AUBURN — R. Viles Beedy, 77, of Dixfield passed away after a lingering illness on Dec. 7, at the Hospice House.

He was born in Farmington, May 5, 1933, the second son of Paul Drew and Flora Elizabeth Viles Beedy; maternal grandparents, Willis and Nellie Edwards Viles; paternal grandparents, Oscar Leander and Adelaide Pratt Beedy; maternal great-grandparents, Marcellus and Ella Copp Viles, the Rev. Brice and Susan Tinkham Edwards; paternal great-grandparents, Rufus Smith Beedy and Clara Pillsbury Dodge Beedy, Adelbert Snow Pratt and Nellie Cook Pratt.

Richard married Constance Anne York, daughter of Percy H. and Olive Taylor York, late of Monmouth, Sept. 15, 1956, at the Calvary Methodist Church, Hammon Street, Lewiston.

He attended public schools in Farmington graduating from Farmington High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Navy as a radioman and teleman from 1951 to 1955 being stationed in Norfolk, Va., and Puerto Rico. He graduated Springfield College receiving his bachelor of science degree in physical education, history, and biology in 1959. He received his master’s degree in education from the University of Maine at Orono in 1969. He taught physical education and health. He coached soccer, basketball, and baseball at Gorham High School, Gorham from 1959 to 1967. From 1968 to 1987, he taught physical education and coached football, basketball, baseball, and tennis at Dirigo High School, Dixfield.

He retired from teaching on Jan. 31, 1987 after 28 and one half years of working with the future citizens of tomorrow. He has worked since 1965 during the summers for the Department of Parks and Recreation as a Ranger at Sebago Lake State Park Day Use Area for four years, and then as a manager and ranger at Mt. Blue State Park in Weld for 40 years.

During his years in the public schools he played football, basketball, winter sports, track, and baseball. During his navy career he played baseball for the Norfolk Naval Base Team, primary as a third baseman and catcher. He was also catcher for the former Farmington Flyers baseball team.

He was very active in local clubs and organizations. He was a past member of Gorham Lions Club and Dixfield Lions Club serving as president of the Dixfield Club. He was member of the Rumford American Legion Post 147. He was a member of the Webb River Valley Sportsman Club of Dixfield. He has been a Maine Guide since 1960, and has spent many free hours fishing and hunting in the Eustis area, where he has had a cabin for many years.

His primary love was fishing for square tails and hunting with his Brittany Spaniel “Dee” for so called biddies, and hunting ducks on the Eastern Coast of Maine near Milbridge. He has tied flies professionally and taught lessons of the same for the past 43 years.

He became a third degree Mason in 1961, and is a member of the Masonic Blue Lodges of Dixfield and Stratton. He also was a member of the Masonic Chapter in Windam and now Rumford, past member of the Commandary of Bridgton, and then Farmington, past member of the Kora Temple Shrine. He served in the chairs of the Masonic Lodge of Gorham (Harmony No. 38), and was twice master of the Masonic Lodge of Dixfield (King Hiram Lodge No. 57). He also was district representative of the 20th Masonic District of the Grand Lodge of Maine for the years of 1985 to 1986, and district deputy grand master of the same district of the Grand Lodge of Maine for the years 1987 to 1988. He was a representative of the Grand Lodge of Maine to the Masonic Blue Lodges of the state of Delaware. He served in the Grand Lodge committee for Education and Lodge Services and the Grand Lodge Education committee. He has served as the secretary of King Hiram Lodge 57 since 1990.

He is survived by his wife, Constance Anne York Beedy of Dixfield; one son, Drew Frederic Pratt Beedy of Aurora, Colo.; two daughters, Jocelyn Anne Beedy Ferland and husband, Robert, of Casco and Pamela Lee Beedy Palmer and husband, Glenn, of Colorado Springs. Colo.; three grandsons, Benjamin Taylor Ferland of Casco, Ian Richard Palmer and Stuart Lee Palmer of Colorado Springs, Colo.; three granddaughters, Rachel Mary Ferland of Casco, Keturah Anne Palmer of Colorado Springs. Colo., and Katherine Brenna Ferland of Casco; one brother, Adelbert P. Beedy and wife, Lois, of Manchester; and several stepbrothers, stepsisters, nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his father, P. Drew Beedy; his mother, Flora E. Viles Beedy of Farmington; a stepmother, Chestina (Williams) Durrell Beedy; his grandparents, Oscar and Adelaide Beedy of Farmington, Willis and Nellie Viles of North Anson.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the medical and nursing staff at CMMC, and to the Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice House staff for their comfort and support.

Condolences may be expressed online at FuneralAlternatives.net.