by Jan Whitney
Reprinted (with permission) from The Southbridge News dated Friday, May 26, 1989
By
Jan Whitney, a devoted friend of Southbridge legend and News columnist
Seaver Rice, shares her memories of the man who touched the town so
deeply
that he was known as “Mr. Southbridge.”Seaver,
a World War I veteran, wore his patriotism on his sleeve and we thought
it would be especially appropriate to remember him now, as Memorial Day
approaches.Seaver died on February
21, 1988. He was 95.
For some
time now I’ve been thinking of writing about my dear old friend, Seaver
Rice.
I
was especially close to Seaver because for several years I devoted most
of my mornings to him, driving him on his errands for food, to The
News
to drop off his weekly column and to visit with the staff, and to other
stops around town.People loved what
he wrote, and everywhere people would comment on his columns with
praise.He
did love people and had many, many friends, young and old. I got started on my eight years with Seaver as a
consequence of saying hello to someone in the intensive care unit at
Harrington
Memorial Hospital.In the next bed
was Seaver, who had just received a pacemaker.When
he
got home (alone, of course) he needed some help with getting groceries,
etc.After a few trips for him in
the mornings, it soon became a routine.It’s
a good feeling at the end of the day to know you’ve been of help to
someone.
It
was especially nice helping Seaver because he was such an interesting
person.He
just loved people, and people loved him.Many
knew him, since he had lived and been active in town for more than 60
years.No
wonder they called him “Mr. Southbridge.” I
must admit I miss him, especially at 8:30 a.m.!Because
he
lived alone, he liked someone to check on him and 8:30 was the usual
time.I would hear on the telephone
how his night was, what he had for breakfast and what his plans were
for
the day.It gave him a feeling of
being in touch with the world. When
I first knew him as a friend and helper, he lived on Everett Street; he
had lived there many years with his wife, Gertrude.The
last
few years of her life she became incapacitated, and he took complete
and devoted care of her.After she
died, he continued living in the same apartment for about 15 years.Those
were the years he took up writing for The News. Eventually
it seemed wise to move to a place that would require less care, and was
more centrally located.He was fortunate
to become one of the first tenants in a very fine apartment at 150 Main
St. – Dresser Park Apartment House.The
people there were helpful and friendly.I
made some good friends as a result of his living there. It’s
a wonder a man in his 90s could manage keeping house for himself.He
did very well cooking his meals, but as a housekeeper he left something
to be desired.He mad his bed and
did the best he could.For a number
of years I did his laundry, but then he managed to do it himself in his
apartment house. ___ Seaver
had many fine and devoted family members.They
were scattered, so it always took some planning to be together.His
grand-niece Laura Sanger, her husband Steve and their little daughter
Sarah
all lived in Kittery Point, Maine.Seaver
depended on them quite a bit and often visited them in Maine. The
rest of his family members also were devoted.His
niece Judy Vandergriff and her husband John lived in Rockville,
Maryland,
and the could be counted on to be right there when he needed them.Lynn
Vandegriff, Judy and John’s daughter, was very fond of her great uncle.Beside
occasional visits, she kept in touch by phone. Seaver
had another lovely niece, Laurie Kelly, who lived in Wellesley, Mass.My
husband Don and I visited with her and her son Shawn. Seaver
also was close to his wife’s nephew, Harold Berry.When
Seaver
began to get quite ill, Harold was usually there to take him to
the doctor’s office or to the hospital.In
addition, many times he took him to the airport when Seaver was making
a trip to Maryland. He
was fortunate with his family and friends.They
were all loving and helpful. ___ I
recall one particularly happy time Seaver and I shared.My
brother
and his wife, Don and Marion Stillman, live in Jaffrey, New Hampshire,
and the family had some cabins right at the foot of Mt. Monadnock.It
was a beautiful spot.I drove Seaver
there and we spend two days and one night visited Don and Marion. My
mother and dad originally owned the cabins.They
had wonderful times there as they loved the woods, the mountain and the
many lakes.They entertained a lot,
and in the main cabin was a special book.Their
family and friends would write something in it about their visit.Seaver
was the last person to write in that book on July 15 and 16, 1981.He
wrote: I will life mine eyes up unto the hills,
from
whence cometh my strength.
Enjoyed the hospitality of the Stillmans.
__Seaver
Rice I
am so glad we had those couple of days in Jaffrey.The
place
reminded Seaver of his beloved Adirondacks.We
both enjoyed it and had fun remembering it. On
our travels in the morning, Seaver had several favorite stops.One
was a coffee shop in Southbridge.More
than the coffee, he enjoyed seeing his many friends there.Sometimes,
when
he was working on his weekly column, he would write down names of
friends to mention.People always
loved to see their names in the paper.Then
we would go on to Sturbridge.He
especially enjoyed the vegetable and fruit stand there.He
liked
the people who ran it. Then
there were two restaurants in Sturbridge we enjoyed.We
got
to know the waitresses, and they were lovely.Sometimes
he
would skip breakfast at home, and have griddle cakes out.That
was
a treat, especially as he remembered “cakes” as a boy, and loved them.I
enjoyed our stops because, like Seaver, I like people.It’s
fun
to remember those days. On
most Sundays, Mr. And Mrs. Hans Cerney drove Seaver to church.He
always wanted to go when possible, and especially loved seeing his
friends.I
ran into Hans at the Post Office recently.He
told me he had been thinking more about Seaver.He
remembered the times he would call on a Sunday morning.He
would
say, “You two going to church?I
looked in the obituary column this morning, and my name wasn’t there.Guess
I’ll go to church if you’ll take me.”It
was always good for a chuckle. Mrs.
Estelle Wilson and family were special friends of Seaver.She
was
connected with the Holland Elementary School and got Seaver to speak
to the school for Memorial Day.He
got all dressed up in his veteran’s uniform.He
always managed to keep the kids’ attention and really loved doing it.I
can still see him standing straight and tall, and telling them about
World
War I.He even sang a few songs from
the war.For his age, that was something. I
recently ran into Jean Nadeau, who was anxious to find someone who
could
loan her a tape of Seaver reciting “In Flanders Field.”He
did
that very well, and always recited it at the end of the Memorial Day
parade.The last few years he rode
in an open car during the parade; being in his 90s, he couldn’t be
expected
to march. I
hope someone does have the tape Mrs. Nadeau wanted.That
would
be great. ___ Howard
Boal was another person Seaver thought a great deal of.He
passed
on a little before Seaver.On
the Veterans Day following his friend’s death, Seaver drank that last
toast
of champagne to the departed members of the “13 Club,” a group of World
War I comrades from Southbridge.The
group, formed in 1939, met every Veterans Day for nearly half a century.Both
Seaver and Howard lived to ripe old ages. To
all of Seaver’s good friends, now departed, we wish them peace. And
to Seaver too, of course.He fought
the good fight against cancer until the end came on February 21, 1988.I’m
so glad I had those eight years as his helped and friend. It
really is amazing how often Seaver’s name or memory comes up.People
still say, “Do you miss your buddy?” Of
course I do.We all do. Jan
Whitney
In
Memory of Page for Seaver
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Memory of Home Page - Tribute to AO People who have passed away
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In Memory of Jan Whitney (1926-2011)