They Return Earl Home

When Hap Sr. got to the beach, he walked over to where they had Earl in a body bag. He asked if he could see him. “Are you sure? He is in pretty bad shape from being in the water for so long,” one of the firemen standing there said. “Yes, I’m sure,” Hap Sr. replied. With that, they opened the top of the zipper so he could see him, for he wanted to make sure it was really him. The police officer said to him, “Hap, can you confirm that this is Earl?”

“Yes, it is,” said Hap.

They closed the bag. The chaplain from the fire department was there, and he said a few prayers. Then the men carried Earl off the beach. Hap walked alongside him to the fire truck where they placed him in the back of one of the pickups. He then asked if someone could bring his truck back to the firehouse so he could ride with Earl to the hospital. The chief of the fire department at the time made sure his truck got to the firehouse, and Hap went off in the pickup, with Earl at his side.

At that time, the chaplain walked up to the chief of police. He told him he was the fire department chaplain and also the family chaplain. He mentioned he was going to see Dorothy, and the chief said he would like to go also. So they both got into their cars and drove out of the preserve and went right to my house. I stayed up at my grandparents house, and Mom and the family went back to our house. By the time she got back to the house, the chief and the chaplain of the fire department were arriving. The chief was the outgoing chief, and the new chief, elected by the men, was my dad. The first week of the month, my dad was voted in as chief, and the next week was his accident. So my dad was the newly elected chief of the Shelter Island Fire Department at the time of his death.

The family doctor stopped over after he checked over Earl’s body. He was telling my mom that they assumed when my dad’s boots filled with water, his clothes got heavy, and with the water being so cold, his heart could not withstand the pressure it was under. Then his heart gave out from the strain of trying to stay above the water. He also mentioned how the water affected Scratchy, almost losing him from the exposure. The doctor also told my mom that Dad couldn’t have suffered as it was over for him very quickly. Once he went under the last time, he was at peace. I’m sure he knew he was in trouble, but he thought Scratchy would get to him in time. So he had a peaceful end, entering into God’s hands. This comforted Mom, knowing he did not suffer. This is when Mom told the doctor Earl did not know how to swim. The doctor was surprised a person living on an island didn’t learn to swim, especially one who worked on the water.

My mom was informed that Mr. Mal Nevel, my cousin, found Earl on the beach that morning. She also learned he took his boat out every day, which she hadn’t known. By this time, Earl was at the hospital, where he would be pronounced deceased. From there, he was taken to the funeral home. From there, Mom would have to make the final arrangements for his service. Throughout this time, she was never alone, having the support of family and friends from the island.

At this time, Grandma and Pop Price, Dad’s parents, were still up the lane with us three children. Mom then said, “The waiting is over.” She continued, “I have to call Pop Price.” The chaplain accompanied her to the phone. My mom picked up the phone and said to the operator, “This is Dot. Can you—” but the operator interrupted her, expressing condolences about Earl and said she would connect her with Harold now. This shows how tight-knit the community was; Mom didn’t even have to specify whom she wanted to speak to. A moment later, Pop answered the phone. My mom said, “Dad, this is Dot.” They talked for a few minutes, and then Pop came into the living room where we were. He asked my sister to watch over her brother and me, stating, “Grandma and I have to go see your mom.”

My sister assuredly responded, “Sure, no problem.”

As they walked down the lane, they saw all the cars in the yard. They walked into the kitchen where my mom and the chaplain were. The chaplain said a few words to them, and then he said a prayer together with them. After that, they went into the living room. The house wasn’t very big then, and I was told it was overflowing with people as it did a lot during this time.

After some time went by, Pop went over to Mom and asked her if he should call for the children to come down. She said yes, and Pop went to the phone and said, “Could you call my house?” With that, the operator called the farmhouse; again no names were spoken. Those days you did not even say who you were; the operator knew everyone. My sister answered the phone. He told her that mom wanted her to come home, so she said, “Okay, we will be there in a few minutes.” With that, she went and got us and said we were going home. Then down the lane we went. It was a short walk, but I kept on trying to run. My sister just held on tight. She told me, “No, for there are a lot of people and cars all over. We have to walk.” So I listened to her, and we walked home. Everyone was so happy to see us.

