Aunt Bea and Uncle Bud MacLeod purchased land in Rangeley in the early 1970s. At the time they were living on a 50-acre farm in Glen Moore, Pennsylvania. As it turned out they were a bit ahead of the organic farming curve and the newly evolving “regenerative agriculture” techniques promoted by Mr. Rodale. Uncle Buddy and Mr. Rodale were contemporaries and friends. Many will recall the Rodale publications of the time, such as, “Prevention” and “Organic Farming.” Bea and Bud's farm was not far, as the crow flies, from Rodales’ property.

Aunt Bea devoted gobs of time to helping children learn about nature and animals and outdoor activities in general. She also managed to support and involve Kimberton Waldorf School, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where her daughter-in-law taught. Bea did not attend school until high school. Instead she traveled with her much beloved grandfather, interestingly, Dr. Mitchell. She also traveled to and lived in Europe. Her grandfather spent a fair amount of time in the area of Pinckney Island, South Carolina hunting, and in the woods of Maine, hunting and fishing. This may have played a large role in Bea and Bud's decision to move to Maine. They loved to fish and hunt!

When they arrived in Rangeley in 1976, Bea immediately got involved with teaching skiing at Saddleback. She created the “Lollypop Races” for children 12 and under, which ran every week for all the years Bea and Bud lived in Rangeley. Bea taught skiing until she was 80. Her first ski experience came with one of the first rope tows ever in an old cow field in Woodstock, Vermont. This sport quickly grew into another passion. In the 1940s she worked at the “Foster Place” in Stowe where she met Uncle Buddy.

At Saddleback, Bea was legendary, both for her work with children and for her interest and concern for the ski mountain's operation. In fact, there is a small trail dedicated in her honor, “Bea Wee Pass.”

When Bea and Bud began to think more frequently about their health and impending concerns, they moved to Boothbay Harbor to be closer to what then was St. Andrews Hospital and their niece, Susan Endicott. As a family we all were quite pleased to be part of their lives and enjoyed many fun times together.

Bea especially, would be pleased to see that things are “coming back” at Saddleback. For quite a while after the Berry family, the mountain was closed, much to the dismay and sadness of Rangeley folk and all who cherished their skiing times. She would be pleased to see the wonderful mountain being enjoyed once again.