Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club

Written by Chip Griffin and delivered by Bruce B. Tindal

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 1:15pm

Background

Our very first Lifetime Service Award recipient, over 53 years ago, in 1960, was Judge John Brackett. In 1960, George was already 22 years old, had been summering on Southport with his family all his life, and was attending Nasson College, here in Maine.

We have generally presented this award every year around Patriot’s Day to honor our own community patriot. Patriot’s Day harks back to the April 19, 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles that launched the American Revolution 238 years ago. So, why are we celebrating this milestone two months late? Because this was about the only winter that this year’s local hero, George McEvoy, was a PFA, a person from away, for almost all of the cold season. Plus, we need to honor our unique recipient in an unparalleled time and way.

Rather than speaking for over half an hour, as a Rotarian MC generally does at this annual ceremony, I will talk more briefly. We have lined up some friends who will share a story or two. Finally, time permitting, we will open this ceremony for others to stand up and share their stories. So George, sit back and endure this – part tribute and part roast!

Massachusetts beginnings

George couldn’t help it, but he was born a PFA, on August 31, 1938, and grew up in Grafton, near Worcester. Like Boothbay, Grafton and Worcester were settled in the early 1700s by a tremendous contingent of Scots-Irish settlers, known for their fiercely libertarian spirit and equally egalitarian ethos. “No surrender” was their cry, and that describes George when he sets his mind to something and doesn’t quit until he succeeds. Historian, benefactor, and hero with a huge heart, George McEvoy is a most humble and deserving recipient of Rotary’s prestigious Lifetime Service Award. George has earned this because he has never surrendered.

George McEvoy has a special sensitivity and understanding of others, always lending a hand to those in need throughout his life, a resilience and vitality that refuse to quit, and his view of every person as an equal. These incredible qualities, including his preference to practice them privately and quietly, reflect our community culture. That’s partly why George has always been so attracted to our peninsula and has fit in so well into our community for almost 75 years. George McEvoy’s leadership qualities, ethical values, and tremendous results merit our special recognition tonight.

From when he was a little boy, George drove up with his family to Southport every summer, when he grew up with locals and other Southport summer folks like Dana Moses, who is here tonight. We look forward to hearing from Dana on these ancient times, well over a half century ago, in the 1940s and early 1950s.

Young George McEvoy attended elementary school in the Worcester area. George went to preparatory school at Worcester Academy, in 1952, with his friend, Paul Rossley. At 15, George showed his fascination with antique cars. Before he had even gotten his license, George somehow purchased an old, used hearse that he drove around his family’s property in Grafton. George and Paul shared lunchtimes at Worcester Academy by walking nearby through the large junk lot and checking out recent wrecks for any good parts that they might be able to salvage and use. George then studied an extra year of preparatory studies at Northampton Academy.

At roughly 19, around 1957, George started his higher education in Springvale, Maine at Nasson College, founded just a few years earlier, in 1912. In 1935, just 13 years before George stepped foot on the Nasson campus, it had become a four-year college. George graduated in 1961, just nine years before young Bob Ryan graduated from Nasson College in 1970.

Family focus

It’s truly hard to keep track of George’s family focus. Seriously, though, George has focused on his family, keeping warm relationships with both of his former wives and most of his former partners as treasured friends. He has always stood steadfastly loyal to his whole family. George’s ex-wives are Dorothy McEvoy, who is here tonight, and Laurie McEvoy. George has three children, all daughters: Elizabeth Henderson and husband Jay, and their children are Josiah, Madeline and Lila; Sarah Hodgdon and husband Caleb and their son Benjamin; and Kate McEvoy and her partner Matt Rice and his son, Sullivan. George’s treasured partner, Nancy Rowe, whom George has known for almost half a century, has joined his clan as well. It is astounding how effectively George has shown each and every one how he would go to the ends of the earth for his friends and family.

