Takoda Peasley, of Rockland, has a passion for family history, and wants to keep it alive for the community. In 2015 and 2016, he began interviewing his great-great-uncle Leroy “Roy” Peasley. 

Roy passed away January 28 at the age of 97, almost 98. But before he died, Takoda chronicled a life story that spanned almost a century of world-changing events, and the turn of the 21st Century.

“I was inspired to write out his life story for many reasons,” said Takoda. “He lived during an interesting time and saw a lot of changes in his life.  He was born in 1924, and five years later the Great Depression started.  Family circumstances and the Great Depression made things hard for my family back then.  Uncle Roy was placed in a children’s home when he was only eight years old and he joined World War II when he was only a junior in high school.”

But he never gave up, said Takoda.

He saw the horrors of World War II, and he saw the good when people tried to help one another. He loved to tell his stories, and they were inspiring. 

“Since he is no longer with us, I want to keep his stories going so they don’t get lost,” said Takoda. “Uncle Roy was also very interested in family history, and as my great-grandfather’s brother he was the oldest Peasley in my direct family.  He was like the official head of the Peasley family.”

After Roy died, Dakota got more information from his sons, Jim and Doc; his granddaughters, Naomi and Natasha, and his sister, Aunt Harriet.

Leroy Elmer “Roy” Peasley Sr. was born February 16, 1924 in Rockland, Maine, the third and youngest son of Marvin Warren Peasley and Della Hannah (Moulden) Peasley. 

Roy had two older full-brothers, Nathan George Peasley, Sr., and Harold Marvin Peasley.  He had one older half-brother, Marvin Grant Peasley.  He and his full-brothers were not raised with their half-brother.  Roy met his half-brother one time as an adult.  Roy has one younger half-sister, Harriet Ann (Richardson) Thompson.  He was 19 when his half-sister was born.

Roy was named after his uncle, Elmer Leroy “Roy” Cook.  Roy Cook was his mother’s sister, Clara (Moulden) Cook’s husband.  Roy Cook’s first name was actually Elmer and his middle name was Leroy.  He went by Roy which was a nickname of his middle name. 

When Roy Peasley’s mother named him she didn’t know that Elmer was Roy Cook’s first name.  When Roy Peasley was born his aunt and uncle were not yet married.  He was a baby when they got married, and he went to their wedding.

Roy’s Peasley line is as follows: Leroy Elmer Peasley Sr.; Marvin Warren Peasley; James Warren Peasley; Nathan George Peasley; James Peaslee; Johnathan Peaslee; Moses Peaslee; John Peaslee; Joseph Peaslee; Joseph Peaslee; Robert Peasley; William Peasley. 

Roy’s seventh-great-grandmother on the Peasley side was Susannah (North) Martin, one of the women accused of being a “witch” and hanged in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

Roy’s father took off and left before he was even born.  Roy didn’t know his father at all. 

His father was on a fisher boat in Boston, Massachusetts.  Roy’s mother went down to Boston to see him.  Roy was conceived in Boston.  Roy’s father took off from Boston and headed out west somewhere.  Roy never saw his father.  Roy said he didn’t know what happened, but he forgave his father.

Roy was born on North Main Street in Rockland, at home.  He was raised primarily by his Grammy and Grampy, Agnes (Romer) and James “Jim” Moulden.  They were his mother’s parents. 

Roy described his Grammy as like “an angel from Heaven” because of all she did for him.  His grandparents were very good to him.  They never spanked him or raised their voices.  They just loved him.

Roy and his family also lived on Bunker Street in Rockland when he was a kid.  Roy went to school on Warren Street in Rockland.  When he was in the first grade, his teacher slapped him across the face and he bled. 

His Grammy and Grampy pulled him out of school after that.  He was out of school for two years.

Roy spent a lot of time on Swan’s Island when he was a kid.  That is where his mother was from.  His Grammy and Grampy went there a lot when he was a kid, and he would go with them.

Roy also met his paternal grandfather, James Warren Peasley, once when he was about five or six.  His grandfather Peasley lived in Jonesport, which is quite a ways from Rockland, especially in those days. 

