History of Funeral Service in Hampden

During the later 1800’s, the person called at a time of death in Hampden, was Timothy C. Sparrow of Hampden Highlands, an undertaker and cabinet maker.  Mr. “TC” Sparrow was an undertaker in town for over forty years.  His business was located by Reeds Brook, on Main Road South.  In those days funerals were held in the home.  T.C. had a shop in the back of his residence where he made caskets. 

The preparing of the body was done at the home of the deceased, where the service and wake (or calling hours) were held.  During this period of time any person who passed away in the winter, was placed in the old horse stables, which the town used as a vault.  The building is now the home of Mystic Masonic Lodge #65 A.F. & A. M. of Hampden.  Mr. Sparrow had a son named Leslie who expanded the business to include complete auto livery service.  A licensed undertaker to any part of the state, he was known as a Furnishing Undertaker.  Leslie ran the funeral home during the late 1920’s, 30s and 40s and relocated the business to the home that is now owned by Walter and Deb Cupples, on Main Road North.  Leslie had an assistant by the name of Clair Trask who worked with him.  Within these years, the town started using the Sanger Vault located at Locust Grove Cemetery on Main Road South for any death that occurred in the wintertime.  After the passing of Leslie, his estate sold the business to Clark-Mitchell Funeral Home, a firm that had several locations in neighboring towns with its principle location in Bangor.  Clark-Mitchell had several managers over the years; John Farnham was the first known manager, after his tenure Cecil Pert took over as manager.  Later the firm closed the Hampden location and concentrated its efforts in their larger communities.  They were located in the home now owned by Helene Jacobs on Main Road North.  During this same time Clarence Libbey, a licensed undertaker in Brewer, and Clair Trask joined together to form Trask & Libbey Funeral Home, which was located where the former Town Café restaurant building is now.  As times changed and the owners grew older, Trask & Libbey eventually closed.

In 1969 Raymond St. Pierre, a licensed funeral director who was a native of Maine, wanted a business of his own. Raymond had been working in the funeral profession in California and Connecticut, when he decided that he wanted a business of his own.  He chose Hampden, because he thought it would be a lovely town to raise his four young children.  He purchased the property at 45 Western Avenue from Ben and Grace Baker.  Raymond built an addition on to the property and operated the business for twenty years.

In the late 1970’s the Town of Hampden built a new winter vault at Lakeview Cemetery on Western Avenue, which the town continues to use. In 1989, Raymond St. Pierre sold the business to Garry R. Gilpatrick.

Garry continues to run the business today. It is still located at 45 Western Avenue.  In 1999, Garry changed the name to Hampden-Gilpatrick. This was done due to the growing number of changes in ownership to corporate funeral homes, within the State of Maine. Today as in the past, the funeral home offers a complete array of services, from simple cremation to the traditional funeral services for your loved one.

We are a nondenominational death care provider, our focus is on helping families make the transition to life without their loved one, by adding dignity to death.  Our mission is to be a “ Point of Light at a time of need” for the families we serve.

This website was designed and is maintained for the Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home
of Hampden, Maine, by Specialty Web Design Ltd., Websites for the funeral industry.