William Ela '68

Inducted Fall 2024

Bill Ela ’68 is well-known for his golfing talents, but during his time at Fryeburg Academy as a member of the Class of 1968, he was an accomplished skier and baseball player. Bill raced alpine for all four years of high school and was an important 1967 State Champion team member. Additionally, he played baseball for four years (third base), with three years spent on the varsity team. Despite his later success in golf, Bill will tell you that baseball is his favorite sport—a passion he’s had since he was eight. At Fryeburg Academy’s graduation, he was honored with both the Dick Turner Baseball Trophy and the Charles Rutter Industrial Arts Award.

After graduating, Bill attended the Wentworth Institute, where he earned a building construction and architectural engineering degree. He returned to the Mount Washington Valley and established a successful business, building high-end homes for over 50 years. Among his many notable projects, he's particularly proud of the historic restoration of the Felsengarten property in Bethlehem, NH.

Although his career as a builder kept him away from golf for nearly a decade in the 1970s, Bill reconnected with friend and golf pro-Larry Gallagher, which reignited his passion for the game. Over a span of 25 years, he won the North Conway Country Club Championship 14 times, including at age 68, making him the oldest champion in the club’s history. During his peak, he maintained a 2-handicap, the lowest at the club then, and has been the men's senior champion for multiple years.

Bill has generously volunteered his time with the Conway Rec Department, supporting both junior ski and golf programs.

 

Bill and his wife, Kathy True Ela ’78, reside in Conway, NH, where they enjoy spending time with their two children and four grandchildren.