To all….This is to re-confirm that there will be a Memorial Service for Bertram E. Kelley on Saturday, 9/18/21 at 1:00 PM at the Noank Baptist Church, with a reception to follow in the downstairs meeting room. The memorial article below by Lacy and myself is printed in this week’s Mystic Times. Ed J ————— 

Notes from the Old Noank Jail by Ed and Lacy Johnson

                            A short man who cast a long shadow                                                                     

We lost a good friend and wonderful guy to work with at the end of August when Bertram “Bert” E. Kelley, life member and fire police officer of both the Noank and Oakdale fire departments, died of cancer. For some of us, our lives will never be the same without him.

Bert held onto the down-east accent and dry wit from his formative years in Maine. He became a navy sonar technician in 1947 and wed his “copilot,” Alice Gaudreault, in South Berwick, a few years later. Bert served in the Korean War and left the navy in 1955. They set down roots close to Bert’s parents, who’d moved to Connecticut, and raised four kids in Montville. 

When Bert’s parents passed away, he and Alice relocated to their home in Noank. The senior Kelleys were well known for their festive outdoor Christmas light display… you couldn’t miss it from space! Not to be outdone, Bert added to the yard decorations and then turned his efforts inside with a large electric train set that took up half the living room. 

Ed first worked with Bert when Ed was busy trying to control traffic for the Noank Fire Department’s centennial anniversary parade in 1995. The route included the village and ended at Esker Point Beach. Understandably, residents of Groton Long Point weren’t pleased about waiting. Bert jumped out of his car and asked if he could help. Though he’s a dozen years Ed’s senior, Bert bounced around like a young buck. They made quite the pair… Ed a lumbering Herman Munster lookalike, Bert a spry leprechaun. Ed used to kid Bert that his size made him harder for drivers to notice… he needed to wave his arms. Bert would reply that he was the perfect height… Ed made for a much larger, slower target, so he’d get hit first.

After 57 years of marriage, Alice passed away in 2007. Bert was crushed but kept right on enjoying life as best he could, continuing to also work full-time as a security guard, always on his feet walking around or supervising roads. He took his “vacation” days to walk around the mansions in Newport, RI. His son, Peter, and wife, Heidi, moved in to help around the house. Needless to say, the Christmas displays continued to expand inside and out. Bert stayed on with Noank Fire Police and adapted to newer equipment and modern regulations… heavier tourist traffic kept him happily bustling about town.

We will always remember Bert for his indomitable spirit, friendly disposition, and wry sense of humor. We know he is already sorely missed by his family… especially his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and, yes, great-great grandchildren who called him “Beepa.” Bert fit a lot into 93 years on earth. Noank was lucky to have him as long as we did.

To: Senator Cassano, Representative Lamar and all members of the Transportation Committee………

From: Edward R. Johnson, Groton, CT 06340         E-mail: ed_johnson@tvcconnect.netRe: House Bill # 5423 – (concerns expansion of Passenger Train Service, along with Ground Transportation, for Eastern CT)

Date for submission: by Friday 2/19/2021 at 10:00 AM – ZOOM Meeting

I am unable to attend the above ZOOM meeting due to a medical appointment. I am in favor of the passage of Bill 5423, as follows:

1) I have been in favor of rail expansion in CT ever since our family moved here full time in 1978. I supported a “Light Rail” movement back in the 1970’s and 1980’s when I realized the need for better local transportation efficiency. Hopefully, more progress can be made with this newer, more comprehensive approach.

2) During my 80 years of life, I’ve lived in Boston, New Haven, Philadelphia, New York City and in NJ suburbs near Newark, before moving to Groton. In all those areas, I witnessed large transportation systems which, in my opinion, far surpassed the quality of mass transportation compared with what I have seen in SE Connecticut. In all cases, rail was a very key factor in the movement of large populations. In many cases, public transportation was more efficient, convenient and less expensive than using private automobiles. 

3) H.B. 5423 addresses our local concerns with high traffic congestion and related carbon emissions, and it serves to benefit our commuter traffic especially during peak workload hours. It comes at a time when our transportation needs will increase manifold due to the massive increase in production at Electric Boat in the next several years. This will affect the entire surrounding region which will include New London, Groton Town & City, as well as Ledyard and Stonington.

