Stephen R. Dragos

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Stephen R. Dragos, of Carver, passed away on July 21, 2020 at the age of 77.   He was the devoted husband of 48 years to the love of his life, Carolynne (Armando), and passed peacefully with her and their two children closely by his side.

            Stephen was born and raised in New Jersey – the beloved son of the late Helene (Baranowski) and Martin Dragos – where he graduated from West Orange High School and William Paterson University. He enlisted in the United States Army for a GI Bill and proudly served his country in Vietnam from 1964-1967 as a member of the Army Special Forces Green Beret 81st Airborne Unit.  After the war, he returned home and met Carolynne in 1971 and the two married in May of 1972. They settled in Towaco, NJ before moving to Rochester, MA in 1985. Stephen worked in Human Resources for many years retiring a few years ago from General Metal Finishing in Attleboro.

            Stephen was known as a kind and generous man with a sharp sense of humor and a passion for great food and his family. He was a dog lover with a huge heart who enjoyed gardening, cooking, watching baseball, football and especially his favorite team, the Boston Colleges Eagles. Stephen’s true passion, however, was his family, who he loved unconditionally and with fierce loyalty.

            Stephen was predeceased by his parents and brothers, Anthony and Richard Dragos. He is survived by his loving wife Carolynne, and his beloved children: daughter Tisa Lynne and her husband Tim Cohane of Plymouth, MA and son Scott and his wife Marta of Winchester, MA.  He was the cherished “Gramps” or “Umps” of Peyton, T.J, Jaxon, Andie and Troy. He is also survived by his sister Marceline Schlig and her husband Morty of NJ and brothers Martin and his wife Sue of NJ, Raymond of NJ, Ricky of CT, Michael and his wife Patti of NC and numerous nieces and nephews.

            Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, all services will be held privately. Stephen will proudly be laid to rest with military honors at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA.

            In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Vietnam Veterans Association of America in the name of Stephen R. Dragos at https://vva.org/donate/.

More Water Coming from Wareham

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            The Town of Rochester will be allowed an increase of 5,000 gallons per day in its intermunicipal Water Agreement with the Town of Wareham. Now the town’s total allotment is 55,000 gallons per day. As Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar explained, the old agreement was modified to give Rochester 5,000 more gallons for future expansion.

            The Rochester Board of Selectmen met on July 20 in a hybrid format that allowed the board members and administration to be present in town hall and any other attendees connecting via Zoom. But for the second straight time, online attendees had audio difficulties. According to Szyndlar, Town Counsel Blair Bailey had the same system working perfectly for Town Meeting at Rochester Memorial School, but Town Hall continues to pose audio complications.

            Szyndlar provided The Wanderer with clarifications and missing information in a phone call Tuesday.

            Providing the board with an update regarding Plymouth County CARES Act funding, Szyndlar said she is preparing a submission for a reimbursement of approximately $28,000 to cover non-budgeted, COVID-related expenditures dating back to June 30 through the end of FY20 (July 31).

            Allotted $480,000, Rochester’s student enrollment calculates out to an allowance of $225 per student, but since Rochester receives CARES Act funding through Plymouth County and not the state it is not limited to that number per student. 

            The town has to account not only for students in the Old Rochester School District but also residents attending Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School along with Bristol Aggie.

            With the end Fiscal Year 2020 in sight (July 31), town administration is allowed to make appropriation transfers in between departments in the case of deficits or overages. To that end, Szyndlar provided the selectmen with a list of accounts that need money. The board approved the transfer of $28,465.24, an amount Szyndlar considered the least in years.

            Selectman Woody Hartley said that each of the Tri-Town communities may have questions about the ORR School District agreement presented last week to the Board of Selectmen, and expressed an interest in having someone come in and explain changes to the agreement.

            Szyndlar said she talked to new Superintendent of Schools, Mike Nelson, and said Nelson is waiting on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for comments on the agreement. Szyndlar told the board that changes require Town Meeting vote.

