1959 – 2014

CORNISH — Robert Floyd Mersereau, 54, of Waterfront Drive, died peacefully at his home on Friday, Sept. 5, after a five-year battle with melanoma.

He was born in Rising Sun, Ohio, a son of Richard and Kathleen (Floyd) Mersereau. He was a graduate of Rumford High School and he worked for several years at Livermore Shoe Co., in Livermore Falls, before enrolling in the culinary arts program at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, where he earned an associate degree.

Bob worked for 17 years at Fairchild Semiconductor, where he advanced from fabrication unit worker to test engineer to project manager. He then navigated a career change, studying real and commercial appraisal and mentored with Vinal Pendexter and Bud Solari Agency. After many exams and field hours, Bob achieved full certification for real and commercial properties in 2008, and established his appraisal company, Oak Appraisal Services; Bob was so proud of this accomplishment. The diagnosis of stage four melanoma cancer came in 2009.

Bob married Elaine Bickford in September 1990; many have fond memories of Bob and Elaine’s harvest wedding, held in the field by the garden with a bagpiper strolling through the field. He and Elaine were active members of the Maine Mycological Association led by Dr. Sam Ristich. They created a fully certified organic garden in Gorham in 1987. Bob and Elaine later settled in Cornish, where they became involved in community activities.

Bob had many interests involving the outdoors, including hiking, geology, bicycling, cross-country skiing, gardening, fishing, forestry, meteorology and mycology. He had an inventive mind, a strong work ethic and a compassionate sense of community.

Bob was on the Sacopee Valley SAD 55 school board, volunteered with Horseman’s Day for the preservation of the old fairground, led the outlying cemeteries group, served as a National Weather Service weather spotter, contributed a weekly weather report to the Sacopee Valley Citizen and each year baked an entry in the Apple Festival apple pie contest.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine (Bickford) Mersereau, of Cornish; stepson, Scott Bickford and wife, Lisa; two sisters, Elizabeth Sears and husband, Joe Sears, of Monmouth and Melinda Platt and partner, Gene Grail, of Wheaton, Ill.; three brothers, Mark and wife, Marie Proulx, of Cape Elizabeth, Richard of Rumford and Peter of Portland, Ore.; nine nieces and nephews, Stephen Platt of Bath, Molly Antonio of Portland, Shelley Antonio of Somerville, Mass., Valerie Antonio of Copley, Ohio, Lindsay Gallant of Longview, Texas, Samantha Wheaton of Warwick, R.I., Shaylee Morton of Andover and Beckett Mersereau and Olivia Mersereau of Portland, Ore.; and many cousins and dear friends.

Bob was predeceased by his mother and grandparents.