4) There are two areas requiring attention to rail service expansion, one being East-West and the other being North-South. This would benefit and expand both passenger and freight services to and from our CT area.   

a) The first is based on using existing RR tracks in order to expand services offered by the Shore Line East operation into more passenger pick-up/drop off facilities from Westerly, Stonington, Mystic, and Groton to New London. This would also co-ordinate with existing services serving Boston, Providence, New Haven and New York.    

b) The second would be to utilize the existing tracks, belonging to Providence-Worcester RR, that presently extend from Groton and the East bank of the Thames River which would initially connect Electric Boat and Pfizer with the Navy Sub Base. Those same tracks exist north for future commuter and freight expansion which could connect Norwich and then Massachusetts.   

c) Both of the above systems have a “tie in” involving 3 parallel tracks in Groton where transfers can be made at Groton in a new station that can be constructed to support the 3 existing tracks.

5) Present vehicle traffic and parking in Groton is already being maxed out during key commuting periods. This is due to a large percentage of EB personnel living outside of Groton. A larger local workforce will create more congestion and carbon emissions, resulting in a negative economic condition. HB 5423 will actually help reduce highway congestion, emissions and road maintenance, even with the anticipated increased workforce.

6) I mentioned that I am now 80 years old. I still want to be able to travel in the northeast region, but would prefer to use public transportation for the simple reason that it will be safer for me than driving a car. I like to live as independently as possible, and am realistic enough to know that driving a car will not be practical for me in a few years.

Obviously, for all of the above reasons, I am in favor of HB 5423. I sincerely hope that it will pass. Thank you all for your time.

Edward R. Johnson                                   Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Notes from the Old Noank Jail                        by Lacy and Ed Johnson          Groton  looses  a  great  man  

After we moved to the Noank area by the 1980’s, we met a dedicated, long-time member of the Groton Town Council who focused some energy on the subject of littering.

Woe betide the miscreants who casually tossed their coffee cups or sandwich wrappers out their car window as they drove along Rt 1 if Councilor Edward Eckelmeyer was driving nearby. He would follow their car, pull up next to them and introduce himself. He would then politely but firmly request that they return to find and properly dispose of their discarded trash.

Naturally, Ed had recorded their license plates and could report them…so they usually co-operated. The end result was that there was a noticeable reduction in littering around the Groton area. Word got around pretty quickly to be more careful with trash and to treat our surroundings with more respect…which was always Ed’s underlying message.

We first met Ed at the Noank Baptist Church, helping to solve a problem with drainage under the Meeting House. We needed someone who had good technical knowledge of the building and would be both capable and willing to crawl underneath the structure in wet, narrow spaces to locate problems. Not surprisingly, there were no immediate volunteers for this task.

Enter Edward Eckelmeyer, with a BS in Electrical Engineering plus an MBA, a solid career with RCA, Harris Graphics and Electric Boat, with experience designing devices for underwater exploration and  a patent for an uninterrupted printing process. Ed proceeded to analyze our problem, opened the floor hatch, turned on his portable searchlight and crawled around in sub-basement dampness during at least 2 days….as a volunteer. When he finished, wet and dirty, he gave us first hand reports to make proper repairs to the utility systems.

We were to learn later just how extensive Ed’s work had been, and in so many areas of expertise …serving as RCA adviser to the Burmese & Korean Air Forces… as an EB electrical engineer of research submarine NR-1 for Robert Ballard to explore undersea wreaks….and as a rowing shell rigger and maintainer for his daughter’s University of Virginia crew team after he “retired” from “regular” work.

Ed was a man of many interests… working on the family house, building furniture, camping out, hiking, boating, SCUBA diving and operating his HAM radio. He was a solid family man, devoted to his wife, Barbara, and their daughters. We were sad when they moved to New Jersey to be closer to their family members,  and we were sadder still to learn of Ed’s passing in early January 2021.