            Old Colony updated its agreement two years ago.

            In other business, Boy Scouts Troop 31 was approved for the usage of the Pine Street facility for its requested dates of August 22-23 for its fundraiser.

            Szyndlar reported to Chairman Paul Ciaburri that the Senior Work-off program had a total abatement of $20,000 for his signature.

            Ciaburri thanked all town officials and boards, people at the Senior Center, and Andrew Daniel for their efforts keeping everything in order during the pandemic.

            The selectmen approved a letter of thanks to George Landry for allowing Rochester to use his photo of Eastover Farms on the cover page of the Town of Rochester Annual Report 2019 that was distributed at the June 22 Town Meeting.

            The board went into executive session, not to return, to discuss the potential purchase of real property.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is Monday, August 3, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Mick Colageo

Young Golfers’ Amateur Reflects on Ressie’s Successful Return

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            Monday was a big step in the golf career of 13-year-old Westwood native Gunther Guleserian. The Blue Hill Country Club member took part in his third Massachusetts Young Golfers’ Amateur hosted at Reservation Golf Club in Mattapoisett.

            Guleserian beat out Matthew Oliveira (Allendale Country Club) and Aarav Lavu (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association entry) by three points in the Stableford scoring event, logging 34 points on 72 strokes.

            “I spent a good amount of time preparing for the tournament; really wanted to give myself a chance to win,” Guleserian said. “After I birdied the first hole… I tried to keep doing great on the rest of the holes.”

            Despite only shooting 3 over par on the day, Reservation Golf Club managed to challenge the young champion at various points throughout the tournament.

            “Holes 5, 9, and 18 were pretty difficult because of the road,” Guleserian said. “You really had to make sure your tee shot was straight because out of bounds is right and left out of the fairway.”

            Even though Guleserian was the biggest winner of all at Monday’s event, it was yet another big day for Mass Golf.

            Although things were delayed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Mass Golf was ready to follow through with events in the middle of June once the government gave courses the green light.

            “That kicked off our year from a competitive golf standpoint, and just looked a little bit different,” Mass Golf CEO and Executive Director Jesse Menachem said. “You know, we had to prepare a little bit differently and go to the ‘nth’ degree to make sure players and volunteers and club personnel were staying safe and then all the state guidelines were being followed.

            “From an event standpoint, (the numbers) have been either similar or better. We’re seeing just a ton of growth, a ton of interest in day-to-day play. Our courses are seeing a pretty healthy surge, and for us with score posting the last few months have been impressive. And that’s a trend we’re seeing all over the country.

            Mass Golf has used Reservation in the past and indicates it will continue to do so.

            “We’ve had a couple of events here — I think one-day qualifiers in the last two years, but this is a great championship to bring here,” Menachem said. “The facility, the community here. Everybody embraces it, and they want to show off what they’ve done.”

            Club president Rich Daprato wasn’t looking to display his staff’s hard work with this event, but it was a chance to show off what it can do because of business maneuvers made early in the coronavirus shutdown and thanks to the club’s loyal community that showed faith in Daprato and other decision-makers.

            “The Reservation membership deserves all of the credit for keeping us afloat. That’s a fact,” Daprato said. “Now, the board of directors and some of our managers, we’ve worked hard, as well. But the credit should really go to the membership because they could’ve made this difficult.”

            Reservation Golf Club’s membership has even grown a bit since the commonwealth permitted the play of golf again. Although the course is not allowed to fill its dining area to full capacity — same as any restaurant in the state — the course is regularly filled with players and signs point to more of the same, whether it’s casual play or events like the Massachusetts Young Golfers’ Amateur.

Sports Roundup

By Nick Friar

Fireflies Signal Summer with Light Show of Their Own

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            Suddenly in midsummer nightfall, fireflies appeared outside our windows looking over Little Bay in Fairhaven, as darkness settled in along the coastline, giving them a dark background against which to shine brightly for the mating emanation of the annual season.

