Obituaries

Peter B. Wert

Peter Beyer Wert passed away on January 23, 2023, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Born on March 9, 1945, in Denver, Colorado, to his parents Dr. Robert Joseph Wert and Ann Beyer Wert. Peter’s parents moved back to California in 1947 where his father and mother had met while attending Stanford University in the early 40s and where Rob would complete a Ph.D. in Education then work in the Stanford University administration. Peter grew up on the Stanford campus with his brother Alec and Amy Wert. Peter attended Palo Alto High School where he met his future wife, Barbara Austin. After graduating from Palo Alto H.S., Peter attended Colorado College, Menlo College and then graduated from Stanford University in 1970 with a B.A. in Communications. That same year his son Justin Robert Wert was born.

He began his career as a fundraiser in New York City working for several colleges and universities. In 1976 he moved to Washington D.C., to work as a fundraiser for the American Film Institute. In 1978 AFI transferred him to Hollywood where he also started doing some independent film producing. Then he started fundraising for the Motion Picture and Television Fund. He also served as president for the nonprofit Children of the Night organization in Hollywood. During these years, he lived in Santa Monica and Valencia. Peter excelled in amateur racing as a member of the Sports Car Club of America, continuing his father’s love of fast sports cars.

In the 90s, Peter moved back to Northern California where he operated cab companies and then retired to Lovell, Maine in 2014, to be with his partner, Catherine Stone. Peter relocated to Charlottesville, Va., in 2021, where he was close to his son Justin, a professor of English at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and his grandson Ian Robert Wert.

Peter is survived by his sister Amy Johnson of Gig Harbor, Wash., his son Justin Robert Wert of Charlottesville and his grandchildren William Wert of Daniel Island, S.C.; Larry Wert of Oxford, Miss.; and Ian Wert of Charlottesville.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Piedmont Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Scholarships in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Melissa J. Kluge

PORTLAND — Melissa Jill Kluge, 56, lost her courageous battle with leukemia Friday, February 17, 2023, at Maine Medical Center with her daughters by her side. She was born May 9, 1966, in Rumford, the daughter of Fredrick Kluge and Linda Edwards.

Melissa graduated from Lake Region High School Class of 1984 where she played field hockey and basketball. Following graduation, she went on to attend Castleton University and graduated from USM.

After graduation she was employed by Hancock Lumber to write The History of Casco for the celebration of the sesquicentennial. After spending years raising her two daughters, Melissa went on to get her master’s in education.

Working as a special education teacher was her passion. She went above and beyond for all her students. At the time of her passing she was teaching special education at Oxford Hills High School. She spent her summers teaching swimming lessons, working as a BHP, and preparing for Casco Days. The last weekend in July every year was devoted to making sure Casco Days and the parade ran smoothly.

Melissa enjoyed winters snowshoeing with her dog Greta and summers outside with the birds or her toes in the water. She enjoyed spending her free time reading. She was a loving, devoted, hard-working mother, daughter, and friend who will be dearly missed.

She leaves behind her two daughters Paige Sullivan and husband James Sullivan, and Lindsey Kenison; her mother Linda Edwards; sisters Sally Willey and Meredith Kluge; brother Andrew Kluge; also surviving are aunts, uncles and cousins. She was predeceased by her father Fredrick Kluge.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date to be announced. Those who wish to remember Melissa in a special way may make gifts in her memory to Casco Days Association or the Casco Library. Arrangements are in the care of the Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Road in Casco. www. hallfuneralhome.net.

Always Improving

an incoherence and inconsistency that don’t serve him well.

Apparently, he takes great umbrage that Musk and Bezos, classic American success stories, spend their skillfully attained assets in a way (foolish and wasteful) he doesn’t approve of. It’s curious if foolish and wasteful are of importance to him, there’s nary a reference to the biggest agent of waste and foolishness — the federal government. If you want to lose, and I mean lose a few hundred billion, the federal gov - ernment is your preferred destination. Please bear in mind if Bezos or Musk, in fact foolishly spend money, it’s theirs as opposed to the government wasting money that was ours.

What a sophisticated and integrated beautifully documented economic explanation of our economic peril he reveals. Climate change (of course) COVID, and the war in Ukraine, all inextricably woven together are the cause of our difficulties. Curiously, it doesn’t occur to him an incompetent federal gov -

LETTERS, Page 4B