Mark A. Pereira

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Mark A. Pereira, 66 of New Bedford died June 27, 2019 at home surrounded by his family and friends after a long courageous battle with cancer.

            He was the husband of the late Sheila (Poulin) Pereira.

            Born in New Bedford, son of the late Antonio A. and Audrey (Faye) Pereira, he lived in New Bedford all of his life.

            He was formerly employed as a machine shop teacher at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School and later was a para professional supporting students with intellectual disabilities at Old Rochester Regional High School and worked part time at the Nemasket Group for several years until his retirement. Mark was a lifelong musician and was a drummer and played in several bands over many years. Mr. Pereira enjoyed spending time with his family, gardening, teaching and working with children. He was an advocate for children with intellectual disabilities and helped to establish the EmpowORR garden at Old Rochester Regional High School where a bench was dedicated in his name for all his support given to the students and staff at the school. He was an avid Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan and enjoyed watching and going to games with his family. He was a member of the International Church of the Nazarene.

            Survivors include his 3 sons, Stephen Brightman and his wife Carol of West Palm Beach, FL, Chris Pereira and his fiancée Lise Hindle of Westport and Mark Pereira and his wife Deborah of Dartmouth; a daughter, Patricia Brightman-Shores of East Windsor, CT; 3 sisters, Linda Stauffer and her husband Jeff of Dartmouth, Carol Luiz and her husband John and Kathy Dehner, all of New Bedford; his former wife, Linda (Tavares) Pereira; 10 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

            His visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 3-7 pm with a Funeral Service from 3:30 – 4 pm during the visiting hours in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

MATTREC Summer Program Offerings

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Mattapoisett Recreation still has spaces available in the following programs:

            Nature Explorers is a half day camp running July 22 to 26and July 29 to August 2 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Join us to explore some of Mattapoisett’s unique natural areas. Every day, participants will visit a different area and experience hands-on learning. Cost is $150. Registration deadline is July 4th.

            Summer Tennis Lessons will be offered on Wednesday evenings from July 10 to August 14. This program is open to Ages 5-14. Cost is $85. Registration deadline is July 2.

            One week Golf Camps will be offered at Reservation Golf Course from July 22-26, August 5-8,and August 12–15. Program runs 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and includes lunch. Cost is $125.

Register online at www.mattrec.net.

Marion July 5th Fireworks

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The Marion Fireworks Committee is proud to remind everyone that the Fireworks have been fully funded and are planned for July 5! We are so excited and grateful to all who helped make it happen.

            Plan on bringing your blanket and taking advantage of the high tide at noon on July 5th. Food trucks will be set up by 1:00 pm on the lawn near the bath house. The food trucks will be in place until the end of the show.

            As it gets closer to dusk, The Sippican Band kicks off its season with its Fourth of July concert! The band will continue to play all evening until the fireworks are finished!!

            The students from the Old Rochester Ambassador program will be on hand fundraising by selling glow sticks and novelties.

             As the skies get darker, the first boom is anticipated at 9:00 pm. Please note, if the fog is heavy, we may delay the fireworks until the skies clear.

            If rain is in the forecast, we will delay the event until July 6. Watch the Marion Fireworks Facebook page as well as the Facebook page for the Town of Marion for updates. 

Sippican Historical Society

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In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. The survey was funded one-half by the Sippican Historical Society and one-half by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Due to the limits of funding, not all of the historic buildings were surveyed, but over 100 were catalogued and photographed. The results of the survey are in digital form on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website and in four binders in the Sippican Historical Society’s office (and at the Marion Town Clerk’s office).

            Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. The Sippican Historical Society will preview one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture.

            This installment features 217 Front Street – Lillard Hall. In 1926, the construction of Lillard Hall and the use of a private residence later known as Bushnell Hall represented an important step in the direction of forming a waterfront campus. Lillard Hall was dedicated on June 12, 1926 in honor of Tabor Academy’s fifth headmaster. During the fall of 1927, the clock in the belfry atop Lillard Hall was dedicated by Silas Howland in the presence of his father, Clark P. Howland, Tabor Academy’s first headmaster. At that time, the clock was one of only three of its size to strike the hours with ship’s bells, the others being at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.

