I grew up in St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Camden.  When I say grew up, I mean that it was a huge part of my youth.  I was in the choir and an acolyte for many years, serving Fr. Nargesian.  When you are baptized in the Episcopal Church, you have a godfather and godmother whose responsibility it is to guide you in your spiritual life and be a mentor, helper and friend.  I’m writing about my mentor, helper and friend, Parker Laite.

As I’ve said many times before, the Camden of the 50s and 60s was a very close knit community.  Times were very different then, too.  Since people didn’t travel anything like they do today, we were all together as children, teens and adults in almost everything that went on in town.  My mother had great plans for me to graduate from the University of Maine with a college degree.  I did fine in high school, so it should have been a slam dunk. I was going to be an engineer.  There was one little problem with this whole plan.  I had done well in high school without having to study, but when I was taking physics, chemistry, calculus, etc., in college, I failed miserably.  In fact, after a meeting with the Dean of Men, I understood the necessity of my dropping out of college.  If I dropped out before flunking out, I could return after sitting out one semester.

There was a war going on. It was in Vietnam. If you were a young man not physically unfit or not in school, you got drafted.  In the eyes of a teenager back then, if you got drafted you were likely to die.  Some didn’t, but a whole lot did.  I can only speak for me and the conversations that I remember with my peers, but none of us wanted to be heroes.  We were not that patriotic.  We had no idea why we were fighting this war, but we had no options.

I dropped out of UMaine and returned the following fall.  With a better attitude and different courses I did fine, but I had no direction and couldn’t bring myself to spend my parent’s money on an education that I had no interest in.  That decision didn’t make much sense then and it doesn’t make any more sense today, but it’s what I did.  Now I had to deal with the war.

I had worked in construction and after a little bit of checking around, I found out about the Navy Seabees.  It seemed like an ideal fit.  I could join the Navy and avoid the Army draft.  I liked operating equipment and had experience.  Not all positions were open because the military was looking for foot soldiers and you had to work to get into other positions.  Or know somebody.  I can’t remember exactly how this all came about, but I know it started with Parker.

I wanted to join the Navy Seabees.  The reserves in New England had openings, but they weren’t in Maine.  Parker said he thought he could help.  Charlie Lowe, I believe, was on the draft board.  I can’t remember exactly his role, but I think Parker influenced Charlie somehow to help me out.  I think my number got passed over a couple of times. Parker knew Harry Remsen, who at the time was the Officer in Charge of the New England Command for the Navy.  Harry moved a billet from somewhere else in New England to Augusta.  I was in!  I was so excited.  I was so happy to not be drafted that I never asked any questions until sometime after boot camp and A school.  I asked a veteran Seabee “Where do Seabees go?”  His answer was Vietnam.  Not what I was expecting, but better than the infantry. As an aside, years later Harry and I met and while he didn’t remember that he had done anything for me, we became great friends.

Now that you know my story, you can appreciate how much Parker Laite did for me. Parker’s name is associated with many wonderful things surrounding Camden and bringing it to where it is today.  The kudos are well deserved.  I believe that Parker saved my life.  I really mean that. If not for Parker, and his advocating for me, who knows where I would have ended up.  My Godfather was watching over me, being a helper and a friend.

Parker and I have never talked about this.  I suspect he dismissed it as just the right thing to do and a very small effort on his part.  If he hadn’t done what he did back then, I’m not sure that I would be around to wish him the most awesome 80th birthday! I am so blessed to have you Parker as my Godfather, and to have your family in my life. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PARKER LAITE!

Bill Packard lives in Union and is the founder of BPackard.com.  He is a speaker, author, small business coach and consultant. 

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