Alfred Leroy Carkin

Alfred Leroy Carkin, Sr., 89, of Pepperell, died March17, 2015 at the St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Brighton. He was born in Groton, the son of Sidney Leroy Carkin and Charlotte Lillian (Oldershaw) Carkin. He moved to Pepperell in the 1970s. He was a descendent of Mayflower passenger George Soule, and many original proprietors of Groton.

Alfred was a WWII Veteran, serving as a motorman in the U.S. Navy on "LST 582" and the "Mt. Olympus" in the Pacific Theater. Among his most vivid memories were the invasions of Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa and transporting stranded Japanese soldiers to their homeland at the close of the war. For his wartime service he received the WW II Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal-1 Bronze Star, Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal 2 Bronze Stars.

After the war, he returned to his job at the Groton Leather board but soon opened "Carkin's Garage". He later operated "The Bike Shop" and "Al's Power Equipment" in Groton where he "sold the best and repaired the rest" bicycles and power equipment. Alfred could fix just about anything and was known as a superb diesel mechanic.

He was a 50+ year member of the Caleb Butler Masonic Lodge, AF&AM in Ayer, a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Scottish Rite, Shriner, and member of the Aleppo Shrine.

Alfred was preceded in death by his parents; infant sister Eleanor and sister Carol (Ernest) DiCicco; brothers, Norman (Charlotte), Gerald (Mildred) and Rodger (Shirley) Carkin; and his son, Alfred Leroy (June) Carkin, Jr. Grandson Brian Doucette and great grandson Henry William Carkin Stevens.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis Lorraine (Seidl) Carkin; three daughters, Sandra (Dr. Steven) St. Martin of Columbus, OH, Karen Doucette and Donna (John) Wyman, and a very special daughter-in-law, June (Lunn) Carkin, all of Pepperell; 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. He also leaves four siblings; Louise (Frank) Scimemi of Groton, George (Helen) Carkin of Lake City, CO, Sidney (Donna) Carkin Jr. of Oklahoma City, OK, and Charlotte (Paul) Hyden of Leominster, and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Alfred will also be missed by his shipmates of LST 582, with whom he retained a life-long friendship.