James Melville Hibbard

     James “Jim” Melville Hibbard, 75, beloved husband of Nancy (MacDonald) Hibbard, passed away on October 11, 2024, at Central Maine Medical Center with family at his side, from multiple myeloma complications.  Born on March 27, 1949, in Skowhegan, Maine, he was the son of the late Derrill and Ruth (Gould) Hibbard. James was raised in Madison, where he spent his formative years active and mostly outside. He delivered papers before school, fished every brook in Madison and Anson and played numerous sports, excelling in cross country.

     After graduating from Madison Memorial High School in 1967, he attended UMF where he played college baseball and received a degree in Education in 1971. After a very brief career in education, he joined the paper industry in 1971, retiring in 2010 after 34 years at SAPPI- Somerset Mill.   

     He was an avid outdoorsman and raised his boys fishing and hunting. Jim also enjoyed golfing and swimming at Emden Pond. His longtime friend Cliff Miller returned to Maine in their retirement years and the duo spent many fine days trolling western Maine ponds in the spring and chasing waterfowl, partridge and deer around central Maine in the fall.  In the offseason he loved cruising the dirt backroads looking for wildlife and patronizing local farm stands.  He was a die-hard Red Sox and Patriots fan long before and after they found success. He was not too proud though as some of his closest friends were Yankee “bums” as he liked to say.  He enjoyed traveling with Nancy, his companion for the past 20 years, to Myrtle Beach, Florida, Las Vegas, and around Maine.

      He was married to Nancy (MacDonald) Hibbard, who survives him, along with his sons, Corey Hibbard and Tony Hibbard, step-daughter Antonina Berube, and step-son David Deprey. James is also survived by his brothers, Chester Hibbard and Bryan Hibbard, as well as his uncle, Richard Gould. He was a proud grandfather to Lauren, Emma, Ella, Evelyn, and Grant Hibbard.

     In addition to his parents, James was predeceased by his brother, Derrill Hibbard Jr.

     His family would like to thank Laurie Collins for her faithful caretaking and friendship that enabled James to remain in his home as he battled cancer over the last 2 years. Also special thanks to UKVAS, Bingham Area Health Center, and in-house, ER and Oncology staff from RFGH, Maine General Home Care and CMMC for their compassionate care.  

     There will be a celebration in his memory at North Country Rivers on November 9th at 1:00PM.  

     Donations may be made in Jim’s memory to:

     St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

     501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105

     https://www.stjude.org

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