RE: Cousin Bob Walker

[Chuckigo@att.net]

i received this very elegant note from Bill Therriault, 
former radio professional here in Portland regarding 
Cousin Bob Walker.  i ask your indulgence as i share it 
here:

Bill T wrote:

>>I have had the pleasure of knowing a great many good 
people in my time, but Cousin Bob was the kindest, 
gentlest person I have ever known.  He was extremely 
generous with his time.  He had the rare ability to 
laugh off other's foibles and to see the goodness in 
people.  He also helped others see the goodness in 
themselves.

He was also willing to pose difficult questions, both to 
others and to himself.

Bob handled difficult times with incredible poise.  He 
had a strong work ethic and an innate sense of dignity. 
He also had a dry sense of humor and, like many people 
of his generation, a willingness to see the absurbity of 
life.  Cousin did wonderful things with the english 
language, with sounds, and with the visual arts.

Bob was born in 1942, and he was of his generation.  He 
viewed the early days of television and was formed by 
radio --- both late 40's - early 50's pre-rock 'n roll 
pop music radio, and the glory days (1955 - 70ish) of
locally-owned top 40.
He  graduated from Deering High in 1962, and went to art 
school in Boston.
He was a set designer on Club 13, WGAN-TV's local teen 
dance show in the mid 60's (a show that yours truly 
remembers watching as a little tyke in Westbrook).  He 
was a dj in the early days of FM radio in the Portland
area --- a pioneer.  He was later a much-liked morning 
radio host.

Cousin, charmingly, maintained the enthusiasms of 
boyhood.  He loved rock 'n roll, 1950's and 60's 
American cars, all things nautical.  In his 50's,
already suffering from cancer, he studied for and 
received his pilot's license, and captained  boats on 
Casco Bay.  To see Cousin Bob at the helm, to my eyes 
anyway, was to really see the man.

One 4th of July in the mid-1990's, while I was still in 
radio, I was on Casco Bay on a boat piloted by Cousin.  
On board with us were Bernie, Brad and Robin Hughes, and 
a number of radio station contest winners.  It was a
beautiful summer evening, everyone was in a good mood.  
The Bay and Harbor were crowded --- not unpleasantly --- 
with boats of all kinds.  Cousin steered his passengers 
through a few of the islands, narrating all the while
over the ships simple sound system in a gentle voice.  
He blended historical facts and old Yankee legends with 
a deep appreciation of the natural beauty of the bay and 
islands.  It was spellbinding.  Later in the evening, as 
the sun went down behind the city, he safely steered us 
to anchor off the Eastern Promenade.  He cut the engines 
and we sat, feeling the boat rock, and watched the 
fireworks.  It was one of the most beautiful evenings of 
my life.

I'm realizing how often I think of Cousin Bob, and what 
a wise and generous soul he was.  I will always miss 
him.<<

- -Chuck Igo