RUMFORD – Arthur Joseph “Splash” Gallant, 86, died peacefully Dec. 1, at the Rumford Community Hospital with his family at his side.

He was born in Mexico on May 12, 1919, a son of the late Sylvain and Olive (Bernard) Gallant. “Splash,” as he was called by all who knew him, attended parochial schools in Mexico and Rumford and was a member of the Class of 1937 at Stephens High School in Rumford.

He joined the U.S. Army in 1942 and proudly served four years with the 549th Artillery Field Battalion in the European Theater with the rank of corporal.

Arthur married Mary A. Fleming, a registered nurse, in 1946, and celebrated 59 years of marriage on May 27. Together they raised four children, three boys and a girl.

He worked for the Oxford Paper Co. (later Boise Cascade), retiring from the steam plant in 1981, after an automobile accident.

Splash and Mary then moved to beautiful Venice, Fla., where they resided on and off for many years. They returned to Maine, living in Auburn for 15 years, then settling in Turner for three years, before returning to Rumford in September 2001, where they have resided at Holyoke Avenue ever since.

Splash’s love of sports, especially baseball and football, eventually led to his greatest passion of all, golf. He loved Oakdale Country Club and Prospect Hill and had a great time playing and laughing with his buddies.

Arthur lost both of his legs but never his sense of humor, and he will be greatly missed by family and friends. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW and was a communicant of St. Athanasius & St. John Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife Mary A. Gallant; sons, Lance and wife, Susan, Lee and wife, Kathy, and Larry and wife, Tammy, all of Rumford; a daughter, Lisa Fowler of Rumford; two sisters, Priscilla Simmonds of Rumford and Dorothy Holmquist of Peru; a sister-in-law, Phyllis Gallant of Florida; 10 grandchildren, Brian Fowler, USCG, of Nantucket, Kristen Fowler, senior at UMF, Sarah Fowler of Eliot, Brad Gallant and wife, Liza, of Waterville, Jane Clukey and husband, Brock, of Andover, Brittany Gallant of Wilton, Makenzie Gallant of South Rumford, and Alexander and Danel Gallant of Rumford, both attending schools in Canada; stepdaughter, Angela Powell-Madigan and husband, John, of Lyman; great-granddaughter, Emma Grace Clukey of Andover; favorite niece, Faylene Turnbull and husband, John; nephews, Donald Simmonds of Connecticut, Wayne Gallant of Rumford and Gary Gallant of Florida.

He was predeceased by his parents; a sister, Theresa; a brother, Edward; and a grandson, Michael Gallant.

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