eastport Elementary School Program, City Charter Revision Committee, Budget Committee at EES. He was a member of the Eastport Nursing Home Board of Trustees, K of P, Drum and Bugle Corp. He was a cook’s assistant at the Eastport Senior Center and wrote 2 grants for Housing for the City of Eastport. He played his guitar at the Sunrise Boarding Home.
Calvin loved sports and enjoyed participating and coaching various sports. He coached the Eastport Elementary Panthers in both baseball and basketball. He coached the Eastport Lobsters and was an assistant coach of the Shead High School Boys Basketball team. Calvin tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Brewer, Maine. He attended the Senior Olympics with friend Richard “Dick” Young and they won gold medals in Horseshoes. He also won gold and bronze medals in the softball throw. He enjoyed playing pool and bowling with his K of P friends. He was a sportswriter for the Portland Press Herald. He was the Basketball Camp Director and Coach at Camp Good News. He helped establish the Eastport Little League field and began a Pony League. His love of Baseball was solidified when he met his baseball hero Ted Williams and got to sit down with him while Ted was having dinner and received his autograph at the age of 19.
Calvin enjoyed music and was a gifted singer and guitarist. He enjoyed entertaining others with these gifts at various local churches and community events. He performed on TV with Ted Conley and Kaye Hall. He performed at the Eastport Minstrel Shows, performed with the Barbershop group Sunrise Serenaders, performed with the group Joyful Noise at Washington Street Baptist Church, performed with a group at Perry Bible Fellowship and Emmanuel Baptist Church. He performed at Eastport Nursing Home, Sunrise Opportunities, Seaport and Courtland, as well as the Eastport Senior Center. He wrote a song the “Passamaquoddy Waltz” which he often sang to his beloved wife Annalie. He also completed the dream of releasing his CD, Calvin Greenlaw-Gospel Memories.
Calvin was married to Annalie Mae (Follis) on September 17, 1966 at the North Christian Church in Eastport. They were married 53.5 years. They had three children Theodore Richard, Leigh Anna and Rebecca Mae.
Calvin is survived by his wife Annalie; daughter Leigh McCullough and husband Andrew and their children AJ and Kaitlin Rebecca; daughter Rebecca Greenlaw, special niece Suzanne Follis; his “first Family” he helped his sister Gladys raise, niece Phyllis (Spear) Gagnon and husband Ron and their sons, Shaun, Alex and Ben; nephew Robert Spear and wife Kelly and their children Leona, Bobbie-Jo and Nancy; nephew Michael Morrison and wife Tami and their daughter Heather Whitten, nephew Gray “Bumpy” Morrison and wife Anita, niece Jennie Darrah and husband Bill, nephew Matthew Morrison and his wife Maryam; niece Doreen Johnson and husband Brian and their children Opal, Brandi and Nicholas, niece Ellen Townsend and daughter Tiffany, niece-in-law Mary Spear, brother-in-law Gray “Buddy” Morrison and wife Kay, sister-in-law Sally Young and husband Mike and their children Jessica Johnson and Sarah LeClair, Niece Sunday Francis and husband John, niece Samantha Dudley and husband Steven; nephew Nathan Putnam and wife Julie, nephew Elijah Putnam, nephew Luke Putnam and wife Tammy, nephew Jeremy and wife Wendy, great nieces and nephews, Mercedes, Gage, Abby, Stewart, Sarah, Ben and Laura Rose, Matthew, Kevin, John, Isabelle, John, Joseph, James, Deborah, Danette, Heather and Connor. He was also survived by many great- great nieces and nephews, special friends, and his adored former students both at Church and Schools, and his Church families.
Calvin was predeceased by his parents; son Theodore Richard, sister Virginia “Ginny” and Ang Ohmeis, sister Gladys and husband’s Chick Spear and Gordon Carter, sister Martha Morrison, brother John and wife Ruth, brother Gordon and wife Calla, niece Mary Reynolds and husband Byron Reynolds and his nephew David Spear who was part of his “first family”, father and mother in law William and Geraldine Follis, brothers-in-law William Follis Jr. and Ronald Putnam and his wife Judith.
At Calvin’s request graveside services will be announced and held in the spring at Bayside Cemetery, Eastport with Pastor Barry Blackstone officiating.
Those who desire may make contributions in Calvin’s memory to the Emmanuel Baptist Church, 50 School Street, Ellsworth, 04605 or Camp Good News, 413 Campground Rd, Livermore Falls,04254.
Arrangements in care of Acadia Burial & Cremation Direct, 248 State St., Ellsworth. Condolences may be expressed at www.acadiacremation.com
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