Glenburn, Maine - Richard Justin Stanhope, 86, of Glenburn, Maine, passed away June 3, 2025, in Bangor. Richard was born on the Ridge Road family farm in Robbinston, Washington County within view of Passamaquoddy Bay on March 16, 1939, the youngest of 5 children.

As a child he grew up picking strawberries, digging potatoes, putting up hay, cutting wood, pulling turnips, caring for farm animals, hunting and fishing, and helping to make ends meet on the farm. He loved his pets on the farm including several dogs (all named "Laddie"), a racoon and one orphan crow chick that he tried to teach to fly. Reportedly, that effort did not turn out well. In addition to the farm work, while in high school and as a young man, Richard worked as a blueberry raker, sardine factory hand, woolen mill weaver and mechanic. He played trumpet in the Calais High School Band. He was very good at everything he tried. He was especially talented at working with his hands.

Education was very important in his family and Richard attended Colorado State University and earned his degree in vocational education from the University of Maine. His brother and both sisters also earned college degrees from the University of Maine. Meanwhile, he was a service manager at several area car dealerships and eventually taught automobile and industrial vehicle mechanics at the Eastern Maine Vocational Technical Institute in Bangor for more than 30 years. He served his country as a mechanic with the Air National Guard and was stationed in Bangor for 8 years.

He was deeply devoted to his wife of 27 years, Jessie. He helped nurse her through the ailments that older age brings. Politically, he leaned pretty strongly to the right, and she, just as hard to the left, but they made a mutually supportive, loving relationship work. Richard truly had the gift of gab and told great stories, at least if he knew you well. As one of his nephews said "when you left the house after a visit, he would chase you down the road aways to finish a story". He stayed informed about world issues and enjoyed discussing current events and politics.

He was good hearted, but he could also be a bit stubborn. Richard's belief in tradition and self-reliance did not get in the way of giving those around him a helping hand when needed. Especially if you were family, he was there to support you.

Richard loved being outdoors and was an avid hunter, fisherman and paddler. He knew the best clam flats and the best fishing spots for salt or fresh water. He was partner in a camp on 1st Roach Pond. He made many trips down the Alagash. Ice fishing was a passion. He also appreciated wildlife and enjoyed watching the birds he fed, and the deer and turkeys that roamed his property in Glenburn.

Throughout his life Richard regularly returned to the family farm to support his mother and father. It was said amongst family members that he sometimes sacrificed his personal life to care for them.

Richard could build or fix pretty much anything. He built much of his own house in Glenburn with wood sourced onsite and from the farm downeast. He had a barn filled with a collection of items sourced from Uncle Henry's along with various pieces of antique diesel construction equipment. All in working order and purchased for various projects around his Glenburn property. At one point he decided to enter the cranberry business, so to build the bogs he purchased a massive broken down WWII era military bulldozer with cable-controlled blade that was typically used for fast wartime runway clearance. The dozer came complete with a broken down tractor trailer flatbed truck from the same era for transport. He made both old vehicles run. He could recognize and name the model of just about any internal combustion engine made in the last 50 years including marine, diesel, automotive and small gasoline engines.

After suffering a stroke that left him with bouts of vertigo, Richard went home from the hospital and finished re-roofing his house. He was 81 at the time. His doctor was amazed when he found out. It wasn't just saving money that drove him, it was the desire to have the job done right. It was also the pride and enjoyment of finishing work for yourself.

Richard J. Stanhope is survived by his wife of 27 years, Jessie C. (Clark) of Glenburn, ME; his sisters, Anne Rider (Paul, deceased) of Winston Salem, North Carolina, and Harriet Burke (Alan, deceased) of Skowhegan, Maine; his nieces and nephews, Alan Rider of Ft. Mill, SC, Susan Parent (Rider) of Sarasota, FL, Harold (Rick) Rider of Winston-Salem, NC, Michael Stanhope of Asheville, NC, David Stanhope of Apex, North Carolina, Denise Sudbeck (Burke) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Vernon Burke of Skowhegan, ME. Richard was predeceased by an infant brother, Gray; his brother, Harry William; a nephew, Kevin Burke; and his parents, Harry Edward and Marion Gray Stanhope of Ridge Road, Robbinston, ME.