OBITUARIES for Thursday, October 31, 2024

GLORIA TAYLOR

AUGUSTA – Gloria Taylor, 90, passed away Saturday, October 12, 2024, at MaineGeneral Medical. Center, Augusta. Gloria was born, in Oakland, to Herbert and Marion Olafson, of Rome.

She had four stepchildren, Susan (Michael), Michael (Linda), Jeffry (Linda), Daniel (Cathy) Taylor.

She met and later married Hardy Taylor and were together 46 years. They worked together at A.L. Taylor & Son until their retirement.

Gloria loved riding motorcycles and four wheelers. She enjoyed feeding the animals in the bog behind the house.

She was predeceased by her parents, husband Hardy, Susan, and Michael Taylor.

She had two sons with her first husband, Ted Bradley II (Marlene), Tony Bradley (Tricia) and a niece Sarah that she helped bring up that she thought of as a daughter. Gloria had seven grandchildren; 12 great- grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be at the American Legion, 22 Church Street Oakland, on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Burial services will be held at a later date.

Donations can be made to the American Legion, 22 Church St., Oakland, ME 04963.

ANITA L. GERARD

VASSALBORO – Anita L. (Cottle) Gerard, 75, passed away peacefully at Maine Medical Center, in Portland, on Monday, October 14, 2024. Anita was born on September 11, 1949, in Waterville, daughter to Edward A. and Nina P. Cottle.

Anita was educated in Belgrade schools where she was involved in several extracurricular activities, most notably, cheerleading, National Honor Society, and the Student Council. She was a proud member of The Rainbow Girls and The Order of the Eastern Star. She was a 1967 graduate of Belgrade High School and achieved the rank of third in her class. Upon graduation, Anita attended the University of Maine at Farmington. She was employed for over 30 years by the state of Maine, where she held various positions and gained several dear friends throughout her career.

Anita never met a child she didn’t love. She was always there with open arms to welcome and help all “her kids” whether they were her own, extended family, friend’s children, neighborhood kids, or friends of her kids. She was well loved and known as Ma to all her bonus kids and was always there with an understanding ear, a piece of solid advice, and a warm hug.

She was a lady of many interests, her true passions being gardening, miniature horses, stock car racing, crafting, and farming.

She was predeceased by both her parents; her husband of 45 years Robert C. Gerard; her sister Miriam Elliot, and her three brothers-in-law.

Anita is survived by her husband and companion of many years Norman D. Cummings Sr.; son Robert E.G. Gerard with daughter-in-law Vicki Boynton; daughter Jodi-Lyn Sleeper with her fiancé Ray Stafford; granddaughter Mikaela Hickey with her husband Cody, and great-granddaughters Delanie and Addison; grandson Edward Gerard-Mills and great-granddaughter Errie; stepsons Ozzie Cummings with his wife Rachel, Norman Cumming Jr. with his wife Jessica, and Greg Cummings with his partner Melissa Brown; step-grandchildren Wendy Cummings, Randy Cummings with his wife Sara, Samantha Fowler with her husband Joey, Paige Servello with her husband Marco, Atticus Brown, Foxx Brown, and Mary Brown; step-great-grandchildren Kennedy and Logan Fowler and Massimo Servello; brother-in-law, John Cummings with his wife Sandra; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

There will be a Celebration of Anita’s Life on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 11 a.m., located at the Boynton-Webber American Legion Post #179, in South China. There will also be a time of gather following the service.

Please visit Anita’s memorial page at https://svremembrancecenter.com/obituaries/anita-gerard where condolences, photos, and special memories may be shared.

RICHARD E. HARRIS

WINSLOW – Richard Elmer Harris, 92, passed away on Thursday, October 17, 2024. Richard was born in Nutley, New Jersey, on June 1, 1932, the son of Anne Byrne Harris (who died when he was seven), and Fred Harris. His family moved to Haverhill, Massachusetts, for his school years, and he graduated from Hampton Academy, in New Hampshire, in 1950, where he also played hockey as goalie. He spent one year in pre-med courses at UMass, followed by four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, honorably serving as an M.P. during the Korean War.