Roy’s mother went to Jonesport to see him when she didn’t think she would see her husband again.  Roy’s grandfather felt bad that his son left.  Roy said that his grandfather Peasley was tall, and that he had a tie on and looked stately.  He said that his grandfather had two pigs and he kept them very clean.  He said his grandfather was a farmer and a seaman.  He owned 1,000 acres that went from the forest to the shores.  They raised blueberries there.

Roy’s father, Marvin, used to pitch.  His brother Mason (Roy’s uncle) used to do the catching.  Marvin would hit the barn door with the ball, and his father would holler to him.  Marvin also pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1910.

In 1929, when Roy was five, things started getting hard for people because of the Great Depression. It was hard for his mother to get a job. They didn’t have much to eat.  Some days they just had crackers with mustard. 

Roy’s Grampy (Jim Moulden) fell on ice and broke his hip.  His Grammy was getting old and sick.  She couldn’t take care of the kids, anymore.  His Grammy got his brother, Harold “Hank”, into the Bath Children’s Home in 1931. 

Roy went into the Bath Children’s Home in the summer of 1932 when he was eight years old.  His Grammy died on September 4, 1932.  He said that his Grammy died of a broken heart when he was put in the Children’s Home.

When Roy started at the Bath Children’s Home he was two years behind in school because he had been pulled out of school.  He should have been in the third grade, but he was only in the first grade. 

Roy said he was a Marine already when he was eight years old because the Children’s Home got him ready.  He helped the other boys in the Children’s Home because he was older.  Roy attended Morse High School in Bath.

Roy joined the Marine Corps in December 1942 and stayed home for Christmas.  He entered on January 7, 1943.  He was only 18 years old and a junior at Morse High School when he joined the Marines. 

Joining the Marines was “an act which defined and influenced the rest of his life” (from his obituary).  He graduated from boot camp in March of 1943.

At the end of March and beginning of April of 1943, when Roy was a 19-year-old PFC, he got to guard President Franklin Roosevelt at Camp Shangri-La (now Camp David). 

One morning, when he was guarding the President, he saw a big truck.  It was an army work force.  There was a big hole, sand, and running water.  They made a ramp for President Franklin Roosevelt and his wheelchair so he could use his fishing pole.  This really touched Roy, and he thought it was very nice that they did that for the President.

On May 28, 1943, Roy’s half-sister Harriet Ann Richardson, was born.

In June 1944, Normandy was invaded.  Roy got on board ship.  He went to the Panama Canal.  He went to Pearl Harbor.  He said in Pearl Harbor the sand was all red.  He stayed in Pearl Harbor for two weeks.  He was put in the Third Marine Division. 

Soon after he was in Pearl Harbor, he headed for Guam in the ship he was on.  Roy experienced combat in Guam.  He saw dead bodies, and he said it smelled like hell.  He saw a big Coca Cola sign with a couple of bullet holes in it, and that lifted his spirits.

On February 16, 1945, his 21st birthday, Roy board the ship to sail to Iwo Jima. 

On February 19, 1945, the Fifth and Fourth Marine Division landed first, and the Third Division landed two regiments, the 9th and the 21st. 

They started their offense on February 19.  The Third Division didn’t go until two days later.  Roy was in the Third Regiment.  The other two were on the island. 

They went to where the 28th Regiment was taking Mount Suribachi.  The Japanese were shooting down from Mount Suribachi.  The beach was covered with the wounded.  Roy’s troop ship, the USS Callaway, took the wounded on the ship and was responsible for the medical evacuation of hundreds of Marines. 

They had to do it in a hurry.  A big cruiser came on the left side and fired.  They had to stop them from sinking the USS Callaway.  They were able to go to a safe place so the Japanese couldn’t hit them. 

Two days later, on February 23, 1945, the Marines from the 28th Regiment finally captured the top of Mount Suribachi and the flag was raised. 

Roy said the wounded on the ship and those he buried were the heroes because they made it possible to get to the top of Mount Suribachi and raise the flag.  When Roy joined the Third Regiment he found out President Franklin Roosevelt died.  He was heartbroken and crying.  He said God would take care of him.