Artist Reveals Essence of Taber Statue

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            Marion residents are excited about the arrival of the life-sized bronze statute of its beloved beneficiary Elizabeth Taber next year, and artist Erik Durant who was commissioned to create the sculpture is just as excited to share in the creative process as he transforms an idea into the physical form of the woman who literally built the Marion we know and love today.

            Durant, originally from Connecticut, joined the Navy right after high school. He attended art school soon after and received his degree at UMass Dartmouth, a school he chose for its connection to a foundry for sculpture making.

            He’s well known in these parts as a New Bedford resident and artist of two of the city’s prominent pubic works of art, the Fisherman’s Monument and the giant squid located outside the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

            “Around New Bedford I’m kind of known as the squid guy,” said Durant, who added that he was grateful to receive the commission for the Taber statue from the committee with Sippican Historical Society ties dedicated to honoring Taber with a statue planned for Bicentennial Park.

            But how does one take “something that’s going on up here,” he said pointing to his head, “and put it out there in the field across the street in the form of an Elizabeth Taber statue?”

            It’s a back and forth process of positives and negatives, he said, explaining that the statue must start as a small, less detailed model and then be transferred into a larger size that produces a negative much like that of a photograph, but in 3-dimensiopnal form. What follows is another “positive” form that comes from that negative form – what Durant called a “linear motion”.

            “I work with people, that’s what I do,” he said. “That’s how you start things.” Which means before there was Elizabeth Taber sitting on the bench, it was someone else sitting there – a live model. And, yes, a live model in the nude. Because in order for Durant to make an accurate and detailed representation of a clothed Taber, well, he’s got to see her unclothed first.

            “In order to make a figure that looks right wearing clothing, [I] have to sculpt them in the nude, first.”

            Durant said he can tell by looking at a statue or sculpture if the artist went ahead and sculpted the clothing first.

            “I can spot that from a distance,” he said. There is a certain tension in the way fabric covers the body – a fold in the fabric that happens that bunches in some places and stretches in others and you’ll see that in Durant’s Taber as she sits clutching her pipe and book looking off towards the Town House.

            “You can see her knees really clearly, and then the fabric folds correspond to what would be under there at that point,” Durant said. And these details are critical for what Durant describes as the statue appearing “fully activated in the round” – or, simply stated, visually interesting from every angle.

            Durant said he made sketches of versions of the Taber statue for the committee to approve, looking at Taber in both her youth and in the later stages of life.

            “It was decided that we would work on the older Elizabeth Taber when she returned to Marion … so we’re looking at somebody who’s probably in her 70s or 80s,” Durant said.

            The focus was on her gestures as an older female, sitting on a bench, “fairly stiff” with not having “a whole lot of dramatic motion,” as Durant put it. And Taber’s gesture of feet forward, body turned, and head turned – all in three different directions – are significant, Durant said, otherwise Taber’s seated form would look unnatural, straight forward, and lined up.

            Durant tilted his head to the side and shifted his weight to one hip and said, “The rest of us stand around like we’re waiting for a bus all the time – our bodies sort of move and switch back and forth and everything,” he said. “She will be looking at the town hall with her eyes and sort of leaning and looking over at the library, [which] gives us movement.” And when you look at her, he said, it’s almost like perhaps you just heard something or witnessed something or like something is about to happen.

            The sculpture will be extremely durable, Durant said, and Taber will retain her “French brown” bronze patina with annual maintenance and the brushing on of more wax, keeping it from turning into that “neglected green” patina.

            The granite bench was selected specifically to appear more modern as Taber is honored now in more modern times, although she’ll forever sit as a relic from the past – Marion’s past – and honored well into the future. On the back of the granite bench will be a relief showing the five principal structures Taber gave to Marion while Taber sits scanning the landscape she influenced.

