My View: Nancy’s farewell to Richard Gaines by Nancy Gaines
As I get ready to lock the door behind me and drive down the gravel lane away from Quarry Street, I carry a profound gratitude for the 14 years Richard and I had here, and the people who helped him make these the best years of his life.
Richard lived his hopes and dreams and, yes, battles (he loved them, too) right here. Gloucester was where he found his earliest pleasures, a child at his family summer home on the corner of Atlantic and Moorland in the post-war 1940s.
He frolicked in the ocean, fished from the rocks, hustled hot dogs at Bob’s Clam Shack. He came back in the ‘80s with his babies, the fourth generation of Gaineses’ here, who waddled in the Good Harbor tidal pools and Pebble Beach. He would bring his granddaughter, Anna, here in 2011 to make the fifth.
We had our first “date” on Bass Rocks. His children scattered his ashes there.
Rest in Peace my friend.
Rich inspired me to dig out and fight for the truth.
He is still an inspiration and always will be.
Thankyou Nancy for this personal and sincere tribute to Richard.
We will not let him down…Let’s get to work!
I hope he knew that he started a community of pro fishermen activists. I hope to some day make a tiny fraction of a positive difference that he made to the movement!