Harold LeMay

Harold E. LeMay (September 4, 1919 – November 4, 2000) was the owner of Harold LeMay Enterprises, a refuse company in the Tacoma, Washington metro area. He was the owner of one of the largest private automobile collections in the world at the time of his death.

Biography

LeMay was born in Yakima, Washington, in 1919. He became a partner in an automotive business just out of high school, and began his Spanaway Garbage Collection Company, which would become Harold LeMay Enterprises, just after World War II. Harold also owned Lucky Towing, HELM Trucking, Lucky Sales & Services, and other companies.

LeMay amassed the largest privately owned collection of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and all manner of other vehicles and related memorabilia in the world. At its peak, the LeMay Collection numbered in excess of 3,000 vehicles and thousands of "automobilia" artifacts. In 1996, he began talking about opening a non-profit museum that would allow the public to see his collection and keep it all together. He died before this dream could be realized, but his family remembered, and the LeMay - America's Car Museum and, later, The LeMay Family Collection were born.

Hundreds of LeMay's cars are displayed at The LeMay Family Collection Foundation at Marymount, which opened in 1991 in Tacoma on the site of a former military academy-style school for boys, which had been founded by Dominican nuns in the early 1900s. This historic 80-acre site is just as appealing as the vast car and memorabilia exhibit. Hundreds of Harold LeMay's cars are also displayed at LeMay - America's Car Museum in Tacoma, which opened in June 2012, immediately west of the Tacoma Dome.

LeMay's wife, Nancy, and son, Doug, are both active members of the Tacoma community. They also share his passion for car collecting, and have continued it after his death.

Awards Harold LeMay was elected to the National Solid Waste Association Hall of Fame in 1991.

On May 28, 2011, Harold and Nancy Lemay were inducted into the Washington State Hot Rod Hall of Fame. Harold's son, Doug Lemay, accepted the award on Harold's behalf.

Other Honors The Harold E. LeMay Skateboard Park was opened on October 29, 2005.