            “You can really relate to her by sitting down on the bench,” said Judith Rosbe from the Sippican Historical Society (SHS).

            With the bench, Durant said, “One of the things that was important to me is that we’re not just simply making a historical snapshot. … There’s a very special reason why this moment in time she’s being recognized instead of 20 years ago. … We are choosing to recreate her right now in his moment in time. … She is here with us in this moment in time.”

            A statue often tells us more about the people commissioning the monument than the monument itself.

            The Sippican Historical Society is assisting with donations to allow for tax deductions for donators and has already donated $50,000 itself. Tabor Academy has donated $10,000, and the SHS is still accepting private donations in any amount with a goal of reaching $200,000 to go toward maintenance and landscaping of the statue. To donate, go to www.sippicanhistoricalsociety.org or mail a check written out to Sippican Historical Society to PO Box 541, Marion, MA.

            The committee and the SHS will be offering multiple chances to learn about the Elizabeth Taber stature in the year ahead and will make an appearance during Marion’s Fourth of July parade.

            The statue will be unveiled at Bicentennial Park during the summer of 2020.

By Jean Perry

Rosemary Leach See

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Rosemary Leach See “Posy” 88 of Marion died Wednesday June 26, 2019. Posy was a shining star giving grace and love to all with whom she came in contact.

            Rosemary See was born in Providence, Rhode Island, February 28, 1931. She was the daughter of the late Malcolm and Eleanor D. Leach. She was raised in Taunton, MA where she lived until she met and subsequently married Frederick P. See on February 17, 1951. Fred and Posy moved to Marion shortly after their marriage where they stayed happily for the rest of their lives.

            Rosemary’s love of people was unique. It showed in everything she did but was especially exemplified in the love lavished on Fred her husband of 60 years, her children Caroline S. Sheehan (Joseph Sheehan) Frederica See and Peter V. See (Mary Potter See); grandchildren Coleman Sheehan (Lauren Sheehan), Peter Sheehan (Courtney Sheehan) Nina See, Malcolm See (Taylor See) and great grandchildren Ford, Jack, Hudson and Cora Sheehan.

            Beyond her family she spent time with friends pursuing her gifts as a gardener, a teacher of needlepoint and a golfer.

            Posy was completely committed to St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church and The Kittansett Club. She contributed generously her time and talent to both organizations for over 65 years.

            She will be missed.

            A celebration of Posy’s life will be held at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Marion on Monday July 22 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers a gift in Posy’s memory may be given to St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church PO Box 545, Marion MA 02738 or the Marion Art Center PO Box 602 Marion MA 02738.  rrangements by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Wareham.  For directions or to leave a message of condolence, visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com

Marion 4th of July Parade

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The Annual Marion Fourth of July Parade is scheduled for Thursday,July 4at 9:00 am sharp.

            The Parade will form beginning at 8:00 am on the Fourth of July in the ball field behind the Marion Town House and adjacent to the Sippican School. Parade organizers will be onsite to check participants in and to line up the parade.

            Trophies will be awarded for First, Second, and Third place in each category listed on the application. There is also a Best in Parade award.

            Applications for participating in the parade are available at the Marion Town House or they can be submitted online at www.marionma.gov/fourth-july-parade-committee.

            Applications may be hand delivered to the Marion Town House until July 3, 2019. Online applications will also be accepted until July 3, 2019. Applications will be accepted on the morning of the parade until 8:30 am. However, preregistration is preferred and will make the check-in process more streamlined.

            For questions please contact the Parade Committee at 508-748-3515 or dhemphill@marionma.gov.

SLT “Helen A. Arthur Scholarship” Award

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Jackson St. Don from Marion is the 2019 recipient of Sippican Lands Trust’s “Helen A. Arthur” Scholarship. St. Don, a 2019 graduate of Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School (UCT) in Bourne, MA, will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Sippican Lands Trust to pursue studies in Conservation Law Enforcement at Unity College in Unity, ME this fall.