Roy was discharged from the Marines on January 1, 1946.  He took the train back to Rockland.  When he got to the train station in Rockland and got off the train, he put down his sea bag, got on his knees, kissed the ground, and thanked God that he made it back to where he was born.

After Roy returned home from the Marines, he went back to Morse High School and graduated in June 1946.  In the fall of 1946, he enrolled at Maine Central Institute, a prep school in Pittsfield.  He needed to get some credits to get into college.  He graduated from Maine Central Institute in the spring of 1947.  He played football and basketball while at MCI.

For his first year of college Roy went to Annex, the Naval Air Station in Brunswick.  For his sophomore year he went to the University of Maine at Orono.  

In July 1948, Roy got a ride from a friend on the way back from a dance.  The driver fell asleep and they got into an accident in Lincolnville.  Roy broke his leg and ended up in the hospital on Mountain Street in Camden.  The nurse who took care of him was Mary E. Herrick.  They fell in love and were married on October 9, 1948 in Camden. 

Mary was married previously and divorced (her first husband’s name is unknown).  Roy had a stepson, John (his last name is unknown). 

In the fall of 1949, Roy enrolled at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, and majored in physical education.  Roy and Mary had one son, James Lloyd “Jim” Peasley, who was born n October 31, 1949 in Ithaca, New York. 

Roy named Jim after his grandfathers on both sides. 

Mary died on November 9, 1949 in Ithaca, just nine days after Jim was born.  Roy’s mother, Della, flew to New York to get Jim so she could take care of him while Roy continued to go to college.  After Mary died, Roy’s former stepson John went back to live with his father.

Roy went to Ithaca College for three semesters.  He later transferred back to the University of Maine at Orono.

Roy was working cutting fish at O’Hara’s in Rockland during the summer of 1951 when he met Jacqueline E. “Jackie” Haggerty.  She worked there, too.  They were married on November 30, 1951. 

From this marriage came four sons: Lloyd Morse “Doc” Peasley (born 1952), Leroy Elmer Peasley Jr. (born 1957), Levi Moulden Peasley (born 1958), and Matthew Jerome Peasley (born 1959); and one daughter, Mary Beth Peasley (born 1964).  Another child died during childbirth.  Their oldest son, Lloyd M. “Doc” Peasley, was born on December 2, 1952 in Rockland, when Roy was still in college.

In the spring and summer of 1952, Roy and Jackie worked in New Britain, Connecticut, to earn some money for school.  Roy’s brother, Hank, gave him the job.

Roy graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in the spring of 1953 with a degree in education and physical education.

In the summer of 1953, Roy and his family moved to Vergennes, Vermont.  Roy was teacher and principal at Weak Reformatory School in Vergennes, a school for juvenile delinquents and other kids who needed help.  There were 130 kids there.  Roy and his family lived in Vergennes, Vermont, for 10 years, from 1953 to 1963.

In 1963, Roy’s minister moved to Rochester, New York, and told him there were plenty of opportunities to teach there.  Roy and his family decided to move there too. 

Roy taught at World of Inquiry School in Rochester, as well as another school in Rochester.  He taught mostly Black students and he taught special ed.  He taught in Rochester for seven years.  He took on working day and night.  He became the principal and he tried to work out problems between black and white students.  He worked too hard and got burned out. 

Some things he saw in World War II also got to him.  He probably had a case of what is now known as PTSD.  He was in the hospital for six weeks.  The doctors told him he would never go back to teaching again.  He was out of it for 10 years or more.

Eventually he started writing poetry and songs, and all of the sudden he started feeling better.

In the mid-1980s, Roy moved back to the Rockland area and got divorced from Jackie.  He lived briefly in Port Clyde, St. George, with his half-sister Harriet Thompson, his stepfather, Dr. Lloyd M. Richardson, and Harriet’s husband, Vernon, and their children. 

Then he moved back to Rockland, where he lived for the rest of his life. 

