Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: Art Thieme
Date: 10 May 08 - 09:35 AM

Mike,

Steamer
Art

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: Art Thieme
Date: 12 May 08 - 02:58 PM

refresh for some folks that can't find the thread...

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: GUEST
Date: 12 May 08 - 04:08 PM

Really enjoyed reading all the posts here. Denny you will be missed!!! As tragic as things are it is great to see someone who has touched so many people in a positive way. I know my life is better for having known him.

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: GUEST,T
Date: 13 May 08 - 09:57 AM

I rise early each day for work and drive over the Baker Bridge, just as the sun rises over the Illinois river. I lend my eyes to the Captain and let him see again the beauty of that landscape as it changes each day, just as he used to see it and countless others before. The shimmer of the sun sometimes reflects off the river and turns my eyes away, yet I know that tomorrow and a thousand more tomorrows the river will provide.

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: Art Thieme
Date: 13 May 08 - 05:55 PM

GuestT.

One of my most indelible memories is 300 miles south of here on the Ohio River. In the town of Evansville, Indiana I worked several summers in my uncle Bud's factory upstairs in a building right downtown. After my work day was over, and all the main workforce went home, I would go up to the highest floor to wait for my uncle to quit for the day. As the sun went down, diamonds and shards of sparkle glass leaped from the surface of the river. The view transfixed my eyes and hurt them too. But that gleam is with me now-- just as the Illinois River is with you.

Now, here in Peru, Illinois, also on the Illinois River, I can look from our top floor apartment (7th floor) and see the bluff with the big bend and a towboat pushing barges toward Utica---and then Ottawa-- and beyond.

And it's because of Denny Trone that I learned to be able to actually LOOK HARD at the river. Singing and spending long days on the Trone boats trained me to be able to see what was there.

John Hartford's fiddle back contained a beautiful inlaid steamboat. (You can see it in my River Photos.) Below that boat are the words:

NOTHING IS REAL BUT THE RIVER---AND ALL ELSE IS SHAM

Those words came from Captain Fred Way---a mentor to John and Denny both. And the Julia Belle Swain was built according to many of the original plans from Fred Way's steamboat called the Betsy Ann. --- Thanks so much for reminding me of those sparkling mirror lightshow summer afternoons on the Ohio River -- a long time ago----1957-'58-'59-'60-'61. --- Ten years later, in the early 1970s, Dennis Trone had just built the Julia Belle Swain---and he brought it to do cruises from Evansville's Dress Memorial Plaza -- right downtown--a block from that factory.

It is said that "history repeats!" Sometimes, at least, that does seem to be true--- To me, though, here in 2008, the problem and the rub seems to be that ---- it costs twice as much every time around!

Thanks for enduring my polemic...

All the best,

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Obit: Captain Dennis Trone--Julia Belle Swain
From: GUEST,Laurie
Date: 13 May 08 - 09:57 PM

I just happened on this thread and want to thank all of you for the wonderful things you have written. My mother was a cousin and a classmate of Denny's and we were blessed with taking a trip with Denny from LeClaire to Galena. We were equally blessed when we pulled in to Savanna and Libby got on board. There were a lot of relatives on board for that trip and I will never forget it. It was the most peaceful and enjoyable trip I have taken. The love for the river and for people was evident. I can hear it in all of you. Thank you for sharing your memories and God Bless all of You.