Everett “Vic” Firth, a longtime timpanist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra who became renowned among drummers of all stripes as a manufacturer of drumsticks, died July 26 at his home in Boston.

He died Sunday at age 85. Everett “Vic” Firth, who grew up in Sanford and became known as a pioneer in the music industry for developing high-quality drumsticks and mallets, has died.

Everett “Vic” Firth, the celebrated principal timpanist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1956 to 2002 who also started a successful percussion equipment company, died on Sunday in his ...