A man who left an everlasting mark on the community of Freeland is being remembered as a valued friend with a generous soul.

A pillar of the South Whidbey community, Jay Blain passed away after an intense battle with cancer. Blain, 60, of Greenbank died Saturday, Nov. 26.

Blain was owner of Pay-Less Food in Freeland. He developed the Ace Hardware store there and built Freeland Plaza.

He single-handedly changed the look of Freeland’s business community. And he was active with groups planning for sewers and the incorporation of Freeland.

According to his friend Matt Nichols, CEO of Nichols Brothers Boats Builders in Freeland, Blain was a good businessman with the best interests of Freeland at heart.

“But more importantly, he was just a really good guy. If we had more people like Jay, the world would be a better place,” he said.

“I will dearly miss him,” Nichols said.

Kim Blain, his wife of 11 years, said losing her husband was difficult.

“I finally found someone I wanted to spend my life with,” she said.

Blain was a graduate of Oak Harbor High School and he left the University of Washington with a degree in business.

He returned to Whidbey Island and bought his father’s business, Pay-Less Food, and continued to expand the grocery to what it is today.

Kim said her husband enjoyed working.

“He never set an alarm clock in his life. He was up every morning and off to the store,” she said.

His wife said she will keep Pay-Less in the family and continue to operate it.

Both his wife and Nichols said that Blain was a very generous man.

“He didn’t take credit for a lot of his charity work. It was anonymous,” Blain said.

Nichols agreed that whenever someone needed help, Jay Blain was there.

Although he worked very hard, he did enjoy some off time. He and his wife have a home in Palm Springs, where they enjoyed the good weather and golf.

“Jay was a good athlete. He could hit a golf ball farther than you can see,” Nichols said.

Blain also loved power boating, and over the years had owned thoroughbred race horses.

“He once had a horse named Useless Bay,” his wife recalled.

At home Kim Blain said he was a “big softy” who adored animals. The couple has two cats and two cocker spaniels.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. today at Sunnyside Cemetery, Coupeville, followed by a reception at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland.