Carl Hathaway in his boat building shop, c. 1986
Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience
Carl Hathaway 
Carl Hathaway working on a boat in the Lake Street shop (Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 15, 1963 Born: December 30, 1929
Died: February 13, 2022
Married: Valda Ryan, September 22, 1950; died October 26, 2011
Children: Patty Hathaway, Judy Phillips
Carl Hathaway was the son of Albert Hathaway. He made and restored guideboats in the shop at 7 Algonquin Avenue, now 3 Hanmer Avenue, where he had learned the craft from the late Willard Hanmer, one of its masters. He was the fourth generation of guideboat builders to work in the small shop. He was also a guide and caretaker for nearly fifty years at the Gull Bay Camp on Upper Saranac Lake.
With Ralph Morrow, he taught a course in guideboat building for North Country Community College in the 1980s. The Adirondack Council granted him the Distinguished Achievement Award for his efforts to pass the traditional craft along to a new generation of boat builders.
Carl George Hathaway
Carl George Hathaway, age 92 of Tupper Lake, NY passed away on Sunday February 13, 2022, at his home surrounded by his family.
Carl was born in Tupper Lake on December 30, 1929, the son of Albert and Ester (Cutting) Hathaway.
After graduating high school, Carl served in the NYS National Guard from 1948 to 1955 while working along with his father caretaking at Pine Point Camp.
Carl married his sweetheart Valda (Ryan) on September 22, 1950. Together they were resident caretakers for Mr. and Mrs. John Loeb for 50 years at Gull Bay Camp.
Carl joined the Masonic Fraternity in 1957 and was an active member for 64 years along with being initiated into the Order of the Eastern Star in 1981. He was involved with Shriners Hospital sponsoring and transporting children in need.
Carl was a prominent guide boat builder for 27 years building his first boat in 1967. By 1980 having built over a dozen new boats and repaired and restored hundreds more earning him a Heritage Award from TAUNY in 1994. He enjoyed building Adirondack Chairs and teaching others to build guide boats and chairs in his free time along with traveling with his wife.
Carl is survived by his daughter Judy Phillips of Plattsburgh, his granddaughter Dove Phillips (Dan Infantino) of Plattsburgh, his grandsons: Curtis (Victoria) Switzer of Tupper Lake and Travis Switzer of Hudson Falls, 5 great grandchildren: Kyle, Jenna, Sage, Averie, Piper and Noah and 2 great great grandchildren: Madelyn and Dominick
In addition to his parents, Carl was preceded in death by his Wife Valda of 61 years and his daughter Patricia Hathaway.
Carl (Papa) will be truly missed by all who knew him.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home, 20 Church Street, Saranac Lake, NY. There will be no calling hours and funeral services will be private and at the convenience of his family.
Family and friends wishing to remember Carl George Hathaway may make memorial contributions to the Tupper Lake Adult Center, Mount Arab Lodge #487 F&AM Tupper Lake or Whiteface Mountain Lodge #789 F&AM Saranac Lake, in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. Family and friends can also share a memory, send a condolence and sign the on-line guest book at www.fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.
Lake Placid News, December 7, 1981
The Adirondack Guideboat Program at North Country Community College's Center for Humanities and Adirondack Studies will be the subject of a documentary film on TV-Channel 57, Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 9 p.m.
The documentary film, eight months in the making, research and editing, will document the guideboat program in the fall of 1980 and spring of 1981. Footage will include Carl Hathaway's shop where he and Ralph Morrow conducted two classes with 12 apprentices in each class.
In addition, the film will show two completed guideboats and the launching party on a nearby lake.
The guideboat program is in its second year with two classes meeting at Hathaway's.
From an announcement with photo in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, c. September 11, 2010:
Please come and share your memories for Carl Hathaway (son of Esther Cutting and Albert Hathaway) and Valda Hathaway (daughter of Florence Sweeney and Raymond Ryan). They are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and their 80th birthdays on September 25, 2010 from 1 to 4 p.m. The celebration will be held at the Aaron Maddox Hall, in the Junction of Tupper Lake. **Please bring no gifts ... just memories.**
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, October 9, 1975
Carl Hathaways given 25th anniversary party
"Throwing Chips" by Judy Phillips, c. 1986
Carl Hathaway harvesting ice at Gull Bay Camp
Courtesy of the Adirondack ExperienceSARANAC LAKE — A surprise 25th wedding anniversary party was given on Sept. 21 for Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hathaway by their daughters, Patty Hathaway and Mrs. Thomas Phillips, and Mrs. Hathaway's sister, Mrs. Morris Vibert.
The party, which also celebrated Mrs. Hathaway's birthday, was held at the Hathaway's home at Gull Bay Camp on Upper Saranac Lake.
Mrs. Hathaway is the former Valda Ryan. She and Mr. Hathaway were married on Sept. 22. 1950 at the First Methodist Church in Saranac Lake by the Rev. Norman Moss.
They have been resident caretakers for Mr. and Mrs. John Loeb at Gull Bay Camp for 20 years, and they also own the Hathaway Boat Shop. Among the guests who attended were: Mrs. Ralph Iacovacci.of Syracuse, Mrs. Hathaway's sister, and her husband and sons; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hart of Rochester; Mr. and Mrs. Milton Betters of Wilmington; Mr. and Mrs. Gary Saltmarsh, Fredrick Betters, Bev Barry, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Phillips and daughter, Barbara Vibert, William Kilburn, and Mr. and Mrs. Tom Phillips of Lake Placid; Esther Hathaway, Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Payment, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Walters, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Chellis, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Griffin, and Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Lalonde of Tupper Lake.
See also:
Sources:
- Pamphlet: "Guideboat Show," Saranac Lake, NY, 6/29-7/5/1983.
- Maitland DeSormo, Summers on the Saranacs, p. 131-133.
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