            St. Don was recognized by the scholarship committee for his passion for the outdoors and dedication to the Boy Scouts achieving the highest rank of Eagle Scout. His strong academic achievement at UCT along with his leadership of one of the UCT student teams at a recent Skills USA Competition in Louisville, Kentucky were also commended by the committee.

            The “Helen A. Arthur” Scholarship is made available through the Sippican Lands Trust Scholarship Fund. This fund was created and named after Helen Adams Arthur (1940-2008). She was a beloved resident of Marion who had a deep interest in the preservation of the beautiful open spaces in town.

Upgrades Coming to Old Marina

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            On June 24 during the meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, the public, along with the commissioners, heard about developing plans for improvements and repairs to the former Leisure Shore Marina on Brandt Island.  The marina is now called Brandt Island Marina and is currently owned by David Kaiser who also owns the Mattapoisett Boat Yard and Kaiser Yachts LLC. The filing was represented by Bob Field of Field Engineering.

            While the full scope of what needs to be fixed, removed, improved, completely demolished, and completely rebuilt is daunting, Kaiser believes the end result will be worth the effort. Field shared that Kaiser’s plans for the Notice of Intent (NOI) filing before the commissioners that night contained grading of parking and driveway areas, systems for water containment from washdown activities, wooden pier repairs, stone bulkhead repairs, seawall repairs, and decking.

            There was some discussion about the need to apply for a Chapter 91 waterways license especially for those renovations related to waterside structures. After further dialog with the Conservation Agent Liz Leidhold, Field put forth the following into the scope of the NOI: repairs and renovations to driveways and parking areas in previously disturbed areas, and repairs to a seawall, wooden pier, stone pier, decking, and water purification systems.

            Before requesting a continuance, Chairman Mike King commented, “Anything you are doing there is an improvement to the resource area. … It’s going to be dramatically improved.” The hearing was continued until July 8.

            An NOI filed by Michael Ward, 26 Meadowbrook Lane, was also continued pending plans that could meet FEMA regulations. Field, also representing the Wards, said that the homeowners needed to construct a handicap lift to the elevated first floor living area. He pointed out that the preliminary plans called for the pouring of a solid concrete pad under the elevated residence. However, King said that concept would not meet FEMA regulations. The hearing was continued until July 8 pending plans that were in compliance with wetland regulations.

            Lisa Segalas, 11 Bay Road, was represented by David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon, and Leone. Davignon described the NOI filing saying the existing cottage was to be demolished and replaced with a home on pillars. He said the new footprint would be slightly smaller, while the elevated decks would be slightly larger and that more than 50-percent of the home would be in the coastal bank. Davignon also stated that the project needed to be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals due to the setbacks being impacted.

            The project as presented received standard conditioning from the commission.

            A Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Thomas Jackivicz and Pamela Pierce, 17 Third Street, also included the removal of an existing structure, a garage. The new garage, as described by Davignon, would be more than 100-feet from the coastal zone and would meet all FEMA regulations for a flood zone. The project received a negative determination of applicability.

            Alexander Makkas’s request for a Certificate of Compliance (CofC) was continued pending a site visit by commissioner Trevor Francis to ascertain how sediments are migrating into wetlands near Makkas’ property at 16 Island View Avenue. Makkas claimed that the sediment problem began after the installation of public sewers in the beach community and that he was hesitant to try and continue with native plantings as those too would be washed away into the contiguous wetlands.

            Leidhold commented that she would ask for the plantings to be done in an effort to stabilize the disturbed soils. However it was determined that a site visit prior to any further activities was warranted.

            A CofC was issued to Paul Bourgeois, 10 Oakland Terrance, and to JC Engineering, Inc. for 6 Dupont Drive.

