Twine Loft – May 2018

Passed On: Cleophas (Cle) Newhook – St. John’s, N.L. politician, theologian and author

Newhook, 74, passed away March 2 in St John’s after a short bout with cancer. Newhook, a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Oxford University England, grew up in Norman’s Cove, Trinity Bay. He was an activist and advocate who worked for many causes over the years. He was well-known for being the Director of the Ocean Ranger Families Foundation, a non-profit foundation established after the 1982 oil rig disaster that killed 84 men. The Foundation organized the victims’ families so that they could be represented at a public inquiry and lobbied for legislative changes to prevent future oil rig disasters. Newhook was also an ordained Anglican Minister who later became leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party in 1989 after defeating MHA Gene Long in a close race. He led the party until 1992. Before becoming party leader, he was the NDP’s executive secretary as well as a candidate. Prior to his political career, Newhook studied theology at the University of Oxford and spent five years as an Anglican priest in England where he directed community educational and development programs in inner cities and was chair of the British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centre. Outside of his political career, Newhook was a university administrator as co-ordinator of student services at Memorial University, as well as a university chaplain. He was also a member of the board of directors of The Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. As well, for a period, he was President of The Newfoundland Pony Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of the Newfoundland Landscaping Association. He is author of Mostly in Rodneys, depicting life in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and editor of But Who Cares Now, The Tragedy of the Ocean Ranger.

Passed On: Aiden Maloney – St. John’s N.L., former N.L. Minister of Fisheries

Maloney, 97, passed away March 18 at the Caribou Memorial Veterans Pavilion in St. John’s. Born in Kings Cove, Bonavista Bay, he began his career as the General Manager of John Penny and Sons Limited in Ramea before becoming Provincial Deputy Minister of Fisheries. He later became Minister of Fisheries, the MHA for Ferryland District, President of the Canadian Salt Fish Corporation, Chairman of the Fisheries Prices Support Board and Honorary Counsel to Japan. A member of the Order of Canada, he was a very respected volunteer. He was a recipient of The Centennial Medal, The Queens Silver Jubilee Medal, A Doctor of Law (honorary) from Memorial University, Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year and the Order of the Rising Sun. He was a long-term Chairman of the Board for St. Clare’s Hospital and a board member for the Newfoundland Quarterly Foundation, Historic Sites Association and Railway Coastal Museum. He was District Governor of the Lions Club, a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International, a Knight of Malta and a life member of the Knights of Columbus.

Passed On: John Augot – St. Alban’s, N.L. Boatbuilder

Augot, 72, passed away at the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre, Grand Falls-Windsor on April 3. He was a well-known and respected boatbuilder around the island of Newfoundland, turning out many quality vessels over his many years of work.

Passed On: Joan Guilderson – Parrsboro, N.S. DFO administrative assistant

Guilderson, 75, passed away December 20, 2017 at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, Upper Nappan. Born in Parrsboro, she was the daughter of the late John and Daisy (Canning) Guilderson. She was a graduate of Acadia University and became a school teacher. She taught school in Arvida, Quebec, and Australia. She later worked more than 27 years as an administrative assistant with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Dartmouth.

Passed On: Carolyn Penney – Southwest Port Mouton, N.S. fish plant worker

Penney, 74, passed away peacefully in Queens General Hospital, Liverpool on March 16. Born in Liverpool, she was a daughter of the late Harris and Hazel (Wolfe) Whynot. She was a former fish packer for C.W. MacLeod’s Fisheries and a waitress at the Grub and Grog Restaurant in Sable River.

Passed On: Freda Nowe – Port Medway, N.S. fish plant worker

Nowe, 84, passed away peacefully in Queens General Hospital on Wednesday, March 28. Born in Port Medway, she was a daughter of the late Hastings and Violet (Dauphinee) Wamboldt. She worked in fish processing at the fish plant in Port Medway for many years.

Passed On: Victor Brent – Sandy Point, N.S. fish plant worker

Brent, 88, passed away peacefully on March 26 in the presence of his family and his caregivers at the Roseway Manor, Shelburne. He was born in Jordan Ferry to the late Victor and Berthalaih (Goulden) Brent. He left school at an early age out of necessity. He was a jack of all trades and had several different jobs, the first being at Thorburne’s Fish Plant in Sandy Point, then on to Shelburne Woodworkers lumber mill for several years. Following that he started work at Ven-Rez Products and remained there for 25 years. After retiring from Ven-Rez, he and his best friend George MacKay started a sawmill of their own, producing lathes for lobster traps in Sandy Point. From there he moved on to a fish plant career, working for Chebogue Fisheries Ltd., then Roger Smith’s Fish Plant.

