1919 – 2016

HALLOWELL — Haskell Calder Dearnley, 97, formerly of East Monmouth, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 23, at his residence at Granite Hill Estates.

He was born Jan. 21, 1919, in Lisbon Falls to Mabel and Fred Dearnley and was the oldest of their five children.

He was graduated from Lisbon High School and Bliss Business College, where he met his beloved partner and wife of 69 years, Iva Willard.

Following his graduation from Bliss in 1939, he joined the U.S. Army, which put his accounting expertise to work at Fort Dix, N.J., and Fort Devens in Ayer, Mass.

After his Army years, he had a series of jobs in the local area, including a stint working for Skin Howard, a boat builder of some repute located on Route 135 in East Monmouth. He and Iva later purchased a house and land across the road formerly owned by Skin’s parents.

It was in that house, which they restored, remodeled and maintained over a period of 65 years, where they raised their three children and were active in the life of their community.

Hack, as he was known by all, joined the accounting department of Central Maine Power in 1949, leaving in 1966 for a position as financial manager of the Winthrop plant of Interchemical Corp., later known as Inmont Corp. When Inmont closed that facility, Hack became employed by the Augusta Sanitary District, but continued with Inmont one day a week, selling off equipment and materials. It was during this time that he pursued a plan put together with two business partners to purchase the Winthrop mill that had housed Inmont. They finalized that purchase in 1976, and he became manager of the building, renting space to a number of emerging Maine businesses, including Progressive Distributors, CV Finer Foods, Fabco and AMI. Other tenants have included, or now include, Healthy Futures, Paris Farmers Union, Filter Belt, Metso, Valmet, Fab Services, and the district offices of the Winthrop School System. This was a position he held until his death, assisted by his children who became his partners after buying out his original partners in 2007.

Hack was an active participant and faithful steward in his local community and served on the Monmouth Board of Selectmen for several years. He was a long-term treasurer of the Monmouth Academy trustees and spearheaded the development of an endowment fund that annually grants scholarships to a number of graduating seniors.

Hack was a member and strong supporter of the East Monmouth Methodist Church, which he attended faithfully until two weeks before his death. He was treasurer of the church for many years, and responsible for many restoration projects, including repainting of the building inside and out and the rebuilding of the foundation.

Beyond his work and community life, Hack especially enjoyed skiing, which he did since his high school years. He and Iva made sure their children were exposed early to the sport, and had them on neighborhood hills by the time they were 4 years old. They were also instrumental in ensuring their five grandchildren learned to ski and they had a large collection of assorted ski equipment for them to use. Hack skied into his 90s. An annual birthday event at Sunday River with his children, and grandchildren was something he always planned and looked forward to. They will never forget skiing behind him and seeing the graceful, effortless way he came down the mountain.

Remarkably, and demonstrating that he never let anything stop him from doing the things he loved, in his last year of skiing at age 94, he was on the slopes of Mount St. Anne in Quebec in -10 degree weather with grandson Nick and son Mert. An avid golfer, he persisted in playing the often frustrating game as a member of the Cobbossee Colony Golf Club in East Monmouth, where he enjoyed playing in the men’s league and with friends, children and grandchildren. He initiated an annual tournament benefiting the East Monmouth United Methodist Church, which is supported and enjoyed by many business colleagues and local friends.

Hack was richly blessed with grace, stamina, humor, a sharp mind and a generous, young heart, which he cultivated by staying physically active and through his church life, work and being connected to others. Although deeply bereft by the loss of his wife of 69 years, he knew that because others had survived the same kind of loss, he would, too.

His last years were greatly enhanced by the companionship of Penny Ackley, a special friend.

In January 2014, he moved from his East Monmouth residence to the assisted living wing at Granite Hill Estates, spending his last two years comfortably in the company of 16 lovely women, with whom he enjoyed having meals and entertaining with his sense of humor.

He is survived by many friends; his children, Merton Dearnley and wife, Delia, Fred Dearnley and wife, Stacey Hodges, and Heidi Jackson and husband, Win; grandchildren, Benjamin Dearnley, Nicholas Dearnley, Anna Dearnley, Jon Dearnley and Emily Jackson; special friends, Susan Deshaines and Elizabeth McMahon; and several nieces and nephews.

His well-lived life is a legacy for his family and friends. Hack met the last days of his life as he lived them — straight on — not taking things too seriously, ready for whatever was to be. A wonderful, unsurpassable man, he is deeply missed.