The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Foster Fargo, 1943–2019

Foster Fargo

Foster M. Fargo, Jr. of Lincoln, the beloved husband for 52 years of former state Senator Susan Cooley Fargo, died suddenly and unexpectedly due to a cardiovascular event on April 14. He was 76.

Born in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 3, 1943, he was the son of Ruth (Reed) Savage and the late Foster M. Fargo, Sr., a U.S. Navy pilot who died during World War II shortly after his son’s birth. Foster was raised by his mother and her second husband Harlow Dow Savage Jr., whom he adored, and lived in New York, N.Y., Riverside, Conn., and West Hartford, Conn. through his childhood years.

After graduating from Philips Exeter Academy in 1960 and Yale College in 1964, he completed a master’s degree in electrical engineering at MIT and an MBA at Harvard Business School. He worked in the emerging computer technology industry from the early 1970s and was an innovator in the development of computer display and output systems, in particular, of ink jet printer technology.

Foster retired in 2004 and committed his time to family. He was recognized by all who knew him for his unassuming brilliance and a kind, humble, stalwart presence that created spaces in which others could thrive. Even remote acquaintances commented on the twinkle in his eye.

Foster was an accomplished cook, an avid reader of mystery novels, and a wizard at solving complicated puzzles. He was a consummate putterer who could build or fix almost anything. Many in Lincoln will remember him mowing and tending the large meadow along Trapelo Road behind the Fargo home.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind his devoted daughter, Amanda Reed Fargo of Lincoln; his proud grandson, Brady Foster Fargo (who changed his middle name to honor Foster), also of Lincoln; one sister, Seddon Reed Savage and her husband William Carl Cooley (his wife’s brother) of Concord, N.H.; his sister-in law Marcia Cooley Blevins of McMinnville, Ore.; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of Foster’s life will be held on Saturday, May 11 at 11 a.m. at the First Parish in Lincoln. A private burial will be held at Lincoln Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Trustees of the Reservation, Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts, or the First Parish of Lincoln.

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or to send a condolence in his online guestbook, please click here.

News acorns

Ramsey honored for philanthropy

Meg Ramsey

Foundation for MetroWest, the community foundation serving the 33 cities and towns of MetroWest Boston, has announced that Lincoln resident Margaret “Meg” Ramsey will receive the Community Philanthropist Award.

In addition to being a trustee for the Foundation for MetroWest, Ramsey is a past board member of Belmont Day School and a past chair of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee. She also serves as a board member at the Discovery Museum in Acton, chair of the Lincoln Cultural Council, and a member of the Parents’ Council at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is founder and managing trustee of the Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation, which funds projects in arts education and general education in eastern Massachusetts.

“Meg has been involved with the work of the Foundation for more than 15 years, originally getting involved through our Youth in Philanthropy program,” said Judy Salerno, executive director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “She has always had an interest in philanthropy education, and she truly represents what it means to be not only a philanthropist and a board member but also a caring member of the community.”

Ramway will receive her award at the Spring Inspiration Breakfast on Thursday, April 25 from 9–11 a.m. at the Wellesley Country Club.

Area meeting on 5G wireless technology

A recent FCC ruling on fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology has cut local government control and reduced revenue options to towns from wireless carriers. Come learn about local options and what communities are doing in response at a meeting of HATS (Hanscom Area Town Selectmen from Bedford, Concord, Lexington, and Lincoln) on Thursday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Town Office Building.

Cecelia (Cece) Doucette, technology safety educator and founder of Wireless Education, will speak. Topics will include:

  • How will the 5G build-out work?
  • How does the recent FCC ruling on 5G limit local government control?
  • What are the revenue implications for towns?
  • Have any towns generated model Small Cell Policies, and what do they include?
  • What are the health and safety concerns associated with 5G?
  • How will the 5G infrastructure interact with 3G and 4G?
  • What are 5G’s implications for privacy, energy conservation, and legal liability?

Study calls for new DPW facilities costing $15 million

The DPW site on Lewis Street (click to enlarge).

The completed study of the options for moving some or all of the DPW’s Lewis Street functions to allow rezoning of the property recommends that the town replace the outdated facility at an estimated cost of more than $15 million.

Weston and Sampson were hired in 2017 to identify the current and future needs of the Department of Public Works and to identify a potential site to address those needs. The study will be formally presented to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, April 22  at 6:30 p.m. The board will ultimately make a decision as to whether to recommend the DPW as a future project to the Capital Planning Committee.

Weston and Sampson’s report says the current facility, which was built 60 years and has not been expanded since; does not comply with building, plumbing or mechanical codes; does not have enough space for storage or maintenance; and poses safety concerns for DPW employees.