Roy met his life partner, Ruth (Barlow) Stevens, and they lived together in Rockland.  Ruth was his companion for his last 36, 37, or 38 years or so.  Roy substitute taught at various schools in the greater Rockland area.  He substitute taught at Hope Elementary School, Appleton Village School, Thomaston Grammar School, and other schools.  He substitute taught until he was 84 or 85, when he had his first stroke, retiring in 2008 or 2009.

“In his later years, [Roy] became well known for his visibility in the community,” his obituary read. “Many know him from playing basketball at the Rec. Center, an activity he continued well into his 70s.  But it was his outspoken patriotism and unabashed love for America which defined him the most.  Roy was known locally as the ‘Flag Man’ for raising money and installing flags on downtown Rockland sidewalks, and with his partner Ruth putting them out every holiday.  He combined a love of his fellow brother and sisters in the Armed Forces — and especially the Marines — with an antipathy toward war, having experienced first-hand its destructiveness and human cost.  For his work, Roy received the Distinguished Service Award from the Marine Corps League in 1995” 

Roy was proud to be an American and loved his country.  He especially loved his hometown of Rockland. 

“He became politically active as well, mostly supporting Democratic causes, but he was not afraid to write or email a Republican in support of his objectives,” his obituary said. “He was known across the state for his patriotism and activism.” 

On April 1, 2010, when he was 86, Roy got to meet President Barack Obama and shake his hand at a rally in Portland.  He was chosen to lead the Pledge of Allegiance before Obama got on stage.  This was the second president Roy got to meet in his lifetime, having guarded President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. 

Meeting President Barack Obama and leading the Pledge of Allegiance was a big moment and a huge honor for Roy.  He probably didn’t think he would get to live to see two more presidents! 

He also liked President Barack Obama a lot.  This was a big moment for him all around.  When he taught in New York decades before, he tried to work out problems between black and white students.  It was probably very exciting for him when America got its first black president, Barack Obama.  That was a big change and improvement from how things were earlier in Roy’s lifetime.

As Roy got into his 80s and 90s he still remained very active.  As mentioned, he substitute taught at schools until he was 84 or 85.  He was very energetic for his age despite having many different health problems on and off his last 13 years or so, including two strokes. 

After his first stroke in 2008 or 2009, he had some confusion and memory problems like someone with dementia, but then he quickly recovered and was back to normal. 

In early 2010, when Roy was 85 or 86, there was a rumor that he had died.  He was recovering from a knee infection and surgery at that time.  He was temporarily in a nursing home.  While he was recovering, an older man in the Rockland area named Leroy Pease died.  People who read the title of the obituary too fast thought it said Leroy Peasley. 

It was thought that something went wrong and the knee infection was worse than they thought.  He was so energetic and active for his age.  It was too bad a knee infection would get him. 

Luckily, it turned out it wasn’t Roy who died. 

He recovered from that knee infection and went back to normal. Nothing could take Roy down! 

He had his second stroke in 2013 and they didn’t know if he was going to make it.  It was looking like he might not make it to his 90th birthday that February.  He recovered from that stroke quickly and was back to normal again. 

Roy was energetic for his age right up until he died.  He still drove his car until he was 90 or 91, when he failed the eye test.  He loved to sing and play the guitar and harmonica.  In 2017, when he was 93, he sang and played the guitar and harmonica at the Maine Lobster Festival for the 70th anniversary of the Lobster Festival. 

In 2019, when he was 95, he was in the Lobster Festival parade with other veterans.  He wore his full Marines uniform in the summer heat.  He could still fit into his uniform! 

Unfortunately, that was the last Lobster Festival he lived to see as it was cancelled the next two years due to COVID-19.  He would be very happy that they are going to have the Lobster Festival again in 2022. 

Roy was also very sharp for his age.  He could remember just about everything.  He was very sharp right up until he died.

In his later years, Roy enjoyed two trips to Washington D.C. with his good friend Kevin Bunker.  For one of the trips he was an official delegate of Honor Flight Maine.  The second time he went to Washington D.C. with Kevin was in 2018 when he was 94.  He was let into a restricted area to see where he had stayed back in 1943.

Roy was very interested in family history.  He had lots of papers on genealogy stuff that he had gathered over many years. 

