Eric Dagley

Eric N. Dagley, of Wells, passed away on Thursday Nov. 14, 2024, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. He was 75.

Eric was born on Jan. 27, 1949, a loving son of June and Kenneth Dagley.
He grew up in Danvers, Mass and graduated from Danvers High School in 1967. He went on to receive an associate’s degree from the Andover Institute of Business.

Eric served in the US Navy Reserve from 1969 to 1974. Following his discharge, Eric had a long and interesting career at Delta Airlines at Boston Logan International Airport. He held various jobs including customer support, management, and information technology. He retired in 2008 with 35 years of dedicated service.

Eric shared 42 years of marriage with his loving wife, Barbara Dagley, of Wells. Together, they raised three daughters. He loved spending time with his daughters outside, teaching them life lessons such as how to stack firewood and garden.

Eric fulfilled his dream to build a house in Wells, where they lived since 2008.
Eric was most comfortable in a flannel shirt and pair of jeans, working outside in his garden or riding his motorcycle or snowmobile.

Eric and his wife were active members of Black Sheep Harley-Davidsons for Christ. The couple loved riding through the Notches of New Hampshire, the Kancamagus Highway, and White Mountain National Forest. They had memorable rides to Acadia National Park, Cadillac Mountain, and Bar Harbor in Maine. Eric loved the freedom of riding and being outside and one with nature.

The ministry was an important part of Eric’s life. Every spring, Eric and his wife visited motorcycle dealerships in Maine and New Hampshire’s Seacoast area to offer bike blessings and prayers to new riders. As a symbolic gesture, they often shined the boots of other bikers and visited sick or injured riders in the hospital.

Eric and his wife were active members of Messiah Christian Church in Wells. Eric was proud to have started a ministry called MICAH, Men in Christ Administering Help. As part of the ministry, Eric would organize a group of men to perform service work in the community, such as yard work, washing windows, and minor home repairs.

Eric was a humble man, who devoted his life to serving others. In the winter months, he had a plow on his truck. He was known to stop and help people clean up after winter storms. Barbara remembered the day they were driving to the store, and he turned around to help a woman in a wheelchair get up the ramp to her house. He helped many friends with home improvement projects and helped many others with moving. If there was a need, Eric always stepped up to help.

Eric faced a nearly four-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer with courage and grace. He fought like a tiger and his faith never wavered.

“There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t tell me how much he loved me,” Barbara said. “I’ll never forget that. He was always one to hug me. He was a very affectionate guy. I used to call him a mush bucket. He would cry at the drop of a hat. He was so strong, but he had the softest heart. I’ll miss that.”

Eric is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their three daughters, Jennifer Reynolds, of Danvers; Mass.; Kimberly Annarelli, of Tewksbury, Mass; and Vanessa Sandvil, of Laconia, N.H. He is survived his brother, Steven Dagley, of Freedom, NH., his wife Pam, and their two children; and seven grandchildren.

A time of visitation will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22 at Messiah Christian Church, 2700 Post Rd. in Wells. A service will immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Eric’s memory to Gosnell Memorial Hospice house, 11 Hunnewell Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074.