Tugboat Rex is back in service

Ralph Criteser donated his trusty tugboat to the Port of Toledo when he closed down his moorage on the Yaquina River in early 2019. At his docks, boathouse and workshop, the World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy helped successive generations of local fishermen get their professional sea legs.  “In the early years, Ralph not only took care of us but took care of our boats. Our boats were like his family,” one fisherman said. “A lot of us came here with not a lot of money and not a lot of experience in boat work, and Ralph really kind of took us under his wing and made sure we sailed out of here safely, and he really was responsible for any success that any of us might have had in the fishing industry.” His words were met with applause and shouts of “hear, hear” from the crowd. photos, >click to read< 09:55

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