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He was born Oct. 18, 1921 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from the University of Guelph and Michigan State University and earned a master’s degree in biochemistry. There, he met his future wife, Priscilla Downer, and they married in 1949. He was an editor of the newspaper at Guelph University, on the debate team and participated in hockey, softball and track. Rowing in an eight-oared shell, he won three gold medals at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta at St. Catherines, Ontario. They moved to Norwalk in 1951, when he joined the R.T. Vanderbilt Co. in the research laboratory and patents department.
He spent 15 years of his career creating and managing the company’s department of environmental affairs until his retirement in 1986. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Testing and Materials. He was also an avid skier. In 1988, he won the World Silver Series Recreational Ski Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. He served as vice preseident of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association and was president of the Eastern Ski Writers Association. He was a broadcaster on WNLK for 10 years, doing ski news and reports. For 32 subsequent years, he wrote a seasonal, weekly ski column for The Hour in Norwalk and was an honorary member and president of the Norwalk Ski Club from 1969-70.
As a member of the Shore and Country Club, he enjoyed many years playing tennis and won the men’s doubles title in 1976. For 15 years, he volunteered as an instructor for AARP’s safe driving courses. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Priscilla; two daughters, Pamela Harvey of Norwalk and Elizabeth Beisel of Thornton; and two grandchildren Clayton and Trevor (Crystal) Beisel of Colorado.
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