Patricia E. Ryan

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Pat, Mom, Nana…Patricia E. Ryan, age 87, of Rochester passed away peacefully on Monday May 27, 2024 at home, surrounded by family. She was the loving wife of Vincent Ryan, who passed away three days earlier. They celebrated their 63rd anniversary earlier in May and are now together in God’s house.

            Pat was born in Brooklyn, NY to Frank and Helen (Rytelewski) Esposito. She grew up in Brooklyn spending summers on the family farm in Rochester. She graduated from High School in Brooklyn in 1955 and then enrolled in the St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in New Bedford, graduating in 1958. Upon graduating and earning her RN license, she stayed on at St. Luke’s hospital working in the ER and the OR where she loved the fast pace and constant variety of cases. While working at St. Luke’s, she continued her education, earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Boston College, going on to teach medical surgical nursing for St. Luke’s School of Nursing. St. Luke’s is also where she met and fell in love with Vinny.

            Pat and Vinny were married in 1961, and rented a small house in Acushnet, living there until they moved to Rochester in 1965. Like Vinny, Pat was very active in the local community. She served on the Old Rochester Regional School Committee for thirteen years. After leaving the school committee, she was appointed to the Rochester Finance committee where she served for seven years until she was elected to the Board of Selectmen, where she served for five years. Leaving politics behind, she began volunteering for the Rochester Council on Aging. She served as the Chairwoman of the COA Board of Directors for four years and was instrumental in the success of the breakfast program at the senior center. In 2011, she was named Standard Times Woman of the Year for her efforts at the COA. In 2019, the COA dedicated the kitchen as Pat’s Place with a quote from Audrey Hepburn, “As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and one for helping others.” This is how Pat lived her life.

            She is survived by her brother Frank Esposito of Tecopa, California, son Michael and his wife Christine of Rochester, Daughter Kimberly and her partner David Hirshlag of Rochester, and two grandchildren, Andrew and Sarah Ryan. She was loved dearly and will be missed.

            There will be a celebration of life in the coming weeks. In Lieu of flowers, please consider a generous donation to the Rochester Senior Center.

Vincent Ryan

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Vinny, Dad, Grampy……Vincent Ryan, age 91, of Rochester passed away on Friday May 24, 2024 at Boston Medical Center after a brief illness. He was the loving husband of Patricia E. Ryan and celebrated their 63rd anniversary earlier in May.

            Vinny was born in New Bedford to Vincent C. and Grace (Neville) Ryan. He was an only child, growing up in New Bedford and graduating from Holy Family High School in 1950. He attended Georgetown University from 1950 to 1953 and served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955. After his service, he worked as a phlebotomist at St. Luke’s Hospital where he met and fell in love with Patricia. After several years in the lab at St. Luke’s, he followed his father and took a job at New England Telephone where he worked for the next 32 years, retiring in 1990.

            He was married to Patricia in 1961, living in Acushnet until they moved to Rochester in 1965. Vinny was very active in the local community, serving in the Lion’s club for several years. He was one of the official starters at the annual Memorial Day boat race for many years. During the early 1970’s, he became involved in the site search for what was to become Old Colony Regional Vocational High School. Once the site in Rochester was selected, he served on the building committee and when construction was complete, he served on the regional school committee continuously from its inception until he retired in his early 80’s. He retired from the committee as its longest serving member and was honored by the school with a ceremony dedicating the school gymnasium as the Vincent Ryan Gymnasium. He touched countless lives during his tenure on the Old Colony school committee, handing diplomas to hundreds of graduates over the years.

            He is survived by his wife Patricia, son Michael and his wife Christine of Rochester, Daughter Kimberly and her partner David Hirshlag of Rochester, and two grandchildren, Andrew and Sarah Ryan. He was loved dearly and will be missed.

            There will be a celebration of life in the coming weeks. In Lieu of flowers, please consider a generous donation to the Rochester Senior Center.

William F. Hubbard, Sr.

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William F. Hubbard, Sr., 86, of Mattapoisett, died unexpectedly on Friday, May 24, 2024. He was the husband of Jeannette L. (Washburn) Hubbard.