Teaching

George, soon after graduating from Nasson College, entered the teaching profession in Bowdoinham, at the grammar school in the early 1960s.

Bowdoinham Grammar School Principal

George switched from teaching to managing teachers when he became principal at Bowdoinham . He’s been managing people ever since, and very well as exemplified by their long and loyal decades working for and with George.

Tugboat Inn and Restaurant

George McEvoy was the driving force behind the creation of the Tugboat Inn between Commercial Street and the harbor, in 1971. George found and brought to Boothbay Harbor the tugboat and reconstructed other buildings and the pier that are located on what had been a ship’s chandlery, army/navy surplus store, Beauty Box Salon, Clipper Inn, Boatel Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, Sea Shanty, and Marine Service. Along with co-owners, Clarence “Clem” Brewer and Daniel “Dan” DeRepentigny for awhile, George operated the Tugboat Inn until he sold it in 1984 to Michael Liberty.

Community commitment

Here is a sampling of some of George McEvoy’s community commitments: All Saints Church, American Red Cross, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Boothbay Fire Company, Boothbay Railway Village, Boothbay Region Ambulance Service, Boothbay Region High School, Boothbay Region Historical Society, Boothbay Region Humane Society, Boothbay Region Land Trust, Boothbay Region YMCA, Burnt Island, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, First Radio Parish Church of America, Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Good Will-Hinckley School, Kieve-Wavus Education Inc, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Historical Society, Maine Lighthouse Museum,

Maine Maritime Museum, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners, Maine Public Broadcasting, Boothbay Harbor Opera House, Nickels-Sortwel House in Wiscasset, Opportunity Farm, Quoddy Tides Foundation, Ram Island Preservation Trust, Rangely Region Health Center, Saint Andrews Hospital, Salt Institute, University of New England, Youth Promise, and the Footbridge Enhancement Fund. I will only touch on a handful of George’s community contributions.

YMCA

George has served on the board of the YMCA, the heart of our community. He, along with Marylouise Tandy Cowan, co-chaired the enormously successful drive for the field house. His foundation has contributed generously over the years to the Y’s Camp Knickerbocker and all aspects of the Y.

Boothbay Railway Village

George McEvoy founded the Boothbay Railway Village in 1964. This special place continues to grow, a shining jewel on our Boothbay peninsula. Bob Ryan, the executive director of the Railway Village for decades, will touch on this and also on some special stories about George.

George saved the 1847 Boothbay Town Hall, located at Boothbay Center, from demolition in 1990, when he moved this old Town Hall to its present location at the Railway Village, where many town meetings continue to this day. Moreover, George has ensured for the past 23 years the continuance of the old 1961 Town Garage and Town Office, which George still owns and rents part to Leighton & Associates, our area’s surveying firm.

He also was the force behind saving the old Spruce Point Chapel, on the East Side, just before Factory Cove Road and east of Atlantic Avenue. This Spruce Point Chapel, a Methodist church, had been dedicated by a Boston bishop in late October of 1925 and erected by wealthy summer folks who recognized the need for the poor East Side kids and their families to attend church, before automobiles were plentiful or available to many. The chapel sat vacant for almost 30 years from the late 1960s until 1995, when George McEvoy succeeded, after over three years of inspiration and perspiration, to secure ownership and possession of the chapel. They successfully moved the chapel in June of 1995 to its present location at the Railway Village.

Ram Island Light Station

The light station was offered to the town of Boothbay, but the high maintenance costs convinced town officials to decline the offer. In 1983, the keeper's house was slated to be destroyed when the Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust, associated with the Boothbay Railway Museum and George, stepped in and leased the station except for the tower. Under the Maine Lights Program, the property was transferred to the Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust in 1998. Over the years, George, along with numerous family and friends, has invested considerable time and effort into preserving Ram Island Light.

