RUMFORD – Robert Edwin Gallant, 74, passed away after a long illness Friday, Jan. 23, at his home on Erchles Street, Rumford, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Rumford on Jan. 4, 1935, a son of Edwin and Florence (Ahearn) Gallant, attended Rumford schools and graduated in 1955 from Stephens High School in Rumford.

Bob served in the U. S. Army from 1955 to 1958 which included a tour in Okinawa with the rank of sergeant.

He was a millwright at Boise Cascade Paper Co. in Rumford for 42 years until retirement, and also served as a shop steward for the Local 900 union.

Bob was a communicant of Parish of the Holy Savior, a member of Napoleon Ouellette Post No. 24, American Legion, and a life member of the Rumford Maine Lodge No. 862, B.P.O.E.

He enjoyed carpentry and loved to do building construction at his home and at their camp at Garland Pond. He enjoyed his yearly trip to Old Orchard Beach, spending time with his family, and being with his friends. Bob enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and snowmobiling.

Bob had 34 years of sobriety and worked with the AA Program. He also counseled and supported people who requested help from him in the program. He had trained for and did part-time counseling with the supportive services at Boise Cascade Paper Co. for alcohol abuse and was a member of the Western Regional Council on the state level to establish supportive help.

He was married on Sept. 9, 1961, in Mexico to the former Karen Gallant, who survives of Rumford.

Other survivors include a son, Brian E. Gallant and wife, Lisa, of Bath, and their children Bryanna and Carissa Gallant; daughter Gayle Gallant of Rumford Point and her fiancé, Dan Hodge, and her son, Jason McPherson, of Peru; daughter Susan Gallant Coulombe and husband, Donald, and their daughter, Mariya, of South Rumford; a brother, Edwin Gallant and wife, Janice, of Portland, and their daughter, Amy Sue Hamilton and husband, Matt, and children, Maxwell, Hannah and Jackson, of Brunswick; a sister, Jane Glaser and husband, Wayne, of Trinity, Fla., and their two sons, Craig and Kurt Glaser, of Florida; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and a special friend and caregiver, Cheryl Wade.

His family would like to thank the many medical people who helped nurture and medically care for him over the many years including Maine Medical Center Kidney Transplant Program, Wilton Umbagog Dialysis Center, Medcare Ambulance Service, the Rumford Fire Department, the New England Rehab Hospital of Portland, the River Valley medical staff, the Rumford Veterans Clinic, Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, and to all the many of Bob’s physicians and nursing staff that never gave up trying to help him to have a better day through all his surgery recoveries and rehabilitations.

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