SouthCoast article By Robert Barboza / Chronicle Correspondent
Twelve of Dartmouth’s oldest residents were honored for their many contributions to the community over the years during Sunday’s “Wisdom of Our Elders” recognition luncheon at White’s of Westport, with about 175 family members, friends and neighbors in attendance.
The luncheon was the kickoff event for what is expected to be an annual recognition program for residents over the age of 90 who have “graciously given their time to the betterment of society,” the afternoon’s program booklet suggested.
The initial honorees are Donat C. Bernier, Aurore B. Chace, Walter E. Dearing, Alzida (Elsie) Ferro, Ruben Goldstein, Renate E. Hamer, Florence M. Harding, Edith and Sophie Helfand, Graziela (Grace) Luiz, Judith Viera and Horace B. Wildes.
The recognition program was launched by the Dartmouth Wanderers, the group of volunteers who have been producing historical programs for community cable television for years. The group recruited Dartmouth Community Television, Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly and the Dartmouth Historical & Arts Society to help gather nominations, select honorees and record their oral histories for posterity, longtime Wanderer Joe Barbero said.
“As a group of people, you’re very special,” Barbero told the 12 honored guests, representatives of what he called America’s “greatest generation.” This was the generation who survived the Great Depression, helped win World War II and helped transform America into the greatest nation on earth, he said.
Barbero credited former town clerk Ellie White, FOE president Maria Connor and DHAS president Bob Harding with doing a great job organizing the celebration of the initial honorees. The event had to be moved from Rachel’s Lakeside to a larger banquet room at White’s because of the great demand for tickets.
As for the dozen residents honored that day, and those to be recognized in the future, Harding said, “I think of them as Dartmouth’s treasures.” They deserve recognition for “what they have contributed to their community, and to their country,” he added.
“I think of each of our honorees as a walking history book,” Harding said, noting their biographical information and personal memories of days past will be posted on the DHAS website (dartmouthhas.org) for public viewing. Sunday’s program was also recorded by DCTV, and will be broadcast regularly in the weeks to come, and be available for on-demand viewing.
Connor said that when the FOE board of directors initially heard about the recognition project, “we jumped right in” and pledged financial support. The group was proud to help honor the first batch of honorees, who have “done an awful lot to contribute to this town and this country,” Connor said.
Rep. Chris Markey, D-Dartmouth, echoed the sentiment.
“It’s really important to be able to express our thanks to these 12 people, who have given so much to our community,” said Markey, who delivered citations from the legislature to the honorees. “They’re really the people who have made America great ... a generation of incredible human beings.”
Dartmouth Select Board Chairman Frank Gracie said “the elders of the community are always to be respected. There’s a great deal of respect for our elders in Dartmouth.” On behalf of the entire town, he said, “Thank you for what you’ve done in your lives, and done for the community.”
The honorees
One by one, family members and friends were called to the podium to talk about the lives and accomplishments of the 12 elders recognized. They ranged in age from 91 to 99, with Horace Wildes, about to turn 100, the eldest of the group.
Don Bernier’s daughter Beth led off the tributes, noting her father, 93, dropped out of vocational school at age 17 to join the Navy at the start of World War II. He served on the USS Hornet in the Pacific Theater, returned to marry his sweetheart, and was proud to see his grandson follow in his footsteps and recently enlist in the Navy.
Another milestone in his long life was getting his high school diploma from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School a few years ago, the same day his grandson graduated from the school. Bernier has been a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars for more than 50 years and is a past commander. He is also a longtime member of the Disabled American Veterans organization.
Lynne Antunes reported on the life of Aurore Chace, born in 1921 into a large French-Canadian family living in Hixville. She became a registered nurse, and married Navy veteran Robert Chace just before World War II. The couple were avid sailors who regularly cruised up and down the East Coast until Robert passed away in 2007.
“She worked until she was 69,” and is still noted for her baking skills, learned as a pre-teen while helping in the family kitchen, Antunes said. “She will be 96 this month, and is still an active, independent lady.”
