Jay Pease

Jay Richard Pease passed away peacefully on the morning of October 19, 2025, six weeks shy of his 96th birthday. Born on December 9, 1929, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Ivan Ralph Pease and Madalyn Louise (Nutter) Pease, Jay lived a life marked by curiosity, craftsmanship, and deep dedication to family and community. As a boy he built model airplanes, loved all aspects of being a Boy Scout, and enjoyed music and dancing.

After graduating from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York, Jay served four years in the US Navy, working in the engine rooms aboard ship—a formative experience that sparked a lifelong interest in mechanics and problem-solving, but the noise of the engines impacted his hearing, a struggle for him for the rest of his life. Jay was discharged in March of 1949, and attended the University of Maine in Orono, where he immersed himself in campus life, graduating with a degree in Business and Economics and later earning a Master's in Educational Counseling from the University of Maine Portland-Gorham.

Early in his career, Jay worked at Lucky Star Model Farm, in Standish, Maine producing precision scale models from patent drawings, lithographs, and sketches. His work—most notably a model of the Brooklyn Bridge—became part of the Smithsonian Institution's American History collection. He spoke often of this job with great fondness, considering it the most fulfilling of his life.

Jay's path took him to Pennsylvania, where he met his first wife Margaret Irvil Kear, back to Maine and eventually to Idaho, where he raised his daughter to embrace the outdoor activities he loved from boy scouts, taking frequent trips to the backcountry for hiking and camping. He worked at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratories, as a draftsman. After retiring, he moved to Boise with his second wife, Margaret Gayle Cunningham, and served as a security officer at the State Capitol.

Both his marriages ended in divorce, after which, Jay returned to Maine, living with his sister in Kennebunk until he moved to Friends House in Sandy Spring, Maryland to be nearer to his daughter's family. He would return to Maine every summer for years to be with his sister's family where he was dearly loved!

Jay is predeceased by his parents, his brother Jackson Pease, and nephew, Andrew Pease.

He is survived by his daughter Margaret (Meg) Pease-Fye and her husband Stephen (Fye); granddaughter, Madelaine Breimhurst, her husband Daniel; grandson, Ethan Fye, his wife Sydney, and his great grandson, Kieran. Surviving too is Jay's sister Jan Bradford and her extended family, whom he adored.

A child of the Great Depression, Jay embodied resourcefulness and resilience. He loved working with his hands and repaired anything broken, repurposed everything he could, and amassed a remarkable collection of tools and knowledge. His life was a testament to the value of hard work, creativity, and connection. He cherished the family he was born into, the one he built, and the communities he nurtured throughout his life.

Jay will be remembered for his quiet ingenuity, his deep love for nature, and his unwavering commitment to those around him. His legacy lives on in the models he crafted, the lives he touched, and the stories that will continue to be told by those who knew and loved him.