Lee Historical Society
Newsletter
Vol. 10, No. 11
November 2013
Our unique history and blend of people defines the foundation of our town.
Crossway Tower
P. O. Box 170
Lee, MA 01238
Visit us: www.leehistoricsociety.homestead.com
Contact us: Lee.Historical@hotmail.com
On October 10th, the Annual Meeting of the Lee Historical Society was held in the Senior Center Cafeteria at Crossways Village. Along with the yearly elections that were held, the society held the second “Pot Luck Supper and Appreciation Night”
A SUMMARY OF THE EVENING:
The pot luck supper had such a wide variety of culinary delights, some from traditional receipes of Lee, carried on from generation to generation. Some dishes incorporated from home grown vegetables. The smells, all from these foods, made them all the more yummy to the taste. There were between twenty-five and thirty that attended the Annual Meeting and Awards dinner at Crossways Village.
The Lee Historical Society presented the 2013 Consolati-Davis-Dennis Award to Mary Hayes Morrissey “in recognition of significant contributions to the collection and preservation to Lee, Massachusetts”. The award and plaque were presented to Mary by society president, Steve Cozzaglio. Mary thanked the officers and board of directors and expressed her humility in receiving this great honor. She noted that this award was for all the people who encouraged her in carrying out the different projects she has done for the town saying “this honor is for you, too”. Mary has been a founding member of the society and a longtime member of the Lee Historical Commission being appointed by the Selectmen in 1989. She has been maintaining the Town Inventory of Historic Assets for the Town and the Commonwealth. She co-authored The Town of Lee Walking Tour for her grade school students and the town. The tour was recently updated by the Commission and the Chamber of Commerce and colored pictures of historic sites were added. The first person to receive the Consolati-Davis-Dennis Award was Mal Eckert in 2012.
The society also honored the late, Marion Leach, who along with her husband, Doug, were founding members of the society. Marion was chairman of the Membership Committee. She cataloged all donations and sent handwritten thank you notes to those who donated artifacts and their time to the society. Marion’s dedication to the Lee Historical Society was outstanding. At the annual Meeting, the Lee Historical Society’s Office at Crossway Tower was dedicated to her. Now a sign dedicated to her, showing the society’s appreciation for all of her work hangs over the door.
Board Members and Officers were elected and President Cozzaglio thanked all that attended.
Below is this month’s picture sent to us from the Lee Library’s Historical Collection of Lee photographs. This collection has been digitalized for the Lee Library by the Boston Public Library. We thank the Lee Library for making this possible for our readers. If any of our readers would like to comment or add additional information, please contact Mary Philpott at maryphilpott@mindspring.com.
This photo was taken at Park Square and shows the tree that was cut and delivered by M. W. Stedman of Tyringham for a hoist at Lee Marble. Sitting on the log is Jim Clark on the left and sitting next to him is Charles Myers. Standing on the road is Marshall Stedman. The photo was received by the Lee Library in 1990.
November Highlights from the Lee Library:
Monday, November 4th, 6 – 8 pm, “Monet’s Mirror” Pastel Art Workshop with Greg Maichack, space is limited. All materials are provided and no experience is needed. Registration required. Please call the circulation desk at the library, 243-0385 to register.
Tuesday, November 12, 7 pm. Wildfires, Hurricanes and Other Disasters. A talk by Catherine Hibbard about her work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Thursday, November 14, 6:30 – 7:30 Author Talk/Book Signing Michelle Dywer – Love and Do What You Will.
In the Gallery – Advent Calendars
FamiLEE Library Movies – Saturday, November 9th at 11 am. The November movie is Monsters
University. 104 minutes, rated G. Free, please join us!
DID YOU KNOW?
Lee is the shortest spelled town in the Commonwealth. Joe Toole told me and I guess I never thought too much about it.
NOVEMBER CALENDAR RAFFLE:
We will publish of all the winners of this year’s raffle in the December issue of the newsletter. We have many great gifts that we will be giving away daily during the month. I’m sure everyone who has their name drawn will be happy with their prizes.
THANK YOU:
We would like to thank Nancy Garrison Francis of Albuquerque, New Mexico for the donation of pictures and other items that belonged to her grandfather, Miller B. Heebner and his wife Gladys Bush Heebner who lived in Lee. Mr. Heebner operated H. E. Heebner, Druggist and Chemist at 27 Main Street.