            As a member of the Lampyridae insect family, the firefly is actually a beetle that burrows and hibernates in the ground for the winter, or daily behind the bark of a dead tree.

            This iconic display of a reproductive orchestration of lighting, an earthly pyrotechnic display, is truly a ritual of signals to find a mate. The male begins with an attention-getting impulse for finding and courting a receptive female. He begins with four or five impulses and then waits for the same amount of time before repeating his inquiry. The coquettish female, playing hard to get, waits in the grass before answering two or three replies and then waits a few more seconds before blinking back her acknowledged consent for reproduction.

            As this romantic communication clearly indicates to members of the human race that love is in the air for fireflies, so Shakespeare in the year 1600 wrote his play inspired from personal observation entitled “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Taking his own poetic license from this scene, he portrayed the twilight image of dancing fireflies, indicating that love itself is an act of nature. His deduction in modern research seems to be supported in places like Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, where all the fireflies there at one time seem to light up in waves, somehow orchestrated simultaneously as a command performance of natural conditions, all interacting together as a timely earthly force. Ah, the wonder of it all.

            My illustration is from looking at the body of the firefly upside down, showing the lower abdomen where the energy for the glowing light is created by a network of fatty passages feeding oxygen through tissues that glow with a very bright, but also a very cool light, with no heat. From this remarkable incendiary, children incorrectly label them as lightning bugs or glowworms, collected in a glass jar to illuminate their bedroom at night, bright enough to read by. Similarly, in Japan, fireflies are collected to make a charming outdoor lantern, with each flame representing the spirit of a samurai warrior who died bravely in battle. Those that gave their lives honorably were honored in a paranormal memory that glowed in the dark.

            Fireflies are very beneficial insects to have around. They don’t bite, have no pincers, they don’t attack, don’t carry disease, and are not poisonous to humans. They contain luciferin and luciferase, two rare chemicals used in research in cancer, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, and heart disease. Their numbers are unfortunately on a serious decline because of light pollution in urban development and also building projects replacing traditional habitats. They are very nice in your garden by eating bugs and insect pests. Their presence in your back yards is a favorable bellwether of a healthy atmosphere.

            May the mystical and magical firefly continue to light up our summer evenings with awareness of their true meaning and significance.

By George B. Emmons

David N. Rivenburg

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David N. Rivenburg of Mattapoisett, MA, formerly of Acton, MA, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2020. Dave was born on May 19, 1941 in Talcottville, CT to the late William Alfred “Al” Rivenburg and the late Edna May Rivenburg (Monaghan). He is survived by his wife of 56 years Virginia F. “Ginny” Rivenburg (Deloury); son Paul Rivenburg, his wife Faith and their daughters Megan and Julia; son Carl Rivenburg, his wife Cheryl and their sons Christopher, Timothy and Daniel; brother Charlie and his wife Kathy. He is also survived by many in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

            He graduated from Arlington High School in 1959. He attended Wentworth Institute of Technology and East Coast Aero Tech. He served in the Airforce Reserves as an Airman First Class, aircraft mechanic before a long career as an HVAC&R technician at Polaroid. After 31 years, he retired from Polaroid and he and Ginny continued to operate their small business, Custom Window Products, until his passing.

            Not only was Dave a great family man, loving husband and father, but he was also socially active in the community. He was a long-time member of The Bay Club of Mattapoisett where he spent countless hours helping to build men’s golf. Dave was often the first to sign up for many events and was a huge supporter and promoter of all men’s and mixed golf. He also represented The Bay Club as the Cape Senior League Captain for several years. Dave had 3 holes-in-one to his credit. In addition, Dave served his residential community as a board member of the Mattapoisett Shores Association. Dave also spent time in the ‘Men’ in Mentors program at Nativity Preparatory School of New Bedford with other men from The Bay Club.

