Chester Frederick Fossett, 94, died on Jan. 26, 2025 at St. Andrews Village in Boothbay Harbor.
He was the son of Frederick Miller Fossett and Floretta ”Toat” Chester Emerson Fossett and was born at the old St. Andrews Hospital on May 26, 1930. A lifelong resident of Boothbay Harbor, Chester grew up at Spruce Point. He attended the Eastside Grammar School and graduated from Boothbay Harbor High School in 1947 and Maine Maritime Academy in 1950. Chester married Alice Margaret Trask on Aug. 15, 1954 at the Boothbay Harbor Methodist Church and they celebrated 64 and a half years of marriage.
He shipped out for many years as a first assistant engineer for Farrell Lines traveling as far as South Africa and Korea. In 1962 Chester left the sea, “swallowed the anchor,” and worked for John Hancock Insurance Company for 20 years. He also was a realtor for many years. He ran for Lincoln County Treasurer and served from 1970-1986 until he ran for Lincoln County Registrar of Probate in 1986 and served for a total of 44 years, retiring in 2014. His family was one of the founding families of Lincoln County, tracing his ancestors to a land grant from the King of England prior to the Revolutionary War.
Chester was civic minded and volunteered at the First Methodist Church as a Sunday School teacher, trustee, and choir tenor; Maine Republican Party treasurer; Maine Red Cross treasurer; Rotary; Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Board, served on the Boothbay Harbor School Board for many years, and was past president of the Boothbay Harbor YMCA. He was a lifelong member of the Masons.
Chester played the saxophone in the high school band and orchestra as well as in the Maine Maritime Academy dance band. He loved big band/swing music and Willie Nelson, and attended three of his concerts. He was active in sports in high school and later taught racquetball at the YMCA and played competitively, was a jogger, played tennis and volleyball. Chester became an avid golfer later in life. He loved the Boston sports teams, attending many Red Sox games with the whole family of three generations. A lifelong voracious reader, he may have been the best 94-year-old patron the BHML had.
He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Sally Ann Schopper; a nephew, Frederick Schopper; and the love of his life, his wife, Alice.
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