Topic starter
28/09/2009 12:00 pm
A belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Judy Patsch, who celebrated her "three score and three" -- on the Pacific Coast this year instead of the Mississippi River -- this past Saturday, September 26th.
Also today marks the 92nd birthday of Cincinnati steamboat buff extraordinaire, and gentleman, Larry Walker. For MANY years, Larry, his late wife Ethel, and the late Dorothea Frye, made annual fall pilgrimages to New Orleans for a two week southern sojourn, riding steamboats, taking side trips to visit plantations, even shopping at yard sales -- and generally just having a wonderful time in dear old Dixieland! This trio also made many trips on the DELTA QUEEN in the 1950's and '60's era -- and Dorothea ran the gift shop during the 1966 season as a favor to her good friend, Mrs. Letha C. Greene. Larry is a former member of S&D and was treasurer of the organization for some 17 years of his 40+ years membership, a post to which he was greatly devoted and his duties professionally performed in every way.
A long a two shorts of the whistle to both -- and a jaunty, delightfully offkey steamy rendition of the birthday song on the ol' cally-ope!
28/09/2009 12:13 pm
Larry Walker, master acorn maker
From the beginning of the NATCHEZ' career, Larry was the exclusive supplier of acorns. Here he is presenting Capt. Doc Hawley with a new replacement acorn. This picture was taken during one of the trio's fall sojourns to NOLA. That is Dorothea Frye sitting in the background. (I happened to get the old damaged acorn for my collection.) And yes, my birthday was grand on the left coast: I sat in sunbathed Autzen Stadium and watched the Ducks dismantle the 6th ranked Cal Bears and then went back to my sister's house and watched the Hawkeyes defeat the 5th ranked PSU Nittany Lions. Couldn't get any better for this sports fan... only better place would have been to be sitting out on the roof of the NATCHEZ.
28/09/2009 9:54 pm
I better get over to the calliope keyboard fast...or I won't get to play Happy Birthday for them both!
Hope both parties had a great birthday!
Travis
28/09/2009 10:04 pm
Keith: since I now have MISS DEMEANOR and MISS FORTUNE, I can do a long and two shorts on each one for each one. Happy birthday to both of you!
29/09/2009 12:45 am
More on those acorns
When Doc phoned this morning with b-day greetings, I asked him about the acorns that Larry made - all the pilothouse ones and the roof bell one are still in use. Larry made the roofbell acorn in '95 to replace Doc's personal acorn which he took with him from boat to boat, and which now reposes above his bookcase in his living room. So when I called Larry tonight with b-day greetings for him, I told him his creations still serve. He figures this set was made about 1992, to replace the original ones put on in Bergeron Shipyard. He used Philippine mahogany wood for them. So just 2 sets in 34 years shows the quality of his workmanship. A NOLA harbor salute to the best cub pilot the NATCHEZ ever had!
29/09/2009 6:40 am
Happy belated birthday, Judy!!
Carmen
Topic starter
29/09/2009 11:31 am
That "personal acorn" which Doc has used on each boat he served, originated upon the Str. QUEEN CITY, and was a gift to Doc from Capt. Fred Way. Doc told me that, when he was mate on the AVALON, her pilothouse acorns had rotted away. He prevailed upon Fred Kahlke for the finials atop the pilothouse of the old ferry W.Q. QUINLAN, high and dry since 1945 in the abandoned boatyard at Rock Island. Mr. Kahlke declined, saying the ferry would run again. The boat ended up being torched by vandals in 1967. Anyway, Doc wrote to Capt. Fred about his quest for acorns and told him he had decided to have some new ones made, but needed a model. In a few days Doc received a shoebox in the mail containing the QUEEN CITY acorn -- and the rest is history!
29/09/2009 12:37 pm
Birthdays and Acorns
Happy Birthday Judy from the Cumberland. Also, if you look closely at the photo of the acorn you wil notice that it is truly a work of art.
29/09/2009 1:17 pm
Sorry for the belated birthday wishes. Hope it was a GREAT one!
29/09/2009 3:29 pm
More Walker acorns
Capt. Don Houghton just emailed that Larry Walker's acorns on the masts are still serving well. Here are a couple of pictures of one back in the late 1980s. That's Capt. Roddy Hammett on the wing bridge, holding a megaphone which has since been retired and now sits 4 feet away from this computer(legally acquired). Larry related last night that it was Capt. Alan Bates who recommended him to Bergeron Shipyard to make the acorns for the new boat they were building.
29/09/2009 6:12 pm
Happy Belated Birthday Judy!! Nice to hear that Oregon went well and that you returned safely