            The commission went into Executive Session to discuss ongoing litigation with Daniel Craig, 4 Seabreeze Lane. In a follow-up with Town Administrator Mike Gagne, he said, “This is an interesting case.” He said that an enforcement order issued by the Conservation Commission was appealed to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) by Craig. The enforcement order was upheld by the DEP. Craig has subsequently appealed the DEP ruling, sending the case back to Superior Court.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

ORRHS Term 3 Honor Roll

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The following students have achieved honors for the third term at Old Rochester Regional High School:

            Highest Honors, Grade 9:Signe Gierhart, Edward Gonet, John Kassabian, Amaya McLeod, Victoria Perry, Marc Pothier, Emma Thorell, Autumn Tilley, Allison Ward, Cameran Weaver, Klara Whalley. Grade 10:Stephen Arne, Benjamin Austin, Curtis Briggi, Shelby Carmichael, Alexander Craig, Mariana Ditata, Rachael Fantoni, Sydney Feeney, Abigail Forcier, Rachel Foye, Maeve Geraghty, Meghan Horan, Stefan Hulsebosch, Molly Janicki, Jillian Langlais, Madisyn Leavitt, Katelyn Luong, Abigail McFadyen, Rebecca Milde, Christian Noble Shriver, Evan O’Brien-Nichols, Serena O’Connell, Faith Oliver, Jonathan Pereira, Bessie Pierre, Daphne Poirier, Evan Smith, Paige Sommers, Kathleen Tenerowicz, Jessica Vance, Emma Vivino, Emma Williamson. Grade 11:Cole Ashley, Michelina Ditata, Lilah Gendreau, Ian McCann, Ella McIntire, Allison Paim, Rachel Perry, Mackenzie Riley. Grade 12:Julia Cabral, Sophia Clingman, Marisa Cofone, Genevieve Grignetti, Madeline Hartley, Abigail Lacock, Nolan LaRochelle, Michaela Mattson, Samantha Nicolosi, Elisa Normand, Avery O’Brien-Nichols, Lauren Pina, Meghan Rebello, Janey Rego, Aidan Ridings, Ansley Rivera, Delaney Soucy, Taylor Swoish.

            High Honors, Grade 9:Amanda Armanetti, Isabella Correia, Matthew Curry, Emily DellaCioppa, Anna Dube, Isabel Friedrichs, Colby Gross, Mia Hemphill, Faith Humphrey, Isabella Hunt, Isabella Hunter, Jake Louden, Isabelle McCarthy, Ethan McElroy, Katherine Nilson, Maria Psichopaidas, Stephen Sauerbrey, Mackenzie Wilson. Grade 10:Isaiah Andrade, Emma Carroll, Davis Fox, Prosser Friedman, Isabelle Kelly, Brianna Machado, Aidan Milton, Lindsey O’Donnell, Quintin Palmer, Rachel Pina, Leah Scott, Kennedy Serpa, Reily Veilleux, Sophie Vigeant, Elizabeth Wiggin, Samantha Winters, Paige Zutaut, Rachel Zutaut. Grade 11:Gabrielle Bold, Tova Brickley, Dante Cusolito, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Emma Gabriel, Grace Greany, Nicholas Johnson, Noah Maxwell, Megan Nolan, Cecilia Prefontaine, Aiden Woods. Grade 12:Elsie Buckley, Nicole Fantoni, Ian Friedrichs, Kristina Hopkins, Abigail Horan, Kelsea Kidney, Victoria Kvilhaug, Rosemary Loer, Claire Noble Shriver, Kevin Ovian, Harrison Riley, Jonathan Riley, Brett Rood, Timothy Saunders, Ashley Soares.

