LEWISTON – Michael “Windy” E. Richards, 63, of West Paris, passed away on Thursday, March 17, at Central Maine Medical Center after a long battle with cancer.

He was born in Rumford, July 22, 1941, the son of Laura Christianna Houdan.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards and tinkering. His family, friends and dogs, and especially his grandchildren, were the joys of his life.

He retired on Jan. 14, after more than 33 years at the Berlin-Gorham, N.H., paper mills as an industrial electrician. Prior to that he worked at Marcal Paper in Mechanic Falls and B.E. Cole shoe shop.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Richards, of West Paris; a daughter, Rebecca Thorne, of Laconia, N.H.; two sons, Michael Jr., of Harrison, and Randall, of West Paris; four grandchildren, Garrett and Elizabeth Thorne, of Laconia, N.H., Evan Richards and Tristen Kilgore, both of Oxford; special friends, John and Tammy Kilgore, Dick and Inez Parsons and John and Kathy Emery.

He was predeceased by a brother, Leonard Richards.