Arthur Goss '77, retired mariner, died in Florida on June
4, 2012. He spent 34 years in the Merchant Marines and was
retired from MEBA 1 Union. He was an avid outdoorsman who
eight
had a home in South Berwick, Maine and one in Naples, Florida.
James M. P. Canfield '82 died in New Jersey on June 20,
bells
2012. He had worked in power plant operations in Connecticut,
New York, and New Jersey throughout his career. Most recently,
Apparently, I wasn't performing to his expectations. Of course,
he worked for AES Red Oak in Sayreville, NJ.
I gave it right back and picked up work accordingly, as young
sailors do when they've been scolded by older crew. By lunch
Susan J. Clark '85, a licensed harbor pilot and captain for
we'd made amends and became fast friends.
the Portland Pilots Association, died September 6, 2012. Clark
We stayed close...Don loved Maine Maritime and lived for the
graduated at the top of her class, went on to become the first
annual training cruises. The inside walls of his apartment were
female captain at Exxon Shipping Co. From shipping, she
covered with pictures of his kids and flags from different ports
moved over to law school
of call...He told me time and again: the most important things in
and received her JD in
life are your kids. Don, from what I could see, lived that. It was
1992.
After
practicing
like pulling teeth to get him to come over and visit because he
law with the Portland
was visiting his kids or old buddies from the US Postal Service
firm of Verrill and Dana,
all the time.
the call of the sea pulled
It's customary to clean up memories following loss, though
her back to the bridge of
that's not so much the case here. He was not perfect, and neither
a ship and she worked
am I. That's why we got on so well. He understood that I spent
for Sea-River Maritime
a lot of time at sea and knew that time home with family was
until
2001,
finishing
precious...So, thank you Captain Don. May your soul rest easy;
her shipping career as
fair winds and following seas, my friend.
master of the American
Progress. She successfully
Gerald H. Saucier '53, retired LCDR US Navy, died August
undertook one of the most
17, 2012 in Virginia. He served in the US Navy for 21 years and
difficult and intellectually
distinguished himself during the Vietnam War. He belonged to
demanding jobs on the water as a harbor pilot for Portland
several professional associations.
Pilot's Association. Over the years, she was very active in many
civic and professional organizations including the Portland
Robert L. O'Connell '54 died August 7, 2012, in Maine. He
Marine Society where she became the first female admitted since
served in the US Navy for 21 years and then went to work for L.L.
its inception in 1796. Maine Maritime Academy benefitted from
Bean. Later he worked for the Bass Shoe Co., retiring in 2000.
her expertise and commitment when she served on its board of
trustees. Married to Glenn Daukas and the mother of two young
Richard L. Caron '56, retired engineer for Norwalk Hospital
boys, she was a role model for all working women.
in Connecticut and St. Joseph's Hospital in Bangor, ME, died
Chelsea Holden Baker wrote an article for The Maine
September 7, 2012 in Maine. He served in the US Navy and
Magazine in 2012 which illuminated the spirit of Susan Clark.
Merchant Marine. After retiring, he moved his family to Pushaw
Baker wrote:
Lake in Old Town, ME.
Sea pilot Captain Susan Clark can draw the chart of Portland
Peter Taylor '59 of Atlanta, GA, died August 26, 2012. For 25
Harbor from memory the contour lines, the pipeline crossings,
years he worked as a nuclear engineer for the Nuclear Regulatory
shoulder areas, and the buoys and landmarks...it's her job to
Commission.
guide a tanker's captain through the unique terrain and ever-
Robert E. Walsh '60, retired lieutenant of the Cumberland
changing conditions of Casco Bay.
County Sheriff's Dept., died in Maine on July 26, 2012.He served
Clark is known for being an experienced pilot and one of a
12 years in the US Naval Reserves and was graduated from the
minority of women to have pursued the profession. She takes...
Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 1979. He held several police
the pilot vessel out to meet cruise ships and tankers at "PAPA"
ranks in both New York State and Maine over the course of
buoy...located nine miles from the harbor. To board a tanker
his career. He was an active volunteer firefighter in New York
from the pilot boat, she grapples a 2-to-32 foot rope ladder that
and Maine. His last career, after retiring from his 20 years as a
can be slick with sleet or tossing in the wind. When she reaches
sheriff in Cumberland County, was substitute teaching at Mount
the top, her shoulder-length blonde hair takes some captains by
Ararat High School in Topsham, ME.
surprise. `They ask, "You're the pilot!?' Clark says, "And I'm like,
Richard M. Jensen '61, retired US Navy Lieutenant
`No, I just caught a ride and climbed up the ladder!"...
Commander, died September 17, 2012 in Maine. After a 22-year
The surprise gets old but the job does not...[Clark said], `We're
career in the US Navy, Jensen retired and became a US Post
all so used to video games that sometimes people imagine this
Office mail carrier in Portland. He loved the outdoors and was
is like remote control. But even with all the technology we have
known for the apple orchard he planted.
today, it's still very visual.' Her job is a constant interpretation
of ever-changing variables. `One thing you cannot realize until
56 MARINER / FALL 2012