Wellington ("Duke") Ramsey, 92, passed away peacefully on July 16th with loving family singing and praying by his side. Duke was born in Bryn Mawr, PA on April 18,1919, the son of Bessie Laura (Light) and Herbert Marseilles Ramsey, and was named after his grandfather Wellington Wiedman Light. He attended Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA, where, at 6'4" tall, he got nicknamed "Abe" and played basketball. From there he attended Cornell University, getting nicknamed "Deacon" by his Psi Upsilon fraternity brothers because of his regular church service attendance. He played varsity basketball there and was a captain in his senior year, graduating with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1941. He was rejected from military service in the war because of a previous injury, but worked a variety of jobs after college, including one that was a small piece of the Manhattan Project. Duke was introduced on a blind date to Jeanne "Deedee" Weir while living in Erie, PA, where they married on April 24, 1948. Within a few years they settled in Haverford, PA, where they raised three children. Duke established a career at the Atlantic Oil Co. (later ARCO) refinery in Philadelphia that lasted nearly 25 years. His life in Haverford was filled with a whirlwind of social activities: dinner parties; bridge games; golf games; badminton club and church activities. His love for the outdoors was instilled in his children through many family camping vacations touring the east coast from Nova Scotia to Florida over the years. In their mid-50's, Duke and Deedee backpacked some of the White Mountains, and later, Mt. Katahdin. As a surprise for their 40th wedding anniversary, they enjoyed an all-expenses paid trip to Yellowstone National Park. In the spring of 1976, Duke and Deedee left the "rat race" of suburban Philadelphia and moved to New Sharon, ME to pursue a back-to-the-land dream of farming vegetables. After three years of truck farming, Wellspring Farm began producing a variety of herbal vinegars, dilly beans, and novelties. Duke also worked at the State Office of Energy Resources. Duke had a wonderful (sometimes silly) sense of humor, loved to create gag gifts, play practical jokes and joined heartily in family dress-ups when the costume box came out. Duke and Deedee sold Wellspring Farm and relocated in New Sharon near his son's family in 1999, and Duke resided there until entering Sandy River Center in early May of 2011. He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Elizabeth Sample, and a grandson, Christopher Luke Ramsey. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Deedee (Jeanne), children Pamela Ramsey of Union, ME; Phyllis Stitt and husband Jeff of Vida, MT; and Tony Ramsey and wife Cathy of New Sharon, ME. Also survived by six grandchildren: Janis, Jason, Noah, Welly, Emily, and Julia; and two nieces: Sandy Kulpinski and husband Bish of Havertown, PA, and Dorothy Ray and husband James of Brick, NJ. RAMSEY -- died, at Farmington, 7/16/2011, Wellington "Duke" Ramsey, of New Sharon. Public memorial services will be held Tuesday afternoon, July 26, 2011, at 1 PM from the Old South Congregational Church, 227 Main St., Farmington. Following services, a reception will be held in the church vestry, hosted by the Hospitality Committee. All are welcome. Remembrance gifts may be given in his memory to the Sandy River Resident Council (for gardening projects) Sandy River Center 119 Livermore Falls Rd. Farmington, Me. 04938. Condolences and tributes may be shared with his family on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com. Arrangements are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington, Me. 04938.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Wellington Ramsey, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.