Earl M. Poland, age 81, died Wednesday evening April 25, 2012, at the Our Lady of the Meadows home in Richford after a lengthy illness. Earl was born on June 26, 1930, son of Louis and Lillian Poland. He attended Holy Angels School and went to BFA. Earl joined the Navy in 1948. He was in Naval Aviation and flew as a Flight Mechanic to many countries. He also made several cruises aboard the USS Forrestal, including two Mediterranean cruises. He retired from the Navy in 1968 and was then employed at the University of Vermont. He was a Maintenance Manager and retired from UVM in 1987. He then took a fun job, as he called it, and worked for The Lake Champlain Transportation. He worked springs and falls on the Champlain Ferry, from 1987 to 1993. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW. Earl enjoyed his camp on Georgia Shore, and spending time with his family and grandchildren. He loved listening to music.

He married Ruth Bouchard on January 21, 1953.

Earl is survives by his wife Ruth, 3 sons, David Poland and his wife Lonnie of Milton, Louis Poland and his wife Kathy of Avon Lake, OH, and Robert Poland and his wife Carmen of Georgia, 6 grandchildren, Jennifer, Emily, Eric, Nathan, Jared, and Brooke, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Earl was predeceased by his parents and three sisters, Marjorie Giroux, Doris Coons and Hilda Nowland.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 10:00 A.M. in Holy Angels Church. Interment with military honors will follow in the Poland family lot in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call at the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home, 86 South Main Street, St. Albans, from 7 to 9 P.M. Monday. Online condolences may be sent to his family at the funeral home website: www.bradyandlevesque.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home and Commemorative Services.