John Lord

NAPLES — John S. Lord, 68, of Naples, passed away Monday, July 24, 2017, with his wife Darlene by his side. He had undergone a stem cell transplant at Dana Farber Hospital in Boston and fought a twelve-week battle with courage and great dignity to the end.

John was born Sept. 14, 1948, in Portland, to Harry D. Lord Jr. and Margaret Chellis Lord. He was educated in Casco schools with one year at So. Portland High. He went on to Husson College. He had worked in the 9 to 5 business world for a few years but had been a mason tender in high school and college and found he loved the artistry and creativity of working with stone. John S. Lord Masonry was born some 35 years ago! His creations will stand the test of time and are scattered everywhere.

He was a tremendous athlete — basketball in high school, baseball in college, softball in his 20s through 40s. His dad had been an outstanding athlete and his grandfather, Harry D. Lord Sr. was Captain of the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.

He took up skiing in his late thirties and naturally excelled. He taught skiing and raced, with many medals to show for it. He later took up golf and, while he claimed he wasn't any good at it, he loved it because he played with his brothers-in-law, Geoff Whiteley, Bruce Plummer and Jack McCleery and his friend Ray Fickett.

He was also a talented musician, played guitar and sang with the band, Runnin Smooth, that talent from his mother, who was a singer and musician and traveled with a group professionally.

He is survived by his wife Darlene; stepdaughters, April Haddad of Saco, Julieann Haddad of Scarborough; four granddaughters, Sophia Haddad, of Ft. Lewis, Wash., Sadie Haddad of Boston, Mass., and Amelia and Olivia Haddad of Scarborough; his sisters, Debbie McCleery and her husband Jack of Gainesville, Fla., and Casco, Judy Shivik of Bridgton; nieces Julie McCleery and husband Marc Brown of Seattle, Wash.; Maida Shivik and husband Caelim Parkes of London, England, and Jessica Shivik and husband Brooke Hidell of So. Casco; nephew Robert McCleery and wife Amanda of Gainesville, Fla.; and many grandnephews. He was predeceased by his parents, and brother-in-law Walter Shivik.

A Celebration of Life benefit will be held at the American Legion Post 155, in Naples, on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. A private burial will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be left for the family at hallfuneralhome.net

He will be dearly missed.