WASHBURN – Harold E. Corey, 80, died Saturday morning Sept. 18, 2010, at Cary Medical Center, Caribou. He was born May 12, 1930, in Washburn, son of Hughie and Margaret (Rideout) Corey. He graduated from Washburn High School, where he was a member of the 1948 Eastern Maine State Championship basketball team. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in Germany and received various medals of honor. Harold graduated from Hanson’s Barber School, Lewiston, in 1956. As a proud citizen of Washburn, he owned and operated a barbershop for more than 50 years. Not afraid of hard work, in high school he began a snow plowing business with his close friend, Ellsworth Woodman, which he evolved into a service business of snow plowing, garden and lawn care for more than 50 years. Glad to “make an honest buck,” he purchased and resold thousands of potato baskets made by Micmac Indians from the local region, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In 1977 he was proud to win a tractor pull at Northern Maine Fair Grounds, Presque Isle, where his 100-plus foot pull eclipsed his competitors, whose pulls were only a few inches – they stalled and Harold was able to keep his Farmall C running. Harold is survived by two sons, Stephen of Clearwater, Fla., and Scott and his companion, Wallace, of Boston; two grandchildren, Andrew Stephen and Michael Scott of Clearwater, Fla.; three brothers-in-law, Richard Thompson and his wife, Linda, of Quitman, Texas, Paul Thompson of Bangor and Donald Thompson and his wife, JoAnn, of Wade; a sister-in-law, Elaine Corey of Washburn; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Joyce (Thompson) Corey, in 2001. There will be a private burial with Pastor Dale Nason officiating. Those who wish may donate in his memory to Maine Veterans Home Activities Fund, 163 Van Buren Road, Suite 2, Caribou, ME 04736 or Washburn Public Library, Main Street, Washburn, ME 04786. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.
HAROLD E. COREY
