Obituary of L. Dean Hazelton
Greenville, ME and Indianapolis, IN – L. Dean Hazelton, 78, passed away July 13, 2024, at Community North Hospital, Indianapolis, IN. He was born on June 17, 1946, in Greenville, the son of Lester W. and Mary L. (MacQuarrie) Hazelton.
Dean spent his childhood in Guilford with many summer vacations in Corea. As a youth, he was a lifeguard, swim instructor, and golf caddy. Dean loved to play and watch skiing, basketball, baseball, tennis, and golf. He also loved watching football and often mentioned how he wished his high school had a football team. Instead, he became a lifelong New England Patriots fan.
He was on the ski patrol at Sugarloaf during his college years at University of Maine at Orono (a friend described him as “a beautiful skier”) and loved to share stories of his outdoor adventures with his fraternity brothers at Sigma Chi. Dean and his frat buddies enjoyed other adventures, too, such as traveling to Walla Walla, Washington to pick peas for Libby's canned goods for a few summers. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
Dean was a passionate rock and roll fan, liked to dance, and taught himself how to play the guitar. His nephew Erik credits Dean with buying him his first vinyl album (by the band Squeeze) and inspiring him to take up the guitar … and eventually pursue a career in music.
After college, Dean worked as a physical education teacher in southern Maine and coached many junior high sports teams. Years later, Dean co-owned and operated the Bow Street Pub in Portsmouth, NH, and then worked in a ski shop in the White Mountains, which allowed him to ski to his heart’s desire. A self-made entrepreneur (true to his Maine roots), he also owned a restaurant equipment company called Seacoast Restaurant Exchange, which served the Maine and NH Seacoast Region.
In 2001, he moved back to Greenville, where he enjoyed fishing and bird hunting with his Labrador retriever Boone and his beagle Daisy, whom he rescued after hunters abandoned her in the woods. One of his favorite memories was when he took his grandson Conner fishing at Moosehead Lake off the town dock; within 10 minutes, they had caught a huge smallmouth bass. He was a fabulous cook, known for serving up his homemade spaghetti with sausages, pot roast, and lamb chops.
Dean is survived by his daughter, Mary Ann (Hazelton) Reed and her husband, Chris D. Reed, of Bar Harbor; two grandsons, Conner C. Reed and Tyler T. Reed of Gainesville, FL; and two granddaughters, Elyse A. Reed of Bar Harbor and Hayley H. Reed of Manhattan, NY. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Mary Lu Philbrook of Bangor.
A committal service for Dean is being planned for next summer in the family lot in Lawn Cemetery, Guilford. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Dean can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.
A Memorial Tree was planted for L. Dean
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Lary Funeral Home-Dover-Foxcroft
Dover-Foxcroft
62 Summer Street
P.O. Box 128
Dover-Foxcroft, ME
04426
Phone: (207) 564-3391
Fax: (207) 564-3392
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