ISLAND FALLS – Harold K. Hoar, 64, died Nov. 13, 2011, surrounded by his family in Houlton. He was born Oct. 11, 1947, in Island Falls, son of Harold H. and Catherine (Nicholson) Hoar.
He attended Island Falls High School and marched with the graduating class of 1967, where he played basketball and helped out local teams throughout the years. Harold truly loved sports and his greatest love was high school basketball. He was a long-term fixture for decades at Southern Aroostook area gyms, especially at Southern Aroostook Community High School boys and girls varsity basketball games. The highlight of each basketball season was for Harold to attend the high school basketball play-off tournaments at the Bangor Auditorium, where he enjoyed many adventures with high school basketball fans, players, coaches and officials. The Maine Principal’s Association and International Association of Approved Basketball Officials were instrumental in ensuring that his time there was a great experience for him. The IAABO made Harold an honorary lifetime member of their association more than 25 years ago. On Feb. 14, 2009, he was honored with “Harold Hoar Day” at the Eastern Maine Basketball Tournament, making this a truly special day for him. In recent years this trip was still made possible due to the staff of Community Living Association, especially Harold’s friends and co-horts, Mark Morin and Rob Moran.
He is survived by his stepmother, Marion Hoar of Island Falls; sister, Sharman Drew-Ball of Aurora, Colo.; nephew, Josiah Drew and his wife, Heidi, of San Diego and their children, Caleb, Hannah, Joshua, Luke and Noah; nephew, Benjamin Drew and his wife, Jill, of Houlton and their children, Ashley, Jacob, Emma and Samuel; three stepbrothers, a stepsister, an aunt and several cousins. The family would like to thank the Green Valley Association for the role they played in his life and express a very special thank you to Harold’s extended family at CLA for their wonderful care and considerations, always ready to give a hug and a kiss. He will be missed by many, especially his friend, Peter Webb, and members of the IAABO. Thank you also to the doctors, nurses and other staff of the Intensive Care Unit and Acute Care Unit at Houlton Regional Hospital, who took such gentle, loving care of Harold and his family.
A celebration of Harold’s life will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at Bowers Funeral Home, 54 Sherman St., Island Falls. In lieu of flowers, donations in Harold’s memory may be made to the Basketball Hall of Fame, 4 Union Plaza, Suite 11, Bangor, ME 04401. For an online memory book and to leave condolences, please visit
www.bowersfuneral.com.