Despite the fact that his father left, he was very proud to be a Peasley.  One Peasley who did wrong didn’t make him think bad of the rest of the family.  He was very interested in Peasley family history, as well as history of the rest of his family. 

Roy loved to tell stories about his childhood, the Great Depression, and his experiences in World War II, and he loved to discuss family history, both information that was passed on to him from other family members and information that he had read from researchers. 

He “believed that his overarching purpose in life was to create community by passing along wisdom and knowledge to others through storytelling.” 

Leroy Elmer Peasley, Sr., died on Friday, January 28, 2022 at the age of 97 years old.  He was just 19 days shy of turning 98 years old.  Roy died at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. Roy was at the hospital just an hour or less before he died.  He was still at his house in Rockland the day he died.  He went to the hospital with chest pain and died of heart failure.  He basically just died of old age. 

He was in the hospital with heart failure twice in the fall of 2021, just a few months before he died.  He went back home after that and remained at home until the day he died. 

His great-great-nephew Takoda Peasley (author of this) visited him in the hospital in the fall of 2021 and said Roy was his normal self.  Roy’s voice was a little weaker, but he was talking a lot like he normally did.  He was confident that he would be back home soon, and he was.  Roy never gave up.  At the end, Roy seemed to know that he was dying.

Roy was predeceased by his parents, Della H. (Moulden) Richardson and Marvin W. Peasley; his stepfather, Dr. Lloyd Morse Richardson; his wife, Mary E. (Herrick) Peasley in 1949; his dear sons, Levi M. Peasley on June 10, 2007 and Leroy E. Peasley Jr. on Feb. 27, 2010; his dear grandson, Frank James Finley Jr. on Dec. 16, 2018; his companion Ruth’s granddaughter, Freedom Hamlin on June 13, 2020; his brothers, Nathan G. Peasley Sr. in 1988 and Harold M. Peasley in 2017; his half-brother, Marvin G. Peasley in 2004; his sisters-in-law, Mary Gloria (Torda) Peasley, Anna (Burrill) Peasley, Florence (Kristopik) Peasley, and Dorothy (Satterfield) Peasley; a nephew, Marvin L. Peasley; step-nephews, Carroll and Sidney Peasley; and his beloved dog, Shadow.

Roy is survived by his life partner of about 38 years, Ruth (Barlow) Stevens of Rockland; his “baby” half-sister, Harriet A. (Richardson) Thompson, age 78, and her husband Vernon of Port Clyde; his son, James L. “Jim” Peasley, age 72, and his wife Donna of Spencerport, New York; his son, Lloyd M. “Doc” Peasley, age 69 of Irondequoit, New York; his son, Matthew J. Peasley, age 62, and his wife Debra of Caledonia, New York; his daughter, Mary B. (Peasley) Gately, age 57, and her husband Paul of Irondequoit, New York; his daughter-in-law, Renee Peasley of Thomaston; ten grandchildren: David K. Peasley of Spencerport, New York; Rachel M. (Peasley) Machinist and her husband Charles of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Naomi R. (Peasley) Robinson and her husband Kris of Findlay, Ohio; Natasha L. (Peasley) Cole and her husband Jared of Rockport; Mikayla J. Peasley of Thomaston; Gareth H. Peasley of Thomaston; Michael R. Peasley of Rochester, New York; Melissa K. Peasley of Caledonia, New York; Amanda Gee and her companion Michael Colon of Irondequoit, New York; and Paul Gately of San Diego, California; six great-grandchildren: Ridley L. Cole of Rockport; Heather; Maddie; Martin; Sophia Colon of Irondequoit, New York; and Isabel Colon of Irondequoit, New York; his companion Ruth’s children: Tony Hooper and his wife Tania of Alaska; Wayne Hooper of Owls Head; and Heidi Stevens and her husband David Hooper of Rockland; his companion Ruth’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren; 11 nieces and nephews, one step-niece, and several great- and great-great-nieces and nephews, and one step-great-great-great-niece; and his cousin Richard W. Peasley Jr of Jonesport and Florida.