The Heebner family also included three children, Gertrude, John, and Gladys, all of whom are now deceased.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Congratulations to our two newly elected board members; Christine Parisi and Alan Buckes and to our re-elected board member JoAnn Zarnoch, all of whom were elected to a three year term on our Board of Directors. The new officers for the upcoming year are easy to recognize as they are the same as last year. Our Vice-President, Gary W. Allen, decided not to serve this coming year due to other commitments but has agreed to stay on until we can find a replacement, so I’m thinking that there might not be a large line of people waiting to jump in as a replacement and Gary just be “it” for the year.
Officers of the Lee Historical Society for the year
President – Stephen Cozzaglio – 413-243-3204 or scozzaglio@roadrunner.com
Vice- President – Gary W. Allen – 413-2543-2140 or garywallen@earthlink.net
Treasurer – Mal Eckert – 413-243-1797 or MalEckert@msn.com
Secretary – Bambi Johndrow – 413-243-2845 or disdeer62@netzero.net
Board of Directors of the Lee Historical Society
Mary MorrisseyEthel NoonanPeg BironAlan BuckesChristine ParesiJoAnn ZarnochBrenda LiebenowAdele Hawley Society Historian – Charlotte Davis
Collection Chairman – Open Position
Newsletter Editor – Mal EckertThis is a photo that Christine Cannon Craighead donated to the society and we are challenging
our readers to name these ladies.
Recollections XIII
By U.S. Navy Retired Commander Vic Mottarella
A native of Lee
(Continued from October)
TAPS
We lost three pilots during our stay in the Mediterranean
Ensign R. F. Hettinger of Fleet Composite Squadron 4
Lost at sea – 27 September 1952
Lt. Junior Grade George L. Moffett of Fighter Squadron 31
Lost at sea – 24 October 1952
Lt. Junior Grade Rolf H. Joeschke of Fighter Squadron 34
Lost at sea – 29 November 1952
There were about seventy Naval Aviators on the cruise. The loss turns out to be roughly four percent in a short period of time and this was during peace time in tranquil waters for the most part.
ALL WEATHER INSTRUMENT TRAINING AT KEY WEST
On 8 March 1953, I received the following set of orders from the Commanding Officer of the USS Leyte: Proceed in time to report to the Commanding Officer, Fleet All Weather Training Unit, Atlantic Fleet, Key West, not later than 13 March 1953 in connection with a five week SNB Instrument Course. Betty and I drove to Key West from Norfolk – the trip took three days. Fortunately, I was able to rent a small home for our short stay. We could not have picked a better time of the year. The weather was balmy with clear skies for the most part. While I had some instrument training as a cadet and a little instrument flying in Hellcats and Bearcats this was an intense course with the purpose of covering all possibilities. It was take off to landing with no view of the outside – only the instrument panel.
The course included some ground school but it was almost all flying both day and night with different panel instruments covered in various combinations simulating different types of electrical failures. A Complete engine failure was also simulated where you used the turn and ban indicator to keep the wings relatively level and judged from the noise of the air stream to determine whether you were climbing or diving.
It was a one on one situation and my instructor turned out to be an old friend from cadet days. His name was Al Hand. He had been promoted to Full Lieutenant while I was still a Lt. Junior Grade. When the course was over it made me a lot more confident to face almost any weather but also to know where to draw the line between going on a flight and staying on the ground. While there, I became friendly with another Naval Aviator who lived nearby. He told me about the great fishing around Key West and insisted on my borrowing his boat which I did on a couple of weekends. Betty and I caught several fish, some of which were Barracuda. For the most part the water was very shallow – we didn’t get very far from shore.
We drove back to Norfolk and I reported daily to the Leyte until I received a new set of orders which assigned me to the USS Randolph, a ship that I had flown Bearcats from during a Northern European Midshipman Cruise in 1947. The ship was in dry dock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia. The ship had been hit by a Kamikaze near the end of the war. I remember the twisted propeller of that plane hanging on the wall of the officer’s wardroom in 1947.
My assignment was to head up the OI Division consisting of about 80 radar type personnel in connection with the re-commissioning of the ship. Because of the cold war as well as the Korean War several Essex Class Carriers were re-commissioned during this period. I guess the crew took a liking to me since they gave me a very nice engraved cigarette case when I left. Sadly, I learned during the early sixties that Al Hand was killed along the California Coast while flying a Navy Beachcraft SNB in a violent storm – the same aircraft type in which he had given me instrument instructions.
