MERLE E. GALLANT KENDUSKEAG – Merle E. Gallant, 82, the husband of Shirley Mae (Woodard) Gallant, died peacefully with his family at his side, May 5, 2004, at a Bangor hospital after a long illness. He was born Dec. 28, 1921, in Bangor, the son of Alexander and May (Lyons) Gallant. He was an army veteran of World War II, serving in the South Pacific. He was a member of the Charleston Pentecostal Church and had been a former employee of Eastern Fine Paper, retiring in 1987. Although Merle had been blind for several years, he saw beauty in everything and everyone that he touched. He was the sunshine on a rainy day and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Surviving in addition to his wife of 58 years are six children, Linda Leach and her husband, James, of Bangor, Brenda Trudel of Hermon, Diane Kepner and her husband, Steve, of Somers, Conn., Janet Pinkham and her husband, Dennis, of Kenduskeag, Roger Gallant of Bangor and Lisa Gulliver and her husband, Kevin, of Hudson; two sisters, Audrey Doughty of Hermon and Arlene Cunningham of Glenburn; a brother, Alexander Gallant of Belfast; 15 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Friends may call 7-9 p.m. Friday at the Charleston Pentecostal Church, where funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday with Pastor Matthew Ward officiating. Military funeral services and burial will be in the Kenduskeag Cemetery, Kenduskeag. <
MERLE E. GALLANT