Sherman Zwicker Museum

George had also saved and preserved one of the very last of the Grand Banks fishing schooners, the Sherman Zwicker, which graces our shores. In 1969, George brought the Sherman Zwicker to Maine where he restored her to museum quality after rescuing it from its watery grave in Newfoundland. This 142 foot wooden schooner was built in 1942 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for the Zwicker and Co., by the Smith and Rhuland Shipyard. The Sherman Zwicker plied the rich fishing waters of the Grand Banks until 1968 from the ports of Lunenburg, and Glovertown, Newfoundland. The Zwicker, together with dozens of Boothbay volunteer sailors, plied the waters down to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for renovations each winter. Know anybody who will buy her and keep her? George’s foundation has a fabulous deal for the right buyer, or almost any buyer for that matter.

Many springtimes, George has fun reminiscing about his relaxing times the past winter “in the islands.” When someone asks, “What islands?” George loves to respond truthfully, “Labrador and Newfoundland!”

Nellie G II

Two years after purchasing the Sherman Zwicker, George purchased the Nellie G II for his own use, but also truly for our community. Unlike most other boats that rotted away in the water or on the shore, the Nellie G II, a passenger boat plying the waters here for decades prior to the 1950s, became his prized personal possession. George shares the Nellie with many of his family, friends, and other community members. Moreover, we all get mesmerized by the shimmering Nellie skimming over the summer waves, a beacon for good craftsmanship, spit and polish, and usually good seamanship along our coastal waters. I predict you may hear a story or two about George’s handling of the Nellie, but remember he can superbly navigate her by dead reckoning through any fog . . . usually.

State police support

Stories abound how George supported law enforcement, especially the state police, by hiding the state police speed boats at his shelter on the shore of his property. Colonel Alan Weeks used to tell tales of how George helped the state troopers chase drug smugglers by jumping into their hidden speed boat at Road’s End. Perhaps we might hear more from Ted Foss, who will share some ride-along stories in cars at least.

Windjammer Day parade and excursions

George loans the boat to the Fishermen’s Festival’s Miss Shrimp Princess Float for each Windjammer Day Parade. In 2012, he was honored as one of the Grand Marshals for the Windjammer Day Parade.

Footbridge enhancement project

Just over the past few months, George has been involved with the Footbridge Enhancement Project. Multitudes have appreciated and enjoyed walking over the new walkway between the Rowe girls’ Bowling Alley and Craig Andrews’ Harborside to our footbridge, founded in 1901. We look forward to more improvements at the footbridge, thanks to George’s contributions of ideas and funds and to those of Nancy, Sue, and Marianne Rowe, and many others.

Speakers

Tom Pond on their episodes during elementary school.

Ben English on their Nasson College days.

Ted Foss on some state police tales involving George

Bob Ryan on Railway Village and much more

Holly Stover on her father Manley Stover's working relationship with George

Conclusion and presentation of plaque and certificate

On this 53rd anniversary of our first Lifetime Service Award to Judge John Wilkes Booth Brackett, we can think of no person more deserving of this recognition in 2013. Congratulations, George, on receiving our Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club’s 2013 Lifetime Service Award. The plaque reads: “Preservationist for Railway Village, Lighthouse, Ships, and Buildings – Lovable Curmudgeon – and Lifelong Friend and Benefactor to Us All”

You are in very good company, with the last ten recipients beingDon Wotton, Stan Tupper, Chetley Rittall, Swing Lewis, Loraine Nickerson, Ed Harding, Estelle Appel, Laura Honey, Al Roberts, and Curt West. You have joined the ranks of our local heroes. Congratulations!

Guests

Family

Children

Elizabeth Henderson and husband Jay. Their children: Josiah, Madeline and Lila.

Sarah Hodgdon and husband Caleb and their son Benjamin.

Kate McEvoy and her partner Matt Rice and son, Sullivan Rice.

Partners

Dorothy McEvoy, first wife

Nancy Rowe, partner

Friends

Dana Moses

Tom Pond