Passed On: Jean Bourque – Wedgeport, N.S. fisherman

Bourque, 92, passed away on March 18 at Yarmouth Regional Hospital with his family by his side. Born in Sluice Point on October 7, 1925 he was the son of the late Freddie A. and M. Delphine (Hubbard) Bourque. At three years of age they moved to Hubbard’s Point where he was raised. He began working for Willie Doucette on his strawberry farm. He then went hand-lining with his father. In the spring of 1945, he completed basic army training in Yarmouth and while waiting in Halifax for deployment, the war ended. After discharge, he returned to fishing. In 1952, Frederick purchased a lobster boat and commenced lobster fishing that fall season and every subsequent season, for a decade. In the spring and summer seasons, he would long-line and swordfish for Captain Rodgerson out of Port La Tour. In the late 1950s, he began fishing for Captain Billy Atkinson, out of Yarmouth, while continuing to lobster fish the fall seasons. In the early 1960s, during the spring and summer seasons, he began scallop fishing with Captain d’Entremont. In the late 1960s, he decided to pursue lobster fishing full-time and harvest Irish moss in the summers. In the 1970s, Frederick took over his father’s Irish moss business out of the Sluice Point wharf while continuing to lobster fish. During the winter months, he would repair Kiack nets for local fishermen. In the mid-1990s, he retired from fishing and began vegetable gardening.

Passed On: Harland Robart – East Port l’Herbert, N.S. fisherman

Robart, 70, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 8. Born in Barrington Passage, Shelburne County, he was a son of the late Lindsay and Awilda (Broughm) Robart. He was a hard-working fisherman for over 50 years. When he wasn’t fishing, he was enjoying the company of his family and friends.

Passed On: Christopher Williams – East Green Harbour, N.S. fisherman

Williams, 56, passed away peacefully in Yarmouth Regional Hospital on March 18 with his family by his side. Born on July 12, 1961, he was a son of James and Rhoda (Burke) Williams. He was a long-time fisherman, Captain of Miss Cove Road, for almost 28 years.

Passed On: Delmer Bourque – Sluice Point, N.S. fisherman/fish plant worker

Bourque, 65, passed away peacefully on March 12 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital following a brief illness. Born January 11, 1953 in Sluice Point, he was a son of the late Enos and Julia (Babin) Bourque. He worked as a scallop and lobster fisherman for many years and spent the past 18 years working at Inshore Fisheries in West Pubnico.

Passed On: Raymond Vacon – Dayton, N.S. fisherman

Vacon, 99, passed away on March 12. Born December 22, 1918 in Quinan, he was a son of the late Victor and Josephine (Doucette) Vacon. He worked as a lumberjack and a fisherman. He was a veteran of the Second World War, having served with the Royal Canadian Army.

Passed On: Arthur Fitzgerald – Little River Harbour, N.S. fisherman

Fitzgerald, 81, passed away surrounded by family on March 2 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Yarmouth. Born in Little River Harbour on December 7, 1936, he was a son of the late Ralph and Cedulie (Harris) Fitzgerald. He was a wormer, apple picker and a fisherman.

Passed On: Rufus McComiskey – Lower East Pubnico, N.S. fisherman

McComiskey, 71, passed away February 28, 2018 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born in Apeldoorne, Holland, he was the eldest son of Roelloffina (de Graffe) McComiskey and the late Rufus “Rufie” McComiskey.

He worked for Imperial Optical in Brampton, ON. as an eye glass polisher and Lambton Lumber Company in Bramalea, ON. as a truck driver. He and his wife, Diane moved back to Nova Scotia in 1977 where he worked as a hired hand in the lobster industry. He later purchased his own boat in 1991.

Passed On: Donald Duguay – Tracadie-Sheila, N.B. fisherman

Duguay, 50, passed away February 8 in Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick. Born on June 10, 1967, he was a well-known and respected New Brunswick fisherman for many years.

Elected: Maritime Fishermen’s Union (MFU) Executive

Carl Allen, president for a fifth term, Graeme Gawn, vice-president for Nova Scotia, Gaetan Robichaud for a third term as vice-president for New Brunswick and Bernard Hachd as secretary-treasurer.

Appointed: Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association (NSBA) Executive

Chairman Heaton Rosborough of Rosborough Boats, Vice-Chairman Gilles Theriault, of AF Theriault & Son, Treasurer Pat Nelder of Big Pond Boat Shop and Board members Steve Allt of Cummins Sales and Service, Chris Chiasson of Icon Marine Services, Kevin Feindel of Ocean Gear, Nick Fyffe of Blumara, John Kinley of Lunenburg Shipyard, Johannes de Rozari of Canadian Maritime Engineering and Lee Toole of Stright-MacKay.

Three NSBA awards were also recently presented:

Company Development & Growth: Canadian Maritime Engineering.

Innovation Award: Rosborough Boats.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Keith Nelder, owner of Big Pond Boat Shop.

Appointed: Rod Hepponstall, President and Chief Executive Officer of High Liner Foods

High Liner Foods recently announced the appointment of Hepponstall as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. Hepponstall will be taking over the position from current chairman and CEO Henry Demone.

Demone came back to take on the CEO role after High Liner dismissed Keith Decker. Demone is credited with building High Liner into the company it is today and retired initially in August 2015. Hepponstall has 25 years of experience working in both the retail and foodservice side of the food industry. Prior to joining High Liner Foods, he worked at Lamb-Weston Inc. as their Senior Vice President, General Manager Retail & Foodservice Business Units. Hepponstall will step into the position on May 1, 2018.