Born in Mattapoisett, son of the late James E. Hubbard, Sr., and Jessie (Linhares) Hubbard, he lived in Mattapoisett all of his life.

            Bill was the plant supervisor for 25 years at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School, and previously worked as a supervisor at various construction companies. Bill was on the board of selectmen in Mattapoisett for 12 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing in his free time.

            Survivors include his wife; his children, William Hubbard, Jr., and his wife LeeAnn Bartow of Lexington, Christine Hiller and her husband Jay of Marion, David Hubbard and his wife Lisa of Mattapoisett, and Ann Pasquill and her husband Richard of Mattapoisett; his brothers, Jimmy Hubbard, Carl Hubbard, and David Vieira; his sisters, Sharon Hubbard, and Caroline Hubbard; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; many nieces and nephews; and his dog Sadie. Bill would like to extend a special thank you to his caregivers, Christina Lopes, Deb Allaire, and Nick Decas for the support they provided him.

            Bill is predeceased by his sister Donna Hubbard.

            Bill’s Funeral will be held Saturday, June 15th at 9 am from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett, followed by his Funeral Mass at 10 am in St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett and burial in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held Friday, June 14th from 4:30-8:00 pm. For online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com

Carol Pearce Grime

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Carol Pearce Grime, age 74 of Glade Valley, NC; passed away Monday, April 1st, 2024 at her residence.

            Carol was born December 15th, 1949 in Boston, Massachusetts to the late William and Marjorie Briggs Pearce. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, David Fuller; her father-in-law, Donald Grime.

            Carol was an adventurous person who loved to travel. She would light up a room when she walked in and had met and retained friends all over the world. She was raised in Sharon, Massachusetts and in her teenage years, moved to the southern coast of Massachusetts and eventually retired to the Blue Ridge mountains. Through her adventurous spirit, she learned and enjoyed many things like reading, exercising, baking, her canine companions, becoming an accomplished axe thrower, Harley Davidson motorcycles and taking motorcycle trips with friends and family.

            Survivors include her husband, David Grime of the home; two children: Rebecca Guaraldo and husband Fred of Rochester, MA, Jared Fuller and wife Danielle of Hampton, NH; four grandchildren: Megan Guaraldo, Ethan, Lucas and Cole Fuller; two sisters: Ann Brown-Lockwood of Arizona and Betsy Jackson of Massachusetts; sisters-in-law: Donna Chace and Cheryl Rowden; her canine companions: Rudy, Zena, and Foxy; nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends also survive.

            A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held from 11:30 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday, June 15th, 2024 at the Ponderosa Sportsman’s Club, 242 Robinson Road, Acushnet, Massachusetts 02743.

            In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Medi-Home Health and Hospice of Alleghany, PO Box 1287, Sparta, NC 28675.

            The family would like to extend thanks to the entire staff of Medi-Home Health and Hospice of Alleghany and also to the Oncology staff at Atrium Health Wilkes Medical Center.

            Thomas Family Funeral Service is honored to be serving the Grime family. If you wish, online tributes may be extended to the family at www.thomasfamilyfs.com

Three Boards – Meeting Update

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Prior to the May 13 Annual Town Meeting, Mattapoisett’s Select Board met briefly to vote on several matters brought before them.

            The board moved and voted to use $3,200 of ARPA funds to replace and update a radio console and another $2,900 to offset Board of Health expenses.

            The board further moved and voted to approve outdoor restaurant seating for the Mattapoisett Diner, Tastebuds and What the Taco.

            A one-day entertainment and beer-and-wine license was approved for the anniversary celebration planned by the Mattapoisett Land Trust in observance of its 50th anniversary on Sunday, June 30, at Munro park.

            A senior Old Rochester Regional High School Sunset event for May 16 at Ned’s Point was also approved.

            Resignations were accepted from Kevin Geraghty (Finance Committee) and Ronald Scott (Cemetery and Memorial Advisory Committee).

            On May 16, the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals granted a Special Permit for the demolition of an existing structure located at 5 and 7 Shoreview Avenue for the purposes of constructing a new, three-story, single-family dwelling.