Upon his return from Korea, Richard studied for three years at Lincoln Chiropractic College, in Indianapolis, Indiana. When he ran out of money for college, he came to Maine and began working at Thayer Hospital, in Waterville, where he met his future bride, Marlene Amber Ham, at the annual Christmas party. Wasting no time, they were married on February 1, 1958. Together they spent 63 years raising three children, building their home on the Garland Road, in Winslow, and a lovely cottage in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

They were a very hard-working team, fearless about tackling creative projects, doing new things, and going to new places, always together, although not always with the same ideas about how to do things, which kept life interesting. Richard instilled in his children a strong work ethic, honesty, respect, and decency by example. He had a great wit and a knack for sarcasm, which he also passed on.

Richard was intelligent and talented in many areas and could build nearly anything, do plumbing, wiring, and anything else that was needed. He restored antique furniture and clocks in his younger days, enjoyed woodworking and made furniture for his children and grandchildren. In his later years, he built model boats, including a 32” wooden model of the Bluenose II. He liked antique autos and owned several during his lifetime. He and Marlene enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, and motorcycling, and were avid square-dancers. He was a loyal Boston Red Sox fan his entire life and couldn’t believe he lived to see them finally win a World Series in 2004.

Richard worked at Thayer Hospital (Maine General Medical Center), inWaterville, for 37 years, starting out as a surgical technician in the OR and Recovery, and spent most of his career as Purchasing Agent, retiring 30 years ago in 1994. Retired, he and Marlene spent summers in Prince Edward Island, winters in Fort Meade, Florida, and the rest in Winslow.

Richard was also an active participant in the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star, both in Maine and Florida. He was a Past Master and 60-year member of Waterville Lodge #33, and Past Patron of Martha Washington Chapter #15, Waterville.

After Marlene passed in 2021, Richard was fortunate to live at Goudreau’s Retirement Inn, in Winslow. Richard provided lots of laughs with his signature teasing, funny faces, and sense of humor.

Richard was predeceased by his oldest son, Dana Richard Harris, of Fairfield, in 2008; his wife, Marlene, in 2021, and his sister, Jeanne Stevens.

He is survived by his youngest son, Martin Paul Harris, of Oakland,(with Rhonda Kennedy); his daughter, Allison Watson, of Fairfield, (with Len Poulin); grandchildren, Melissa Audet (with Ray Benjamin, Cameron Stewart, and Abigale Stewart), Brian Audet (wife Sydnee, Laynee Brook, and soon Kenlee), and Benjamin Audet (with his better half Felicia Paradis); brother-in-law Wayne Ham, his wife, Peggy, Jason, and Christopher (with Sarah Austin).

A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Please visit Richard’s memorial page https://svremembrancecenter.com/obituaries/richard-harris-oct-2024 at where condolences, photos, and special memories may be shared.

MURIEL RANCOURT

WATERVILLE –Muriel Rancourt, 90, unexpectedly passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at Sunset Home, in Waterville. She was born on July 4, 1934, and was the daughter of Napoleon and Josephine Begin, of Waterville.

Muriel grew up in the historic Head of Falls, by the Kennebec River, in Waterville. Shortly after graduating from Waterville High School, Muriel married Karl Rancourt and moved across the Kennebec River, to Winslow, where she and her husband, Karl, made their lifelong home and, also the place where they raised their three children, Sandra, Wayne and Mark Rancourt. Muriel worked for the C. F. Hathaway Shirt Company, in Waterville, for nearly 43 years as a stitcher making Hathaway shirts.

The passion of Muriel’s life was her family and friends. Muriel was well known for her friendly, helpful and outgoing nature. After retiring from the C. F. Hathaway Shirt Company, Muriel was employed part time for a Colby College, in Waterville, catering service, working the banquets at the college. When she was unable to do the catering work, she volunteered at the Hospice resale store in Waterville.

