Edwin Robert Blanchard, 75, of Orleans, Vermont passed away on October 27, 2022 in Newport.  He was born on December 9, 1946 in Essex, Vermont youngest of seven children to Walter E. and Carolyn (Bliss) Blanchard.  He grew up on the family farm.  In 1968 he was drafted into the United States Army where he served a year and a half in Vietnam.  In 1971 he joined the U.S. Army National Guard where he served 4 years.  Upon returning from Vietnam he met and married his lifelong partner Aline (Thibeault) Blanchard.  Together they raised 6 children and worked along side each other in the woods logging and driving truck.  He spent most of his years self employed driving mostly in New England but he did get to see much of the country in the couple of years he drove cross-country for B&B Trucking.  He met many people along the way that became his friends.  He loved recalling the stories of the people he met and the adventures he had with them.  He had a great love for animals and especially enjoyed traveling with their dog Venus on the truck.

He leaves behind his wife of 52 years Aline (Thibeault) Blanchard, his daughter Charlotte Maynard and her husband Todd, their daughter Jessica Ahyakana and her husband Curtis and their daughters Evelyn and Elizabeth. Dennis Maynard of all of Wasilla, Alaska, Son Todd Blanchard and his fiancé Danielle Huntington of Newport, Vermont, Todd.s daughter's Morgan Blanchard and her partner John "Curtis" Hardy and their son Waylon of Barton, Vermont, and Raegan Blanchard of Irasburg, Vermont, Danielle's children: Brady and Hayden Boivin and Kamryn and Macie Huntington.  Daughter Jeanie-Marie Blanchard and her partner Tim Powell of Barton, Vermont, Jeanie-Marie Blanchard's children Dakota Warner and his partner Nia Wigley of Johnson, Vermont and Jade Warner of Barton, Vermont. Tim's son Matt Powell and his partner Desiree Coffin and their daughter Kinslee of Irasburg, Vermont, son Trampess Blanchard of Barton, Vermont and daughter Margo Blanchard and her daughter Leilani Blanchard of barton, Vermont, his sister's Fredericka Leithead of West Charleston, Vermont and Lydia King of Irvine, Kentucky, brother-in-law Serge Thibeault and his wife Marcia of Swanton, Vermont and sister-in-law Pat Anderson of St. Albans, Vermont, his lifelong best friend "brother" Robert Dennis of Winooski, Vermont as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his eldest son Chad A. Blanchard, his parents: Walter E. and Carolyn E. (Bliss) Blanchard, father and mother-in-law Edward and Leona (Pariseau) Thibeault, brothers: Alwyn Blanchard & Wallace Blanchard and wife Anita, Sisters: Jean Searles and husband Dick and father of her children Louis Murray Sr & Anita Petroziello and husband Tom and father of her children Clayton Holmes, brother-in-law Marcel Thibeault and his wife Sharon, brother-in-law Arthur "Pudge" Leithead and by brother-in-law Raymond King.

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Friday November 4, 2022 at the Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, 12 Elm Street, Barton. Full military honors will follow the service. Interment will be held on Saturday November 5, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. at the Lakeview Cemetery in Westmore, VT.  Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Society, 522 Strawberry Acres, Newport, Vermont  05855. On-line condolences at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.