Good Morning Gloucester

This was my scheduled post for today, sharing the wonderful time we all had at Mug Up yesterday.  Early this morning, we learned of the death of Evelyn Howe, a dear personal friend and paddleboard buddy, devoted single mom, avid volunteer and supporter of the Center and Rocky Neck Art Colony (where she had moved this past fall), volunteer on the painting/cleanup crew at the paint factory, a dedicated friend of Good Morning Gloucester, and an avid lover of everything Gloucester, a place she so dearly loved.  Evelyn is pictured above with her amazing lemon/lime cheesecake and champagne and pomegranate juice that she so generously slaved over and brought to share for Mug Up.  Evelyn was an incredibly generous, funloving, sharing young woman, quick to smile and make a room light up.  She apparently drowned while trying to save her good friend who had come up to visit from Rhode Island with his wife and had gotten into trouble after being swept into the water at Brace Cove beyond the Retreat House.  They both were lost.

To those of you who knew Evelyn and her beautiful spirit and bubbly energy, we will all be getting together this evening at The Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street at 6:00pm, to be with each other, share our feelings and thoughts, and grieve the loss of this beautiful woman.  Please come, and feel free to bring along something to share, if you like.

Here’s Evelyn, the trooper, during and after her plunge this New Year’s Day with Amanda Nash at the Rocky Neck Plunge.  Evelyn was always up for an adventure and into trying anything.  She lived her life and enjoyed it immensely, and made everyone around her enjoy it too.

On the Night SUP on Smiths Cove – the night little fish swarmed our boards and jumped all over our feet – creepy but very cool.  SUP on a morning paddle with Becky Bernie over to Capt. Joe & Sons to visit Joey.

And Evelyn at Mug Up at the gallery.

This was sent in by a co-worker of David Machado, Evelyn’s friend who she died trying to save.

I worked with David Machado who passed away with Evelyn Howe this weekend. He worked at Materion Technical Materials in Lincoln, RI. I have attached a picture below for your blog. He was a great guy. He was really looking forward to spending time with his wife Kristen this weekend. That was the last thing he said to me when he left work on Friday. Everyone here at Materion is extremely upset and in disbelief. We will pray for Evelyn Howe and her family and also David Machado and his family.

We had a great pre-season Mug Up on Cinco de Mayo, reconnecting with old and new friends after a long winter, and enjoying some amazing treats that were brought for everyone to enjoy.  A bunch of people arrived at the same time, so I lost track of who brought what, but I do know Evelyn Howe made the most incredible lemon/lime cheesecake with homemade whipped cream and brought pomegranate juice and champagne for yummy and healthy mimosas.  Peter Quarato made the most wonderful Mexican wedding cookies.  Ann and Bob Kennedy are back in Gloucester again from Missouri for the month of May and she brought her notorious thick cut bacon dipped in chocolate sauce – decadent.  Greg Bover made his delicious ginger molasses cake.  Gigi Mederos and Stevie Black brought Gigi’s famous drunken bread pudding drenched in rum.  Mona Faherty brought Margaritas (I had suggested it, and was hopeful, but didn’t really think someone would bring them – yea Mona).  Fred and Janet came late, but came heavy with shrimp roasted with mango sauce and were dressed for the occasion and bearing maracas.  Donna and Rick had them too.  Of course, Paul Morrison was in the hizzy with a new, bigger, better Rubber Duck – the original one having been misplaced.  Also Amy Bell and Richard Mils came by, as did Richard Rosenfeld, Len Burgess and Mary Bowles bearing bunches of tulips.

The new digs got filled up with a bunch of great energy and everyone had a good time.

E.J. Lefavour