Surry, Maine - Joe Stockbridge Jr., of Surry, Maine, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2026, at the age of 92, following a life marked by a deep commitment to family, community and public service. Joe was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of Joseph T. and Charlotte E. (Moor) Stockbridge.

When he was a little boy, his parents relocated to Ellsworth, Maine, to be closer to family. He went to Ellsworth schools, graduating from Ellsworth High School. Following a year of employment at a local florist and greenhouse, he began studies in forestry at the University of Maine in Orono, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry. While at Orono, he was enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC). Following graduation, Joe was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He completed active-duty service both in the United States and France before returning to Maine where he married his college sweetheart, Judy Carroll of Southwest Harbor, Maine. Joe and Judy then moved to Oregon, where Joe began a long and distinguished career with the U.S. Forest Service. Throughout the next three decades, the family lived in multiple communities, while being employed on four different National Forests, and raising four children. Near the end of his career, Joe accepted a Forest Service assignment to the National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He retired after more than 30 years of federal service, and then he and Judy returned to Maine, settling in Surry.

Joe is survived by his loving wife and best friend of many years, their four children, seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.

Throughout his life, both during his career and in retirement, Joe was deeply involved in civic and volunteer service. He was active in Rotary and church vestry. After returning to Maine, he expanded his dedication to public service through long-term involvement with town committees, his local planning board and organizations like Rotary, Literacy Volunteers of Hancock County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry and Friendship Cottage. He loved being a volunteer driver for Friends in Action, and a member of the local garden club. He was also a longtime member of the Episcopal church. Joe's personal interests reflected his love of the outdoors. He especially enjoyed gardening, bicycling, cross-country skiing, hiking, hunting, and fishing, pursuits he often shared with family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Saint Dunstan's Episcopal Church, 134 State St., Ellsworth, Maine, at 11 a.m. June 5, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe's memory may be made to Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, P.O.Box 1672, Ellsworth, ME 04605, loavesandfishesellsworth.org; Ellsworth High School Alumni Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1, Ellsworth, ME 04605; and Town of Surry Memorial Park Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 147, Surry, ME 04684. Condolences may be shared with the family through Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home at jordanfernald.com.