BIDDEFORD – John R. Gagnon, 82, a dedicated pillar of his community and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford.

John was born on March 28, 1942, in Sanford, to Joseph and Andrena (Garneau) Gagnon. He spent his formative years in Sanford, graduating from St. Ignatius High School in 1959. Following his graduation, he proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps.

In 1964, John married Sandra Menard, his lifelong partner and the love of his life. Together, they raised three daughters and celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage. John was a graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Funeral Arts and Sciences in Boston, and he also attended Nasson College in Springvale. Alongside Sandra, he owned and operated Sanford Funeral Home and Dockendorff Funeral Home in Limerick for many years until his retirement in 1996. Even in retirement, John remained active, engaging in various projects and continuing to contribute part-time at the funeral home.

In addition to his work in the funeral industry, John founded the Sanford Monument Company, later known as Heritage Memorials. He was deeply devoted to his faith as a communicant of St. Ignatius Parish in Sanford, St. Philip’s Parish in Lyman, and most recently Our Lady of the Angels in South Berwick. John was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, where he held various leadership positions, including Past Grand Knight and Past District Deputy. He was also a life member of AMVETS Post #3 in Sanford and held several offices within the Marine Corps League.

Beyond his professional and community involvement, John had a zest for life. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle on long-distance trips with friends, engaging in chess matches, and pursuing hobbies like coin collecting and hunting. He was an avid reader, particularly fascinated by military history and usually read multiple books at any given time. He possessed an outgoing and friendly nature, making friends easily wherever he went. He was known for his intelligence, sense of humor and his ability to tell stories and share a laugh with family and friends. He was a dedicated fan of the New England Patriots and relished watching football.

John’s greatest joy in life was his family. He was a loving and devoted husband to Sandra and took immense pride in his daughters’ accomplishments. He adored his grandchildren and great-grandson, cherishing every moment spent with them. He never tired of talking about his family and his eyes would beam with pride as he happily shared stories about them to anyone who was willing to listen. John’s legacy of love, service, and dedication to his family and community will forever be remembered by all who knew him.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Andrena Gagnon, and his brother, Richard Gagnon.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra (Menard) Gagnon, of South Berwick; three daughters: Monica Goulet and her husband John of Biddeford, Sr. Stacie Marie Gagnon, FMIHM, of Glassboro, New Jersey, and Aimée Sutherland and her husband Andrew of South Berwick; four grandchildren: Brittany Lovely and her husband Josh of Waterville, Kaitlin Goulet and her fiancé, Kalib Moore of Bath, and Luke and Jude Sutherland of South Berwick; one great-grandson, Roman Lovely of Waterville; his sister, Helene Cordova of San Diego, California; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., on Saturday, May 4, at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, located at 162 Agamenticus Road in South Berwick. A private interment with military honors will be held at a later date at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.

Arrangements are under the compassionate care of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale.

To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit http://www.blackfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to charities beloved by John; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) and Covenant House

(covenanthouse.org).



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