Touched by lost fishermen, women plan memorial
12/15/09 | 13 comments
fishing

Touched by lost fishermen, women plan memorial


By Sharon Kiley Mack
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO
Loren Lank's 2-year-old grandson, Ruty Loren Guttierrez of Lubec touches a family photo of him taken in 2006. Lank died in a boating accident in Johnson Bay while dragging for urchins.

LUBEC, Maine — On the day last March when Shelly Tinker’s neighbor Loren Lank drowned when the fishing boat he was piloting in Cobscook Bay sank, the loss hit “just a bit too close to home,” Tinker said. “For the first time in my life, I didn’t even like looking at the ocean.”

As the wife of a Lubec commercial fisherman, Tinker said she began thinking about a fishermen’s memorial.

“I need a place to go,” she said Saturday. “Someplace to sit and think about it all.”

For Lisa Jones, a memorial would provide evidence of her husband’s importance for their 4-year-old daughter.

Joseph Jones and three others also drowned in Cobscook Bay when his urchin dragger, the Bottom Basher, sank in October. Lisa Jones said she begged her husband not to go on the water that day.

“But he told me he had only Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to fish [because of state regulations] and he had to make the truck payment that week,” she said. Joseph Jones’ body has not been recovered.

“My greatest fear is that my daughter won’t remember him,” Lisa Jones said. “But she could go to the memorial and see that he was important, not just to her but to a lot of other people as well.”

Jones, Tinker and Tinker’s sister, Wanda Corey, are working on raising funds for a fishermen’s memorial park in Lubec. They intend to honor not just the local men lost, but also fishermen lost from all over Washington County, Maine, and Charlotte County, New Brunswick, as well as the coastal islands.

After he lost his son Darrell Cline when the Bottom Basher sank two months ago, David Cline approached the town of Lubec about the possibility of a memorial.

“He opened that door and I jumped right through,” said Tinker. A committee was formed, fundraising cans were placed around town, and plans were formulated.

“I was incredibly excited when I heard about the project and I wanted to be able to help, too,” Jones said.

“We are planning on a statue of a woman looking out to sea with a child at her side,” Tinker said. “It could be a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter.”

The granite monument would be placed on a pedestal and surrounded by granite pavers inscribed with the names of lost fishermen. The park will be located at the corner of Water and Commercial streets, at the breakwater.

“It will be right by the working waterfront,” Tinker said.

The project is expected to cost $100,000, with $25,000 just for the statue and the rest for the pedestal, pavers and benches, and the landscaping of the property. The land itself has been donated by the town. The committee also has launched the “silent” phase of its capital campaign, which solicits large donations.

As far as the names that will go on the pavers, the committee is leaving that up to individual families. Each family that wants a name included must submit an application to the committee.

In the Lubec area, seven fishermen have been lost in the past 12 months. But Tinker said no one knows how many have been lost in the past.

“It could easily be thousands,” she said.

The committee is actively looking for the names of those who have been lost, both recently and decades ago.

“We’ve had schooners go down off our coast with hundreds on board,” Tinker said.

The committee also is seeking artists to help with planning, donations of large pieces of granite, and master gardeners who would volunteer with the landscaping plans for the park. But mostly, the women said, they need funds.

“So far, everyone we have approached has been so supportive,” Tinker said. “They really want this to happen.”

Tinker said volunteers have stepped up to transport the granite sculpture, when completed, and do the groundwork at the park.

“We don’t even have to ask,” Corey said. “They come to us.”

“This past year has been an eye-opener for the people of this area. The loss has been just too much,” Jones said.

Corey said the committee hopes to begin construction on the site in the spring.

“We want to have something that when people see it, they can feel our loss, feel what living in a fishing community can truly be like.”

The next meeting of the memorial committee will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Lubec town office.

Donations may be sent to the Lubec town office, 40 School St., Lubec 04652, noting they are for the fishermen’s memorial.

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Comments
13 comments on this item
On 12/15/09 at 7:54 AM, eastsidestable wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

May they all rest in peace knowing we miss them so much.......

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On 12/15/09 at 8:47 AM, lovelubec wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Thank-you Sharon Kiley Mack for a great and touching story. Its nice when people find a way to bring something good out of a tragedy. And blessings to all the fishermen today on the opening day of scalloping.

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On 12/15/09 at 8:48 AM, skyhawk wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What a great idea ! The best of luck in this great plan.

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On 12/15/09 at 11:55 AM, PabMainer wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What a great way to remember those family and friends that have lost their lives doing what they love most....I wish you all the best as you raise funds for the "Fishermen’s Memorial Park" in Lubec......I especially like the thought that you will be dedicating the park to and remembering fishermen from all of Washington County, Maine, and Charlotte County, New Brunswick, as well as the coastal islands.....God Speed to you all.....

