Ed. Note: Words are inadequate to express the shock and the sadness we feel with the loss of Cathy Boas in yesterday's tragic accident. She and Ray have been selfless, steadfast and generous friends of Walpole and all the people in it since they've been here. We know everyone in town will join in caring for and supporting Ray through this miserable and difficult period. We also wish Mr. and Mrs Jeffrey Jones of Bellows Falls a successful and speedy recovery from their injuries suffered in the accident. Chuck and Sue Bingaman
The following Eagle Times story from October, 2005 the illustrates the loving, positive spirit that was Cathy Boas...
10-11-05
Walpole Residents Take in Thankful Alstead Survivor
By Chuck Bingaman, Contributing Writer
As Walpole resident Cathy Boas told it Monday morning, "I was leaving [St.
Joseph's] church on the Common yesterday morning, and I overheard an
usher talking about rescued people in pajamas over in the town hall."
"I went over and I was approached by a man was desperate to learn about his
wife and children. He knew they had been evacuated but he didn't know where
they were. Another gentleman was barefoot and he was soaking wet from
his knees down. I ran home--just next door-- got a pair of my husband, Ray's,
shoes and fortunately the shoes fit!"
But the Boases had just begun to help.
Cathy continued, "In the early afternoon Ray went back to the town hall to
see what we could do. Everyone had been placed with friends or family except
for Jack. We invited him over to watch the news on television. He was
hungry for news!"
So Jack came over for the afternoon. He spoke to the Alstead Fire
Department by telephone and learned that his house had been washed away by
the flash flood. As Cathy, put it, "We realized then that Jack needed to be
part of our family for as long as he needs to be." The Boases only learned
John Cochrane's full name Monday morning after he had spent the night.
As Jack Cochrane told the Eagle times Monday, "I live a few houses east of
the Route 123 and route 12A intersection a short way east of Alstead
village, just above the intersection of Cold River and Warren Brook. I work
for Johnson Matthey Pharmaceuticals in Andover, Mass and I commute down
there several times each week. I'm a chemical operator. My job is to
follow the instructions of the chemists and work in the production end of
it."
Cochrane came home from work late Saturday evening. As he told it
Monday, "Sunday morning at 5:30 the police knocked on the door and told
me to evacuate. They didn't tell me a time, but I took my cell phone and
packed like I was going away for a week's vacation, washed up a little bit
and off I went to the evacuation center which was the fire station in
Alstead. The surge of water came and I started to see the debris flowing
across the downtown area that is the 12A bridge.
From there they said, "You've got to go. So we went to the [Walpole] town
hall. And we spent the day there and tried to get whatever information was
available. They offered me some breakfast, and I tried to get my wits about
myself. Just tried to get organized mentally. By the time I got to
Walpole, all the radio was reporting was people calling in and saying 'I see
this floating by my house.'"
As Cochrane understood it, "What happened was there was some sort of
retaining water area below the dam and that's what let go. I grew up in CT
where dams had some sort of release that would let the pressure off dams-a
valve system for water pressure. I never heard any issues dealing with the
lake or the retention pond or a culvert when I bought the property."
Cochrane found out Monday morning that he had no insurance for his house or belongings. "I thought by saying yes to all other coverage but the one about my swimming pool I had coverage, but evidently, they attached even the start money to
flood insurance. So as far as starting over again, there isn't any money.
"I took a quick look before I left. It looked like you could go white water
rafting in the ravine below my house. But I said to myself, 'this is just
an exercise in safety and I'll be home in a few hours. Everything will be
calmed down.'"
"My house could be down in Bellows Falls by now. I started writing again a
few years ago. I wrote about 40 poems and started my passion [for poetry]
again. I lost a lot of things that my family had cherished and passed along
to me. I know they weren't first editions of Nancy Drew and things but they
were 2nd or 3rd editions that I lost. I lost-I know people in their 60s
will appreciate this-I lost all my records albums from the people like the
Beatles, the Temptations, Simon & Garfunkel, and so forth. All my jazz and
whatever is all gone, I gather. The priceless stuff like my father's gold
watch that he gave me before he passed away. Pictures-they just discovered
some pictures of my grandfather that I never knew. I had some copies of
them and they were priceless to me."
"I'm not going anywhere for a few days. Then I'm going down to Connecticut
for a few days. They want to see me and give me a hug. I have an uncle who
has offered to come up with his waders to go looking around and see if we
can salvage anything out of it. That's really nice to have family support
in a time like this."
"And please tell your readers about the Boases," Cochrane said. "They
appeared like angels just when I needed someone the most. They've been
wonderful to me!"
