Robert Louis Guitard

PORTLAND – Robert Louis Guitard passed away Feb. 18, 2023 at the age of 96.

He was born in Westbrook to James and Ellen Guitard, the youngest of 12 children. Robert attended St. Hyacinth grammar school and graduated from Westbrook High School in 1945. Two days later he was in the U.S. Army where he trained for the invasion of Japan. The atom bomb ended the war and he was sent instead to Naples, Italy where he was assigned to help repatriate 20,000 German and Austrian prisoners of war.

Taking advantage of the GI Bill, Robert graduated from Gray’s Business School, married his high school sweetheart, Geraldine Meggison, and together they raised four boys.

He loved hunting and fishing and with his buddies, chipped in and bought a camp in Madrid which still stands today and enjoyed by the same families.

Robert’s working life was always in the accounting field, first at Armour & Company in Biddeford, then as assistant treasurer of Portland Gas Light Company. Later he worked for Berkshire Life Insurance of Pittsfield, Mass. While there, he and Geraldine built their “dream home” in Lanesborough, Mass. where he served in the Finance Committee and Growth Policy Committees. His last working move took him to Utica, N.Y. where he worked as a controller of Commercial Travelers Mutual Life and Monitor Life Insurance Companies. At that time they purchased an old farm on 50 acres of “prime hunting land” in Woodgate, N.Y. These years were filled with renovating the buildings and welcoming many friends from Maine and Massachusetts who came to visit, hunt and enjoy the Adirondacks.

After retirement and happily returning to Maine, Robert joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643 in Windham and Post 62 of the American Legion in Westbrook where he is a Past Commander.

He was predeceased by by his son, Dana in 2017; and siblings Beatrice, Agatha, Ephram, Cecelia, Victor, Patricia, Elvin, Raymond, Mary, Leona and Edward.

He leaves his wife, Geraldine; and sons Thomas, David and John and his wife Rose Marie; as well as three grandchildren, Mia, Sarah and Katherine. Robert is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Brody and Rowen; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Robert’s life will be held later in the spring.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com for the Guitard family.