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On 12/15/09 at 1:00 PM, Rogue_Wave wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

How about a cash donation to fishermen so they can buy lifejackets.

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On 12/15/09 at 2:24 PM, NewYorkGuy wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

“We are planning on a statue of a woman looking out to sea with a child at her side,”

.

I like it.

.

Only problem is the politically correct moonbats will say it's sexist.

.

But don't let that bother you. Get this project organized and I'll contribute a few bucks.

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On 12/15/09 at 2:27 PM, NewYorkGuy wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Rogue_Wave wrote: "How about a cash donation to fishermen "

.

A memorial like that proposed, will help inspire people to help fishermen and the fishing industry--memorials are not just memorials, they are a kind of public relations advertising, too.

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On 12/15/09 at 8:49 PM, bobo_1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

A nice story. Good luck to you. Count me in.

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On 12/16/09 at 11:45 AM, thestinger wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think this is an excellent idea. As for Rogue _ Wave ....how come every time there is an article about Lubec in the BDN you had to say something negative about Lubec.If you dont like Lubec then dont come here on vacaton. This is a positive thing for the family members that has lost a loved one at sea. And FYI all boats have to have life jackets on board or they would be caught by the coast guard.

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On 12/16/09 at 7:55 PM, west1234 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

now there was a good idea,,,,rouge has a point,the park is good but also include a cash donation for the jackets...

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On 12/17/09 at 1:38 AM, KSawtelle wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think this is the best idea I have heard in a long time.

Recognition for the men and women who have given their lives to the sea from this area is long overdue.

Count me in.

As for our friend Rouge wave...........

People, by commenting on Rouge_Waves comments we only make him feel important.

That is what he wants.

Attention,to feel important.

He say's he works on the water,I do not believe him.

His terminology is wrong.

Also if you check the times and frequency of his post you would see that if he worked on the water like he says how could he make a post at 9:45 a.m.

Most fishermen or anyone that works are far from their computers by that time.

He could not possibly work anywhere,for if he were working like he says then he would not have the time to read,comment,and pass judgment on issues he thinks he is knowledgeable on.

He obviously has issues with the good people of Lubec.

I had a look around and he did not condemn the truck driver who was killed in York recently.

Nor suggest a bunch of ideas on how to make truck driving safer.

Nor did he say hurtful and rude comments to the mans family and friends.

I have not seen a single post from him to get us out of the economic crisis we are in.( Maybe Pres.Obama lost his phone number)

Has he contacted the state of Alaska and explained to them how to make the crab fishery safer?mmmm I wonder.

Like I said,he seems to have a bone to chew with the people of Lubec.

Why I am not sure.

Perhaps he tried to work around these men and found his efforts were lacking.

Or maybe he was jilted by a local girl who also found his efforts came up "short".

Either way it all comes down to this: Only cowards hide behind user names and aliases.

If he is so confident in his opinion why hide?

Why not take the time to formally introduce himself and come on down and educate us poor, dumb hicks?

I would gladly meet him down at the boat ramp to get "educated".

Reason......He probably lives in his moms basement and she does not have time to drive him in town because she is too busy working trying to support his lazy **s.

And what "knowledge " he has on anything he got from reading this web site or from google.

He "thinks" these men should have been doing things his way.

I "think" his father should have used a condom.

I see he found an ally in Amazed,they probably met on one of "those chat rooms".

I wonder if they use their "safety equipment"?

They are looking to "capitalize",maybe they could start by applying for a job at McDonalds , then they could help their moms out with the groceries.

Until then I have some reading suggestions for them : Compassion for Dummies,How Not to Make Yourself Look Stupid, The Bible,(check out the part about casting the first stone,and love thy neighbor), to name a few.

Can there be improvements made for safety's sake,without a doubt.

And if fishermen had the budgets of the US Coastguard,NASA,USAF and the Merchant Marines I am sure they could probably could come up with something, and have enough money left over to help rouge wave with his personal issues.

But I think those improvements should be suggested and implemented by people who actually know what they are talking about,not some loser with nothing but KY Jelly and time on his hands.

Where are their credentials?

But after all it is a free country and those clowns should have their say,for I am sure they have "capitalized" on all aspects of the "free" part.

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On 12/17/09 at 5:58 AM, west1234 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

it gets old watching you people pick on a person because they have a good idea.....maybe if you invest the minimal money needed for a vest and gave it a shot you would stop your bi**ching at a post that doesn't sit and dwell on a situation but wants to offer up a change...M

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On 12/17/09 at 8:25 AM, Tellie wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

KSawtelle: well put. i'm not sure what rogue's problem is with our wonderful town. let us know when he agrees to meet you at the boat ramp, as i'm sure he'll have several others awaiting his arrival. that is, if his mom lets him borrow the car.

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