Vernon Eugene Holyoke of Newport passed away peacefully at home on the morning of Saturday, January 11, 2025, surrounded by family and friends after a brief period of declining health. He was 90. Vernon was born in Brewer on July 31, 1934, the son of the late Roger and Louise (Adams) Holyoke. He graduated in 1952 from Brewer High School, where he lettered in three sports. After graduation, he worked for the Warren Brothers Roads Company, building and paving roads with his father across northern and eastern Maine. During the Korean conflict, Vernon was drafted into the U.S. Army and was eventually stationed in Hawaii as a weatherman. He also served in the Maine Air National Guard. Vernon was a member of the Ralph J. Pollard Masonic Lodge in Orrington. After returning from the Army, he was hired as a brakeman and later promoted to conductor on the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, where he worked for 42 years. He retired in 1996. In 1968, Vernon and his family bought Tent Village Campground in Newport, which they owned for 34 years. Vernon loved operating the campground and interacting with the campers, many of whom still have fond memories of him years later. Those who camped at Tent Village still remember him and the effort he put into maintaining the property. In 2002, he retired to a newly constructed home next door, which allowed him and his wife, Joan, to go camping in the summers and to Florida in the winters. As friends and family will attest, Vernon loved sweets and had potato with his dinner almost every night. He also enjoyed listening to his records, showing off his 1954 Chevy 3100 pickup, and watching the TV shows his grandson, Justin, wrote and produced. During his retirement he took up the game of horseshoes, and the extra time allowed him to watch baseball. A true fan of the game, he was a dedicated Red Sox fan. After his wife, Joan, died in September 2004, Vernon continued to spend winters in Lake Placid, Florida. In his later years, when his mobility began to fail, he stayed in Maine year-round and enjoyed mowing his lawn and exploring the property on his tractor as well as going on train-chasing trips with his grandson, Lucas. His competitive spirit came through when playing games, as he could trash talk like no other, even when he was losing hopelessly. He especially enjoyed playing cribbage with his granddaughter, Paige. Vernon will be remembered as a hard-working man with a tenacious spirit who was well-respected by his coworkers and community. Vernon is survived by his two daughters, Terry and her husband Randy Bryant of Troy, and Hope Holyoke and her husband Gerald Leighton of Newport. He was known as Papa to, and is survived by, his three grandchildren, Justin Doble and partner Sheela Soskin of Los Angeles, Paige Doble of Prospect, and Lucas Leighton of Newport, as well as two bonus grandchildren, Travis Bryant of Stetson, and Joseph Bryant and his wife, Kayla, of Conroe, Texas. In the summer of 2024, he was able to meet his first great grandchild, Jules, the son of Justin and Sheela. He is also survived by his two brothers, Ralph and his wife Peggy Holyoke of Clifton, and William and his wife Louise Holyoke of Orrington, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife of 45 years, Joan Holyoke, and his two sisters Carolyn Lainsbury and Grace Newbert. The family would like to thank his caregivers Cindi, Deb, Nancy and Sophie for their great care over the last two years, allowing us to honor Vernon's wish to remain in his own home. We would also like to thank Beacon Hospice and the Newport Fire Department for their help over the last few months. Services will be held at the Crosby and Neal Funeral Home at 117 Main Street in Newport, ME on January 25, 2025, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Newport Fire Department, 21 Water Street, Newport, ME 04953.