Muriel was predeceased by her husband, Karl, in 2013. She was the last living member of her very large French-Canadian, Begin family.

Muriel is survived by her three children, Sandra Rancourt and husband Virgil Stimer, Wayne Rancourt and wife Benita, and Mark Rancourt; seven grandchildren, Todd (Katie) Burbank, Jeremy (Lorelie) Burbank, David (Sarah) Rancourt, Michael (Laura) Rancourt, Faith, Aaron, and Daniel Rancourt; 12 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Muriel was very much loved by her family and friends and will be sorely missed in this life.

A service for Muriel will be held at a later date for the immediate family.

RICHARD B. GALLION

JEFFERSON – Richard B. Gallion, 77, died suddenly on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at Maine Medical Center, in Portland. Rick was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 11, 1947, the son of the late Virgil A. and Doris E. (Johnson) Gallion.

He grew up in southeast Kansas and earned a B.A. in French literature from Pittsburgh State University.

Rick served as a Green Beret in the United States Army but had conflicted feelings about the U.S. military. Rick married Saundra Mackey while he was in the service, and they divorced some years later after many adventures together. Saundra preceded in him death.

On October 5, 1996, Rick married the love of his life, Linda S. Marrs Farrell, at the Topeka Kansas Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Together they shared 28 years of marriage.

Rick worked for the U.S. Marshals Service, District of Kansas, for 16 years, during which time he spent 10 years studying ballet and jazz dance and performing in community theater. He left the Federal Marshals Service to pursue a career in custom woodworking and moved to Maine with his wife, Linda, in 2002. Together, they owned a bed and breakfast in a 165-year-old farmhouse, in Jefferson. Rick founded the Clary Lake Woodworking School in 2014 and shared his technical skills and passion for woodworking with a multitude of students.

Rick was a lover of classical music, especially Beethoven and Mozart. He enjoyed sailing, parachuting, and maintaining the property around Clary Lake Bed and Breakfast which he owned with Linda. He was an avid bicyclist and undertook several long-distance bike tours in the U.S. and throughout France and Scotland. He loved a good cup of tea and cherished the time he spent with his granddaughter, Madeline Elizabeth.

Rick was predeceased by his sisters Iris Pfautz and Victoria Gallion Germonde as well as his brother, Don Gallion.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Gallion; his brother, John Gallion; his stepdaughters Amy (spouse Shea) Farrell and Beth (spouse Jay) Holley; and his granddaughter, Madeline Elizabeth.

Visiting hours celebrating Rick’s life will be held on Friday, November 1 from, 2 to 4 p.m., with a service to follow at 4 p.m., at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website http://www.StaplesFuneralHome.com.

Those who wish may make contributions in Rick’s memory to Carpenters Boat Shop, 440 Old County Rd., Pemaquid,ME 04558 or Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4775 SW 21st St., Topeka,. Kansas 66604.

CAROLYN J. GARDINER

UNITY – Carolyn June Gardiner, 89, passed away on Wednesday October 23, 2024. June was born on February 9, 1935, in Montville, to George and Lucille Bowman.

She attended Freedom Academy. She was very involved in her church. She was married to Robert Gardiner for 62 years.

June was predeceased by her husband, Robert; her son Alfred; her sister Bea; and her grandson, Phillip.

She is survived by her son Gary and his wife Sheila; daughters Susan and Melanie and her husband John; her grandchildren Aleisha, Nicholas, James, Ben, Anita, April and Christy; great-grandchildren Ellington, Jackson and Kevin; and her sister Bette.

Visiting hours and the funeral service took place at the Clinton Baptist Church, in Clinton, on Wednesday October 30, 2024. Burial took place at the Center Cemetery, in East Thorndike.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, 383 U.S. Route One, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.