What we’ll remember most about Ed was his friendly, personable attitude and his ability to discuss may subjects on many levels. We’ll miss the frequent walks that he and Barbara would take around Noank and our frequent conversations in the street as they came by our house. We always felt better after visiting with them, even for just a short while.

R.I.P….and thank you, Ed Eckelmeyer, for everything you did……

Published September 30. 2020 3:07PM -New London DAY

Ed and Lacy Johnson, Special to The Times

As many of us are aware, there may be property revaluations in Groton, which can impact our taxes in the near future.

It is a complicated process directed by multiple factors, such as how much a nearby property may have cost a new neighbor. With the boom of real estate sales, partially due to the coronavirus pandemic, some folks might be worried about these tax hikes.

So, we’ve revamped some previous advice from a few years ago to give you a head start.

Make sure you have laundry hanging across every room, and if piles of clothes and random papers are available, those should fill up the floors nicely.

Feeling crowded makes people want to escape faster. Don’t worry, the jail has plenty of clutter if you need some. We don’t do laundry or dishes all that often.

Old cars in front of the house, preferably rusty with the hood up and at least one wheel off, can do wonders to create that “low key” neighborhood appearance. If asked, state that the cars are “works in progress.” A slight gasoline smell adds a touch of authenticity, and an open bait barrel nearby will speed up the survey process considerably. If you can do it at low tide, you’re truly a master.

Don’t paint your house at all, especially the exterior. Let it crack and fade. Let the deck rot; let the boards creak and crackle.

Meanwhile, form a local neighborhood association dedicated to creating an “ethereal” ambiance for all nearby houses.

Have at least two broken window panes in prominent areas, covered with different shades of duck tape, for that “temporary perpetual maintenance” look. And don’t touch any spider webs: they’re perfect just the way they are and provide ecologically sound insect abatement.

An unkempt backyard filled with dirty old boat hulls, rusty engines, and crab grass will really bring the whole ensemble together. If you’ve got insect or animal nests at your disposal, make sure they’re featured at eye level. Nothing screams decrepitude like the presence of unchecked infestations.

You know those luscious gardens you’ve been working on for decades? It’s time to naturalize some good old ivy and wisteria right around the front door.

Get them climbing and the appraiser might not even be able to find the entrance.

Finally, make sure to get your basement nice and musty; even if it hasn’t rained, you’ll want the appraisal to reflect that it’s a constant threat that makes your air quality, sanity, and structural integrity questionable.

Add wet laundry and even rotten food if you’re feeling adventurous.

Anyway, we hope everyone does their part. It takes a village.

Ed Johnson and his daughter Lacy live in Noank.

Notes from the Old Noank Jail: How to devalue your property and keep taxes low

Published September 30. 2020 3:07PM 

Ed and Lacy Johnson, Special to The Times

As many of us are aware, there may be property revaluations in Groton, which can impact our taxes in the near future.

It is a complicated process directed by multiple factors, such as how much a nearby property may have cost a new neighbor. With the boom of real estate sales, partially due to the coronavirus pandemic, some folks might be worried about these tax hikes.

So, we’ve revamped some previous advice from a few years ago to give you a head start.

Make sure you have laundry hanging across every room, and if piles of clothes and random papers are available, those should fill up the floors nicely.

Feeling crowded makes people want to escape faster. Don’t worry, the jail has plenty of clutter if you need some. We don’t do laundry or dishes all that often.

Old cars in front of the house, preferably rusty with the hood up and at least one wheel off, can do wonders to create that “low key” neighborhood appearance. If asked, state that the cars are “works in progress.” A slight gasoline smell adds a touch of authenticity, and an open bait barrel nearby will speed up the survey process considerably. If you can do it at low tide, you’re truly a master.

Don’t paint your house at all, especially the exterior. Let it crack and fade. Let the deck rot; let the boards creak and crackle.

Meanwhile, form a local neighborhood association dedicated to creating an “ethereal” ambiance for all nearby houses.

Have at least two broken window panes in prominent areas, covered with different shades of duck tape, for that “temporary perpetual maintenance” look. And don’t touch any spider webs: they’re perfect just the way they are and provide ecologically sound insect abatement.

