Asher Jerome Chambers, 75, died January 15, 2011 at Eagle Lake following a long illness. He was born at Island Falls, December 21, 1935, the son of Asher D. and Martha Adelia (Higgins) Chambers. He was raised and educated in Caribou, where he worked at Doaks Radio and TV Shop and Condon’s Candies. He was on of the first technicians at the WAGM TV station in Presque Isle, when it opened. He attended a two year program at Ricker College in Houlton, followed by graduation from a two year program in technology and electronics at Southern Maine Technical College. He worked in California for a technology company and was therein drafted in the US Army in 1958. He was trained at Fort Hood in radar technology and heavy artillery, served two years of active duty in Germany, two years of active reserve duty and two years of inactive reserve duty based in CT. While in Connecticut he worked at mold making, tool and die work, and precision machining for two businesses, Franklin Engraving and Prototype and Plastic Mold, Inc. He designed gun stock patents and created exemplary originals of all kinds for large companies such as Iona Electric, GM, Avon and Winchester, who then made up to millions of reproduction parts from his original. An example would be a piece for a seat belt in a car, where safety and precision was paramount. He also supervised industrial lines in a factory as a second daily eight hour job. After moving back to Caribou in 1979, he worked at Mecon Manufacturing doing similar work, and at BMW. In retirement years, he assisted family members with their projects in agriculture and business. He enjoyed helping with the harvest, deliveries and sales. He restored antique Indian motorcycles and used the “29” to attend meets. He did leatherworking and small metal work, creating brass and copper engravings and others objects using a pantograph. Some of his fine art included the engraving of size adjusted drawings on hand cut brass belt buckles, and making metal signature plates for family art. One of his great gifts was mechanical expertise under the hood of any vehicle. Jerome was a superb mathematician and was learned about the complete ages of automobiles, aviation, and railway transportation. His hobbies were photography and film history. He was a loyal Red Sox fan, played jazz piano, cribbage, chess and radio. He rode in antique and modern small air craft when opportunities arose. In the late 1940’s, young Jerome helped to cut and log out trees with and old panel truck in order to build an original camp and family camp at Cross Lake with his father, a role model for planning, and master carpentry. He invented and carved water craft models, added motors and fans, and ran them on the still water. He gained knowledge about nature, especially birds and small animals, and he would feed them from this hand. He was in the first Scout troop in Caribou, and received one of the first advance awards in Aroostook County. He had long patience, was quiet, and an avid and agreeable listener, which gained him lifelong friendships and sharpened a keen intuition. He had a sense of adventure and automotive experimentation that caused a tractor trailer engine to be installed in a 49 Chevy in the front yard; it leaped when the gas pedal was depressed like a plane taking off, causing the boltings to shudder and fenders to raise up. Jerome especially had interest in early Thunderbirds because the interior was designed like an airplane cockpit, as well as large production cars of the sixties. He was the eldest of many grandchildren and had young aunts and uncles all around who cared about his from his first day. Jerome is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Gertrude L. (Trudy) and C. Ronald Price of Freedom and Mrs. Betheny Andrea and Gregory C. Anderson of Caribou; a daughter Mrs. Martha Jean and John Kennedy of Rocky Hill, CT, three step-daughters Mrs. Gwenn and Steve Vecchitto of Miami, FLA, Mrs. Karen and Joe Cancelliere of Cromwell, CT and Ms. Cindy Lipka of Rocky Hill, CT.; four nephews Kyle R. and Karen Price of Winslow, Travis D. Price of Freedom, Jody R. Smith of Caribou and Whitney H. and Katie D. Smith of Caribou; great nephews and niece Kevin A Price, Kody Asher Price and Karlee A. Price and great nephews and niece Michael G. Smith, Matthew Asher Smith and MacKenna L. Smith. Aunts Charlotte (Mrs. Barry) Higgins Short of Houlton, Mrs. Dora L. (Dode) Akeley of Bath, Mrs. Dorothy L. (Tot) Smith of Richmond, KY, Newty (Mrs. Roy) Chambers of Rockland; uncle Fred S. (Bud) Higgins of Nevada, many cousins to include Timothy G. Akeley of Bath and Kevin Short of Smyrna Mills and other dear ones far away. He was predeceased by infant elder brother Vaughn Asher, his former wife and the girls mother Ella (Cassarion) Chambers, and his parents. He will be remembered by former brother in law Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. (Dick) Smith of Westmanland. He will be missed by life long family and personal friend David Hilton of Cumberland Center, Mark Malnichuk of Perham and Ms. Sheila Morin of Caribou, creative people all. Jerome was a member of the Caribou Masonic Lodge #170. Funeral services will be private. Interment will take place at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery. An outside memorial service will be held in the summer for family and friends. Friends who wish to contribute in memory of Jerome may do so to the American Cancer Society, The Bessie Gray Memorial United Methodist Church or to the non profit organization of one’s choice.
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