RAYMOND- Martin Thomas Krauter of Raymond, Maine passed away Wednesday night November 11 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough after a brief battle with cancer.
Martin was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on September 7, 1946 to Bernhard Christian who was a first-generation German immigrant and Sara Krauter (née Gannon). Martin had one sister Evelyn Averill of Easton, Connecticut. The family settled in Brunswick, Maine. Early in life Bernhard passed away and Sara remarried Robert St. Pierre who would continue to hold a warm place in Martin’s heart. Martin had three step-siblings in Mike St. Pierre of Brunswick, Maine, Linda Voelker of Franklin, New Hampshire, and Ivy St. Pierre Cilley also of Franklin, New Hampshire.
Martin was a veteran of the US Army where he served in Germany. He was very proud of his service later in life. While in the Army he played football both in Germany and in the US when he was stationed in Georgia. After completing his service, he stayed on and played Semi-Pro football for the Atlanta Falcons before returning to Maine.
Martin met the love of his life, Lucinda Grace Krauter (née Farmer) in Boothbay, Maine while she was working for a friend at a redemption center. They married and had one son Benjamin Bernhard Krauter of Gorham, Maine who was born in 1982.
Martin went to the University of Miami and the University of Maine, finishing his degree in political science and public administration at the University of Southern Maine in 1997. He worked most of his life as a Town Manager. He ran the Maine towns of Brownville, Limestone, Caribou, Raymond where his son grew up and he built his home, Harpswell, and Fryeburg. He was an innovative manager and the brightest man in any room he entered. His proudest achievement was the creation of the Tassle Top Park in Raymond which he arranged through the Land for Maine’s Future program and then oversaw its design and opening. Among his many professional affiliations, he was Past Chair of the Cumberland County Managers Association, Southern Maine Economic Development District, and Maine Health Systems Agency.
Martin loved sports. He played football, basketball, and golf among others. He was a Little League umpire for many years and a member of the Central Maine Board of Umpires. His favorite sport however was stock car racing. Martin began racing at Unity Speedway in 1973. He went on to race at every track in the state of Maine and several in New Hampshire. He also went auto crossing with the Sports Car Club of America and road racing at Briarwood Motorsports Park which was the predecessor to New Hampshire International Speedway. His favorite though was racing on the ice. He was at one point the President of the Northeast Ice Racing Association that ran races from Upstate New York to Northern Maine. He also was active with the New Meadows Ice Racing Association in West Bath.
Later in life after his wife’s passing in 2008, he took most joy in his son Ben’s racing exploits and his two grandsons Alex and Avery Krauter-Foley of Saco Maine. He enjoyed spending Saturdays with his grandsons, taking them to school, taking them to Beech Ridge Motor Speedway to watch Ben race, and in 2020 going to Bartlett Bridge Speedway to watch Alex and Avery race Go Karts. He was an invaluable support to Ben and to his grandsons’ racing endeavors both financially and in terms of knowledge. None of the three of them could roll out for a feature without his handshake and advice of, “Good luck, have fun, bring it back in one piece!”
Martin met his partner Carol Anderson of Rutherford, New Jersey in 2010 and they dated on and off for several years until they became inseparable more recently. Carol would frequently travel to Maine to see Martin and they would spend time together, particularly enjoying traveling to her cottage in Chesterville, Maine. Martin appreciated her quick wit and tenacious spirit.
Arrangements are being handled by Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service in Buxton. Martin’s ashes will be buried on Southport Island with his late wife. A celebration of life will be held but due to Covid restrictions the family is choosing to wait until springtime. Please contact his son Ben at 207-632-3498 if you would like to be involved in remembering Martin and he can provide information. In lieu of flowers the family is asking for donations to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House of Scarborough in Martin’s memory.
Private arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com
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