            Throughout his lifetime, Dave enjoyed many activities with his family including time spent at “the pond”, dirt bike riding, sailing, power boating, skiing, square dancing, tennis and golf. He was also an avid reader, woodworker, and film process photographer with his own darkroom. He could fix just about anything (planes, motorcycles, cars).

            His family and friends will always remember him as a patient, humble and kind man who valued hard work and enjoyed all aspects of life.

            Visiting hours will be held on Saturday July 25, 2020 from 1-3 pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. A private family service will be held at a later date. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in memory of David N. Rivenburg to: Nativity Prep of New Bedford, 66 Spring Street, New Bedford, MA 02740 https://nativitynb.org/donate or Community Nurse Home Care, 62 Center Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 http://www.communitynurse.com/donate/. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

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St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, next to the Town Beach in Mattapoisett, will have 8:00 am services July 26 with The Rev. Marc Eames, Rector, The Church of the Advent, Medfield, MA. Masks are required and all other safety precautions will be in place at the church. All are welcome!

Donata Horne Cassels

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Donata Horne Cassels, age 99, of Dayton, OH and formerly of Mattapoisett, MA and Atlanta, GA passed away on July 17, 2020. Born in Atlanta, GA on October 14, 1920, the daughter of William Alonzo Horne and Mabel Smith Horne.

            She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Quarterman Cassels, daughter Caroline Virginia Cassels, son Frederick Horne Cassels, great grandson Daniel John Barford, son-in-law John C. Collier and brother William A. Horne, Jr.

            She is survived by her children Donata (Nata) Cassels Collier, William Louie Cassels, Robert Horne Cassels, Julianne Cassels (Jonathan) Craig, and grandchildren Donata (Chad) Monnin, Melanie (Dan) Barford, Ian Craig, Alex Craig; great grandchildren Ellery, Emory, Anna, Ingrid, John, Neka and niece Shirley Hoskins.

            Donata attended Druid Hills Elementary and Druid Hills High School in Atlanta, GA and Ward Belmont College in Nashville, TN. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1942 with a degree in Journalism. She was a member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority where she served as president. Donata and Robert, who received a commission in the US Navy, were married in Atlanta on August 8, 1942.

            A previous member of Druid Hills Baptist and Emory Presbyterian Churches in Atlanta, GA, she is now a member of St George’s Episcopal Church in Dayton, OH.

            Donata had a zest for life, generous nature and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She adored animals and had many beloved dogs during her life. She was an avid bridge player and was a Life Master in the Contract Bridge League. She enjoyed reading and loved poetry. In 2011, she won second place for her poem in The Leading Age Ohio Annual Art and Writing Program. As a knitter, she won numerous blue ribbons at the GA State Fair.

            A memorial service in Atlanta will be announced at a later date.

            In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to an animal charity of your choice.

Harbormaster Eyes 2021 for New Facility Approval

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            During Monday night’s remote access meeting of the Marion Marine Resources Commission, member Peter Borsari reminded Harbormaster Isaac Perry to make sure any changes to the design of the department’s soon-to-be-proposed new headquarters facility suit the needs of the staff, and the rest can be built around that.

            “We need it to function,” said Perry. “If it was a flat roof, I wouldn’t care, but it’s a great looking proposal.”

            Still in its conceptual stages, Perry reported to the commission that drawings by Tim Sawyer, the architect for the project, are available to view at the Harbormaster’s office but are by no means a final draft.

            Perry said there have been minor revisions to the roofline but no substantive changes. Tuning in on architectural details and seeking unofficial feedback, Perry told the commission it is just an architectural design at this point.

            “We’ve really got to nail down the design. Every time you add a dormer to the roof, it changes the cost,” he said.

            Plans are due in October to keep a project timeline eligible to seek funding in the grant round scheduled for November. “That’s kind of what we’re shooting for,” said Perry. “Not sure we’ll make it, but there is another grant round in March, that’s probably the best opportunity to put in for this project… November’s the first opportunity, but I’m already geared toward March.”