The public works facility needs almost 30,000 square feet (about two-thirds of an acre), including 17,000 square feet of indoor vehicle and equipment storage, according to the report. The Lewis St. property facility has almost four acres, but most of the space is open to the elements.

The consultants started by compiling a list of 182 potential properties for a DPW (including Lewis St.) and narrowed it town to six, excluding most based on size, current use, and wetlands/floodplain status. The six remaining sites were Lewis St., the transfer station (both town-owned); land on Old Bedford Road owned by MassPort; land on Virginia Road owned by MassPort and the U.S. government at Hanscom Field; and land on Cambridge Turnpike owned by Farrington Memorial. Lewis St. is by far the smallest of the finalists based on acreage.

The rough cost estimate includes $8.5 million for the main building, $2.5 million in site and site support structures, $3.5 million in soft costs, and $670,000 in contingency costs, but no escalation costs.

The South Lincoln Planning and Implementation and Planning Committee is working on rezoning the Lincoln Station area, including the DPW property and will host a public forum on their work on Tuesday, May 7 from 6-8 p.m.in the Town Hall (see accompanying story).

Rezoning South Lincoln is topic of May 7 forum

South Lincoln showing proposed SLPIC projects (click image to enlarge)

A proposal to rezone parts of South Lincoln will be the subject of a public forum hosted by the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC) will hold a public forum on Tuesday, May 7 from 6–8:30 p.m. in the Town Hall.

SLPIC’s Village Planning and Zoning Team has been working on rezoning the area comprising the train station, Lewis Street including the DPW (see accompanying story), the mall, and Lincoln Road up to Codman Road as part of an effort to revitalize the area.

The agenda is as follows:

  • 6–7 p.m. — drop in and meet members of SLPIC and the town’s planning and land use staff to learn more about SLPIC efforts to create a vibrant, pedestrian friendly village center at Lincoln Station.
  • 7–8:30 p.m. — Presentation by the SLPIC Village Planning and Zoning Team on efforts to rezone Lincoln Station as an E-TOD (Equitable Transit Oriented Development). Learn more about the proposed zoning and design guidelines, followed by Q&A. 

An E-TOD is a type of sustainable smart growth development that maximizes the amount of residential, business, and public space within walking distance of public transport. A transit-oriented development encourages walkability and use of public transit to reduce dependency on cars while reducing the carbon footprint and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. “Equitable” means that people of all ages, incomes, and abilities have access to housing, services, amenities ,and public transportation.

Benefits of a transit-oriented development include:

  • Reducing dependence on driving
  • Allowing residents to live, work, and play in the same area
  • Reducing the area’s carbon footprint or negative impact on the environment
  • Providing access to better life services
  • Stimulating the local economy
  • Revitalizing town centers
  • Providing better access between urban and suburban areas, to better jobs, and to better entertainment or recreational services

Services on Saturday for Nathan Soukup, 2001–2019

Nathan Soukup

Nathan Alexander Soukup, 17, passed away suddenly on Sunday, April 14. He was the loving son of Mark Alexander and Kimberly Ann (Snelson) Soukup. He was born in Cambridge on September 19, 2001. His family moved to Lincoln where he attended Lincoln Nursery School, Lincoln Public Schools, the Fenn School in Concord, and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, where he was a junior.

A lifelong resident of Lincoln, Nathan was into many local sports and outdoor activities. He was the troop leader of Lincoln Boy Scout Troop 127 and was in the process of completing the Eagle Scout rank. Nathan was an honor roll student and a junior member of the Lincoln Historical Society. 

Nathan was passionate about history, especially as it related to his lifelong hometown. He had encyclopedic knowledge of the roads, woods, and antique homes of Lincoln, and used this information to create beautifully illustrated maps of how the town appeared in past centuries. He located former privies on historical homesites and dug for bottles, earthenware, and tools used by the town’s earliest settlers. He catalogued and researched the history of every treasure he found and took immense pride in his archaeological finds.

In addition to his passion for history, Nathan was a driven honor roll student and formidable chess player. As a competitive athlete, he was a member of the varsity crew team, the varsity wrestling team, and the varsity cross-country team. He was also an adventurer, impressing all on a family trip to Wyoming — the only one to complete the top tier of the zip line challenge, confidently scaling the mountain face and bounding down trails on mountain bike.

Nathan’s summers were spent at his beloved Camp Mowglis on Newfound Lake in NH, where he began as camper, graduated with the rarely awarded Wolf’s Paw Badge, and continued as a junior staffer. Memories of the passionate, intelligent, adventurous, and sensitive young man Nathan was will carry on with all who love him.

