from the Bolger news group:
In the early morning hours of Sunday May 24th 2009 Philip Cunningham
Bolger of 66 Atlantic Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts took his own
life, out of his own free will, shooting himself in the head with his
Colt 45. I awoke later to his absence and found his body on our
property out of public sight. The matter is under routine investigate
by the Massachusetts State Police and Gloucester Police Department.
He had observed the progression of declining mental faculties in
earlier generations of his family. He expressed this concern as early
as forty years ago while discussing science fiction with one nephew.
Phil speculated about developing a machine to test for senility; the
patient would be killed painlessly if the machine determined the onset
of senility. The point was to relieve the individual of any terrifying
concerns about a slow, pernicious, and painful demise.
By May '09 at 81 he was in excellent physical shape for his age. What
Phil and I, his wife and full business partner Susanne Altenburger had
come to notice over a number years were intermittent but mounting
episodes of apparent cognitive decline ranging from near funny to
seriously disturbing. In business it came to express itself in a less
efficient design process and diminishing productivity. On the personal
level his recognition of the condition went from not noticing, over
denying it, to gradually recognizing that he would not be spared
either. We openly and soberly discussed the repercussions, options, and
likely outcomes of this unfolding reality. And he made amply clear his
insistence on controlling his final fate if at all possible.
This reality emerged amidst an intriguing series of consultancies for
US Navy, and increasing pro-bono work (1750+hrs) in an effort to
prepare the Gloucester commercial fishing fleet for the age of
$5.-+/gal.
- The relationship with Navy has just recently been refreshed again in
a warm and productive encounter with our client/patron, a Division
Director at NAVSEA.
- On the 'Low-Carbon' fisheries-project he recently has had opportunity
to personally present the policy-proposal to Congressman John Tierney's
respectful and encouraging reception, with key policy-advisors in both
U.S. Senator's offices studying the proposal as well. He did take great
comfort in the trust and support expressed by 40 local professional
fishermen of all tribes and fisheries, a select number of shore-side
stake-holders, and the continued encouragement by New England's
Conservation Law Foundation. But after well over six emotionally
exhausting years his efforts had yet to find constructive reflection in
catalyzing jobs- and tax-base-generating marine-industrial local and
state public policy for his ailing home-port, America's oldest Seaport
of Gloucester.
The mounting stress of working on these serious and pressing matters
alongside the regular design-work affected Phil's and Susanne's health,
nerves and outlook more and more. So much was at stake and yet options
were diminishing. A broad range of attempts to modify Phil's and
Susanne's work routine to accommodate his slowing productivity proved
ultimately unsuccessful. In the end, as defined by Phil this Sunday
morning, he came to conclude that the inevitability of progressively
losing his intellectual faculties and psychological strength had been
confirmed often enough. He would not wait until he could no longer
clearly discern the curve of his mental decline and concurrent
emotional weakening.
Phil's personal life and body of work were an expression of firmly
defined and ever broadened independence from deeply-entrenched
conventions, intangible superstitions, and other known limitations on
the free use of mind and thus sound judgment. He lived that way and
decided to leave us that way.
He stated repeatedly that he has had 'a good ride', he marveled at many
small and larger instance of good luck, was immensely pleased to have
on major occasions in his life taken the right decisions - including
asking me to join him in life and work - and expressed no fear of
dying, only his concern for survivors. And without you all there none
of this would have been more than some obsessive compulsive need to
cover paper with ink.
We both understood, along now with a growing number in his family and
friends, that there would never be a 'good time' to lose him, only that
things would most likely become worse for him and us.
Phil Bolger's body of work will remain with Phil Bolger & Friends,
Inc. under my guidance. Over fifteen years of shared life and work,
Phil had progressively made the explicit point for me to gradually
assume the conceptual leadership of the venture with more and more of
the work developed by me and vetted by Phil's deep and broad personal
and historic perspective. With his death is lost his immense personal
knowledge, unceasing inquisitiveness, constructive contrarianism, quick
and warm humor, casual if not mischievous wit, and so often joyful
outlook on to the next project.
I have had to let go of my closest deepest friend, this most
encouraging and understanding master of his craft and art. I feel
amputated in ways yet to be fathomed. He counted on my and your
resilience to use the spirit of his work to make the most of our time
on water in work and play.
Funeral and Memorial arrangements have not yet been made.
His request is to be cremated.
Mid-term it would seem an appropriate expression of love and respect
for Phil Bolger to consider assembling here in Gloucester the largest
fleet ever of his designs in all sizes and configurations for a
memorial day on the waters that shaped, nurtured, and inspired him.
Perhaps late summer/early fall would allow enough time for this
project. Cape Ann has a campsite, numerous motels, lots of protected
waters to overnight on. As the immediate vehemence of this loss will
eventually wear off some, I would be very gratified to help structure
this event. I hope that Phil Bolger's Friends will take it upon
themselves to organize this salute to him.
Susanne Altenburger, in this time of grief with ever so important
assistance by Holbrook Robinson, and Tom and Ben Bolger who were here,
immediately, helping me focus with sound council based on personal
connections with Phil for far longer than I ever had.
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