Walter Dearing’s son Mark talked about the life and experiences of his father, born in 1924 to a family living on Old Westport Road. Walter caddied at Paskamansett Links and New Bedford Country Club as a youth and is an avid golfer at age 92, “still working on his golf game, looking to improve,” his son said.
Another U.S. Navy World War II veteran, serving in Worlserving from 1943 to 1946, Walter spent many years back home serving the community as a youth baseball and basketball coach, his son noted.
Elsie Ferro’s daughter proudly reported that her mom is “the oldest active volunteer at the Dartmouth Council on Aging” at age 93. She helped set up the Meals on Wheels program at the senior center, and for many years coordinated ballroom dancing classes and bingo parties at the facility.
Named the Dartmouth Pride celebration’s “Senior Sweetheart” in 1991, Ferro still volunteers at the senior center, answering the phones two days a week, her daughter said.
Peter Hawes, a longtime friend of Ruben Goldstein, born in 1922, talked about the Dartmouth High School Class of 1940 member’s long record of community involvement, including five years on the Finance Committee and more than 40 years of service as a Town Meeting member.
Goldstein grew up in the Bliss Corner neighborhood, and contributed quite a bit of history about that part of town to Dartmouth’s 350th anniversary celebration in 2014, Hawes said. His illustrated map of his old neighborhood remains on display at Southworth Library and the senior center for future generations to learn from.
A friend of honoree Renate Hamer recalled her years of service as the organist at Smith Mills Church, and a lifetime of looking “at the sunny side of things” as a musician, poet, good cook, knitter, gardener and pressed-flower arranger.
Hamer’s positive outlook on life is reflected in a self-published autobiography, where it is noted that “all that is really worth doing is what we do for others,” her daughter also reported.
Florence Harding’s daughter Patty said her mother was born in 1925 and grew up on a farm in Acushnet, coming to Dartmouth in 1950 and raising four children. After a long and productive life, she started volunteering at Dartmouth High School, collecting soda can tabs to benefit the Shriners organization in 1990.
A lover of the outdoors, especially the daffodil fields at Parsons Reserve operated by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, “she still has the fortitude and determination to climb Daffodil Hill every spring,” her daughter said.
Milton Glickman, nephew of Sophie and Edith Helfand, told the story of the sisters growing up on a Chase Road dairy farm, two of the 13 children who helped the family work the land. Much later in life, they worked with other family members to help DNRT preserve that farmland, the site of a community garden, and to transform the old family farmhouse into the conservation organization’s new headquarters.
“I know they’re both honored to be here today” and be recognized for their role in preserving the town’s long-running agricultural heritage, Glickman said.
Grace Luiz had to leave school early to help support her family by working in a textile mill, but became an accomplished seamstress and returned to night school to get her high school diploma at age 42, her daughter Nina Moniz said. Widowed at age 63, Luiz never quite accepted the notion of retirement, returning to work at age 76 for the Council on Aging’s Social Day Program.
When she lost that paying job due to budget cuts, she continued on as an unpaid volunteer, her daughter said. Luiz still volunteers at the senior center at age 95, her daughter said.
Family friend Colleen Costa said Judith Vieira was born in Dartmouth in 1925, and raised three children there with her beloved husband Joe. After he passed, she started a widowed persons’ support group at the COA, and remains active with that group today.
A longtime town meeting member in Dartmouth, Vieira has served the community as a hospice volunteer and a Sunday School teacher, and is still active in the St. Mary’s Church Guild, Costa said. Vieira was proudest of serving on the committee that secured the purchase of Round Hill Beach for the town, Costa said.
Frederick Wildes, the son of honoree Horace Wildes, born in 1918, said his father operated a successful dairy farm in Little Compton with a brother for many years, and also taught in a high school machine shop when not working the farm. Horace was active in many regional dairymen associations, and is the proud owner of a collection of antique cars.
