The North Lake community lost one of its most dedicated residents July 28, when Terrence "Tapey" Stapleton died at the age of 79.
Aside from a stint in the Maine Crops which took Stapleton to Guam and Japan, he spend his entire life in North Lake, since his birth in 1939.
He was best known for his dedication to the North Lake Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as chief for over 35 years.
Stapleton was an excellent chief, and was respected by the firemen who worked under him, said fellow firefighter Bobby Cull.
"Terry was old school. He was a big disciplinarian, probably something he learned from when he was a Marine," said Bobby Cull, who served under Stapleton for 20 years. "When he was chief you could eat off the floor it was so clean. Once you got to know him, he was a heck of a good guy. He was a great chief."