PARSONSFIELD, ME — Howard Verbeck Lord, 89, formerly of Parsonsfield, died Thursday, August 8, 2013 after a brief period of declining health at the Kennebunk Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was born between the headboards on March 8, 1924 at Maple Rock Farm in Parsonsfield, the son of Frank W. and Ruth Doris (Verbeck) Lord. He attended the local one-room Elliot School and was a 1941 graduate of Parsonsfield Seminary in North Parsonsfield. He attended the University of Maine and was an Army Air Force Veteran of World War II serving from 1942 to 1946.
On returning home from the war, he worked for the family for nearly 20 years in the apple and grain business and did construction work and trucking, before going to work for L.F. Stacey & Sons. There he honed his salesmanship skills to his affable personality and went on to work for himself selling snowmobiles, farm equipment, Amway and Coppercraft, finally ended his career as a school bus driver for SAD#55. He ventured into many things during his lifetime, was well rounded, and was known for his great smile and infectious hearty laugh.
He married Marilyn Stacy in August 1945, had three children and was divorced in 1980. He remarried in 1982 and helped raise his new wife’s children, but divorced shortly thereafter. He lived the majority of his life in Limerick and Parsonsfield where he ultimately retired. He had been residing at Berwick Estates, an assisted living facility in South Berwick since 2002 and remained in relatively good health. He was a Mason in Drummond Lodge FM & AM # 118 for over 61 years, and was active at his Alma Mater, Parsonsfield Seminary with the Friends of Par Sem and the Board of Trustees.
He is survived by his son Geoffrey S. Lord and his wife Ellen of Providence, RI; his son J. Merrill Lord and his wife Shelley of Rye Beach, NH; his daughter Christia of Parsonsfield; two grandchildren, Josieda Lord of Newmarket, NH and Calvin Lord of Rye Beach; his brother Phillip W. Lord and his wife Mary of Warner, NH; plus a large extended family and many friends. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Jay M. Lord and sister-in-law Bobby of Warminster, Penn.
His family would like to extend a sincere thanks to the staff at Berwick Estates who made his life so enjoyable in his last years with their care and support, and for all those people throughout his life that helped guide him to a better place.
Visiting hours will be on Thursday, August 15, from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Watson, Neal & York Funeral Home, 71 Maple St., Cornish. There will be a private ceremony and internment at a later date at the Riverside Cemetery in Cornish Maine. Online condolences may be expressed. at www.wnyfuneralhome.com.
No flowers please.
Memorial donations should be made to:
Howard Lord
The Friends of Par Sem
PO Box 163
Parsonsfield, ME 04047