Harold Beisaw

JAY – Harold Everett Beisaw, 94, a life-long resident of North Jay, Maine, died on the 17th of February, 2023.

He was born in Wilton, Maine, and attended Emerson Grammar School and Wilton Academy where he excelled in many sports, especially football, and held the State of Maine high school javelin record for many years. He spent an additional year at Maine Central Institute prior to attending Bowdoin college.

In 1950 he entered the USAF during the Korean War and was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Harold served as an airborne electronics technician. During his service he was a catcher of a championship softball team for 2 years. He was honorably discharged as a master sergeant in 1954. He then joined his father’s automobile agency and continued the business for many years after his father’s retirement.

During the 1970s he enjoyed drag and auto racing at Oxford Plains Speedway obtaining the track championship in his class on two occasions. Also, he spent winters enjoying auto ice racing. He continued his sports interest as an assistant coach at Wilton Academy and as a coach in youth sports. Harold excelled at skiing and was one of the earliest skiers at Sugarloaf Mountain. He eventually became a ski instructor at Sugarloaf for over 35 years. Recently, a cardiac condition made it necessary for him to stop skiing at the age of 93.

Harold was extremely active in local civic affairs. He was a proud Mason serving as Grand Master of the Wilton Lodge and served as a State District Deputy. At the time of his passing, he was the Master of the North Jay Grange and was one of the longest members of the Lions Club. He followed in his father’s footsteps as a long-standing member of the Jay Volunteer Fire Department. For many years Harold was a presenter with the Dale Carnegie Institute.

Harold leaves his companion of 40 years, Jackie Dennis of Farmington; sons, James of Poughkeepsie, NY, Michael of Farmington, Stephen of Wilton; a brother, Norman Beisaw of Shrewsbury, MA; a sister Barbara Witcher of Littleton, CO. He leaves many nieces and nephews who loved being in his company.

A Masonic funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road. Family and friends are invited to visit an hour prior to the service. Burial will take place in the spring at Lakeview Cemetery with military honors. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Wilton Masonic Lodge #156, PO Box 1004, Wilton, ME 04294 or North Jay Grange #10, 593 Davenport Hill Road, Jay, ME 04239 or Wilton Lions Club, PO Box 319, Wilton, ME. 04294 in Harold’s memory. Words of remembrance may be shared in his Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Wiles Remembrance Centers.

The family has asked that those in attendance please wear a mask.