Ernest R. Blanchard, 72, of Norridgewock, passed away Saturday June 9, 2012 at Thayer Hospital in Waterville, Maine. Ernest was born in Rumford, Maine, on February 19, 1940, the son of Antonio Blanchard and Cora (Hull) Blanchard. Ernest was a graduate of South Portland High School where he excelled in football. He loved the New York Giants. He proudly served in the US Marine Corp in Vietnam. He worked at SD Warren in Westbrook, also an auto mechanic and attended Nisson Auto School in Rhode Island. He worked as custodian at Skowhegan Savings Bank and had his own lawn care business. He was a Master Maine Guide, mainly during hunting season and shot one of the largest deer ever recorded in the state of Maine. For guiding a National Geographic Photographer filming coyotes, he was given a trip to Wyoming, to go elk hunting and where he shot an elk. In his younger years he raced stock cars and snowmobiles. In later years he enjoyed spending winters in Seminole, Florida, where he was president of his mobile home park association. He was predeceased by his parents, brothers; Romeo, Armond, sisters; Agnes, Blanche and Vivian He is survived by his wife Edith (Savage) Blanchard, sisters; Althea Foss and Evelyn Larabee, brothers-in-laws; Norman Jordan and Gerald Savage and wife Jennifer, children; Joseph, Michael and wife Candi, Angela and husband O’Neil Leveque, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held on Saturday June 16, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Southside Cemetery in Skowhegan, Maine, with the Rev. Mark Tanner officiating. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine. Donations may be made in Ernest’s memory to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 10310, Portland, Maine 04104