SOUTHWEST HARBOR – Elmer L. “Buzzie” Beal, a devoted husband, loving father, commercial fishing vessel captain, businessman, entrepreneur, musician and family man, died Aug. 14, 2010, at a Bar Harbor nursing facility. Born Dec. 22, 1920, to Elva (Spurling) and Harvard Beal, on Great Cranberry Island, he was one of six children. Buzzie graduated from Pemetic High School, Class of 1939. In fall 1940 he married his high school classmate and the love of his life, Prudence Benson of Bernard, and followed his father into commercial fishing. During the early years of their marriage, he was captain of several different boats; fishing and lobstering out of Southwest Harbor and for a time operated a sardine carrier, the Hornet. His service during World War II was the catching of fish and trucking it, on pre-interstate roads, to market in Portland, where it was processed for the troops. In 1967 Buzzie became general manager of H. R. Beal & Sons – Beal’s Lobster Pier – a lobster and fish buyer in Southwest Harbor, and managed this business until his retirement. Under his leadership this business grew as new opportunities came along, including the local processing of shrimp and scallops, the development of a dockside eatery and delivery of lobsters to restaurants across Mount Desert Island. As recently as 2008, he was delivering lobsters to a few of his favorite customers in Bar Harbor. Equally important was his role in providing encouragement and guidance to new and upcoming fishermen. Buzzie enjoyed participating fully in all aspects of life. He was a Mount Desert Island High School basketball fan, a skilled bridge player, golfer – he said, “duffer” – and square dance partner for Prue. He played a variety of musical instruments for the Coasters and Charlie Bennett’s, dance bands active in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a deacon of Southwest Harbor Congregational Church, a Southwest Harbor selectman and active member of Southwest Harbor Fire Department and Southwest Harbor/Tremont Ambulance Service. He, along with Prue, was an early supporter of the plan to create a regional high school for Mount Desert Island. During the time his children were young, he was active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, with many memorable field trips in “challenging” weather. Buzzie was a member of Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Masons, Shriners and a founding member of Southwest Harbor-Tremont Kiwanis Club. He was an early trustee of the College of the Atlantic. Buzzie will be missed by his wife of 70 years, Prudence; along with his four children and their spouses, Ken and Helen of Gloucester, Mass., Elmer and Allison of Otter Creek, Sam and Mary of Southwest Harbor and Suzanne and Peter Madeira of Bernard; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; a brother, Harold of Manset; and sister, Bernice of Oak Hill. A memorial service to celebrate Buzzie’s life will be held 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, at Head of the Harbor Church, Tremont, with David Underwood officiating. Gifts in Buzzie’s name may be made to Southwest Harbor-Tremont Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 943, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
ELMER L. ‘BUZZIE’ BEAL