An unkempt backyard filled with dirty old boat hulls, rusty engines, and crab grass will really bring the whole ensemble together. If you’ve got insect or animal nests at your disposal, make sure they’re featured at eye level. Nothing screams decrepitude like the presence of unchecked infestations.

You know those luscious gardens you’ve been working on for decades? It’s time to naturalize some good old ivy and wisteria right around the front door.

Get them climbing and the appraiser might not even be able to find the entrance.

Finally, make sure to get your basement nice and musty; even if it hasn’t rained, you’ll want the appraisal to reflect that it’s a constant threat that makes your air quality, sanity, and structural integrity questionable.

Add wet laundry and even rotten food if you’re feeling adventurous.

Anyway, we hope everyone does their part. It takes a village.

Ed Johnson and his daughter Lacy live in Noank.

Notes from the Old Noank Jail, by Lacy and Ed Johnson

News Feed posts

Edward Rice Johnson

As the latest wave of city dwellers engages in bidding wars over local real estate, we at the Noank Jail want to honor three residents who relocated here from big city life and devoted their talents and time to enhance our communities for decades; sadly, their lives ended earlier this year.

The first two were a delightful couple who’d raised their family in West Hartford and moved here full time after retirement in 2009. James Fairfield English, President Emeritus of Trinity College and a one-time interim president/director of Mystic Seaport and Museum, died at home on June 2 at age 93.

Nine days later, his wife and partner of sixty-five years, Isabelle “Izzy” Cox English, a formally trained fine artist and an award-winning landscape gardener, also died at their home at age 88.

Both loved sailing and made everyone in their presence smile… they were active members of the Noank Historical Society, Groton Open Space Association, and the Community Foundation of Southeastern Connecticut.

Izzy was frequently spotted bike riding all over town… she’d traded in her car for a bicycle during the 60’s when she was also active in the anti-war and civil rights movements.

Jim had developed an affinity for Japanese boat building when he served in the Army counter intelligence division in World War II during the occupation of Japan. This would result in him helping a protege publish a book on that subject in later years.

When Noank’s beloved Universal Food Store had to close its doors, the Englishes helped to lead a concerted effort to keep a grocery option in the village and helped to research similar local businesses. They believed heartily in bringing people together to solve problems, and their enthusiasm was contagious, as was their laughter and frequent hospitality. And they enjoyed being “victims” of our local “off-key” Christmas Carol singing when our large group stopped at their door every year. We will miss those greetings.

Then, we were additionally saddened to learn that Bobby Schneider, a long-time Noank/Mystic fixture, passed away in July down in Florida- another victim of the Covid-19 virus.

Robert C. Schneider was born in 1931 in New York City and his family moved to Willow Point in 1942. The next two decades included working at Davis-Standard, teaching fifth grade at Ledyard Elementary School, and serving as a construction supervisor for Safeway in Denver.

He moved to NYC to act and met his wife Renate in summer stock near Albany, NY. When they moved to the west end of Main Street in 1961, local theater and storytelling were forever changed.Bobby acted in and directed the Leonine and Seabury Player groups in the 60’s and 70’s but is perhaps best known as an interpreter and historical re-en-actor at Mystic Seaport. He and Senate formed the Tale-Spinners as a storytelling troupe and if you went to any local public schools in the 80’s, you saw them at least a few times on field trips.

They were captivating and engaging, as characters who came to life so effectively that we were a bit surprised when they’d stroll by our jail at night… it took us a while to realize they weren’t acting but really lived up the street.

In his later years, Bobby joined Flock Theater and was involved in over 50 productions as a director, producer, and actor. With his love of outdoors, he was also an active participating member of Groton Open Space Association and his participation and positive attitude at meetings was always appreciated.

Overall, our local communities have been vastly enriched by these former city dwellers who fell in love with our quirky little village and all that surrounds it- especially the people. As these titans move on, we hope our younger generations will continue to create and enhance what they devoted their lives to give us.

An updated description of a “Renaissance Man” would be ” a present-day person who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field.” And so, farewell to Jim, Izzy and Bobby…and thank you for what you have given us.