The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald possible has develop into essentially the most extensively recognized shipwreck in North America, because of singer Gordon Lightfoot.
It was in 1976 when Lightfoot launched “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Lightfoot wrote and sang the ballad, which is actually a narrative in regards to the shipwreck that claimed the lives of all 29 crew members.
The Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, throughout an early winter storm full with hurricane drive winds and dangerously excessive waves.
Lightfoot’s tune contains a number of basic references to the vessel’s roster of employees. For instance, he mentions “a crew and good captain properly seasoned.”
Over the previous 50 years, the names of all 29 males who perished within the Fitzgerald tragedy have been revealed quite a few instances in on-line posts and printed publications. However even after listening to Lightfoot’s iconic tune or studying the Fitzgerald casualty checklist, many of us by no means discover out a lot private details about the deceased crew members.
So it’s at all times nice when native organizations maintain memorial applications in regards to the Fitzgerald, geared toward remembering former residents who died in the course of the tragedy. In actual fact, this sort of occasion was held in Fairport Harbor Village on Nov. 10, which marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Fitzgerald sinking.
Fairport Harbor Historic Society sponsored the ceremony, which befell at Fairport Harbor Veterans of Overseas Wars Submit 7554.
A standing-room solely crowd assembled in a gathering room to recall the shipwreck, honor its total crew and study extra about Edward Bindon, a Fairport Harbor resident who was aboard the Fitzgerald on its final journey.
Bindon, whose profession on Nice Lakes freighters spanned 25 years, labored because the ship’s first assistant engineer. He was 47 years outdated when the vessel sank.
A framed, black-and-white picture of Bindon sat on a desk that featured different Fitzgerald footage and artifacts which might be usually displayed on the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum, positioned at 129 Second St. within the village.
Extra recollections of Bindon had been shared on the occasion by two of his nieces — sisters Fran Gabor of Madison and Debbie Kunsman of Wickliffe.
Gabor stated she and her siblings have vivid recollections of Bindon — they known as him Uncle Eddie — arriving house from intervals that he labored about Nice Lakes freighters, solely to have to depart once more.
“However the time we spent with him, are instances that made us smile and chuckle, even in the present day,” she stated.
Gabor stated her Uncle Eddie made Christmas a really particular time for youngsters within the household.
“Cash appeared like no object when it got here to present giving to us youngsters,” she stated. “He was our Santa Claus.”
Gabor stated Uncle Eddie additionally had an awesome expertise for imitating the voice of Donald Duck — and would do it “on the most inappropriate instances.”
“I recall that as a younger lady, I used to be attempting to have a dialog with him about my getting married,” she stated. “And all of the whereas, he was speaking to me like Donald Duck.”
Gabor additionally supplied her model of a narrative about Bindon that “has been twisted and turned” many instances over the previous 50 years.
She confirmed that previous to the Fitzgerald’s ill-fated voyage, Bindon bought a 2-carat diamond ring for his spouse Helen, to mark what would have been their twenty fifth wedding ceremony anniversary.
“He made preparations with a good friend, whose identify I don’t recall, to maintain the ring for him till he returned as a result of he didn’t wish to take it on the Fitz,” she stated. “Maybe it was an omen.”
After the Fitzgerald sank, Bindon’s good friend contacted Helen’s brother, Julius Majoros, and made preparations to fulfill and provides him the ring.
“The household was gathered in Helen’s kitchen when Uncle Julius got here in with the ring and offered it to her,” Gabor stated. “There wasn’t a dry eye within the room. And I can let you know personally, that was one of many saddest moments I’ve ever skilled.”
Fifty years in the past, Bindon was only a man who needed to complete out his time on the Fitzgerald and luxuriate in retirement, Gabor stated.
“However on Nov. 10, 1975, the Gales of November had their means with the Edmund Fitzgerald,” she stated. “And the 29 souls aboard all made their closing journey house.”
So the viewers on the ceremony acquired to listen to a mix of humorous and heartbreaking recollections about Bindon, and people who checked out his image now can visualize a face after they see his identify showing on lists of the 29 Fitzgerald shipwreck victims.
Packages just like the one sponsored on Nov. 10 by Fairport Harbor Historic Society assist communities pay tribute to former residents who went down with the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975.
The society deserves to be saluted for placing collectively an fascinating and informative program to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Fitizgerald shipwreck. We consider that this ceremony supplied a memorable expertise for everybody who attended.
