Topic starter
09/11/2011 3:19 pm
These pictures came to light at the Howard Museum recently. In the first is a very young Roddy Hammit with Mrs. Loretta Howard. The date on the picture is 1964. Mrs. Howard loved young people and steamboats. If a young person was interested in steamboats, you won her heart. For a lady in her 70's, she had a very young attitude....she used to complain about all the "elderly" ladies in her bridge club.
I wonder if she saw something in Roddy and knew that he would go on to become a very good pilot and a Captain on the last remaining steamboats, the DELTA QUEEN, BELLE OF LOUISVILLE, and NATCHEZ?
The second picture is a good picture of Mrs. Howard who was the most gracious lady I ever met.
By the way the sign behind Mrs. Howard shows admission to the museum was $.50 for adults $.25 for children.
09/11/2011 5:36 pm
Roddy
Roddy was 17 then, probably between his junior and senior years in high school, and 3 years after he chartered the AVALON for his school band's fundraiser.
09/11/2011 11:24 pm
Roddy Hammett and Mrs. Howard
The two snapshots Jimmy posted were contained in a thank you letter which Roddy wrote to Mrs. Howard, expressing his appreciation for a tour of the museum during the summer of 1964.
As Jimmy said, Loretta Howard was truly one of those wonderful river people who were 'happy to give' -- and she especially enjoyed talking with young people who shared the song in her heart. Tribute will be paid to this astute and gracious lady on Sunday at the museum's 2:00 "Fall Into Art" program.
A long and two shorts of the whistle in loving memory of both Mrs. Howard and Roddy. November 30th will mark the 16th anniversary of Roddy's untimely passing. Mrs. Howard passed away in 1978 at the age of 93.
10/11/2011 10:46 pm
Roddy's Letter to Loretta Howard
Here is the letter that Roddy wrote to Mrs. Loretta Howard in 1964, following a visit to the museum. Although not apparent here, Roddy later wrote letters in longhand and in a beautiful, calligraphic style.