            Monday night’s meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board found the board taking no action on a request from the Mattapoisett Homeowners Association for a reduction of funding held by the town as stipulated in Condition 11 of the 2002 Mattapoisett Planning Board decision for a $50,000 emergency bond. The group requested the bond be reduced to $3,000, given that it has never been needed. The request heard no motion in its favor.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, June 3.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals will be scheduled for Thursday, June 20, if there are cases to be heard.

Mattapoisett Select, Zoning and Planning boards

By Marilou Newell

Food Drive

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The Marion Democratic Town Committee will be holding a food drive to benefit Damien’s Food Pantry on June 8 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am in the Marion General Store parking lot. Please bring donations of nonperishable foods to help support the hungry in our community.

SRPEDD Visit Brings Anxiety

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Marion Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee found himself dousing a brush fire of inflammatory responses from elected officials to a presentation remotely made by Grant King, deputy director of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), during Monday night’s meeting of the Marion Planning Board.

            SRPEDD is comprised of teams of professionals that work with 27 Massachusetts municipalities.

            In explaining the evolution of Priority Development Areas (PDA’s) and Priority Protection Areas (PPA’s), King shared a visual slide presentation highlighting the 2008 advent of the commuter rail bringing about a first pass with the identification of general areas, the 2013 refining of boundaries and in 2024 an update to those boundaries, along with modern mapping and design and action items recommended for key sites.

            King’s presentation highlighted a timeline including a kickoff phase, a local workshops phase and the current Phase 3, specific application for the town’s feedback.

            Some of the Planning Board members felt that the accompanying changes were being dropped rather abruptly for feedback to be solicited on a June 30 deadline. Referring to prior meetings with Guey-Lee and Select Board member Norm Hills, King said the incentive-based program has a timeline so that the town can effectively compete for grant funding for state assistance with much-needed projects.

            King compared SRPEDD dialogue to a preconference meeting and insisted that the agency is in the business of helping towns establish their own, simple, land-use priorities but does not rezone land. Moreover, SRPEDD’s recommendations are not legally binding, King stressed.

            While looking to wrap up the establishment of priority areas by June 30, more opportunities for public comment will come about in early fall 2024.

            “The (Select) board majority is not aware of this. … I’m concerned,” said Select Board member Randy Parker, who was attending the meeting as a citizen. Alluding to a similar scenario over a decade ago, Parker said, “They also said it wasn’t a zoning change, it was setback change. … you can paint it any way you want, but you’re changing things.”

            King said that nothing being mapped in his presentation will lead to change unless the citizens of Marion want it.

            Planning Board member Tucker Burr was equally skeptical, saying, “you want to use this to direct the conversation. When you have one person of the community to direct the conversation, people get upset. ‘Wait a second, that was just one guy with a bunch of people from out of town.’ I was the chair for the last year, and no one came to me to ask, ‘do you want …?’ It just got thrown on the agenda.”

            Sensing King was in an awkward spot, Guey-Lee apologized for that “there wasn’t any due notice. … The chairman doesn’t review the agenda. We had a workshop, then Grant asked me about opportunities and gave me some options, and this is what I suggested.

            “This is the process, we’re not behind it, we’re not ahead of it. We’re in the process.”

            “SPREDD has no skin in this game. I’m just your mapper,” said King, noting that this program has been in various stages of the works since 2008. “I just want to reassure you, these were in your 2017 Master Plan, this isn’t out of nowhere. This has been in your planning documentation for a decade.”

            King reiterated his willingness to return to the board to continue the question-and-answer session with the board in a better-prepared circumstance.

            The board held two public hearings, both of which were continued after presentations, discussion and public comment.

            Matt Sperry, who appeared on behalf of Sperry Fabric Architecture, Inc., for its proposal of a commercial, pre-engineered building on a concrete slab with a 4-foot wall and heat and insulation but no plumbing, to be assembled on site at 19 Marconi Lane on land-zoned Limited Industrial, was not pleased to learn his case would require a continuance.

