RUMFORD – J. Claude Belyea, 88, of Roxbury, died Friday, Oct. 24, at the Rumford Hospital following a lengthy illness with his loving family at his side.

He was born in Andover, New Brunswick, on May 6, 1920, the son of Leon and Cora Buckingham Belyea. Claude’s family moved to Mars Hill where Claude attended Mars Hill High School.

He was very proud of the fact that he was the starting pitcher on the baseball team as a freshman. Upon graduation, he was recruited by the Madawaska Training Center and received a scholarship based on his pitching skills. In 1938, he played for the Mars Hill Lions Club and in 1939, he played for the Fort Kent Indians in the Northern Maine League. He moved to Rumford-Mexico in 1940 and played ball for the Timber League, ending his baseball career as the general manager and coach of the Rumford Rams in the Down East League. At one point in his career, he was scouted by the Boston Red Sox and he later became a scout for them in the Western Maine area. He was an avid Red Sox fan and was happy to see them win two World Series championships during his lifetime.

At the close of his baseball career, he took up the sport of golf and was proud of his 4 handicap. He was president of the Oakland Country Club for two years. He also had an interest in flying and became a private pilot and joined the Civil Air Patrol as a First Lieutenant.

Claude was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt, fish, and snowmobile. It was unusual for him not to bag his deer annually. There wasn’t much that he wouldn’t try, including ski jumping. After a bad fall and tearing up his knees, he decided that wasn’t for him!

Claude was a proud veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 1940 to 1945. He served in Northern Africa and Italy. Upon returning from the war, he met the love of his life, Jean Sedgeley. They were married on May 27, 1946. They made their home and brought up their five children on Granite Street in Mexico. Claude had a very successful 40-year career as lead electrician with the Oxford Paper Co.

He was a member of the Robert Shand Post 1641, V.F.W. and the American Legion Post No. 24. He was also a member of the IBEW 2144 Union.

He was predeceased by his parents; two brothers, John W. Belyea and Phillip L. Belyea; and a son, Stephen B. Belyea.

Claude’s survivors include his wife of 62 years, Jean; his sister, Marion Miller of Mars Hill; his children, Claudia Comeau and husband, Don, of Hollis, Vickie Young and husband, Randy, of Mexico; Jim Belyea and wife, Gail, of Mexico, Barbara Dolloff of Canton and her companion, Mark Plourd; daughter-in-law, Catherine Belyea of Austin, Texas; sisters-in-law, Phyllis Belyea of Rumford and Lois Belyea of Mars Hill; grandchildren, Paul Belyea, Julie McDaniels, Amy Harris, Laura Belyea, Jeffrey Comeau, Aaron Young, Jennifer Jamison, Amber Dow, Amanda Belyea, Katie Dolloff and Kyle Dolloff; and 10 great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank the staff of the Rumford Hospital and the Androscoggin Home and Hospice Program for the compassion and care that they provided to Claude and his family during his illness.