HARRY SIMANO, SELECTMAN, AND A FELLOW WITH A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR HAS PASSED AWAY
By Bernie Marvin
HARRY SIMANO, SELECTMAN, AND A FELLOW WITH A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR HAS PASSED AWAY. HE OPINED AT THE PIKE STATION STORE HE OWNED THAT "PICKY PEOPLE PICK PIKE!"
Back in the 1990's and before, if you were ever in the mood to get into an argument or otherwise have a very serious discussion, you could always stop by the Pike Station Store on Route 25 and have a friendly chat with the owner, Harry Simano. He bought the store in 1971 and owned it for more than 20 years.
Depending upon the subject matter, Harry was always up for a discussion, especially if it had to do with Pike. He was an advocate for Pike, acted in the capacity of a pro-Pike government man, and protected his little slice of Heaven.
Inside the store, a sign announced to all customers that "Picky People Pick Pike." People from outside the area, who had no idea where they were located at that moment, asked Harry about the sign. They always got an answer from Harry, sometimes long, sometimes short, depending on how busy he was at the moment.
To serve the entire community beyond the thresholds of Pike, Harry ran for and was elected as a Town of Haverhill Selectman, and I remember his three years in office well. He served with Rich Kinder of North Haverhill and Ernie Town of Woodsville; they were the three most active and interesting selectmen I have known or written about.
Harry Simano's time on the board was the time of a bit of an awakening for Haverhill. There were some outside threats at the time from Massachusetts trash haulers and demolition hustlers who were looking for places to dump Boston, Massachusetts, building and demolition debris, and assorted construction substances of unknown origin or name.
So, why wouldn't the Mass. Dumpers look for a small town like Haverhill, single out the Pike area, and inquire about purchasing a large farm that was for sale at the time, a perfect place to dump their junk.
With no zoning laws to get in their way, the town of Haverhill was a sure bet for the town's future as a dumping ground. But the board was one jump ahead of the junkers; a Pike resident purchased the farmstead land and buildings, and as fast as the town could become a junk site, the opportunity was quashed.
Harry saw to it that the farm property stayed in agricultural use, as it still is. He was a very good select board member, and I remember him telling his constituents in the board's annual report that year how much he enjoyed working for the town.
Harry was active with the Pike Cemetery Commission and also the Pike Days parades and activities, along with his devoted wife, Gail. Both were well-known foster parents, and Harry served with the American Legion for many years as a loyal participant in its community programs.
After the sale, the store suffered a couple of new owners, but because they were always compared to Harry, none were at all like Harry, and few liked them. From chocolate shakes at his ice cream counter to hunting licenses for fur, fish, and game, plus everything else a well-managed home needed in this part of the country, there was a huge void when Harry and Gail moved from the home they built in Pike to Lake Gardner in nearby Bath.
The community grieved with Harry and his family upon the death of Harry's son, Scott Simano, a popular teacher at Woodsville High School. I had the opportunity to speak with Harry at a special program at the high school, where students and staff unveiled the Scott Simano Winter Carnival Trophy and announced the establishment of the Scott Simano Scholarship Fund.
Harry was proud of his family and of the establishment of the two programs in his son's name; it meant a lot to him and his devoted family.
Harry was one of the "good guys," and he will be missed.
Harry Simano, as he appeared at a Woodsville High School assembly two years ago that revealed the establishment of a scholarship fund named in honor of his late son, Scott Simano, a former teacher at Woodsville High School prior to his death. The school also unveiled a Winter Carnival Trophy, also named in Scott Simano’s honor. The Bridge Weekly file/Bernie Marvin