WAYNE – Ben F. Pike, 76, of the Mount Pisgah Road, died Dec. 12, 2003, at Central Maine Medical Center. He was born in Woodland (Aroostook County), the son of Eugene H. and Edna (Russell) Pike. He was educated in the elementary schools of Woodland and is a graduate of Caribou High School, Class of ’48. He held a bachelor’s of science degree in Journalism from the University of Maine, Class of ’53. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1947 and was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington D.C. On Aug. 2, 1951, he married the former Louise Hebert of Caribou and they had six children. He spent several years as a news editor and radio announcer in Bangor, Portland and Houlton. He was a Public relations representative for the Maine Department of Economic Development in 1956 and became assistant director of the Division of Recreation Promotion. In 1962, he was named executive secretary of the Association for Multiple Use of Maine Timberlands. In 1965, he became Maine Public Relations representative and rose to be New England manager of public affairs for the International Paper Co. He retired in January 1989. He was founder of: The Ski Maine Association; The North Maine Woods Administrative Program; and the Maine Public Relations Council. He was a past Grand Knight of Canabas Council, Knights of Columbus, of Gardiner; president of Livermore Falls Rotary Club; and chairman, board of directors of the Maine Publicity Bureau. He is survived by his wife; four sons, Marty and wife, Cheryl, of Farmington; Jeffery and wife, Sherry, of Winthrop, Mathew and wife, Kelly, of Thomaston, Christopher and fianc‚e, Stephanie Uhlman, of South China; two daughters, Carol Ouellette and husband, Michael, of Melbourne, Australia, and Mary Freeman and husband, Jerry Jr., of Wayne; and grandchildren, Kristana Pike and friend, Michael Lamoreau, of Portland, Joshua Pike and fianc‚e, Sarah Horton, of Farmington, Amanda and Ashley Pike of Winthrop, Jessica Keeble and husband, Christian, of Melbourne Australia, Jonathan and Jaclyn Ouellette, of Melbourne, Australia, Jordan and Chelsey Freeman, of Wayne and Kashia and Trevor Wilson of Thomaston. He is also survived by three sisters and two brothers, Elvie Bubar of Washburn, Ruby (Mrs. Herbert) Sands of Washburn, Blanch (Mrs. David) Bartlett of Carson Siding, Allen of Carmel, N.Y., and Eugene Jr. of Wilbraham, Mass. He was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters, Charles Pike, Leander Pike, Bernice Parker and Pauline Thomas. A memorial service will be conducted 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Winthrop. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Maine Children’s Cancer Program, 100 Rt. 1 Scarborough, ME 04074. Arrangements are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop. www.khrfuneralhomes.com.
BEN F. PIKE
