Monday, April 23, 2007
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Staff photo by Joe Phelan
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Staff photo by Joe Phelan
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Staff photo by Joe PhelanBarry Timson's friends and family called him a lot of things over the years, but the label heard over and over during a memorial service for the former Hallowell mayor was "friend."
On Sunday, Timson's friends packed elbow to elbow at the Maple Hill Inn and Conference Center to remember a man who loved Hallowell, loved Maine and touched everyone with whom he came into contact.
Timson, who died last Sunday of heart failure at the age of 62, was a consulting geologist and the city's mayor from 1984-87 and 2000 -06. He was elected mayor a third time in November.
He also had served as a councilor- at-large, a Ward 4 councilor, and on the Planning Board, Comprehensive Plan Committee, the Hallowell Annex Advisory Committee and Old Hallowell Day Committee. And he presided over the Hallowell Food Bank, played Santa Claus at children's Christmas parties and was chairman of Christmas in Old Hallowell.
At least 100 people turned out on the sunny afternoon to laugh, cry, hug, eat, drink and tell their "Barry stories."
Some told stories about Timson and his affection for his band the "Fleshapoids," recalling Timson's booming voice coming from a person wearing a hula skirt and coconut bra.
Others -- many others-- remembered his love for being argumentative and how he always took the position no one wanted to take just to get a reaction.
Posters and photos from moments in Timson's life were sprinkled around the room -- a newspaper clipping on his "citizen of the year" award here; a "Fleshapoids" flier there.
Timson's friends -- many of whom had never met one another-- introduced themselves as "Barry's so and so," their affiliation with Timson always coming before their name or title.
At the door, a basket was slowly filling with donations for the Barry Timson Hall-Dale Scholarship Fund for students entering a Maine college who plan to major in politics and government "and for those students interested in harassing people in the public sector," said Dawn Gallagher.
Gallagher, a friend of Timson's and honorary emcee for the event, kicked off the service by welcoming everyone.
"Today we all come together to shake our heads in angst that he's gone and shake our heads in angst about what he did to us," Gallagher said, getting a big laugh.
Gallagher's husband, Hallowell City Councilor Phillip Lindley, then proposed a toast to Timson.
"I'm only going to say that a lot of people can say, 'He was one of my best friends'," Lindley said. "So I guess I'll just say, 'To Barry'."
The Rev. George Hickey, of Scared Heart Church in Hallowell, then spoke about his relationship with someone he called a "universal man."
"Barry didn't see color or race or creed," Hickey said, "he saw community and needs and lived a life of making things better for the whole.
"He loved this town, these people -- he loved each one of you."
Hickey also told the crowd he plans on inviting all of the area ministers to an ecumenical service at a later date so that people could come, "do their own thing" and remember Timson.
Margot Sullivan, Timson's sister, spoke about a brother who was "remarkable, one-of-a-kind and over-the-top."
Sullivan said that the people of Hallowell were Timson's true family.
"You put up with his high jinks," Sullivan said. "You, as his true family were there with him in sickness and health."
Sullivan joked that although the people of Hallowell may have many a story about her brother, "you never built a house on Monhegan with Barry.
"He had this list in his head of what a cottage in Maine should have. So we had to have six frying pans, a flag with a pirate's cross on it and silverware for 48 people," she said.
She then thanked Hallowellians for keeping Timson's memory alive.
"You're left with a legend-- maybe not as famous as Paul Bunyan, though," Sullivan said.
Sullivan's son, Mark, then remembered his uncle and encouraged people to incorporate something they knew about Barry into their daily lives.
"Now I'm not suggesting you become a really loud snorer -- or that you run for Hallowell mayor -- but maybe you can bake some muffins and share them with your neighbor," he said.
Former Hallowell resident, Lyddy Doyle, who now lives in Connecticut, spoke about the special relationship she had with the man who helped her learn to drive.
"I first met Barry in 1981 or 1982 at Hall-Dale during a basketball game," Doyle said. "My friend said, 'Let's go introduce ourselves to that guy,' so we did."
One day, Doyle said, either at Slates or after just coming home from Slates, she lamented to Timson that her parents wouldn't take her driving.
"Sunday morning be ready," Doyle said Timson told her.
"He took me to every hill in Hallowell ... and made me stop in the middle and I'd stall the car and start crying and say, 'This car hates me.' And he'd tell me, 'The car is an inanimate object. It cannot think or feel'," she said.
She talked about how Timson was there for her graduation from Hall-Dale.
And from college in Cambridge, Mass.
And how he walked her down the aisle on her wedding day.
"He grabbed my hand and told me, 'Don't forget to smile'," Doyle said. "When my first daughter was born, Hannah, he would just linger with her ... he was great," she said, with tears in her eyes.
Doyle's daughter called Timson "Grampy Bear."
One of the most poignant moments during the service came from a question raised by Hallowell resident Larry Davis.
"Did Barry adopt Hallowell, or did Hallowell adopt Barry?"
Elizabeth Comeau--623-3811, Ext. 433
ecomeau@centralmaine.com
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