(To be continued in the December 13 issue)
The weather is now getting colder and there are snowy days ahead and it now the time to start thinking about sending in your dues for next year’s membership. Please try to get your 2014 dues in before the beginning of the year. That will enable us to get the new year off to a good start without having to send out a bunch of letters telling members that their membership has expired and to please send in their renewals. This small deed would save the society quite a bit in postal fees. Thank you in advance.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR “BUSINESS MEMBERS” THAT SUPPORT OUR SOCIETY
The following is a list of the area businesses that are currently “Business Members” of the Lee Historical Society for this year. If you would like your business or company listed here, please fill out the membership application below and send it to us with a check for $25.00.
Bartini Roofing CompanyBen’s ShopCharles Flint Antiques
Ben’s ShopCharles Flint Antiques290 Pleasant Street68 Main Street52 Housatonic Street
68 Main Street52 Housatonic StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lenox, MA 01240
Lee, MA 01238Lenox, MA 01240413-243-0570413-243-0242413-637-1634
413-243-0242413-637-1634Lee Audio ‘N Security, Inc.Quality Plus CustodialLocker Room Sports Pub
Quality Plus CustodialLocker Room Sports Pub 65 Fairview Street260 Chesnut Street232 Main Street
260 Chesnut Street232 Main StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238800-369-3905413-243-2197413-243-2662
413-243-2197413-243-2662Frank Consolati Ins. AgencyPaperdilly, Inc.Dresser Hull Company
Paperdilly, Inc.Dresser Hull Company71 Main Street74 Main Street60 Railroad Street
74 Main Street60 Railroad StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238413-243-0105413-243-1928413-243-4545
413-243-1928413-243-4545Robert M. Kelly, PaperhangingDeely & Deely, AttorneysJonathon Foote 1778 House
Deely & Deely, AttorneysJonathon Foote 1778 HouseSouth Prospect Street218 Main Street1 East Street
218 Main Street1 East StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Monk’s Professional Barber ShopLee BankDevonfield Inn
Lee BankDevonfield Inn91 Main Street75 Park Street85 Stockbridge Road
75 Park Street85 Stockbridge RoadLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238413-243-3341413-243-0117413-243-3298
413-243-0117413-243-3298Hunter & Graziano P. C.Terrace Hair StudioWilcox Plumbing & Heating
Terrace Hair StudioWilcox Plumbing & Heating10 Park Place135 Housatonic StreetP. O. Box 561
135 Housatonic StreetP. O. Box 561Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238413-243-0789413-243-1799413-243-2494
413-243-1799413-243-2494Kelly Funeral HomeLee Hardware Store, Inc.Berkshire Mt. Country Store
Lee Hardware Store, Inc.Berkshire Mt. Country Store3 Main Street221 Main Street151 Main Street
221 Main Street151 Main StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238413-243-0204413-243-0786413-243-2144
413-243-0786413-243-2144A. F. Viale Insurance AgencyGreylock Federal Credit UnionPumpkin Patch Quilts
Greylock Federal Credit UnionPumpkin Patch Quilts75 Main Street47 Main Street58 West Center Street
47 Main Street58 West Center StreetLee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238
Lee, MA 01238Lee, MA 01238413-243-0347413-243-2121413-243-1635
413-243-2121413-243-1635Check out TownOfLee.com for information about Lee; where to eat, places to stay, shopping, etc.
HOW ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE LEE HISTORICAL SOCIETY? OR GIVING A GIFT MEMBERSHIP TO A FRIEND, OR RELATIVE. IT IS INEXPENSIVE, IT DOESN’T HURT AND IT MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY AND IT SUPPORTS OUR SOCIETY.
Student Membership - $5.00 Senior Membership (one person over the age of 65) - $5.00
Senior Membership (one person over the age of 65) - $5.00Business Membership - $25.00Individual Membership (one person under the age of 65) - $10.00
Individual Membership (one person under the age of 65) - $10.00Family Membership (all members of one family living at home) - $15.00
Name: __________________________________________________________Mail to:
Mail to:Address: ________________________________________________________Lee Historical
Lee Historical Society,City/Town: _________________________State:_____________Zip:________P. O. Box 170,
P. O. Box 170,Lee, MA 01238Telephone: ______________________Email:_
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