CHEBEAGUE ISLAND — Winthrop (Wink) Palmer Houghton, Jr., 53, of Chebeague Island, Maine, died September 8, 2012 at home after a long illness.

Wink was born September 17, 1958 in Concord, New Hampshire and grew up in Biddeford, Maine. He graduated from Biddeford High School in 1976. He studied Environmental Studies at the University of Maine in Orono. He received a degree from SMVTI in Building Trades in 1980.  He also went through the NOLS, National Outdoors Leadership School low impact ice climbing in the Cascades. He was self-employed as a carpenter in Shapleigh, Maine and Chebeague Island. For the past sixteen years has been a lobsterman on Chebeague.

Wink is survived by his wife Patricia; his daughter Danielle Rideout and her husband Shawn and his granddaughter Alexandria; his son, David Rich; his parents Ruth and Winthrop Houghton, Sr.; his brother Theodore Houghton and a niece Rebecca Pellerin and her husband Pete and their daughter Juliette; and several cousins, aunts and uncles. Also survived by his adoptive family Chris, Frankie, Justin and Zach Doughty.

Wink loved fishing, lobstering, carpentry, music and nature. He loved to chat and had a whimsical sense of humor. He was kind and generous and always there to give a helping hand.

He loved blue grass music and the Grateful Dead.

The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the Chebeague Community for all their love, compassion and support.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, September 15th at the Chebeague United Methodist Church at 1 pm.

Donations may be made to the Wink Jr. Benefit Fund, c/o Chebeague United Methodist Church, 258 North

For people coming to the service on Saturday - click here for directions to the Parking lot. There will be a bus meeting the noon boat to transport people to the church.

A tribute to Wink Jr. by Carl Pepin in the Seacoastline.com - click here.