Clayton Beal, a 30-year veteran employee of the Bangor Daily News, died July 30 at the age of 73 after a brief illness.

Beal was hired by the Bangor Daily News as the Washington County bureau chief in 1966 and held that post until his retirement in 1996. He said reporting gave him a chance to record the life around him, according to an interview he gave just after his retirement in 1996.

Darlene Henderson worked with Beal in the Bangor Daily News’ Machias office from 1983 to 1989. Henderson said Beal was a “devoted family man and a gentleman to work with.” She remembers him fondly, as both a mentor and friend.

“Clayton was very energetic and very aggressive in getting stories. I was definitely coached by him and I had a great deal of respect for his work,” Henderson said in a phone interview.

Henderson said Beal benefited from an extensive network of sources and was tireless in chasing down leads.

“He was a super go-getter when it came to pursuing news stories. He had numerous contacts in the area because it was where he grew up and he was always getting phone calls about accidents or tips about something or other,” she said.

Henderson said Beal was so passionate about the news, he enlisted his wife to change the displays in the paper’s picture windows from time to time.

“One Christmas, I remember Frances [Beal’s wife] crafted some cute little mice and put them around a tree that had rolled up newspapers under it, to help promote the newspaper. I remember people coming and looking at that,” Henderson said.

Beal was as enthusiastic about blueberry raking as he was about the news, Henderson said.

“He looked forward to blueberry season every year and always took his five weeks of vacation right in a row during it,” Henderson said. “He was one of the best rakers out on the barrens. He had his own methods – he had it down to a science. He even made his own kneepads.”

She said Beal loved blueberries so much, and believed so strongly in their nutritious value, that he ate some every day.

“He was a true Down Easter in the best sense of the word – a hard worker and a wonderful craftsman of his work,” Henderson said.

Beal’s family indicated in an obituary published in the BDN on Wednesday that “a celebration of his life” will be held 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3, at 83 Mack Cove Road, Roque Bluffs. Arrangement are being handled by Bragdon-Kelley-Campbell Funeral Home in Machias.