Neal G. Tranten, of Kingfield, passed away at home surround by his four daughters and four sons on January 10, 2017. He accepted death knowing he had lived a full and rich life.

Neal was born eighty-four years ago on November 19,1932. He was raised in Anson, Maine by his parents Harold and Mary Tranten. He had one sibling, a brother, Donald Tranten, who died at a young age of Leukemia. Neal attended Madison High school, playing football all four years. Neal continued to love the sport of football.

As a young man, Neal joined the U.S. Marines, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. While escorting a young lady to a week-end dance on base, he met another young lady, his future wife, the late Eva Mozelle Tranten. Neal and Mozelle exchanged dance partners that night, and became partners themselves for over 50 years of marriage.

He returned to Maine in 1955, moving to Kingfield to work for his father at the Tranten General Store. His butcher block was often surrounded by locals deciding town politics. He brought the delicatessen idea to town by selling Italian sandwiches from behind the meat case. He not only was the butcher, but had a roll top desk tucked in the back serving as the town office to carry out his town clerk duties. He’d sell fishing licenses and perform marriages in that corner of the store. He ventured to build a new grocery store thirty years ago, which is now Tranten’s Family Market on Main Street in Kingfield.

He taught the love of the outdoors to his children by being an avid hunter and fisherman. He would often spend an evening fly fishing below the dam in Kingfield. Even though he got to experience fly fishing in Newfoundland and Iceland, everyone knew his favorite spot to fish was Shiloh Pond.

Neal also had another favorite pastime, raising and training horses for harness racing all over the state of Maine, out of state and in Canada. He became a very well respected member of the Maine harness racing family. He was a member of the Maine Harness Horseman Association and the Maine Standard bred Breeders and Owners Association. He was awarded the Life Time Award by the Maine Harness Horseman’s Association.

Neal is survived by his eight married children, twenty grandchildren, and sixteen great grandchildren. Visiting hours for the family by friends and the community will be at the Giberson Funeral Home in Madison on Friday, January 13th, 4:00 to 7:00. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kingfield Methodist Church and/or the Webster Library of Kingfield. There will be a celebration of life in the spring for family, friends, and community to celebrate Neal’s life time accomplishments.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Giberson Funeral Home, Madison.