Senate Medals awarded to community champions

Senator David Adams Richards was on hand to award Senate 150th Anniversary Medals to 5 worthy recipients. Richards has written a screen play related to two of the recipients.

It seems like a story (or a movie) that David Adams Richards, now a Senator from New Brunswick, has been waiting to tell.  The Escuminac Disaster happened almost 60 years ago, but Richards said that when he gave a speech about Miramichiers who would be receiving the Senate 150th Anniversay Medals, including two survivors of the disaster, it was obvious people hadn't forgotten about that tragedy, especially those from New Brunswick. 

In November 2017 the Senate announced that Canadians who had made contributions to their communities would be selected to receive the medals.  Of the people who received medals today at the Beaverbrook House from Senator Richards were survivors of the Escuminac Disaster, Theodore Williston and Alphonse Doucet.  Also receiving medals were Matilda Murdock, Melanie Ross and Susan Butler.  All of Richard's remarks about the recipients and their contributions are below.

It's an honour to be recognized in such a way, but even more so when contributions to your community are memorialized in the style of David Adams Richards.  Listening to Richards speak about our fellow Miramichiers who have contributed with their art and love for the community, and with their heroism, you got the sense he was reading from something he had been contemplating for a long time, and that it was not his first draft.  And in the case of Theodore Williston and Alphonse Doucet, it was obvious he had given a lot of thought to their stories.

In speaking with Richards after the ceremony, he confirmed my recollection of screen play about the Escuminac Disaster.  Richards told me several years ago he had written a screen play about the events of June 19th, 1959.  I hope someday we get to read it, or, even better, see it on the silver screen.  But Richards said that even though all Canadian film makers who read it loved it, they all agreed it would be too expensive to make.  (Think Titanic, I guess).

"I suppose you could sell it in the states," he said, "and end up with a movie like The Perfect Storm".  He sounded less than thrilled with that prospect.

But in his introductions of Williston and Doucet, you got a glimpse of what a heroic tragedy the movie could have been.  But also how the actions of these young  men left an impression Richards and lead him to honouring them this way almost 60 years after the fact.

Theodore Williston
At 28, Capt. Theodore Williston was the youngest boat captain on the water during the Escuminac disaster. Theodore often says he is here today because he had a good boat, good training, and an excellent crew consisting of Hilarion Martin and Aquila Manuel on the night of June 19, 1959.

Theodore and his crew help save three boats avoid treacherous waters. He and his crew also told the boat of Capt. Valerie Robichaud until they could get their motor going again, and then he saved Capt. Walter Williston and brought he and the body of Walter's second-hand Harold "Hab" Taylor back to shore.

Theodore always admired the heroism of Walter for keeping his word to his crew made that he would bring his body back to his mother. Walter had insisted that Hab's body be brought on board first before he would take the next rescue rope. That's real heroism in Theodore's eyes. Or I might add in anyone else's.

Theodore continued to fish over 60 years, until recently passing his boat and gear onto his grandson Scotty who now continues to family tradition of fishing out of school knock wharf. Theodore's two sons Teddy and Mark also captained their own boats today from the same wharf.

He is known to respond to the question of how long he will continue fishing by saying: when you see my name in the obituary column, you will know I am not fishing.

Theodore realizes it is important to keep the memory of the Escuminac disaster alive as part of the efforts to ensure that those in the fishery continue to respect the power of the sea and the great nobility of the men, and women who are upon it. Mr. Williston visits schools, accepts speaking engagements, and meets groups at the wharf to share his experience and honour those that gave their lives that night.

Active church members, Theodore and his wife Jean make sure the memory of the 35 fishermen that lost their lives that night is not forgotten by hosting an anniversary mass and gathering every year on the Sunday closest to the anniversary date.  Alphonse Doucet also partakes in the ceremony by assisting to read the names of each victim of the disaster one by one, and when the bell tolls for each, a relative or friend lights a candle for each name called.

Alphonse Doucet

At 17 years old, Alphonse was one of the youngest men recognized for saving others during the Escuminac Disaster. He was on his father's (John "Jack" Doucet) both named the "Francine D" the with younger brother Everett "Eve" Doucet (14) and William George Manuel.  Mr. Manuel did not survive that night.

When the boat was disabled, they were rescued by Capt. Bernard Jenkins and his secondhand, Cyril Jenkins.  With his father in peril, Alphonse took charge of the Francine D and made sure both his younger brother Eve and father Jack were taken off the sinking boat before he was, having to wait and watch the rescue boat struggle with the waves, hoping it would be able to come around one more time to save him.
Alphonse Doucet has made a firm commitment to make sure the story of that night is remembered and knows that a respectful fear of the sea is something every young fisherman should have.

Like a wise soul he is not afraid to say that God and Providence had a say in saving his father on June 19, 1959 when the rope landed by his father's hand on what was most likely the last chance of grabbing it. His respect for the sea and his fellow fisherman is ever evident when he speaks.

Alphonse fished for 52 years, and still is a regular visitor to the wharf. With his wife Rosemary's support he has volunteered with many community initiatives, and has made school visits and numerous presentations to groups interested in knowing more about the disaster.

He does not like nor would he ever call himself a hero. But anyone that stares down the face of fear and conquers it, and in doing so helps save the lives of others, can be called nothing else.

Matilda Murdock

Taught herself to play fiddle at the age of 10. She learned to read music at 12, from a woman in Chatham, taking the train from Loggieville for $.75 return. She has composed more than 200 pieces of music, including jigs, reels and waltzes.  Matilda is our fiddling legend, and a name that goes beyond our place and time -- that expresses to us all the simple goodness and decency of the human spirit that emanates from love. She has been appointed to the order of New Brunswick and order of Canada -- I was honoured in fact receive my Order of Canada on the same day Matilda Murdock did. That evening she played for a reception, for people including Burton Cummings and Mario Lemieux. She is being given a lifetime achievement award from Music New Brunswick. It is an honour to give her this medal today.

Susan Butler
Miss Butler's love of music and community have been a mainstay of her life, and a cultural blessing for the people of this community, our Province and our nation. For over 25 years Susan Butler has been director of the Miramichi Folksong Festival, and her passion, her commitment to her ancestral music, has been devoted and inspiring. She has received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, Order of New Brunswick in the Order of Canada; has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars locally and internationally. She has raised money for Alzheimer victims, and victims of the war in Kosovo, and $20,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief. She has organized and performed a tribute to the Westray miners in 1986, wrote and performed the theme song for the Special Olympics in 1993, and hosted a BT Voices where choirs performed internationally and funds were donated to palliative care units and hospitals. She is in her own right a force of nature, and I cannot imagine the mystical magical Miramichi without her.

Melanie Ross
Melanie is steeped in the song traditions of our river, and has performed and fine-tuned her remarkable talent in places like Tokyo, Bangkok, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Dubai and Hong Kong. The very first time I heard Melanie saying it was as if I was suddenly transported to a world I had long known but had somehow misplaced and she was telling me it wasn't lost at all. Of course her home festival, is the Miramichi Folksong Festival where she first came at a young age, to the rich heritage and immense beauty of a cappella singing. In true Miramichi fashion she became spiritually connected to the stories and passions of the singers and songwriters who had lived in a time when this music, our traditional lumbering, river and woods, sold inspiring music, was a part of our daily work and lives. She brings this offense it authenticity back to us today, and livens and promotes it in front of audiences worldwide and celebrates an honours not just our river, province and country, but herself.