BANGOR and BREWER – Richard L. Jellison, 77, died May 6, 2009, with his family at his home. He was born July 13, 1931, in Bangor, the youngest child of Leroy and Abbie (Wilson) Jellison. His family, friends and business associates have lost a great man. Dick graduated from Bangor High School, Class of 1950. During his senior year of high school he began what was to be a career of 47 years in the wholesale electrical business. Always with Standard Electric, he rose from part-time stock boy to executive vice president and general manager. Under his leadership the company grew and prospered to become one of the larger independent electrical distributors in the Northeast. He was involved in every aspect of the business and when asked what he did for work, his happy reply would be, “I sell light bulbs.” Dick enjoyed many years with the National Association of Electrical Distributors. He was involved in the following: East Side Little League, Bangor Junior Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. He was a member of Bangor Lions Club, Rising Virtue Lodge No. 10 AF & AM of Bangor, Scottish Rite Bodies Valley of Bangor and Anah Shriners. Dick was an overseer at Lucerne-in-Maine Corp. and enjoyed 25 summers at the lake. With all his old cronies, he was part of the Sabio Rum and Dumb Club. After retirement he took up golf and enjoyed 12 winters in Vero Beach, Fla., in the Heritage Plantation Leagues and summers in Maine with Eastern Maine Senior Golf Association. Dick was a JAFO. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Sharon (Folsom) Jellison; three sons, Richard Scott and Linda Jellison of Hermon, Earle Leroy and Deborah Jellison of Brewer and Roger Wayne Jellison of West Virginia and Anna Petrowski of Chicago; two daughters, Marcie and Edward Oechslie of Brewer and Stacey Jellison-Burgoyne and her husband, Kevin Burgoyne, of Cumberland; 12 grandchildren, Amy and Jeff Millett of Levant, Candace and Shenon Parker of Dover-Foxcroft, Aaron Scott Jellison of Hermon, Summer and Mathew Hart of Champaigne, Ill., Lauren Jellison of Rockland, Brandon Scott and Ugna of Boston, Lucas Fleming Jellison of State College, Pa., Kyle Richard and Molly Jellison of Woolwich, Kate (Oechslie) and Frank Sweetser of Worchester, Mass., Maggie Oechslie of Portland, Richard “Ross” Bourgoyne and Samuel Emery Burgoyne of Cumberland; nine great-grandchildren, Beau, Jake, Josiah, Vivian, Maliki and Ephrim Parker, Connery Hart, Emma Millett and Genevieve Sweetser; a sister, Elinor (Jellison) Perry of East Corinth; several cousins including Irene Jellison Adams of Holden; nieces, nephews and a loving extended family; and his beloved little dog, Shanny. He was predeceased by his brother, Maj. Roger Jellison, U.S. Air Force; a nephew, Donald Perry; and a niece, Judith Perry. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, May 11, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, with the Rev. Robert T. Carlson officiating and a Masonic memorial service will be conducted by the officers and members of Rising Virtue Lodge. Gifts in memory of Dick may be sent to Children’s Miracle Network, care of Healthcare Charities, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402-0931 or Shriner’s Hospital for Children, care of Anah Shrine Center, P.O. Box 735, Bangor, ME 04402-0735. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
RICHARD L. JELLISON
