AUBURN – Robert W. Tibbetts Sr., 63, of Jay, died early Saturday evening, Feb. 10, at the Hospice House after battling stomach cancer since September 2006.

He was born Sept. 1, 1943, in New Sharon, a son of Raymond W. and Doris (McKechnie) Tibbetts Sr.

He graduated from New Sharon schools and lived there until the age of 19, when he married Joyce Mason. They lived in Mercer before moving to Farmington in 1971.

In 1987 they moved the family to Livermore until 1996 when they moved to Jay. He worked horses in the woods from the age of five until he was 28.

He then bought a skidder and harvested wood in that fashion until early 2006, when he was diagnosed with a stomach tumor.

He pulled horses at all of the fairs in Maine since the mid-1960s, taking over his dad, Ray Tibbetts Sr.’s, favorite hobby. He has won hundreds of blue ribbons with the hundreds of horses he has owned over the years.

The next generation of Tibbetts will carry on the tradition. His enthusiasm and fond memories will continue forever.

His greatest pleasure came with time spent with his family.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Joyce of Jay; children, Robert Tibbetts Jr. of Jay, Kathy Tibbetts of Farmington, Darlene Tibbetts and her partner, Allen McNiel, of Hartford, Darrell Tibbetts and his wife, Jessica, of Livermore, Carla Edwards and her husband, Heath, of Livermore Falls, Clayton Tibbetts of Livermore Falls, and Garrick Tibbetts of Jay; 15 grandchildren, Walter, Ashley, Damien, Brittany, Ryan, Robert III, Jenessa, Dylan, Kurt, Kyle, Tyler, Austin, Caitlin, Douglas and Autumn; a brother, George Tibbetts Sr. of Chesterville; sisters, Mabel Hewey of New Hampshire, Vivian Searles of New Vineyard, Corrine Josselyn of Farmington, Pauline Hewey of Anson, Shirley Ladd of New Sharon, and Josephine White of Wilton; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his sisters, Lillian Cole, Madeliene Anderson, Doris White, Marilyn Tibbetts, Carolyn Tibbetts and Evelyn Tibbetts; a half sister, Helen Lane; brothers, Ray Tibbetts Jr. and Eugene Tibbetts Sr.; a half brother, Richard Tibbetts; and three nieces and three nephews.