            Major Site Plan Review typically requires multiple sessions, but the board was digesting comments from Fire Chief Brian Jackvony requesting that the east side of the tight space be designed with a 20-foot-wide fire lane posted and clear of obstructions and running 25 feet past the exterior door and within 150 feet of the furthest dimension of the building.

            In response to board member Eileen Marum’s question about pedestrian safety on the site and going to and from the site, along with motor-vehicle safety, Sperry indicated that the traffic, both vehicular and on foot, is something the owner can shut down.

            “We can limit that, that’s our property,” said Sperry, who also allows South Coast Improvement to park vehicles there.

            Marum noted that drainage calculations done for the site show that the host development has less runoff than the prior development, “so that is an excellent sign.”

            Guey-Lee recommended that the board require adding to the $500 in Sperry’s 53G account that supports peer review, noting the minimum peer review needed must include a drainage report. “Just to be sure, I don’t think it’s the biggest project, but we’ve been pretty consistent,” said Guey-Lee.

            “It was clear to me that this was a simpler enough project that this was going to get through. … If I knew there was peer review and another meeting, I would have planned for that,” said Sperry.

            Now presiding since being named chairman early in the meeting, Andrew Daniel apologized but agreed with Guey-Lee, who characterized it as a small project and believes it can be “turned around pretty quickly. I would love for this to be turned around too. … need to make sure we are addressing those issues,” he said.

            The board voted to increase the 53G account $2,500 for a $3,000 total. Jon Henry abstained from the vote; the rest approved.

            The case was continued to June 17.

            In the other public hearing, Steve Gioisa of SITEC appeared on behalf of Sippican Holdings LLC for its proposal of a self-storage facility at 13 Barnabas Road, the site of the former Lockheed Martin property. The previously altered land is zoned Limited Industrial and lies within the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection District.

            Burr recused himself and silently watched the proceedings from a position with citizens attending the meeting.

            Gioisa reviewed the foundational points of the proposal previously discussed and updated the board on new developments at the site, including a wetland delineation that has been approved, noted 30-foot and 15-foot setback lines, and topographic and property surveys.

            “The idea is to demolish the existing parking lot and create a two-story, self-storage building,” explained Gioisa, displaying in different layers the footprint of a main building covering 20,000 square feet and an office covering 900 square feet.

            The main storage building, which will be aligned to its longer sides are parallel to Highland Street, will be on ground that is higher on the east side and drops down to the west. Therefore, lower-level access will be on one side of the structure and upper-level on the other.

            Municipal water and sewer will service the building, which will have a sprinkler. Lighting will be Dark Sky compliant.

            Noting that the Marion Conservation Commission has already approved the project, including the stormwater-management system for the site, Gioisa pointed out three control points for drainage, including catch basins at low points and a third water-quality treatment unit screening for grease, etc.

            Sippican Holdings LLC hired Bowman traffic consultants, and Gioisa reported on expected generated flows for weekdays and weekends. At the peak hour, he anticipates seven or eight vehicles, so the total vehicles expected over the course of the week is 60 per weekday and 72 per weekend day.

            The project is not proposing solar energy at this point. It will have ADA-compliant spots.

            The plan, which had not received peer review as of Monday night, was well received by the Planning Board, which voted to seek peer review of the site plan and the stormwater report. The case was continued to July 1.

            The board’s reorganization vote resulted in Andrew Daniel being named chairman and Alanna Nelson vice chair, while Marum stayed on as clerk. Burr, the former chairman, takes over for Henry as the board’s representative to SRPEDD, and Daniel stays on as the board’s representative to Marion’s Community Preservation Committee.

            Burr publicly recognized Nelson and Henry for donating another three years of their time to the board. Both ran unopposed on May 17 and were re-elected.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, June 3, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Planning Board

By Mick Colageo

Protein – Panacea or Problem?

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Protein is everywhere on the grocery and pharmacy shelves these days. There are protein shakes, protein bars, high protein cereals – you name it.

            One reason for this emphasis on protein is that in the 1980s and 90s we were taught to fear fat, and in the 2000s we were told carbohydrates were bad – so that only leaves protein!

