SHAPLEIGH — Richard R. Gallant, 89, of Emery Mills (Shapleigh) Maine and Port Orange, Florida, passed away quietly surrounded by family on Dec. 28, 2017.

Richard was born on Nov. 1, 1928 at Goodall Hospital in Sanford, Maine to Ernst E. and Mable (Bunny Pray) Gallant. He and his older sister Constance and younger sister Patricia grew up in their grandparent’s home in Emery Mills after the sudden death of their mother when Richard was 6. He attended the little Emery Mills school through sixth grade, whereafter he went to Springvale grade school, and later graduated from Sanford High School, Class of 1947.

Richard enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the late summer of 1947, serving as an airplane mechanic on the aircraft carrier “Leyte.” After a four-year tour of duty, Richard, who was known to all his friends as “Dick,” was honorably discharged from the Navy. He left his duty station iN Sanford, Florida and returned to Maine to attend junior college.

In 1952, Richard was hired by Pratt & Whitney of Hartford, Connecticut, where he met and married in 1954 his wife of 63 years, Virginia A. (Gray) Gallant. Wanting to raise their children back in Maine, they moved to Emery Mills, where they brought up their four children in the “gray house,” where his parents originally started out.

Richard worked in the sheet metal fabrication trade in the Sanford area for companies such as Colonial Aircraft, Aerofab, Prescott Metals and Baker Company.

Richard arranged to retire early and at the age of 57 was able to spend quality time enjoying home life, tinkering on old cars and machinery. His special “pride and joy” was his 1931 Model A Ford roadster. He especially enjoyed the challenge of keeping something mechanically operable way past its normal life expectancy. Richard is remembered as the “dam keeper” for both Mousam Lake and Square Pond. He faithfully treaded through the woods several times a week in all kinds of inclement weather to attend to the lakes’ changing needs. For 52 years, he kept accurate records for the town of Sanford in journals. The same procedure is still being used today by his son John.

Richard was a man of faith, and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1963. He served many years as an Elder in the Sanford/Springvale Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He delighted in sharing Bible truths about he positive future for mankind and for the earth. Psalms 37: 9-11 and Revelation 21: 3.4 were among his favorite quotable scriptures.

Richard is survived by his faithful and loving wife Virginia; his son Benton A. gallant and wife Barbara of Port Orange, Florida; his daughter Linda L. (Gallant) Lawrence and husband Mark of Kennebunk; his son John R. Gallant and wife Kelly of Shapleigh; his son David R. Gallant and wife Christine of Newfield; his sister Patricia (Gallant) Dunn of Saco; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and extended cousins.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 16 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 32 Shaw’s Ridge Road, Springvale.

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