To the Editor:

The obituary for Richard Speidel in the September 18 edition of The St. Ignace News celebrated the life of an extraordinary man whose achievements can be duplicated by few. What was amazing about this remarkable person is that those of us who grew up with him on Urie Bay just knew him as "Dick." He was a kind, gentle man, who was committed to family and friends, and who never talked about his achievements. Dick showed an exhilarating zest for life. Every summer, we could hear him laughing and whistling as he trotted down his dock early in the morning with either a fishing pole or golf clubs in hand. He was an intrepid fisherman all of his life, and we all remember the day when he was young, screaming across the bay for his dad to come help him, for he had just landed a monster pike.

In later years, he fished even when there were no fish, and reported his findings each summer to the Les Cheneaux Islands Association, an organization he was dedicated to, and where he recently served as president. He always warned us that he was writing a book about Les Cheneaux, and each of us wondered if we would be one of his island characters. Dick died at his beloved cottage, and those of us who knew him will now see his spirit and love of the islands in every wave and sunset.

The fact that he was just "Dick" shows his great humility, and that may be the greatest gift he gave to all of us. Jill and Dick Bigler Judi Minges Mary Jane and John Richter Les Cheneaux