BELGRADE – Richard Henry Damren, 94, passed away on May 16, 2024, at his home in Belgrade with his loving family at his side.

Dad was born on Oct. 19, 1929, in Mount Vernon to the late Glenwood H. and Hilda (Stevens) Damren. Dad was one of seven children born to them.

Dad grew up on the family farm in Mt. Vernon where he raised his own oxen. He attended local schools and as Mt. Vernon did not have a high school, he lived at the Robinson Farm in Monmouth and worked there while attending Monmouth Academy.

He joined the Navy and served aboard the Robert L. Wilson as a machinist mate. After his honorary discharge from the Navy, he worked at Diamond International Company in Oakland for 31 years until the mill closed. He began work there as a lathe operator then as a saw filer, and later as the foreman in the finishing department. After the mill closed 1985, he went to work for Hammond Lumber Company in the Christmas tree section until his retirement in 1995.

Richard married Rachel Lea Stevens on Nov. 8, 1952 at a ceremony in his parents’ home in Mt. Vernon. Mom and Dad lived in Mt. Vernon for three years before buying a home in Belgrade, where they raised their four children. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before Rachel passed in 2018.

Richard and Rachel belonged to the Lakeside Promenaders Square Dance Club and later to Marty Van Wart’s group until health problems caused them to stop. Dad also belonged to the Draggin’ Masters Snowmobile Club and the Belgrade Historical Society. He was active in Boy Scouts for many years with his son.

He and Rachel enjoyed camping and bus tours. They also were avid genealogists and he kept up with adding new family members to his files even through this past year. He enjoyed visits with his brother Floyd and reminiscing about their earlier lives. He enjoyed having a vegetable garden and getting his own wood until he was in his 80s. He was an avid reader of westerns and Louis L’Amour and Zane Grey were his favorites.

Dad was the “fix it” man for the neighborhood, whether it was welding, woodworking, saw filing, or machines, he could do it. He made many beautiful carpentry projects for their home, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was a hardworking, dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed his special times with family and friends.

In addition to his wife Rachel, he was predeceased by his grandson, Kyle Glacken and his granddaughter, Lillian Glacken. He was also predeceased by his parents; two of his brothers and their wives, John and Elsie Damren and Glenwood Damren, and his three sisters and their husbands, Alice and Carl Prescott, Doris and Hanson Carver, and Jean Clift.

He is survived by his children, Dianne Damren-Marschall and her husband Hank Marschall of Readfield, Sandra Pierce and her husband Edward of Sidney, Richard L. Damren and his partner Miss Gui Ying Li of Marlboro Mass. and Debra Damren of Amesbury, Mass. He is also survived by his three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Elizabeth (Pierce) Potter and her husband Charlie of Sidney and their two children, Claire and Eben; Gregory Pierce and his partner Em Pierce of Augusta and his two children, Bennett and Rosalie; and Andrew Pierce of Scarborough. He also leaves behind his brother, Floyd and his wife Alice (Sawyer) Damren of Belgrade; some cousins; numerous nieces and nephews; four stepchildren; seven step-grandchildren; and two step-great-granddaughters.

At Dad’s request there will not be any funeral service. A celebration of his life and interment at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Belgrade will be held at a later time.

Arrangements are in the care of the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta where condolences and memories may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website by visiting http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.

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