Gordon Leigh Probert

Gordon Leigh Probert, 84, of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, passed away on March 8, 2026, at MaineGeneral Hospital in Augusta. Born on September 25, 1941, in Strong, Maine, he was the eldest of six children born to Albert and Alice Probert.

After graduating from Strong High School in 1959, Gordon hiked the Appalachian Trail from Roaring Brook at Mount Katahdin to the New Hampshire border with a friend. That fall he attended forestry school in New York State before returning to Maine, where he worked as a log scaler for International Paper and later as a forest warden at the Snow Mountain lookout tower. During the winter of 1960-1961, he served on the ski patrol at Sugarloaf Mountain in Stratton. These early experiences shaped a lifelong passion for the outdoors.

Gordon married Rebecca “Becky” Watson in September 1961. They began their life together in Eustis, where their daughter Lynda was born a year later. The family later settled in Industry, spending the next twenty years there while Gordon and Becky ran The Good Food Store in Skowhegan. After Becky’s death, Gordon married Ann Dionne of Skowhegan in June 1985, a year after the birth of their daughter Dionne. The family moved across the country several times before returning to Maine, creating many cherished memories along the way. Gordon retired from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1999. In 2012, he and Ann settled in their home in Belgrade Lakes, where they enjoyed time with family and friends. In his later years, Ann cared for him with great devotion.

Gordon took pleasure in working with his hands, whether laying masonry, chopping wood, playing guitar, painting, or sailing. He maintained a deep appreciation for nature, a particular fondness for his youngest grandchild, and a remarkable memory for stories that he loved to share. He is survived by his wife, Ann; daughters Lynda Vogt and Dionne Mardueno; grandchildren Madison, Juliana, and Hudson; four siblings; and many nieces and nephews.