Christening at McGinnis, part 4

A few people caught my attention during the christening ceremony of the M/V Chuck Piepmeier and the M/V Garry Lacey on June 10.

There was this pair of fellows who I assume were father and son. They showed up in several photos we took, and they were right behind us in the food line afterward, but we never got their names or who they were. If you guys are reading this, my apologies.

There was also this gentleman who took several photos of his own that day.

He was Chuck Piepmeier's father, Wally, who a long time ago sold insurance to McGinnis Inc. and suggested McGinnis as a place where his son might want to work.

Next: Six more photos and we call it quits for now.

Christening at McGinnis, part 3

Among the speakers that day:

Doug Hedrick, general manager of operations for McGinnis Inc. at Cincinnati:

McGinnis employee Pete Axt receives a framed letter of commendation from McGinnis President Rick Griffith for his work and supervision in refurbishing the M/V Chuck Piepmeier.

 Doug McGinnis, owner of McGinnis Inc.

And Garry Lacey said a few words. So did Chuck Piepmeier, but if I took any photos of him speaking, I can't find them. I may have been too busy writing down what he said, and he ended his comments before I had raised my camera.

The people who attended ...

Next: Some of the people who were there.

Christening at McGinnis, part 2

Continuing with the big event at McGinnis Inc. on June 10:

Garry Lacey was hired by McGinnis on June 23, 1980, as the supervisor of the company's dry cargo barge cleaning facility at Ludlow, Ky., at Ohio River Mile 473. He remains in that capacity today.

Chuck Piepmeier was hired by McGinnis on June 6, 1988, as a a dispatcher of its Cincinnati-area fleeting and harbor service at Mile 480, where the double-christening ceremony was held.

A few photos follow. In the first one, Lacey is the guy in the gray shirt and sunglasses. Piepmeier is in the blue shirt to Lacey's immediate left.

I wanted to get a shot of Lacey smashing the bottle on the boat bearing his name, but he did it before I could get set up for it. C'est la vie.


Next: Photos of the ceremony speakers and audience.

Happy birthday, America (and my wife)

And happy birthday to my wife of 25 years, a girl from the coal camps of southern West Virginia who, despite her love of science, is still trying to understand why someone gets so excited at seeing a new boat or bridge or dam or sunrise or sunset or litter or dead fish or anything else on, in, over or beside the Ohio River.

It's in my DNA. That's all I know how to say it.

I'm glad she's managed to put up it with it all these years and, we both hope, many, many more. The fact our two-year-old granddaughter gets excited at the sight of a bridge or a boat gives me hope my DNA lives on.