TOPSHAM – Edward M. Bellefleur, 73, of Topsham, passed away from complications of COVID-19 in Rumford on Oct. 19, 2021.

“Skip” was born Jan. 10, 1948 in Lewiston to Edna Y. Mayo and Maxim Bellefleur, the eldest of their seven children. He was baptized Joseph Edward Maxime Bellefleur in February 1948. He and his mother soon moved to Topsham and he attended local schools with his younger brother and best friend, whom he had nicknamed at birth “Buster” for the screaming baby in a cartoon strip.

On July 22, 1967 he married Deborah L. Hathorne of Bath. They separated in 2008 after 41 years of marriage, raising four daughters, and helping to raise their four oldest grandchildren.

Skip worked a variety of jobs (HC Crooker, Pejepscot Paper, and Bath Iron Works) over the years and referred to himself as a “Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None”. He was the best auto mechanic most of us ever met. He spent many years as a sergeant in the Maine Army National Guard as well as being the Ward Road neighborhood bicycle repair specialist for all the kids and local vehicle repairman for the adults.

His daughters will cherish the memories of him as a father and grandfather before he was overcome by the alcoholism that robbed us of the man we once loved so well.

Skip was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Keaton, Daniel, and Jonathan, his sister, Linda; and his beloved mother-in-law, Sylvia Barter Hathorne, who he called “Ma.”

He is survived by his daughters, collectively known as “The Bellefleur Girls”, Michelle Taggett, Sylvia Garrison and her husband Troy, Suzette Cloutier and her husband Philip, all of Topsham, and Aimee Hogan of Harpswell; his grandsons Evan D. Bellevue and fiancée Lisa A. Kilby of Richmond, Joseph Edward Bellevue of Topsham, Branden T. Garrison and wife Victoria M. Garrison of Virginia, and Matthew R. Hogan of Harpswell; his granddaughter, Sarah E. Taggett of Lisbon, and his step-granddaughter, Bailey M. Cloutier of Topsham; his great-grandsons Oliver B. Bellevue and James R. Hathorne of Richmond, and three great-granddaughters, Teagen M., Lilly G. and Logan L. Garrison of Virginia; his brother, James R. Bellefleur and his sister-in-law, Darlene Bellefleur of Durham, brother, Bryan Bellefleur of Brunswick; and several other family members, too numerous to list.

Due to the danger of COVID-19 there will be no service at this time.

Those wishing to make a memorial contribution, please consider the

National Institute on

Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism at National

Institutes of Health

6700B Rockledge Drive

Room 1336

Bethesda, MD 20892-6902