Dear Editor:

So many of you know my Tom — one time owner of Captain Sawyer’s and your school bus driver for many generations. The one who dressed up as Santa at Christmas and a monster at Halloween. The one that greeted you and your child every school day with a smile. The one that kept your child safe. The one that drove sport teams  all over the state for sporting events and was their biggest fan. The veteran of  Vietnam who was so proud to drive our veterans to various sites for the Memorial Day parade. The one who loved his sail boat with the red sails and probably knew every dog in the Boothbay area. The one that worked at Spruce Point Inn for many summers. 

Tom lived in Boothbay Harbor for 40 plus years. He loved the Boothbay area and the wonderful people he met along the way. So many of you have a story about Tom that you have shared with me ... thank you!

He is lost to us through Alzheimer’s disease; a horrible disease! He remains in Maine at a memory care unit close to his son Mike and family. I am going back to Connecticut to be close to my family as he doesn’t know me anymore and hasn’t for many months. I hope you will remember the wonderful person you knew, the gentle, kind soul he is. I  hope you will support Alzheimer’s research. So many of you have had your own life touched by Alzheimer’s through family and friends ... so horrific, so devastating. 

Pam Dekker

Boothbay Harbor