1927 – 2016
LEWISTON — Richard W. Ault, 89, of Wayne died Friday, Dec. 2, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, after a brief illness.
He was born July 11, 1927, in Lewiston, the son of Ruth (Dobson) Ault and Charles Ault. He lived with his family at 14 Cushman Place in Auburn and attended Auburn schools, until 1942 when the family moved permanently to what had previously been a seasonal summer home in Wayne. He then attended Winthrop High School and New Hampton School in New Hampshire from which he graduated in 1946.
He immediately enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served two years, including a tour of duty in Cuba, until his discharge in 1948. The following years included a variety of work assignments with International Paper ranging from cruising timber in Northern Maine to unloading railroad cars and as a scaler of incoming loads of pulp at the Jay paper mill. At this time, he also established a relationship with Elinor Hyatt and made plans to continue his education at the University of Maine in Orono.
Richard and Ellie were married May 1, 1953, in Bangor while he was a student at the state university from which he graduated with an AB degree in 1955. The family settled in Auburn with their growing family of two boys and two girls. When he began his career with the Maine Department of Human Services in 1963, they moved to Wayne and called it home for the rest of their lives.
Richard took great pride in his vegetable garden, particularly his tomato crop. He relished having his picture taken alongside the sunflowers he grew as a way of measuring their height. He was a capable carpenter, fix-it-up guy and proud owner of a 1935 Chevy coupe. He was always ready to help a neighbor or family member resolve a maintenance problem. He also enjoyed music, particularly his banjo, which he played along with old friends Don Nichols and Henry Cook.
He was a member of Asylum Lodge No. 133 Wayne/Leeds since 1948. He was extremely proud of his service in the U.S. Marine Corps and the tremendous accomplishment of receiving a master’s degree in psychology from Springfield College when he was in his 40s and commuting between Springfield, Mass., and his family in Wayne.
He will be greatly missed by family and friends.
He is survived by his children, Wendy (George Bardaglio), Charles (Nancy), Linda (Skip Gay), David (Lisa) and his grandchildren, Will and Christine; Jim, Tom, Stephen and Alison; Erin and Kevin; Katie, Ellie and Maggie. Richard had three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Ruth Ault and Sara Fasciano; brothers, Peter and David; and sisters-in-law, Elaine, Donna and Norine Jewell. His large extended family included Ellie’s siblings and many Ault/Hyatt nieces and nephews.
Richard was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Ruth Ault; wife, Elinor (Hyatt) Ault; sisters, Mary Finn and Jane Lindholm; and brothers, John, Robert and James Ault.
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com.
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