            We do indeed need protein for health. There are a number of essential nutrients (specific amino acids) that the body does not manufacture and which come from dietary protein.

            How much protein do we really need, and is too much bad for us?

            The recommended amount of protein an average adult should eat is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Almost every adult in western countries gets this much or more. For an adult weighing 165 pounds, this translates to 60 grams protein per day. If you are trying to maintain or gain muscle mass, or if pregnant or nursing, you should increase this by 25%. This would include most older adults, who often lose muscle with aging.

            Protein is available from a variety of foods, with fish, fowl and meat the most obvious but far from the only or even the best source. Dairy products, eggs, beans and lentils and nuts provide quality protein, as does soy. What should you avoid? Fatty cuts of meat and most processed meats (cold cuts, sausages, bacon, hot dogs) are bad for your heart and best minimized. If you are choosing hamburger, go for the 90+% lean packages.

            Since all of the foods providing protein also provide different additional nutrients that we need, balance is key. Fish provides omega-3 fatty acids; meat provides iron; dairy products provide calcium and vitamins; legumes provide fiber and minerals.

            Can you eat too much protein? Clearly yes, for a few reasons. Protein is our only source of nitrogen and tends to make the body acidic; the kidneys eliminate these toxins. If you have any degree of kidney impairment, excess protein can over-tax the body’s ability to cleanse the blood. Excess animal protein can lead to kidney stones. If you increase your protein intake without increasing exercise, you will probably take in too many calories and put on weight.

            Most experts agree that the maximum an average adult should eat is 2 grams per kilogram body weight. For our average 165-pound adult, this is 150 grams per day. Take a look at your intake, and if you are way over this, probably wise to cut back.

            And be sure to get your nutrition from a variety of sources. Protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats are all necessary for good health.

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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Growing up in either Weymouth or western Mass., I always knew where I would be with my family on Memorial Day weekend. We would make the trek to Rochester to spend the weekend at my grandparents and attend the Rochester Memorial Day boat race.

            My grandfather, Jim Hartley, started the race in 1934 so his 4H group would have something to do with the double-ended boats they had made as a project. We were always at the starting point at Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir to watch Grandpa help send off the boats. Then it would be into the car to follow the racers.

            We would stop at all the spots where you could see the boats paddle or portage through the course. There was always a member of the extended Hartley family to cheer on as they maneuvered the slippery riverbanks and paddled furiously down the river.

            The last stop was in Mattapoisett to watch the boats come in and touch their paddles to the cement wall. Eating hot dogs, listening to the crowd roar as boats came around the bend and watching the time board until a winner was announced was all part of the day.

            I can remember questioning when I was nine or ten why there were no girls or women in the race. I didn’t have too many years to wait for an answer. In 1961, Barbara Harriman (now Kirkland) and her friend, Judy Furnans (now Pierce) decided that the boys shouldn’t have all the fun. The two teenagers approached the race committee who were receptive to the idea of them participating.

            The two girls borrowed a boat and went on their one and only practice run. Unsure of the actual route and encountering the need for much portaging, it took them two days to go through the entire course, 6 hours the 1st day and 2 the 2nd. On race day with spectators lining the route, they found the course to be easier.

            Barbara, pictured here, and Judy proved that two 17 years olds could make it down the river and in the years since the sight of girls and women racing down the river has become commonplace.

By Connie Eshbach

Photoshop Workshop at the MAC

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The MAC has rescheduled its upcoming workshop, Introduction to Photoshop Workshop: Unleash Your Creativity with Digital Editing, for Wednesday, June 12, from 5:00-9:00 pm in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater. The cost is $75 for MAC members and $90 for nonmembers.

            Join instructor Cathleen Broderick, professional photographer, to learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop. Are you ready to transform your digital imagery and unleash your creative potential? Whether you’re a budding photographer, a graphic designer, or simply eager to learn new digital skills, this workshop is tailored just for you. In this introductory workshop, participants will dive headfirst into the fundamentals of Photoshop, the industry-standard software for image editing and manipulation. This hands-on session will equip you with essential techniques and tools to bring your artistic visions to life. Learn more and register online at marionartcenter.org/events.