LEWISTON — William Henry Kennard Jr., beloved Dad and Papa, of Main Street, West Sumner, died Wednesday, April 20, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, with his family by his side.

He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 2, 1933, the son of the late William and Irene (Mahoney) Kennard. He was educated in New York schools, joined the U.S. Navy and served from January 1955 to January 1957. He was trained as a precision machinist, and worked for Grumman Aerospace, in Long Island, N.Y., where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Lydia Rose. They moved to Maine in 1972, and in 1973, he began his more-than-25-year career at Maine Machine Products in South Paris.

He was a past master of the Buckfield chapter of the Masons and a faithful member of the West Sumner Baptist Church, headed by dear friends, Pastor Larry and Nancy Thurlow.

He was a skilled and talented woodworker, craftsman and handyman. He had a great passion for vintage cars, planes and boats. And every now and then, you may have been given the gift of a witty letter or clever poem. He was deeply loving to and of his most treasured family and God. He was a very strong and compassionate man, well-liked, and truly respected with many friends in his life over the years. A true gentleman, in a world where that is increasingly rare.

He is survived by his son, William H. Kennard III, daughter-in-law Cathy, and granddaughters, Emma and Megan of Oakland; his daughter, Lydia Neveux and granddaughter, Sarah, and grandsons, Nicholas and Joseph Neveux, of Bedford, Mass; his granddaughter, Michelle and husband, Dominick, of Middletown, R.I.; sister, Marjorie Glass, of Sumner; sister-in-law, Pamela Kennard, of Sayville, N.Y.; and brother-in-law, Henry Hall Rose of West Palm Beach, Fla; cousins, Daniel and Patty Judson, of Asheville, N.C.; many nieces and nephews; and numerous friends.

He was predeceased, only 10 short months ago, by his beloved wife of almost 49 years, Lydia Ann Rose Kennard; dear brother, Robert Kennard, of Sayville, N.Y.; dear Aunt Madeline Curry of New York/Waterville; brother-in-law, Robert Glass, of New York/Sumner; sister-in-law, Celina Rose of West Palm Beach, Fla; and his Betty Geer Dear of New York/Sumner.