Ralph Waldo Bickford Sr., 81 years old, passed away peacefully May 29, 2022, at Cornerstone Hospice House in Tavares, FL. Ralph was born in Gardiner, ME, June 26, 1940, the son of Waldo and Belva (Burgess) Bickford, predeceased in 1996 and 2001 respectively.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Joanne (Toni) (O'Connor) Bickford, and brothers David, in Litchfield, Maine, and Roger, in Leesburg, Florida. He was predeceased by his sister Geneva (Bickford) Bates in 2009 and brother Alfred in 2019.

Ralph is survived by his five children: Ralph Bickford Jr. and Penny (Bickford) Wharton from his first wife Gertrude (Trudy) (Weymouth) Williams (predeceased January 2022), and Frank Bickford, Karen (Bickford) Bilodeau, and Kim Bickford. He also leaves behind several grandchildren and great grandchildren along with nieces and nephews, and many others who thought the world of him.

Ralph went through the Monmouth school system. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1959-1965. He worked at Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut as a self-taught machinist working on their jet engine lathe line.

Ralph returned to Maine to work with his parents at the family woodworking business in Monmouth Maine in 1964. Not only did the majority of the family work there at some point in their lives, but also so many residents of the town. Ralph was instrumental in building up the Monmouth Academy co-op program. He didn't mince his words, never held back. He had such an influence on so many, especially with bad language and somewhat inappropriate sense of humor! He pushed the young people hard, his way of showing he really cared. Bickford's Woodworking made small replicas of coastal Maine fishing items, toy vehicle kits, intricately strung square-riggers, moving into high end birdfeeders, among many other items.

The entire Bickford clan enjoyed a lot of time together, at holidays, camping, vacationing together, eventually all with RV's and traveling to Florida every year. Ralph and Toni enjoyed square dancing for several years, and they played as hard as they worked.

Upon his retirement he moved to Florida. Since he couldn't sit still, he worked rehabbing houses and doing odd jobs until just a few years ago.

Ralph will be very missed. His great humor, attitude about life and love for all was obvious. He never met a stranger - everyone was a friend as soon as he said hello.

There will be two celebrations of life, all are welcome:

Saturday, June 4 at Ralph and Toni's Leesburg, Florida home beginning @1:00PM.

There will also be a remembrance in Maine on July 10. More details to come.