MARBLEHEAD — George E. Girard, 89, of Marblehead, died
peacefully on Monday, July 19, 2010 in Salem Hospital. He was the
husband of Louise (Putnam) Girard with whom he shared 40 years of
marriage.
Born in Nashua, N.H., he was the son of the late Nettie
(Therien) and Eugene Girouard.
Enlisting in the U.S. Army in March, 1943, George
served with great pride in the European Theatre as a Medical Corpsman
assigned to Company M of the 104th Infantry Regiment seeing combat
action in the Battle of the Bulge. Among other decorations, George was
awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He was honorably discharged in
January, 1946 and returned home to his first wife, Marjorie (Powers)
Girard and their infant daughter.
In 1947, George was appointed to the Marblehead Police
Department beginning what would become a storied career in law
enforcement. Cited numerous times for actions above and beyond the call
of duty, George became a Lieutenant in 1953 and was later appointed
Chief of Police in 1960. He served with great distinction as Chief until
his retirement in 1981.
Dedicated to police work, George sought out every
opportunity to further his law enforcement credentials. George earned an
Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from North Shore Community
College in 1976 and he trained in the FBI's Firearms Instructor Program
and attended the FBI's School of Administration. He took classes at
Babson College for Command Training and was a graduate of the Mass State
Police Academy Program.
George was an active member of the International Chiefs
of Police Association and the Mass. Chiefs of Police Association. He
was a member of the Star of the Sea Church. George was an avid golfer
and tennis player and also liked to run. In his younger days he was an
amateur boxer.
He is survived by a daughter, Marjorie Orne and her
husband Frank; two sons, George Girard, Jr. and his wife Galina of
Colorado and Richard Girard and his wife, Gloria; two stepchildren,
Patricia Cohen and her husband Irwin of Marblehead and David Fallon and
his wife Bonnie of Maine; his sister, Lucille Drennan of Marblehead;
eight grandchildren, Stephen, Kristin, Sarah, Michael, Jennifer,
Richard, Robert and Amy; two step-grandchildren, Mark and Mindy; 12
great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. George was the
brother of the late Eugene Girouard of Marblehead and Florida.
ARRANGEMENTS: Friends and relatives are
invited to a graveside funeral service in the Waterside Cemetery, West
Shore Drive, Marblehead on Tuesday, July 27 at 11 a.m. Memorial
contributions in George's name may be made to the Alzheimer's
Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472; or at www.ALZ.org.
Floral expressions of sympathy may be sent to Berube and Sons Funeral
Home, 191 Lafayette St., Salem, the day before the funeral service.
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