            In his Harbormaster’s Report to the commission, Perry said the beachgoers’ trash mess has gotten “a little better” by going back to two, six-yard dumpsters. “Quite frankly, we’re getting tired of picking up trash that’s floating around because it will not fit in the dumpsters,” he said.

            Marion staff has found it mystifying as to why a larger dumpster is ignored while a significantly smaller one adjacent to it is overflowing, resulting in the trash blowing around.

            Perry said that Board of Selectmen Chairperson Randy Parker and Town Administrator Jay McGrail are “well-aware” of the ongoing problem. “I’m hoping the two six-yarders will handle the amount of trash coming in,” said Perry, with an expectation that video surveillance will help curb illegal dumping.

            Perry says a security system like Mattapoisett’s would give Marion surveillance, comparing it to standard home security systems priced under $1,000. It “gives us what we need,” he said.

            Commission member Michael Moore pointed out that the larger dumpster has a sign that reads, “No domestic trash” and asked if that plays a role in how the dumpsters are used by the public. Perry said that experimentation has proven that the dumpster requiring the least amount of inconvenience is the one people will use. He gave an example of a mattress inside the 10-yard dumpster, and Deputy Harbormaster Adam Murphy said a couch and deck was found in it on Monday.

            Fines are “always a last resort,” according to Perry. “It’ll be somebody’s kitchen remodel that we’ll be looking for.”

            Marion has changed its pump-out procedures in wake of COVID-19, and the most significant aspect is that boat owners must now remove the cap.

            “Whether a day before or an hour before… all we’re trying to do it maximize the ventilation tanks,” said Perry, noting the method has become a standard operating procedure in both Mattapoisett and Wareham. “There’s been a little push-back, but people are getting it down now and realizing it’s important to take the cap off before leaving the boat.

            “It’s sped up the whole process because you have a visual on where (the cap) is. I’m pretty happy with the way that’s going,” said Perry, who said he would like to pass any new regulations in face-to-face meetings where people can have “a nice open discussion” and “everyone gets to say their piece.”

            As COVID-19-related restrictions have been loosened during the summer, races at the Beverly Yacht Club are “going off without a hitch,” according to Perry.

            The Junior Regatta scheduled for mid-August has been scaled down to a local invitational format with approximately 40 competitors expected as opposed to the traditional 200.

            Perry said Marion is no longer capable of hosting regattas at Island Wharf so he is working with Recreation Director Jody Dickerson on alternative locations. “We’re not 100 percent (sure) if that’s going to take place on town property just yet,” said Perry, who is also discussing potential sites with the Fire Department and Beverly Yacht Club.

            Public bathrooms have been locked up one side and labeled employees only, and the remaining public bathrooms are now unisex. Perry said the change has helped keep the bathrooms clean for the three weeks the policy has been in effect.

            After two weekend calls resulting in two rescue operations saving five people, Murphy praised the work of Marion’s and Mattapoisett’s staff (see story on the capsized sailboat).

            “A few people are going to call and say the Harbormaster’s boat went screaming through the harbor. Yes, that was me and, yeah, we did do that, but there was a reason,” he said.

            In light of Amy Tamagini’s kelp-farm pitch last week, the commission also discussed the need to create regulations for such farming and also the bacteria Vibrio that can poison seafood.

            Perry traveled to Salem State University and returned with softshell clams that were successfully put out on Friday. “We’ve had a huge increase in recreational shellfishing. I’m excited about that,” he said.

            Open moorings are at a premium in the harbor, and Marion has a waiting list that will be filled once all the town’s open moorings are cleaned up.

            As chairman of the Bird Island Preservation Society, Perry reported having attended two meetings, in September and December of 2008. Recently, he recommended to the Board of Selectmen that the committee be dissolved. At its last meeting, Board of Selectmen Chairperson Randy Parker suggested the town look further into the matter before dissolving the committee. “Bird Island matters are always brought before the MRC,” said Perry. “Through the whole restoration of the island… it was centered around the relighting of Bird Island.”

