Popular youth coach, sports historian Vear dies

Ray “Pop” Vear was one of a kind.

Winslow native Vear, who died at the age of 79 Wednesday, coached different sports at a variety of levels for more than 50 years and was a walking encyclopedia of sports history in the state of Maine.

“The person we lost is someone who will be remembered for a long time. He was a special person. He was a great friend,” said Harold “Tank” Violette, the former Winslow High School football and hockey coach and athletic director.

Vear coached baseball, football, softball, and basketball in the Waterville-Winslow area and was also a world history and social studies teacher at Waterville High before moving to the Bangor area and coaching the boys basketball team at Orrington’s Center Drive School for 10 years.

“It was a painful learning experience to coach against him,” quipped longtime friend Jim Poulin, who has coached several sports at Winslow High. “He was a master of fundamentals. Nothing Ray and his kids would do was flashy, but they did everything well and he had his kids prepared for each and every game. And he taught the same way.

“He was loved by his players, his students, and opposing coaches as well as his friends.”

Poulin said he and Vear figured out a few years ago that Vear had coached a sport in 88 different seasons excluding the summer time when he used to coach baseball.

Violette called Vear a great teacher whether it was in the classroom or on an athletic field or gymnasium.

“He just enjoyed kids and getting them involved [in athletics]. And he followed the kids he coached. He took a lot of pride in what they accomplished. He would go to their games to cheer them on,” said Violette.

A former center on the basketball team at Winslow High School, Vear has always had a special place in his heart for his hometown.

Up until this past season, he used to be the public address announcer for Winslow High School football games. He handled that chore for more than 30 years.

“Even though he taught in Waterville, his heart was always in Winslow,” said Violette.

Vear’s knowledge of sports history in the state of Maine is legendary, according to Poulin.

“The research he did was incredible,” said Poulin.

Poulin said Vear would look up game stories and results in old newspapers, school libraries, town libraries, and anyplace else there was information available.

“He also knew all about high schools that no longer exist. And he could even tell you their nicknames and school colors,” said Poulin.

Vear was working on a book about the history of basketball in the state at the time of his death, according to Poulin and Violette.

Vear was also a rabid Boston Red Sox fan.

“The Red Sox’s World Series Championship in 2004 was one of the highlights of his athletic career,” said Poulin.

Vear was a wounded in World War II and was a POW in Germany.

Relatives and friends are invited to call from 6-8 p.m. on Friday at the Brookings-Smith, Clark Piper Chapel, 55 South Main Street, Brewer. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 531 North Main Street in Brewer.

Those who wish to remember Vear may make gifts in his memory to the Winslow High “Coach” Vear Memorial Scholarship Award, Daniel Street, Winslow 04901, or to the Ray Vear Memorial Award, Center Drive School, Orrington 04474.

The Winslow scholarship will be awarded to a deserving college-bound student and the Orrington scholarship will be used to send a boy and girl to summer basketball camp.