            Honors, Grade 9:Jasmine Andrade, Jared Asiaf, William Baltz, Nathaniel Bangs, Claudie Bellanger, Erin Besancon, Brendan Burke, Sally Butler, Palmer Clingman, Evan Correia, Erin Craig, Quinn Davignon, Caleb DeVoe, Christopher Feeney, Jillian Ferreira, Hannah Furtado, Jenna Gamache, Keira Gleasure, Taylor Green, Ava Hall, Lila Hall, Mia Hall, Brooke Hammond, Aiden Harrington, Isabella Hedges, Lauren Higgins, Lauryn Lent, Sean Lund, Jamie MacKenzie, Harley MacMullen, Sofia Martins, Drew Mastovsky, Cole Meehan, Spencer Merolla, Lukas Michaelis, Steven Morrell, Elijah Motta, Emily Murphy, Olivia Mydlack, Maggie Nailor, Tavish Nunes, Ethan Perez-Dormitzer, Caitlyn Plummer, Benjamin Preece-Santos, Zachary Proffit, Charles Richards, Natalya Rivera, Chase Ryan, Robert Salit, Julia Sheridan, Desmond Sinnott, Callie Tavares, Gabrielle Theodore, Michael Tobin, Maxwell Tucker, Angelina Vaughan, Maxwell Vivino, Jennifer Williams, Madeline Wright, Emma Wyman, Nathan Yurof, Joseph Ziino. Grade 10: Taylor Amaral, Novalye Arruda, Maya Blouin, Marisa Braga, Isabella Carrillo, Margaret Carroll, Steven Carvalho, Mia Costa, Andrew Coucci, Sebastian Domal, Carly Drew, Jordan Duarte, Meaghan Dufresne, Joseph Dumas, Lindsy Durgin, Katherine Dwyer, Austin Fleming, Charles Hartley-Matteson, Lindsay Holick, Mia Hurley, Jacob Jensen, Sean Lally, Sierra Lanzoni, William Lecuyer, Eva Angeline McCann, Grace McCarthy, Luke Millette, Jason Motta, Samuel Noblet, Tucker Nugent, Caroline Owens, Raegan Rapoza, Eren Salta, Sophia Sousa, Jacob Spark, William Stark, Mason Tucker, Kayli Vieira, Tyler Wadman, Ryan Wilson. Grade 11:Felicia Aguiar, Erika Albert, Colby Alves, Jacqueline Barrett, Kate Beaulieu, Sarah Besancon, Peyton Blood, Jonathan Borsari, Camden Brezinski, Mary Butler, Jack Cadden, Charlotte Cole, Lucas Costa, Jackson Cote, Thomas Coucci, Tucker Guard, Hunter Hanks, Ruth Harris, Ryu Huynh-Aoyama, Patrick Igoe, Gabriel Jacobsen, Zoe Kelley, Kate Marsden, Stephen Marston, Alexa McLeod, John Meehan, Elise Mello, Aidan Michaud, Alexandra Moniz, Noah Motta, Luke Mullen, Natalie Nilson, Danielle Nutter, Lauryn Pallatroni, Ryan Peters, Mason Pina, Hannah Pires, Nathan Przybyszewski, Alyssa Quaintance, Amanda Rapoza, Dillon Romig, Alexi Smead, Nicholas Snow, Hannah Stallings, Sofia Sudofsky, Victoria Sullivan, Eric Tippins, Aiden Tremblay, Hadley Walsh, Emily Wilson, Kyah Woodland. Grade 12:Gabriella Amato, Maggie Arruda, Danya Bichsel, Zoe Bilodeau, Matthew Brogioli, Tyler Bungert, Sara Campopiano, Brielle Correia, Noah Cunningham, Maya Doonan, Alexandra Fluegel, Adrian Gleasure, Pavanne Gleiman, Chandler Goulart, Lily Govoni, Sydney Green, John Harrison Burke, Daniel Hartley, Mariana Hebert, Alex Henrie, Jordan Hoeg-Chick, Amelia Isabelle, Hanbyul Kang, Holden King, Logan King, Tyler Kulak, Jillian Kutash, Elsie Perry, Chelsea Peterson, Lily Poirier, Ana Poulin, Maria Ramsay, Leah Reed, Alexandria Sheehan, Sarah Sollauer, Lauren Surprenant, Robert Sylvester, Adam Sylvia, Gates Tenerowicz, Nicholas Thayer, Amber Tieu, Madison Welter, Mariyah Wright, Lily Youngberg, Lauren Ziino.