Notes from the Old Noank Jail by Ed Johnson
Saints of the Noank Baptist Church
A few weeks ago in this column, I wrote about the late Dorothy Steel of Noank and what qualified her to be a “Saint.” It has been noted by some folks that she would be “a tough act to follow.” But here goes…..
Again, the Oxford English Dictionary describes “Saint” as “a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in Heaven after death.” Once again, local historian and retired minister James Pratt provided us with more information.
In the 1940’s, the Noank Baptist Church (NBC) was blessed with the ” dynamic duo” of a sister/brother team descended from the shipbuilding family of Joseph Butson. His daughter Lois Butson married Peter Shandeor, who operated the Universal Food Store in Noank, while son, Sydney, worked at the store as a butcher before marrying Thelma Rodd and working until retirement at Sheffield Tube .
Separately and together, Lois and Syd contributed major energies to the NBC. Lois served on the Board of Christian Education (3 years), Nominating Committee (10 years, chair 4 years), Board of Trustees (6 years, chair 2 years), Board of Deacons (10 years, chair 2 years – as one of the first female deacons), ABCONN member (2 years) and in 1967 joined the Board of Directors for what became Mystic River Homes elderly housing. She also chaired the major NBC stewardship fund raising program in 1967.
Syd served on the NBC Board of Finance (16 years – Secretary – then Assistant Treasurer- 8 years), School Superintendent (5 years), Board of Education (2 years), Board of Trustees (4 years – during major parsonage construction), as an Usher (10 years), on Nominating Committee (5 years) and Board of Deacons (2 years). Syd was well known for his persuasive “arm twisting” abilities to raise money; he always had faith that “the bills will get paid.” And Syd discovered the church fire in 1959 that destroyed much of the building, where lack of discovery would have meant total loss.
Both Lois and Syd served in key positions on the “Church Building Committee” in 1960 after the fire. Lois chaired the funding campaign and Syd focused on re-building the Sanctuary and assisting (arm twisting) with raising money.
Without the efforts of Lois and Syd, we might not have the “relics” that they have left behind. These include the NBC Meeting House, more financial stability, Christian education, community ministries, a Nominating committee plus a new mixture of male/ female members on the Board of Deacons. So, yes, they both qualify as “Saints.” It is not simply that they attended various board meetings; it was the positive spiritual energy, enthusiasm and leadership that both Lois and Syd gave those groups that have influenced so many of us since then.
Lois died 1989 before I got to know her well, but my favorite memory of Syd and Thelma during church gatherings involved the hilarious family arguments between Syd and schoolmate Fred Clark as to which of them was OLDER…..as they bickered over who should win the “pickle dish” at the annual church summer sales auction…and then tried to outwit and thus outbid each other.
Ah, the “pickle dish”…..perhaps symbolizing a spirit of “sainthood”….but that’s another story, for another time, in another article…..
noankjail 