Earle E. Day
Waynesboro, VA – Earle E. Day, 89, of Waynesboro, VA, and formerly of
Leyden, MA, died on August 29, 2025, surrounded by family. Earle was
born in Greenfield, MA, on November 7, 1936, to the late Fanny
(Konvelski) and Andrew Day. He graduated from Greenfield High School
in 1954, and subsequently attended Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH,
graduating from there in 1955. Earle then attended Cornell University,
graduating in 1960 with a degree in chemical engineering, specializing
in polymeric chemistry. In 1959 he married the love of his life, Joan
Kamp, who at the time was teaching kindergarten. Their engagement
announcement included the (unintentionally) humorous headline:
“Kindergarten Teacher to Wed Student.” Earle and Joan were married for
66 years. Although Earle was offered an assistant professorship at
Cornell upon graduation, he decided to join the public sector and took
a job with the Monsanto Company. He went on to work for Hercules Inc.,
the Menasha Corp., and HEAD USA, where he led the team that designed
Head’s first rigid plastic ski boot. After leaving Head, Earle founded
the Poly-Hi Corporation in Fort Wayne, IN, in 1969. Poly-Hi became one
of the country’s largest manufacturers of Ultra High Molecular Weight
Polyethylene. Earle sold Poly-Hi in 1976, returned to Massachusetts
with his young family, and settled in Leyden. He subsequently had many
ventures in semi-retirement, including owning and operating an orchard
in Leyden, supporting Joan, who was owner and operator of the bakery
Apple Annie’s, and later in life, founding Dorchester Industries, Inc.
Aside from his businesses, Earle enjoyed fishing, gardening, and
classic movies-especially those featuring John Wayne and tales from
the Old West. He is survived by his wife, Joan, his three children:
Kim Day of Camarillo, CA; Todd and his wife Jessica of Greenfield; and
Jamie and his wife Trina, of Jefferson, GA; seven grandchildren and
two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at a date and
location to be determined by the family.