By Ray Cardello for December 27, 2024, Season 30 / Post 40

Ted Foss is a lifelong resident of Maine and was a 22-year veteran of the Maine State Police after serving in the Marine Corps in the late 50s and early 60s. As a State Trooper, Ted served in Skowhegan, Thomaston, on the Governor Security Detail, Houlton, and the Headquarters in Augusta. Ted is still active with his fellow troopers, and last year, when visiting Pennsylvania, he saw something that he knew had to be replicated in his home state. Pennsylvania has lost hundreds of troopers while serving and has a beautiful monument on Pennsylvania Route 84 to memorialize these brave men. Maine has lost 12 brave Troopers since 1924. Sadly, Ted knew some of the State Troopers who had fallen in the line of duty and recognized that there was no monument to identify and pay tribute to these men who gave their lives to keep the folks of Maine safe. He set out to correct that void. These are the names of the men who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives while serving the State of Maine as State Troopers and the date they ended their watch.

                                           Emery O. Gooch August 9, 1924

                                           Fred A. Foster August 30, 1925

                                           Frank C. Wing August 19, 1928

                                          Charles C. Black July 9, 1964

                                          Thomas J. Merry July 12, 1980

                                          Michael R Veilleux June 17, 1986

                                          Giles R. Landry March 31, 1989

                                          Rene A. Goupil January 23, 1990

                                          Jefferey S. Parola November 13, 1994

                                         James A. Griffith April 15, 1996

                                         Glenn Strange October 17, 1997

                                         Benjamin J Campbell April 3, 2019

Ted has been working on the Maine State Trooper Memorial since 2023 and hopes to have the Maine Memorial in place by 2026. He first found a spot to place the monument. The Northbound Kennebec rest area on the Maine Turnpike (Rte 95N) is the proposed spot for the forever home of the memorial, and approval is forthcoming. Ted worked with Collette Monuments in Lewiston, Maine, to design a monument. The granite stone is topped with the Maine State Police Patch, and the pedestal has an individual badge with the names of each fallen hero. At the base under a Trooper stetson are the words:

                                             We Remember Those Who Have Given

                                           The Ultimate Sacrifice In The Line Of Duty

                                                 Rest In Peace. We’ve Got The Watch

Ted is gathering the funds needed to realize his vision and give these brave men a fitting tribute to their sacrifice. Projects and memorials like Ted envisioned involve tremendous costs, and the Maine Memorial costs $30,000. He has commitments for $16,000 but still needs $14,000 to complete the project. The project has the full support of the Maine State Troopers Foundation, which donated significantly to the effort. This memorial is long overdue Ted hopes the people of Maine will help raise the remaining monies to make this vision a lasting reality.

Donations can be sent to Maine State Troopers Foundation (MSTF), Attention Monument, 101 Bangor Road, Unity, Maine 04988