AUBURN — Clyde “Ted” R. Pulsifer Jr., 83, a resident of Leeds, died Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Hospice House.

He was born Feb. 3, 1928, in Turner, the son of Clyde and Maude (Safford) Pulsifer. Ted spent his childhood in Turner and graduated from Leavitt Institute. He served his country in the Navy 1946 to 1947.

On Oct. 10, 1948, in Lewiston, he married Glenice Francis. He and Glenice moved to Leeds to begin farming after a few years of marriage. They eventually moved back to Glenice’s family homestead in 1962 to continue farming. Ted was very proud of building his milking barn, largely by himself with lumber sawn from trees he cut from his own woodlot.

Ted’s life was dedicated to his family and his farm. He and Glenice were also founding members of Leeds Community Church. Passionate about farming, Ted was a Dairy Farmer for 40 years, starting with four cows milked by hand and leaving the dairy business with one of the finest Registered Holstein herds in the Northeast.

He also sold some of his registered cattle for breeding all over the United States and the world. As a cooperative member of the New England Milk Producers Association, he became the local NEMPA representative and secretary. Later joining the Agri-Mark co-op, eventually elected to the Agri-Mark Board of directors, where he served for many years. From the Agri-Mark Journal, Oct 1990: “Says Agri-Mark General Manger, “Ted was not as vocal as some other Directors, but when he did speak, it was relevant and worth listening to.”

Committed to representing the “average farmer,” Ted Pulsifer was also chairman of the Save Maine Farms organization, a group organized in the early 1980s. He was also involved with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service as State Committeeman, on the county committee for 25 years and was the University of Maine Twin County Cooperative Extension Service Outstanding Farmer in 1979, as well as a 4-H leader for many years.

Ted was also a member of the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee, treasurer of the Maine Beef Industry Council and has served his fellow dairyman on the Board of Directors of Milk Promotion Services. Ted also found time over the years to participate in local government, being a past chairman of the regional and local Planning and School Boards. He is survived by Glenice, his wife of 63 years; daughter, Bonnie Turcotte and her husband, Scott, of Windham; son, Randall Pulsifer and wife, Jane, of Saco; three grandchildren, Morgan and Jordan Pulsifer, and Glen Turcotte; his siblings, Jerry Pulsifer and wife, Jean, of Turner, Edith Little and husband, John, of Leeds, Bob Pulsifer and wife, Beth, of Livermore, Joan (Tootie) Ricker and husband, Don, of Turner, Janice Holmes and husband, Jim, of Greene, James Pulsifer and wife, Mary, of Peru, Howard Pulsifer and wife, Pat, of Barrington, Ill., Merilyn Bates of Canton, Mo., and Barry Pulsifer and wife, Linda, of Hallowell.

Ted was predeceased by brothers, Dick Pulsifer of Turner, David Pulsifer of Livermore and Steve Pulsifer of Vermont.

Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.finleyfuneralhome.com.