FRYEBURG – Harry Garland True of Fryeburg, beloved husband of Sandra G. (Colwell) True, died Thursday, May 15, at Northern Cumberland Memorial Hospital after a short battle with cancer.

He was born in South Windham on Nov. 7, 1927, a son of Frank and Vivian True.

He graduated from Gorham High School, where he was a standout athlete earning the state championship in basketball in 1944-1945. After serving in the Navy, he graduated from Gorham State Teachers College (now USM) where he played baseball and earned two New England Small College Championships in basketball.

He completed further study at DePauw University and earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Maine at Orono in 1968. He went on to teach, coach and mentor students at Porter High School (now Sacopee Valley) from 1953-1962 as a teacher and varsity basketball coach, winning two Western Maine championships; Gardiner High School from 1962-1964 as math and science teacher and boys’ varsity basketball coach; Fryeburg Academy 1964-1976 as a social studies teacher, football coach, assistant headmaster and athletic director, boys varsity basketball coach earning the school’s only state championship title in 1976, Maine Central Institute from 1976-1979 as headmaster and girls’ varsity basketball, and back to Fryeburg from 1979-1990 as headmaster. He was girls’ varsity assistant basketball coach at Skowhegan High School from 1998-2004 and Lake Region from 2004-2006.

Upon retiring from education, Mr. True served in the Maine State House of Representatives District 45 from 1992-2000, serving in capacities of Maine State Substance Abuse Commission and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, AARP and on Maine Central Institute’s Board of Trustees for five years.

Awards include inaugural class of the University of Southern Maine Hall of Fame (1986), the Harry G. True Chapter, National Honor Society, Porter High School (1960), Maine Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association Distinguished Service Award (1990), Maine Central Institute Hall of Maine (1990), Maine Association of Basketball Coaches Bob Brown Contributor Award (2004), and the Gorham High School Hall of Fame (2007).

Mr. True has a long history of dedicated contribution and as a role model to youth in the State of Maine and from around the world. Well-known for this love and genuine caring for the welfare of young adults, he has helped shape the lives of generations of students and athletes and willingly accepted the role of father figure to many who sought or needed him. It simply did not matter who you were, where you came from, and what you did, Harry “Pinky” True always had a smile, a hand shake or a hug, and knew your name. Family was always at the center of Harry and Sandra’s lives and family always extended well outside biological relatives.

He also enjoyed hunting and fishing with his friends and family throughout the years.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Pinky is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sandra; daughters, Denise Stacy and husband, Butch, Sherry Ingalls and husband, Bernie, and Kathy Ela and husband, Bill; sons, Mark and wife, Laureen, and Paul and wife, Billie Jean; grandchildren, Matthew, Andrew Stacy, and Angela Stacy Nelson and husband, Adam, Jared and Mallory Ela, Keegan, Braden and Kylene True, and Spencer, Chandler and Jacoby True; brothers, Carleton and wife, Genevieve, John True, and Harold Leighton; and sisters, Jane Heal and Patricia Britton; brother-in-law Raymond Burke; sister-in-law Mary Anne True; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by son, Michael; brother, Kenneth True; and sister, Betty Burke.

The family would like to thank all of those who supported him during his illness. Our heartfelt thanks to the Northern Cumberland Memorial Hospital staff for its caring ways and kindness that will always be remembered, and to Fryeburg Academy for their thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity.