FORT KENT — Edward P. Cyr, former Democratic state senator from Madawaska, died Thursday at Northern Maine Medical Center at Fort Kent. He was 77.

A businessman, developer and contractor at Madawaska, Cyr was elected to the legislature in 1960. Between 1960 and 1965 and 1971 to 1976, he served one term in the House and four terms in the Senate.

During his 11 years in Augusta, he was chairman of the Municipal Affairs and the Health and Welfare committees. He also served on the following committees: Taxation, Natural Resources, Agricultural, Fish and Game, Veterans and Military Affairs, Transportation and County Government.

He served on Gov. Clinton Clawson’s Committee for the Passamaquoddy Power Project, was a pioneer in the Rankin Rapids Power Project and the Dickey Lincoln School Hydroelectric Projects in Northern Maine.

He represented northern Maine on the St. Lawrence Seaway Port Development Committee, and was a sponsor of the Sugar Beet Research Funds Project for Aroostook County. He was the legislative representative on the Maine Potato Council in the mid 1960s and was a sponsor of vocational education legislation for the state.

In Madawaska, he was chairman of the Madawaska Budget Committee, served on the Madawaska Board of Selectmen for three terms and was chairman for four years. A certified assessor and appraiser, he became Madawaska’s assessor after leaving the Board of Selectmen.

He taught vocational agriculture at Madawaska High School, was manager of the United Potato Producers of Maine, taught agriculture in the Belgian Congo and in Puerto Rico, was a founder of Cyr Brothers Inc. and built and owned Madawaska’s first shopping center.

He was a graduate of Assumption College and the University of Maine. He worked as an agronomist for the Soil Conservation Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture during World War II.

He is survived by his wife, Jane Andersen, five children, 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.