Leslie Albert McNelly was born in Smyrna, Maine, on Sept. 5, 1940, the son of Harold Edgar and Mabel Anne (Lilley) McNelly. He grew up in Dyer Brook, Maine, with his brothers, Edwin Lyle and Glenn Eugene, and died at the age of 84 at home with family on Bailey Island in Harpswell, Maine, on Nov. 12, 2024, after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Les was known and well liked in many circles. He is remembered for his generosity, conversation, and love of family, home, the outdoors and a simple life.
Les graduated from Oakfield High School in 1958 and was the first in his family to graduate from college, obtaining a degree in electrical engineering from the Maine Vocational Technical Institute in 1963. Les was married to Donna Vee Holland the same year. They were married for 61 years.
His first career was with a little calculator company called IBM, followed by 14 years with L.L. Bean as a senior systems and programming engineer. He also worked with Donna at their family summer rental business on Bailey Island: Sea Escape Cottages, which they established in 1985. Together they made a home where they could share the beauty of the Maine coast and its classic traditions.
In 1996, Les retired from the corporate world. He earned his U.S. Coast Guard license and hosted sportfishing charters as a Maine guide while continuing his work at the cottages. He spent winters at his hunting camp in Dyer Brook as a woodsman, snowmobiling, hunting, spending time with friends and family, and being one of Southern Aroostook basketball’s biggest fans.
Les was proud to support and be part of several organizations. Included among other passions over his lifetime were the Casco Bay Tuna Club, where he served on the board and as president for many years; the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, where he was a life member and served on the committee; the Smoki Haulers Snowmobile Club, where he tended trails and hosted events; and the Orr’s-Bailey Yacht Club, which gave him access to the ocean that he respected and loved.
Les is survived by his wife, Donna; a brother, Glenn E. McNelly; his children, including Tamlyn Lee McNelly and Bethany Susan McNelly-Davis; his grandchildren; and many more family members and friends whom he loved. He was predeceased by his parents and a brother, Edwin L. McNelly.
A celebration of his life will be held July 10, 2025, at Cook’s Lobster & Ale House on Bailey Island from 4:30-6 p.m., followed by a sunset celebration from both land and sea at 23 Sea Escape Lane and on Merriconeag Sound in Harpswell. A memorial will be held and a headstone placed for Les in Dyer Brook at a later date.
In memory of Les McNelly, the family asks that donations be given to the Southern Aroostook Community School Scholarship Program, 922 Dyer Brook Road, Dyer Brook, ME 04747, or to one of the other organizations he supported.
