Need your help!!! Benton Duhme

Old thread about Benton

http://www.steamboats.org/forum/steamboats-history/1901-40-years-ago-river-queen-sinking-st-louis.html
Suzy, here is an old thread in which Shipyard Sam and Keith Norrington discuss Benton, his tape, and his salvaging attempts. Keith will be online Tuesday and will probably share more info with you.

Suzy, I will be most happy to share with you any and all information I have about Benton. Please send me your private e-mail address and I'll scan or mail photos and other material to you. Like yours truly, Benton was another of "Ruth's Boys", who came under the contagious, enthusiastic influence of Miss Ruth Ferris, beloved St. Louis teacher, river historian and steamboat museum curator. What a tragedy that Benton departed from us in 1971 at the very young age of 23, but he certainly left his mark on river history!

I look forward to corresponding with you soon.

Keith

Judy and Keith,

Thank you both.

David and I want to make sure Benton's legacy and passion are not forgotten. The information, kind words, pictures, I believe, are a great comfort to the family of an incredible young man.

We look forward to sharing these wonderful things with Mrs. Duhme.

Thank you again.

suzy

My Pal ...

Suzy,

Benton was one of my closest and best friends, and I cannot begin to tell you of the many pleasant memories of our times we shared, together, during the "The Last Trip" of the DELTA QUEEN in the Autumn of 1970.

I was a guest at the Duhme home in St. Louis, and please give Benton's mother my warmest regards.

Please see:
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World

and:
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World

also:
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World

A Real Steamboatman

Benton made an audio tape of his "liberation" of various artifacts from the sunken RIVER QUEEN at the frozen St. Louis riverfront as described on Keith's posting. The recording was made by Gabriel Chengary who later became the long-time Master of both the DELTA QUEEN and the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN.

After the DQ was tied-up at the end of the "Last Trip, 1970"' Benton, Gabe, Kenny Howe, my former wife, Joyce, and I posed for photographs alongside the Queen. These are tucked away, somewhere, in my "Great Big Collection of Steamboat Stuff".

After Benton's death I wrote an obituary for the Steamboat Times, the in-house newspaper published daily on the DQ. This was reprinted many times for several cruises aboard the DQ, and I will try to find a copy.

If you read the copy I wrote for the picture, Silence, on my webpage, you will have an understanding of our last day together with Benton. It was a very memorable occasion and the last time we were together.

Benton loved the DELTA QUEEN as much as anyone ever did, and he worked as a porter and dishwasher to be aboard for what we thought would be the last cruise of the venerable steamboat, that proved to be more resilient than we imagined at the time.

I have (had) a slide of Benton when he came out to the bow of the DELTA QUEEN wearing a tweed suit, a matching snap-brim cap, bow tie, and sporting a bright-yellow rubber apron while holding some tools of his trade: a hand-full of knives, forks, and kitchen spoons.

Benton was always the refined gentleman, but he was also a real steamboatman willing to do whatever it took to keep the DELTA QUEEN running smoothly. He asked for no special favors, and, in spite of everything, wanted to be a working member of the crew... and he was.

Herewith is a photo of Benton Roblee Duhme in the pilothouse of the BECKY THATCHER (former Str. MISSISSIPPI) at St. Louis in 1967. Ruth Ferris, who provided the picture, once said that, "Steamboats and the river were the breath of life to Benton." Although he's now been gone from our midst for nearly 38 years, the glow of his enthusiasm buoys the channel for those who still stand watch and who shared the song in his heart.

Again, thank you ALL. We are printing all your lovely messages and forwarding them to Mrs. Duhme.

Keith, thank you for the WONDERFUL picture. We are thrilled with it. As I have said, we will be placing some of Benton's on display in our home and also plan to put the words and photos that everyone is sharing in a scrapbook in that area. We want to make sure his legacy is not lost.

Please keep 'em comin'....you guys are the best!

Suzy, As you have found, people on the river are a family and are happy to give. I am mailing a packet of copied information and photos to you this morning. I trust it will be meaningful to you, David and to Mrs. Duhme.

Thanks very much and, as Ruth Ferris often closed her letters, "Keep up steam"!

Keith

Another photo of Benton Roblee Duhme, steamboat enthusiast extraordinaire! Found a notation that Benton's great grandfather Duhme was a silversmith in Cincinnati and made a silver water cooler used on the steamers ST. JOSEPH and SENATOR CORDILL.