“He’s something of a hero at the gym, where he’s still working out regularly,” his son said. He is also well known in town as a regular writer of letters to the editor of local newspapers on issues of importance to the community, his son said.
The luncheon was the kickoff event for what is expected to be an annual recognition program for residents over the age of 90 who have “graciously given their time to the betterment of society,” the afternoon’s program booklet suggested.
The initial honorees are Donat C. Bernier, Aurore B. Chace, Walter E. Dearing, Alzida (Elsie) Ferro, Ruben Goldstein, Renate E. Hamer, Florence M. Harding, Edith and Sophie Helfand, Graziela (Grace) Luiz, Judith Viera and Horace B. Wildes.
The recognition program was launched by the Dartmouth Wanderers, the group of volunteers who have been producing historical programs for community cable television for years. The group recruited Dartmouth Community Television, Dartmouth Friends of the Elderly and the Dartmouth Historical & Arts Society to help gather nominations, select honorees and record their oral histories for posterity, longtime Wanderer Joe Barbero said.
“As a group of people, you’re very special,” Barbero told the 12 honored guests, representatives of what he called America’s “greatest generation.” This was the generation who survived the Great Depression, helped win World War II and helped transform America into the greatest nation on earth, he said.
Barbero credited former town clerk Ellie White, FOE president Maria Connor and DHAS president Bob Harding with doing a great job organizing the celebration of the initial honorees. The event had to be moved from Rachel’s Lakeside to a larger banquet room at White’s because of the great demand for tickets.
As for the dozen residents honored that day, and those to be recognized in the future, Harding said, “I think of them as Dartmouth’s treasures.” They deserve recognition for “what they have contributed to their community, and to their country,” he added.
“I think of each of our honorees as a walking history book,” Harding said, noting their biographical information and personal memories of days past will be posted on the DHAS website (dartmouthhas.org) for public viewing. Sunday’s program was also recorded by DCTV, and will be broadcast regularly in the weeks to come, and be available for on-demand viewing.
Connor said that when the FOE board of directors initially heard about the recognition project, “we jumped right in” and pledged financial support. The group was proud to help honor the first batch of honorees, who have “done an awful lot to contribute to this town and this country,” Connor said.
Rep. Chris Markey, D-Dartmouth, echoed the sentiment.
“It’s really important to be able to express our thanks to these 12 people, who have given so much to our community,” said Markey, who delivered citations from the legislature to the honorees. “They’re really the people who have made America great ... a generation of incredible human beings.”
Dartmouth Select Board Chairman Frank Gracie said “the elders of the community are always to be respected. There’s a great deal of respect for our elders in Dartmouth.” On behalf of the entire town, he said, “Thank you for what you’ve done in your lives, and done for the community.”
The honorees
One by one, family members and friends were called to the podium to talk about the lives and accomplishments of the 12 elders recognized. They ranged in age from 91 to 99, with Horace Wildes, about to turn 100, the eldest of the group.
Don Bernier’s daughter Beth led off the tributes, noting her father, 93, dropped out of vocational school at age 17 to join the Navy at the start of World War II. He served on the USS Hornet in the Pacific Theater, returned to marry his sweetheart, and was proud to see his grandson follow in his footsteps and recently enlist in the Navy.
Another milestone in his long life was getting his high school diploma from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School a few years ago, the same day his grandson graduated from the school. Bernier has been a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars for more than 50 years and is a past commander. He is also a longtime member of the Disabled American Veterans organization.
Lynne Antunes reported on the life of Aurore Chace, born in 1921 into a large French-Canadian family living in Hixville. She became a registered nurse, and married Navy veteran Robert Chace just before World War II. The couple were avid sailors who regularly cruised up and down the East Coast until Robert passed away in 2007.
“She worked until she was 69,” and is still noted for her baking skills, learned as a pre-teen while helping in the family kitchen, Antunes said. “She will be 96 this month, and is still an active, independent lady.”
