1/14/16: 88-year-old Ralph Preston has been building model ships in bottles since the tender age of eight. After joining the Navy in WWII, Ralph sailed on real vessels and later spent 30 years teaching math at Saint Michael’s College. Over his lifetime, Ralph has produced about 15 highly intricate miniatures including boats and planes. Eva visited him at his South Burlington home and workshop to see what keeps this unique native Vermonter afloat.
Music: Phil Spitalny, “Anchors Aweigh”
This episode of Stuck in Vermont was made possible by
Hotel Vermont and Vermont Tourism
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Obituary: Ralph Preston, 1927-2020
A master ship-in-bottle maker lived a life of love and humor
Life Stories: Remembering Vermonters Who Died in 2020
Living through 2020 has meant facing reminders of death on a daily basis. As of mid-December, more than 1.6 million people had died of COVID-19 worldwide, including more than 300,000 Americans. The numbers are less dramatic in Vermont — 107 deaths as of December 22 — but the impact has nonetheless been profound: That’s more than 100 Vermont families, communities and circles of friends forever broken. Indeed, 2020 has been a year defined by loss and grief.
This article appears in The Wellness Issue 2016.
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