            The next meeting of the Marion Resources Commission is scheduled for August 17.

Marion Marine Resources Commission

By Mick Colageo

Nature Made Accessible by Sippican Lands Trust Boardwalk

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            Nature’s ability to soothe the souls of humans has never been more needed than now. That point was sharpened when Alan Harris, president of the Sippican Lands Trust, spoke during the ceremonial ribbon-cutting event at its newest trail – the Osprey Marsh Universally Accessible Boardwalk on July 17.        Harris spoke to a small group of donors and benefactors who had funded the construction of the 1,800-foot-long boardwalk from Point Road to the shores of Planting Island Cove. “At a time when we really need it, people who may have to use wheels, or feet, can access nature,” he said with a smile in his voice.

            The event was challenged by much needed heavy rains, but was simultaneously streamed via Zoom remote access for those unable to attend. The limitation on gatherings was also a factor in deciding to open the event up to a wider audience via internet connection. There were only a couple of technical difficulties to overcome, but the recorded event may be viewed on YouTube and on ORCTV.

            SLT Executive Director Jim Bride thanked supporters, saying, “The osprey marsh is an important respite and a safe way for all to enjoy nature.” He said that groundbreaking for the trail had taken place a year ago. He thanked contractor Stan Bradford, landscape designer Susannah Davis, and Sherman Briggs for his expertise and use of heavy construction equipment. Also on his list of those who helped the effort were the Marion Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission, and the Community Preservation Committee. The latter of those boards supported a grant in the sum of $40,000 for the future construction of a pavilion at the trailhead, a sum approved by the voters at Town Meeting.

            Yet it was the generous donation of 22-acres of undisturbed woodlands by the Howland family that made the project a reality. On hand to cut the ribbon was Mary Howland-Smoyer who, along with her siblings, made the decision to gift the land to SLT. Smoyer’s cousin, Jonathan Howland, explained during a follow-up, “It was my cousin Mary and her siblings who donated the land.” He went on saying, “You don’t know how much pleasure it brings us to have this especially now.”

            Howland said that he has been a Sippican Lands Trust member for years and that as far back as 2014 the concept of having an accessible trail was being discussed. “It’s an important asset for the community and shows the evolution of the Lands Trust,” he said. “This project made the marshlands accessible to a broader segment of the population.”

            In a follow-up with Bride, he said that the SLT had borrowed $140,000 from their own endowment, money that Howland explained was to be paid back over five years. The group raised monies through private donations, and are still actively seeking funds to offset the construction costs which came in at $380,000. Bride also said that the SLT has to plan for long-term maintenance expenses of the boardwalk. To help with the financing he said that people can “buy a board” and have a plaque placed along the toe-rail of the wooden structure.

            Howland also told The Wanderer, “The Japanese have a term known as ‘forest washing.’ It is the cleansing of one’s spirit when embraced by nature. The Japanese term is shinein-yoka or forest bathing, the refreshment one receives by the sights, sounds, and smells of being outdoors in nature. Howland said of the boardwalk, “It’s gratifying to see people with mobility issues enjoying the path; it’s long enough to be a pleasurable experience.”

            Harry Norweb, a supporter of the boardwalk who was also on-hand for the ribbon cutting, shared his thoughts. “It’s amazing the length and so well-built, you walk along and then suddenly you are looking at Planting Island Cove! … It was an amazing effort to get materials to the site; they worked closely with the Conservation Commission. Some materials were preassembled in Stan Bradford’s shop and then schlepped over to the trail,” he explained.

            Norweb and his wife Pam promoted the concept to others and are now very happy to have the boardwalk as one of their neighbors. “A walk down the trail is wonderful in all seasons,” he said.

            Before the restrictions and guidelines mandated by the state due to COVID-19, recreational properties were open just about any time. Now with distancing understood as necessary, the narrow boardwalk doesn’t easily lend itself to distancing. Bride said that people must now have an appointment to gain access to the boardwalk trail so that distancing can be maintained. Harris said that as many as 300 reservations had been requested since the trail was completed.

