Pittsfield Historical Society’s
Frank “Bud” Homstead
Frank B. “Bud” Homstead passed away July 11, 2009, just short of his 94th birthday. He was born July 23, 1915, in Palmyra, son of Frank Lang Ho
mstead and Mantie Holt Homstead. He attended schools in Corinna and Pittsfield, graduating from Maine Central Institute in 1935. In 1937 he married Pathena “Tina” Barton of Benton.
He worked in a grocery store in Pittsfield until 1939 when he and his wife moved to North Anson to become the owners and operators of a general store. After 13 years they sold the business and moved back to Pittsfield. In 1953 he and his wife opened a small grocery store in Newport. In 1955 they opened the first self-service supermarket in the whole region.
Bud Homstead, 1959.
After several expansions and opening new stores they retired and sold their stores in Pittsfield, Newport and Dexter. Those stores are now owned and operated by their son, Dean Homstead. [In 2016, the Newport and Dexter stores were sold to Hannaford Bros., while the Pittsfield store continues to be operated by Dean Homstead.-ed]
He was a past master and 50-year member of Northern Star Lodge No. 28, AF & AM, North Anson, member of Scottish Rite of Bangor, The Valley of Portland, 32 degree, Anah Temple, Royal Order of Jesters, Billikens Club of Pinealas County, Fla., and member and past patron of Mount Bigelow Chapter Order of the Eastern Star. He had also been a member and past president of Pittsfield Kiwanis, a director of the former Newport Trust Co., Depositors Trust Co., Bangor, a corporator of Waterville Savings Bank and had been a director of Sebasticook Valley Hospital. Bud had strong feelings for Maine Central Institute, where he had been a board member, a trustee emeritus and member of the Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Tina Homstead; his daughter, Sandra Cote of Pittsfield; son, James Homstead and wife, Marcia, of Augusta; son, Dean Homstead of Pittsfield; granddaughter, Kathy Cote Ray and husband, Frank, of Somerville, Mass.; great-grandson, Frankie Ray of Somerville, Mass.; grandson, Kurt Cote and his fianc?e, Kate Brogan, of South Portland; granddaughter, Lindsay Homstead McGriff and husband, Ryan, of Charlotte, N.C.; stepgrandchildren, Patti and David LeVesque of Augusta; a special nephew, Ralph Damren of Old Town; special cousins, Dorothy Bradford of Winslow, Sally and Jerry Withee of Palmyra and Eleanor Baker of Waterville; nieces, Linda Bickford of Pittsfield, Nancy Crocker of Exeter, Joy Higgins, Debora Brooks and Joan Porter; nephew, Wayne Harris of Augusta; a very close friend, Rick Lynds of Pittsfield; many other wonderful friends and relatives.
He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who loved his family above all else. He was so appreciative and proud of his family’s commitment to care for him and keep him home during his illness. He commented three days before he passed how nice it was to have the whole family at home just to care for him. He had a tremendous memory and shared numerous stories of his family, his friends, his experiences and adventures. He loved to hunt and fish and be in the outdoors. It was a privilege and honor for his family to have had him as part of their lives. They will sorely miss him. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, with a Masonic service 7 p.m., at Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Ave., Pittsfield, where a funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, with the Rev. Scott Jones officiating. Interment will be immediately after at Village Cemetery, Peltoma Avenue, Pittsfield. A gathering will be after the committal service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to Maine Central Institute, 295 Main St., Pittsfield, ME 04967.
— from an obituary in the Bangor Daily News provided by the Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home.
