1937 – 2016

RANDOLPH — Harry Henry Beaulieu Jr., beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died Sunday, Oct. 2, at his home following a long illness.

He was born Sept. 6, 1937, in Livermore Falls, the son of Mary (Lesko) Beaulieu and Harry H. Beaulieu Sr. He was educated in Livermore Falls schools and graduated in 1955 from Livermore Falls High School.

After high school, Harry worked as a “paper maker” at the mill in Jay and, later, for many years in Millinocket. There, he raised his family and lived until 1993, when he and his wife of nearly 50 years, Sandra “Kay” (Stoehr) Beaulieu moved to Lincoln.

At the mill, Harry was known to cook elaborate meals during a shift. He also sold Popsicles to hot mill workers and loved to pull pranks with good friend Howard Nelson. One Thanksgiving, Harry sold tickets and raffled off a turkey. When the winning ticket was drawn, Harry presented the winner with a live turkey.

While in Lincoln, Harry and Kay owned and operated an antique business, The Willows, first out of their home and later in a repurposed farmhouse across the street.

They enjoyed many years with this joint venture — with Kay focusing mostly on selling antiques and Harry on “the junk” purchased from houses or auction box lots. They made a lot of friends on the “auction circuit” and loved the steady stream of customers and friends who stopped by to shop or visit over a cup of coffee.

In 2006, they sold both properties in Lincoln and moved to Randolph to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Through most of his life, Harry was an avid hunter and fisherman, first in the Livermore area as a young boy winning “turkey shoots” and then in the woods and waters surrounding Millinocket and well beyond. Some of his fondest memories — and most interesting and funniest stories — involve the times he spent in the Maine outdoors with brother-in-law Ronald “Red” Dean and many old fishing and hunting friends.

Harry was a storyteller by nature and a tall-tale teller by choice, making it sometimes hard to tell which stories were true and which weren’t — like whether he actually owned a grocery store or a bar, or once had a job repossessing cars. Operating a handcrafted still in a third-floor apartment before it blew up is most likely one of the true tales, as was the story of how he started working as a 12-year-old bagging goods at the grocery store and setting pins at the bowling alley to help support his family.

Harry was an avid, lifelong reader and particularly liked Westerns. He was a talented sketch artist and woven-basket maker, but not a gifted singer, although hearing him sing “On Top of Old Smokey” was always memorable. He loved to garden and gave away far more produce to friends and complete strangers than he ever ate himself.

He loved to build furniture and other items out of pine, but hated to sand or paint them after construction. When he did finish an item, he was prone to apply a more than ample amount of polyurethane, thinking that if a little was good, a lot was so much better.

Harry loved old toys and gadgets of all kinds. His fascination to learn how things worked was often accompanied by the phrase, “That’s quite a riggin’.”

A late-stage colon cancer survivor for more than 31 years, Harry’s naturally generous nature was enhanced by the experience of going through cancer treatment and having his family receive gifts of money, food and other support from friends and neighbors. He and Kay made many anonymous gifts to those in need over the years and Harry was especially generous to the elderly and those who struggled to feed their families.

While in Lincoln, they helped coordinate and fund free Thanksgiving dinners for the community. It was an experience Harry greatly enjoyed.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Sandra “Kay” (Stoehr) Beaulieu; a sister and brother-in-law, Sally and Ronald “Red” Dean; daughters, Cheryl and Denney Rand, Kelly and Steve McRorie and Michelle “Missy” and John Begin; sons, Peter and Joe Beaulieu; grandchildren, Joseph and Jessica Rand, Brandi and Robert Given, Jeremiah Daniel Gattis, Benjamin Newton, Zachary and Ian Rogers, Emma, Grace and Jack Begin, Sam Bate Knight, and Lily Beaulieu; and great-grandchildren, Taylor and Karsyn Rand, Rielyn, Hannah and Sadie Given, and Lily and Rosalee Rogers.

Harry was predeceased by his parents; and children, Kevin Bate and Terry Bate Retke.