Walter Dearing’s son Mark talked about the life and experiences of his father, born in 1924 to a family living on Old Westport Road. Walter caddied at Paskamansett Links and New Bedford Country Club as a youth and is an avid golfer at age 92, “still working on his golf game, looking to improve,” his son said.
Another U.S. Navy World War II veteran, serving in Worlserving from 1943 to 1946, Walter spent many years back home serving the community as a youth baseball and basketball coach, his son noted.
Elsie Ferro’s daughter proudly reported that her mom is “the oldest active volunteer at the Dartmouth Council on Aging” at age 93. She helped set up the Meals on Wheels program at the senior center, and for many years coordinated ballroom dancing classes and bingo parties at the facility.
Named the Dartmouth Pride celebration’s “Senior Sweetheart” in 1991, Ferro still volunteers at the senior center, answering the phones two days a week, her daughter said.
Peter Hawes, a longtime friend of Ruben Goldstein, born in 1922, talked about the Dartmouth High School Class of 1940 member’s long record of community involvement, including five years on the Finance Committee and more than 40 years of service as a Town Meeting member.
Goldstein grew up in the Bliss Corner neighborhood, and contributed quite a bit of history about that part of town to Dartmouth’s 350th anniversary celebration in 2014, Hawes said. His illustrated map of his old neighborhood remains on display at Southworth Library and the senior center for future generations to learn from.
A friend of honoree Renate Hamer recalled her years of service as the organist at Smith Mills Church, and a lifetime of looking “at the sunny side of things” as a musician, poet, good cook, knitter, gardener and pressed-flower arranger.
Hamer’s positive outlook on life is reflected in a self-published autobiography, where it is noted that “all that is really worth doing is what we do for others,” her daughter also reported.
Florence Harding’s daughter Patty said her mother was born in 1925 and grew up on a farm in Acushnet, coming to Dartmouth in 1950 and raising four children. After a long and productive life, she started volunteering at Dartmouth High School, collecting soda can tabs to benefit the Shriners organization in 1990.
A lover of the outdoors, especially the daffodil fields at Parsons Reserve operated by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, “she still has the fortitude and determination to climb Daffodil Hill every spring,” her daughter said.
Milton Glickman, nephew of Sophie and Edith Helfand, told the story of the sisters growing up on a Chase Road dairy farm, two of the 13 children who helped the family work the land. Much later in life, they worked with other family members to help DNRT preserve that farmland, the site of a community garden, and to transform the old family farmhouse into the conservation organization’s new headquarters.
“I know they’re both honored to be here today” and be recognized for their role in preserving the town’s long-running agricultural heritage, Glickman said.
Grace Luiz had to leave school early to help support her family by working in a textile mill, but became an accomplished seamstress and returned to night school to get her high school diploma at age 42, her daughter Nina Moniz said. Widowed at age 63, Luiz never quite accepted the notion of retirement, returning to work at age 76 for the Council on Aging’s Social Day Program.
When she lost that paying job due to budget cuts, she continued on as an unpaid volunteer, her daughter said. Luiz still volunteers at the senior center at age 95, her daughter said.
Family friend Colleen Costa said Judith Vieira was born in Dartmouth in 1925, and raised three children there with her beloved husband Joe. After he passed, she started a widowed persons’ support group at the COA, and remains active with that group today.
A longtime town meeting member in Dartmouth, Vieira has served the community as a hospice volunteer and a Sunday School teacher, and is still active in the St. Mary’s Church Guild, Costa said. Vieira was proudest of serving on the committee that secured the purchase of Round Hill Beach for the town, Costa said.
Frederick Wildes, the son of honoree Horace Wildes, born in 1918, said his father operated a successful dairy farm in Little Compton with a brother for many years, and also taught in a high school machine shop when not working the farm. Horace was active in many regional dairymen associations, and is the proud owner of a collection of antique cars.
“He’s something of a hero at the gym, where he’s still working out regularly,” his son said. He is also well known in town as a regular writer of letters to the editor of local newspapers on issues of importance to the community, his son said.
Photos by Robert Barboza
Click photo to enlarge
