Cecil Charles Percy, 88, a longtime well-known businessman, passed away at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Born in North Duxbury on December 19, 1927, he was the son of the late Cecil A. and Effie A. (Lewis) Percy. On February 16, 1949, he married the former Doris B. Dwire in Montpelier. Doris predeceased Cecil on November 21, 1975.
Cecil grew up in the Duxbury-Waterbury area and attended schools in both towns. As a young man he worked briefly at the Vermont State Hospital and Edelstein Farm in Bellows Falls before enlisting to serve his country as a member of the U.S. Navy. Following his discharge, Cecil then embarked on a career path working for E. F. Hoyt of Portland, Maine, erecting towers, including two for Radio Vermont -WDEV on Blush Hill in Waterbury, a visible and well-known landmark.
In May of 1949, Cecil founded his own company, Steeple Construction, and for over four decades built and repaired steeples, painted smokestacks throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Maine, and worked for numerous phone companies erecting and maintaining microwave towers in the New York-New Jersey area as well as New England. In addition, Cecil maintained, repaired and replaced innumerable roofs and lightning systems throughout central Vermont as well as owned and operated a septic service business for several years. He retired at the age of 80.
An avid pilot, Cecil earned his aviation license in 1967 and enjoyed the wild blue yonder throughout the years along with buying and selling a number of aircraft – a venture he enjoyed with his flying buddies, Jack Centonze, Lucien Houle, Charlie Forbes and his best friend, Jed Ladd. In his leisure time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and sailing on Lake Champlain while at his camp in North Hero. His memberships included the Winooski Lodge #49 F&AM and the Harry N. Cutting American Legion Post 59, both of Waterbury, and he was a member and AEMT for the Waterbury Ambulance Service for over 15 years.
Cecil is survived by his children, Brenda Walbridge and her husband Philip of Waterbury Center, Carolee A. Stridsberg and her husband Lawrence of Waterbury Center; his companion for over 30 years, Anita Nichols of Waterbury Center; his grandchildren, Barbara Catchapaw and her husband Robert of Moretown, Porter Walbridge and his wife Sonja of Barre; great-grandchildren, Steven Peck, Thomas Peck, Rhiannon White, Miranda Walbridge, and Porter Walbridge Jr.; a great great-grandson, Ambrous Carter; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Cecil was predeceased by his stepson, Harold Atkins; a sister, Cola N. Reilly; and a brother, Lyle R. Percy.
The family would like to extend their deep appreciation to the doctors, nurses and staff at the Renal Dialysis Unit at the UVM Medical Center for their exceptional care, compassion and kindness extended to Cecil over the past four years.
Funeral services will be held from Wesley United Methodist Church in Waterbury on Thursday, July 28, 2016, at noon with interment to follow in Maple Street Cemetery, Waterbury Center. A reception will follow the burial at the Waterbury Area Senior Center. There are no calling hours. For those who wish, memorial gifts in lieu of flowers would be appreciated to the Waterbury Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 95, Waterbury Center, VT 05677, or to Central Vermont Humane Society, P.O. Box 687, Montpelier, VT 05601 (www.centralvermonthumane.org). Assisting the family is Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com.
