OBITUARY: Edward R. Lord, Jr., 73, of Wilmington

Edward R. Lord, Jr., age 73, of Wilmington, died with dignity on November 16, 2016, surrounded by his loving family from complications of Mesothelioma.

Ed was born at home in Reading, MA on July 28, 1943; he was the dear son of the late Edward and Hannah Lord. At the age of 7, Ed moved to Wilmington where he was raised and educated. Ed graduated from Wilmington High School and then enlisted in the U. S. Navy on June 28, 1961. He was a veteran of the Cold War participating in the blockade during the Cuban Missile crises. Ed was Honorably discharged on July 17, 1964 and returned home to his family.

Ed married Dolores Whittemore in 1980; the couple raised a wonderful family and had many great times together. He was so proud to have six children and wished he could have had more. Ed loved to take his children camping, hiking, and to the beach; he always enjoyed any outdoor activities. Ed’s family remembers with fondness the cruises to Jamaica and Cozumel and the countless weekends in beautiful Vermont; everyone had a wonderful time. These were some of the best times in Ed’s life when he had all the kids together doing something fun. Ed was also a wonderful teacher and mentor to his children; he taught them to work hard, make your own way, be honest, do for others, love one another, and be a good person. Ed’s life lessons will be carried down from generation to generation.

Ed worked hard his whole life; for more than 39 years he was an Iron Worker for Union Local #7 in Boston. Ed’s work ethic was unwavering; he was conscientious, very dependable, and gave 100 percent every day. Following his retirement, Ed found that he had too much time on his hands so he dabbled in the tree business and at the age of 70 he took on the construction field and built several homes.

Ed was a giver of his time and talents to everyone in need and he was generous to a fault. Ed was always helping someone out in some way; whether it was a ride, help shoveling or plowing, chopping wood, doing repairs, or giving advice; he could always be counted on.

In his spare time, Ed enjoyed lifting weights, body building, and taking good care of himself. Ed was no stranger to hard physical work and he always wanted to be in the best shape possible.

Ed will be fondly remembered as a “standup guy”, he was honest, hardworking, kind, and caring. He loved his family and friends unconditionally and always had their back. Ed will forever be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Ed was the beloved father of Mary Elisabeth Lord, Rachel E. LePore & husband Chris, and Donald G. Lord all of Wilmington, Rebecca J. Belland & husband Nicholas of Princeton, Edward R. Lord III of Billerica, Sarah J. Simonton & husband Douglas of Fremont, NH, and David A. Forester of Wilmington, grandfather of Hailey, Gabriel, Raymond, and Douglas. Dear son of the late Edward R. and Hannah (Sparks) Lord, brother of Shirley Arsenault of Middleton, Muriel Belbin of Florida, Donald Lord of Wilmington, the late Barbara Farrell and Ellen Gunkel. Ed is also survived by his companion Sahirah Abdur, many nieces, nephews, and his former wife Dolores Lord of Wilmington.

Family and friends will gather for Visiting Hours at the Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, on Sunday, November 20th from 2:00-6:00 p.m.

Ed’s Funeral Service will be held at the Wilmington United Methodist Church, 87 Church St., Wilmington on Monday, November 21st at 1:30 p.m. Interment to follow in Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington.

Memorial donations in Ed’s name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.

Obituary and photo courtesy of the Nichols Funeral Home.