RUMFORD — Gordon R. Justard, 83, of Crescent Avenue, Rumford, died Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Rumford Community Home, following a brief illness.

He was born in Berlin, N.H., Dec. 24, 1926, a son of J. Robert and Evelyn (Larson) Justard and was raised by his paternal grandparents, Robert and Mary Justard. Gordon was educated in Berlin, N.H. schools.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1952 as a corporal and taught marksmanship even though he had an artificial eye. Following his discharge from the Army, he moved to Mexico and has resided locally since that time.

Gordon was employed for more than 30 years with Boise Cascade Paper Co. He served in his younger years as constable for the town of Mexico. He was a member of Mexico Congregational Church, the American Legion Post 24 and the Rangeley Rod and Gun Club.

Gordon was a past master of Blazing Star Lodge of Masons 30 and was a member of the Kora Shrine Lewiston and chaperoned the fifth-grade class from Mexico Elementary to the Shrine Circus for more than 30 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and snowmobiling at his camp in Oquossoc.

Surviving are his wife of 21 years, Virginia (Merrill) Justard of Rumford; two stepchildren, Brenda Giles and husband, Robert, of Morriston, Fla., and Jeffrey Hodsdon and wife, Rachel, of Wilton; a sister-in-law, Anna Justard of Rumford; seven grandchildren, Jeffrey McCarthy, Tyler Hodsdon, Caleb Hodsdon, Jennifer Rivers and Erica White, Brooke Barbosa and Jacob Hodsdon; several great-grandchildren; a niece, Mary Ellen Bartlett; four nephews, Donald and Barry Justard and Bernard and Paul Dubendris; a grandniece, Natasha Justard; and five grandnephews, Aaron, Nicholas and Alex Justard, Jeremy Myles and Marshall Bartlett.

He was predeceased by his parents; his first wife, Marjorie (May Connel) on Oct. 16, 1987; a stepson, Joel Hodsdon; a stepdaughter, Allyson Hodsdon; and a brother, Donald Justard.

You are invited to share your, thoughts, condolences, and fond memories with the Justard family by visiting their guestbook at www.SGThibaultFuneralHome.com.