            During his comments at the ribbon-cutting, Bride thanked the SLT Board of Directors that include Harris, Davis, Cathy Stone, Dot Brown, Randy Parker, as well as committee members Lauren Boucher, Chris Bryant, John Cederholm, Diane Cook, Mimi Coolidge, Sharon Matzek, Dr. David McGinnis, and Greg Skomal. The Osprey Marsh Committee consisted of Harris, Davis, Parker, Diane Cook, and Marian Howland.

            Donors who supported the project include Howland-Smoyer, Jack and Nancy Braitmayer, David and Victoria Croll, Harry and Pam Norweb, Wick and Sloan Simmons, Sandria Parson, Mauk Hudig, Peter and Laurie Grauer, and Elizabeth Morse. Foundations also supporting the construction are Abington Bank, Arcadia Charitable Trust, The Bafflin Foundation, Fields Pond Foundation, and the Maurice and Anne Makepeace Family Foundation.

            To make a reservation for the Osprey Marsh Universally Accessible Boardwalk contact the Lands Trust office at 508-748-3080 or online at sippicanlandstrust.org.

By Marilou Newell

Barbara A. Whiterell

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Barbara A. Whiterell passed peacefully on Sunday, July 19, 2020, after a long and full life. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 17, 1927, to Aldea and Harold Cox. She had two older sisters, Margaret and Ruth, and a “kid brother” Bob. She is survived by her husband, David “Ralph” Whiterell of Mattapoisett, MA; daughters Susan (and Paul) Soares of Osterville, MA; Deborah (and Jim) Wheeler of Beverly, MA; Laura (and Jaime) Lemos, of Hollis, NH; grandchildren: David (and Katie), and Jeffrey Soares; Alexander, Emily, and Samuel (and Sarah) Wheeler; and Justin, Madison, and Sydney Lemos.

            Barbara was a nurse by vocation, graduating from Worcester Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing in 1950. She worked at Worcester State Hospital, and also as an occupational nurse at an engineering company, where she met her husband Ralph, who was visiting her to treat sunburned eyes from the beach. They married on August 7, 1954 at Church of the Sacred Heart in Worcester. She passed just weeks shy of their 66th wedding anniversary.

            Her life was shaped by her stories, songs, and love for her family. She often revisited her memories of summers spent swimming at her family’s beach house in Nantasket, where her humor and antics earned her the nickname “Scrapper.” She sang loudly throughout the house, and her favorite song to sing was Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.” She originally wanted six sons to have a baseball team, but instead was blessed with three daughters. Together they sailed their boat named “Puffin” around Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod, and the Islands. Her daughters gave her eight beloved grandchildren of whom she could not have been more proud, and she passed knowing that her first great-grandson was on the way.

            Many family memories were made together on Nantucket, Hilton Head, and many other places close to the water and beaches. She cherished any time spent with her family, which usually involved her favorite treats: coconut shrimp, coffee Heath Bar frozen yogurt from Oxford Creamery, Oyster Bay pinot noir, jelly beans, and during the summer, a vodka tonic made by Ralph. She taught the whole family to play her favorite card games – Gin Rummy and Go Fish – and she played solitaire every day. Even though she preferred the beach to the snow, some of her family’s fondest memories were made in Vermont on trips sharing Ralph’s love of skiing.

            Barbara personified the values she learned from her father: family and education. She was not one to withhold her opinions, and she didn’t whisper. She was also never shy about expressing and showing her love for her family.

            Barbara passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones, who are comforted knowing she was received into heaven by her parents, sisters, and brother, whom she missed dearly.

            She will be laid to rest in the National Cemetery in Bourne. All services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in Honor of Barbara A. Whiterell to Tobey Hospital, who lovingly cared for her in her final days. https://www.southcoast.org/philanthropy/tribute-gifts/

            Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.