Guilford, Maine - Wilfred Leroy Priest, "Will," "Wiff," and "Woofie," 89, passed peacefully in his sleep at home on November 6, 2025, not chasing deer as most of his old friends would have expected.

He was born and raised in Guilford Center and managed to move 1 mile up the road where he built his home and raised his family. He was the Guilford Center historian and kept track of all the history in this area of town, of course it helped that he had lived through a lot of it.

Wilfred was proud of the fact that he graduated from Guilford HS in 1955 and PCHS in 1976. He was in the Air National Guard in the fifties and early sixties and he was a member of the Guilford Fire Department for many years.

He had a varied work career - he worked at Hardwood Products, Guilford Industries, and Kelley Brothers before buying the store and turning it into Will's Building Supply, he ended his working life at Goulette's IGA.

He was also a carpenter and worked side jobs throughout his life. After he retired, he and his brother Pete did small jobs around the area for years. He was always happy when he could putter on fixing something. In his retirement he spent a lot of time supervising his children (as well as assorted extended family members), informing them on the correct way to do things - as far as he was concerned.

Wilfred married Lee Printy in 1961. They had two children, Crystal Priest and Bruce Priest. He also was the father to several foreign exchange students over the years, Carlos Celigueta, Wanda Sommer, and Maite Celigueta; and he was known to take in stray kids - he was the second father for several people, including Terry Priest. Always the biggest kid in the room, he thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his grand kids.

He was an outdoors person, he loved hunting and fishing. He also loved working outdoors - mowing the lawn and cutting firewood.

Wilfred is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lee Priest, his daughter, Crystal Priest; son and nephew, Terry Priest (Melissa Smith), daughter-in-law, Eva Priest; grandchildren, Ryan Priest (Angela), Kelli Lunetta (John), Mariah Priest, and Zachary Priest; his sister, Diane (David) Leighton; and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother; father; son, Bruce Priest; and his brothers, Pete, Earl, and Gilbert.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Guilford Center Baptist Church, the Guilford Fire Department, or Grace Bible Church. Service and celebration of life will be held at Grace Bible Church in Sangerville on Saturday, November 15, at 2 p.m.