When we got down the lane, Mom told us that Dad was gone and would not be coming home. My sister and brother knew what she was saying, but I had no idea what was going on. So I asked if I could go play, and Mom told me sure I could, and I was off. Mom could not believe my reaction, but as I was so young, a month was a long time. My brother and sister went over to my mom, and they all just held each other for a while. Then she told them to go check on me and make sure I was okay. I was in my room playing with my dolls, and I do not remember this time at all. When I asked Mom about this time, that is what she told me.

My memories of this time are mostly what I was told, except for one thing: the day my dad took me to work with him. That I do remember. Later in my life, I was talking to Hap Sr., and I said that I was so glad I went to the shop with Dad so many times. Then Hap said, “No, Debbie, you only came to the shop with your dad that one day.”

I then replied, “No, that cannot be.” With that, I described the shop to him. Hap could not believe it; I had totally described the shop as it was that day. Then we talked for a little while, for he was waiting for his wife to finish getting her hair done at my mom’s beauty salon where she was still working in 2016.

My mom was never alone during that time; people stopped by daily with food for us. My mom did not have to do any cooking for some time; the house was always full with food and people. There was always something good to eat. Time was still hard on my family. Now they had to plan the service for Dad.

(The book includes a photocopy of the original newspaper clipping here; it did not scan legibly. The author’s own transcription of the article follows.)

One lost one hospitalized in a sea

accident off Ward’s point

—Shelter Island Reporter May 27, 1961

Shelter Island was saddened by a tragic event last Friday afternoon when Earl Price, 32, of Cartwright Road lost his life in an accident near Ward’s Point and William Johnston, Jr. 35, of Mandhanset Road, suffered the effects of severe exposure. The mishap left the community shocked, mourning the loss of one man praying for the survival of the second.

Price and his fellow worker were returning from a dock-building job in North Haven aboard a work barge owned by the Shelter Island Contracting and Trucking Company. It was being towed by Harry Bowditch, the firm’s president. As the barge entered a rip some 400 yards west of Ward’s Point, heavy seas caused the craft to take more water than its pumps could handle.

Exhorting his men to stay with the foundering barge, he prompted Price to jump clear of the vessel will never be known but the chill sea took its toll before Bowditch could free his boat of the tow lines and reach the heavily clothed and helpless man.

Meanwhile the barge remained buoyant although only a small portion was above the surface of the water. With the towline tangled in the propeller of his boat. Bowditch maneuvered as close to Johnston as possible and threw him a line. Although in imminent danger of slipping into the sea from exhaustion and exposure, Johnston had trouble securing the line around his waist. Constant prodding by Bowditch, who kept up a barrage of pleas for the man to exert every ounce of strength, accomplished the near impossible and Johnston was pulled aboard the tow boat.

Observers on the shore meanwhile had called the emergency crew of the Shelter Island Fire Department which was waiting the arrival of the two men at a West Neck dock. Put to bed in Bowditch’s home. Johnston was attended by Dr. Donald S. Currie and then taken to E. L. I. Hospital for further treatment. Early reports of his condition ranged from serious to critical but as this issue went to press Johnston had recovered sufficiently to continue his recuperation at home.

South Ferry’s “Sunrise,” piloted by Gilbert Clark, was at the scene within 15 minutes and helicopters from Grumman Aircraft Corp. took up a search for Price until darkness fell. Firemen walked the beaches far into the night I quest of their lost comrade. The auxiliaries - the women behind the men in the line - went into service. Every effort was expended but the search was futile. Dawn on Saturday saw further air searches and many small boats patrolled the waters. Later in the morning South Ferry’s “North Haven,” with a crane aboard, salvaged the overturned barge. Men from all corners of the community organized grappling parties, seines were employed to drag the area of the tragedy but the sea had claimed the body of Earl Price. By mid-week the searches had all but decided that it was now up to the sea to make the next move.

Earl Price was born and raised and educated on Shelter Island. He was survived by his widow, the former Dorothy Stevens, two daughters, Catherine, 6 and Deborah, 3 and a son Norman, 4. Also surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Price, a sister Mrs. Wesley Rowland, and a brother Louis, all of Shelter Island; another sister and brother, Margaret and William of New Jersey.