Shirley Palmer gave thefollowing speech at the building dedication.

Albert (Ab) was born at the home of his grandfather Allen’s Farm overlooking the Westport River. He said from then on the river had run through his veins ever since.

As a youngster he used his grandfather Palmer’s skiff to go quahogging and fishing. At the age 8 or 9, he went lobstering, weekends, with his father on his boat. He joined the Navy in WWII and served in Attu and Guam where he ran a tug boat. On return, he continued to work the river. I remember his comings to sell quahogs and my mother would buy 14 or 15; probably charged no more than 25 cents. Over the years he told about a neighbor buying three. He thought it was a mighty small chowder.

At first, he was hired as a part time Shellfish Constable, working every weekend and Wednesday during the week. He worked as a carpenter the other four days. Later he was appointed as the first full-time Shellfish Constable. There were several good years shellfishing. The banner years scalloping he would say that many Westport families would have a real good Christmas. These were long days patrolling the river, leaving home before dawn and coming home after dark. No matter what the job was, he gave 100%.

He worked with the Department of Marine Fisheries and gained knowledge from them. He had great respect for Mike Hickey, Jack Fisk, and Arnie Carr, to name those in my memory. He worked not to just enforce the law, but to better the river and encourage people to appreciate all the river had to offer.

There were many days and nights searching for missing people; most always in dense fog. The town cruiser and our pick-up truck were vandalized in our yard while Albert was at town meeting. Another time, the town boat was burned. Both incidents were after he had made arrests. His own boat and motor was stolen after he retired.

He was proud and grateful to the town to have this position for so long. After he retired he was interviewed by the Providence Journal. They asked if he was going to change his phone number. He said that wouldn’t be fair “it’s the public that paid me when I was working and it’s the public that’s paying me now.” The calls kept coming.

We would like to thank the Town of Westport, the Board of Selectmen, and the Shellfish Department. Our family especially wants to thank Gary Sherman for his idea in naming the building in Ab’s honor. Thank you all for coming today. This tribute, I feel, was for everything Albert stood for; honesty, dedication and caring. Ab would be pleased.

Shirley Palmer

September 22, 2007

Editor’s note: Ab passed away in 2007.

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