VIENNA – George Willis Lord passed away unexpectedly Feb. 10, 2007, at his home. Born in 1944, in Hanover, N.H., he was the son of Dr. George and Mrs. Katherine Lord of Alfred. George grew up in Norwich, Vt., and graduated from Hebron Academy, Hebron. George spent four years in the U.S. Coast Guard, serving aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker Northwind, in an attempted transit of the Arctic Ocean above Russia, and later on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Wachusett, on Market Time Patrol in Vietnam. Returning to college in 1969, he and Denise Vacchi of Plymouth, Mass., were married in 1971, and he graduated from the University of Maine – Orono in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in zoology. During college, George worked for the Atlantic Salmon Commission at his first love, fishery management and upon graduation, he worked briefly at the Fish Hatchery in Deblois. In 1973 he joined Bureau of Water Quality at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, becoming director of the division of licensing and enforcement in 1980. Later, he was appointed director of the division of enforcement and field services in the Bureau of Land Quality. In 1987 George was the first recipient of the Evelyn Jephson award for environmental achievement, an award made to members of the Department of Environmental Protection for outstanding service in the field of environmental protection. Leaving the DEP in 1990, George worked with the town of China on the China Lake protection program and with the Deptpartment of Transportation on several lake protection projects. George also worked for the Congress of Lake Associations, as one of its directors and was instrumental in several lake preservation and restoration projects across the state. He worked with Eco-Cycle of Manchester, managing the installation of surface water control devices and as an environmental consultant and lakeside educator with the DEP’s Milfoil project in the Belgrade Lakes region. George will be most remembered as a loving partner, parent and good friend. He was an avid fisherman, outdoorsman, an environmental activist and leader. He is survived by his partner, Sally Blanchard of Vienna; his daughter, Rebecca Lord and her husband, Fran?ois Gauvin, of Salem, Mass.; his son, Nathan Lord of The Forks; his sister, Janet Neale of Littleton, Colo.; his niece, Amy Clark; and nephew, George Neale. Visiting hours will be held 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 329 Tower Road, Vienna. A memorial service for close friends and immediate family will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Maine Congress of Lake Associations, P.O. Box 426, Belgrade, ME 04917. Arrangements are in the care of Wiles Funeral Home, Cremation Service & Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington. Words of condolence may be expressed at wilesfuneralhomes@verizon.net
GEORGE WILLIS LORD
