ST. GEORGE — Robert Joseph French, beloved husband of Shirley Anne French for 50 years, died March 3, 2016. He was a devoted father to his daughter Laura A. Hyson and her husband, Mark R. Hyson, and to his son, Charles A. French and his wife, Ann Marie French. He was proud of his granddaughters, Katherine and Elizabeth Hyson.

Robert was born Jan. 3, 1936, in Boston, Mass., to Elvira M. Badaracco and Charles W. French. He was predeceased by his parents; three half-sisters; and two half-brothers. He graduated from Brookline High School in 1953, Dartmouth College in 1957, Northeastern University in 1967 and Clark University in 1972, with an advanced degree in geography.

He taught geography at the University of Southern Maine for 27 years and earned professor emeritus status in 2002. During his tenure, he conducted coastal archaeological surveys in and around Casco Bay and was co-coordinator of the Maine Geographic Alliance from 1992-1995.

Retirement from the University began in 1995 with the design and building of a home in St. George, using old and new technologies. The land surrounding the home — 30 acres of spruce-fir forest and meadows — was placed in conservation with the Georges River Land Trust, part designated as wild land and part as managed forest.

In 2001, he was guest curator of the map exhibit Roadmaps, the American Way at the Osher Map Library and Smith Cartographic Center in Portland. Several years later, he donated 4,500 road maps from his private collection to the Osher Map Library and his exhibit was put on display at Harvard University. Following the exhibits, he wrote a series of articles on roadmaps for the Roadmap Collectors' Association. In 2011, he completed a self-published novel, Roadmap to Yesterday.

Robert's hobbies included antique auto and bicycle restoration, hiking, fishing, tending the forest and land, and exploring Maine with his family. His public service included as a volunteer archivist at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, judge at the Maine State Geography Bee and past member of the St. George Comprehensive Plan Committee.

Visiting will be held on Friday, March 11 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St., where a memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Dean Cremains Garden, Achorn Cemetery in Rockland.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Georges River Land Trust, 8 North Main Street, Rockland, ME 04841 or on line at www.georgesriver.org/donate.