Photos from this year’s sailing event have been posted to the official Gosport Regatta Facebook page.

It may have been a rainy day but it was certainly memorable for all involved. Relive the experience, and those who couldn’t make it can see just what you missed out on.

See the gallery on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us while you’re there!

Casey Frazer Hill Mercer died unexpectedly at the age of 28 on June 16, 2011 of injuries sustained in a in a single car accident on June 9, 2011 that occurred in Phippsburg, Maine. Casey married Tim Mercer, the love of her life, on August 22, 2009.

Casey was born in Providence, Rhode Island on June 21, 1982. She attended Fiske elementary school, and the Diamond and Clarke Middle Schools in Lexington. Casey attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts where she was the recipient of the Lorant Fellowship, which honored the student who characterized “The Most Earnest Endeavor”. This award allowed her to spend the summer after her junior year studying and exploring art, architecture and culture in Barcelona, Spain. After graduating from Phillips Academy, she continued her education at Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor society. Casey studied Spanish and Linguistics, and spent a semester in Chile perfecting her language skills.

After college, Casey explored a variety of career options, working as a paralegal in Boston, as an international travel consultant for NETC in Cambridge, and a public relations associate for Nike Communications in New York City. Casey found her true calling three years ago when she accepted a teaching position at the Hyde School in Bath, Maine. Casey was teaching Spanish and coaching cross country running, swimming and diving. In her last year at Hyde, Casey was the Head of the Foreign Language program and head of house in a girl’s dormitory at the school. She was to start a new teaching position at the Kent School in Connecticut this fall, again teaching Spanish, coaching sports and living in a dorm.
(more…)

The Star Island community mourns the passing of Bill Clegg, former president of Star Island Corporation and affectionately referred to as “Mayor of Star Island,” who passed away on Friday, June 3, 2011.

A memorial for Bill will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Karen, Garrett, and Sarah Mills’ place at 205 North Farms Road, Coventry, CT 06238.

All are welcome—friends, family, extended community—to come share in honoring Bill, to join in the festivities, and to share in any way you are inspired, whether it is by sharing a story or song with the whole group, bringing a photo, painting, a written story, or favorite recipe for the memory book—or simply by your presence. We look forward to seeing you to honor Bill and his life.

Please RSVP at the latest by June 15 to Ellen Clegg at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Deb Weiner has shared some of her memories of Bill:

Bill was jokingly known, to some of his friends, as “The Mayor of Star Island” during the time when he was President of the Star Island Corporation. He understood what a small, inbred ‘town’ Star was, and viewed his role as President as one akin to being the Mayor of a small village: keep the peace, help move the economy in productive ways, perform good works to advance the position of the town, shake hands with visitors and newcomers, honor the history of the community.

He was a very, very good Mayor, and — in my opinion — helped to save Star Island from possible bankruptcy during his Presidency, through his dogged work, determination, and good management skills. All of us who visit Star for a day, a week, or a lifetime should take a moment to say a small word of thanks to Bill for helping to ensure that the place has remained open and available for us to visit: it was not a given that this would be so.

The full text can be found at Deb Weiner’s blog.

Rosalind “Rozzie” Holt, age 95, passed away peacefully on May 19, 2011 at the Lafayette Center in Franconia, NH.

She was born in Boston, MA on March 3, 1916, the daughter of Whipple F. and Bertha L. Smith, and grew up in Swampscott, MA. She was a graduate of The Winsor School in Boston and of Vassar College, class of 1937.

She was predeceased by her husband, Hermon Holt, 3rd, in 1994 and by her sister, Virginia Symonds in 2004. She leaves behind her daughters, Carol Mairs of Palm Bay, FL and Barbara Holt of Dover, NH; her son, Robert Holt and his wife, Katharine of Bethany, CT; grandchildren, Karen Mairs French of Dover, NH, Wendy Mairs Ross of Chesterville, ME, Ryan Holt of Bethany, CT; great-grandchildren, Preston Ross and Gracie Ross of Chesterville, ME; several nieces and nephews.

At Rozzie’s request, there will be no funeral service. Interment will be private in Franconia at a later date. For those who wish, donations in her name may be made to the Star Island Corp., 30 Middle St., Portsmouth, NH 03801; Franconia Heritage Council, P.O. Box 169, Franconia, NH 03580; or Shoals Marine Lab, Cornell University, Box 223623, Pittsburgh, PA 15251-2623.

*****************************

Fred McGill, on page 256 of his 1984 book, “Choose Something Like a Star,” offered A Tribute to Rozzie Holt. Additional biographical information is included on pages 203-204.

Roz was familiar with the Shoals during the 1930s, her grandchildren report, working as a staff waitress and making the acquaintance of “Uncle Oscar” Laighton. She began her second period of association with the Star Island Corporation in the early 1950s. She was an avid volunteer, identified in minutes of several Star Board meetings, and soon became Head Housekeeper. Some of us remember seeing her, during changeover in the 1960s and 1970s, carrying a mattress under one arm as she moved it from one building to another. After a full day of changeover, she’d be at the hotel desk, ready to welcome in the incoming conference, giving out room assignments and answering questions.
(more…)