James L. Heald

James L. Heald, 89, a longtime funeral director in Springvale, died January 16 at his home in Holly Hill, Florida.Jim was born in Littleton, NH on February 28, 1920, a son of Walter N. and Fannie (Billings) Heald. He was a 1937 graduate of Littleton High School, a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, and a 1941 graduate of the New England Institute in Boston.Jim was an officer in the US Navy during World War II, serving in both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation.After returning from the war, Jim worked for over 40 years in funeral service. He established the Heald Funeral Home in Littleton, NH in 1946. In 1961, he purchased the L. H. Carll Funeral Home in Springvale, and in 1968, he purchased the L. A. Hurd Funeral Home in Sanford. In 1970, he combined the two businesses to create the Heald Funeral Home in Springvale. He retired in 1982, and his son David carried on the family business.Jim was very active in retirement. He enjoyed golf, was a talented woodworker, and enjoyed boating. He owned a 38 foot boat in which he traveled to Florida and the islands with friends. He sheepishly admitted going aground once in the Florida Keys. Jim and his wife, Phyllis (Hennessy), lived in York, Maine, and Leesburg, Florida for several years and then returned to Springvale in the 1990's where he cared for her through her final illness until her death in 2006. During this time, Jim served as a volunteer driver for Meals-on-Wheels and still helped out at the funeral home. He moved to Holly Hill in October 2007 to escape the Maine winters.He was a former member and past president of the New Hampshire Funeral Directors Association; a former member, past treasurer and Paul Harris Fellow of the Sanford-Springvale Rotary Club; a former member of the York Golf and Tennis Club and served many years as a volunteer for the York Ambulance Association.Jim had a wonderfully dry sense of humor. This, combined with his devotion to the families whom he served and his sense of propriety and professionalism, had a profound impact on those who knew him and followed him in funeral service. These qualities are still reflected in the style of funeral service in our community to this day.Survivors include a son, David N. Heald and his wife, Eileen, of Holly Hill, FL, a daughter, Deborah Oberg and her husband, Frederick, of York, ME; a grandson, Eric Oberg and his wife, Christie, of Eliot, ME; and granddaughters Thayer Wollenberg and her husband, Patrick, of Boston, MA; Kristin Brooks and her husband, Nate, of Berkeley, CA, and Lauren Hatfield and her husband, James, of Richmond, CA; and 7 great grandchildren.A funeral service will be conducted on Wednesday at 3:00 PM at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale, where relatives and friends are invited to call from 1:30 until the time of the service. The Revs. Kenneth D. Keating and Ginny Gass will officiate. Burial in the spring will be in Riverside Cemetery in Springvale.For those who desire, memorial contributions in Jim's name may be made to:Mission Housing Project / Union Congregational Church, UCC / 1050 Daytona Avenue / Holly Hill, FL 32117ORHalifax Health Hospice of Volusia/Flagler / 555 W. Granada Blvd. #8 / Ormond Beach, FL 32174Condolences may be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.