In addition to his parents Kimberly and Mark, Nathan is survived by his brothers Nicholas, Connor, Colin, and Johnnie Soukup. He is survived on his mother’s side by his grandmother, Joan Snelson of Bedford; his uncle Brian Snelson, aunt Ann-Marie and cousins Gina, Carley, and Thomas of Chelmsford; uncle Craig Snelson, aunt Lynda, and cousins Malakai, Xander, and Liliana of Rochester, N.H.; and aunt Kerri L’Italien, uncle Ken, and cousins Kenny and Kyle of Dunstable.

He is survived on his father’s side by his grandfather, Michael Soukup, grandmother Linda and cousins Evan and Jessica of Blue Hill, Maine; grandmother Jane Soukup and grandfather Peter Smith of Dover, Mass.; and aunt Rebecca Eiler, uncle David, and cousins James and Lauren of Hanover, N.H. Nathan is also survived by dear friends and members of the Lincoln community too numerous to mention.

Funeral services will be Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m. in the Trinitarian-Congregational Church, 54 Walden St, Concord. Interment to follow in Lincoln Cemetery. Visiting hours on Friday, April 19 from 4–7 p.m. in the Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap St., Concord.

Donations in Nathan’s memory may be made to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation 
by clicking here. 

Sailor’s delight (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Harold McAleer captured this dramatic sunset recently.

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Wine-tasting, volunteer training offered by domestic violence groups

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites the public to a free wine and beer tasting to support its annual Shower for Shelters. The event at Sudbury Wine and Spirits (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury) will be on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m.

Please bring a new, unwrapped housewarming gift to the event to help survivors of domestic violence establish new homes. Requested items include twin-size sheets and pillowcases, summer blankets, and comforters as well as bed pillows, crib sheets, bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, and small appliances. Gift cards are also welcome. Donations also help the Shelters and Transitional Housing Programs of Reach Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence.

This year’s event will also include a raffle of items including gift baskets donated by Sudbury Wine and Spirits and Starbucks of Sudbury. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the event; winners do not need to be present to win. Proceeds will be used to purchase additional gift cards as part of Shower for Shelters.

Volunteer advocate training

The Domestic Violence Services Network (DVSN) is holding its next volunteer advocate training program at the Concord Police Department from May 29 to June 14. This 40-hour training session is provided at no cost. The classes are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with a mix of “long” (9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and “short” (9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) days.  Classes will be held on the following dates: May 29 (long), May 31 (long), June 3 (short), June 5 (short), June 7 (long), June 10 (short), June 12 (short), June 14 (long).

Once trained, DVSN’s volunteer advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence. The 40-hour training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients at these venues and in its 12 member towns. For more information or to request an application, call 978-318-3421 or e-mail dvvap@concordma.gov. Applications are due by May 23.

Flashing lights have boosted intersection safety

A car drives ahead after stopping at the stop sign with flashing light on Codman Road.

The recently installed flashing red lights atop the stop signs at the intersection of Codman and Lincoln Roads have cut down on the number of accidents—and most likely removed any need for making it a four-way-stop intersection.

Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said there was a spate of serious accidents, some with injuries, in the area in front of the public safety building over a period of several weeks in 2017. The crashes usually happened when cars on Codman Road didn’t stop or give the right of way to crossing traffic because drivers thought all four roads into the intersection had a stop sign, he said.

“We were all kind of, ‘What’s this all about? This is something we need to take action immediately’,” Kennedy said. He subsequently asked Chris Bibbo, superintendent of the Department of Public Works, to install brightly colored flags atop the stop signs, which seemed to be helping, but they became tattered from the elements and were not a permanent solution.

Last fall, Bibbo suggested installing the solar-powered flashers, which went into place over the winter. “They’ve been extremely effective. Since the installation of the flags and then red flashing lights, the flow of traffic through the intersection has been much safer,” Kennedy said.

There was briefly talk of seeking Complete Streets funding to install an overhead flashing red light to make it a four-way stop, but Kennedy didn’t support it because of concerns about dangerous lines of stopped cars at rush hour (morning northbound traffic on Lincoln Road backing up onto Route 117, and evening southbound traffic backing up onto the railroad tracks).

Changing the traffic pattern by adding more controls, rather than just calling attention to the existing stop signs, would also require a traffic study, input from the Roadway and Traffic Committee, and approval from the Board of Selectmen. “It’s quite a process,” Kennedy noted.

In recent years, traffic rules were changed after much discussion at the southern Winter Street/Old Winter Street intersection, at Five Corners next to the library, and at the Silver Hill Road/Weston Road intersection.

News acorns

Dozens of bikes collected for Bikes Not Bombs

Louis D’Angelo, a volunteer from Bikes Not Bombs, and Ethan Webber, a junior at Lincoln-Sudbury, with the bikes collected in the Hartwell lot.

The Bikes Not Bombs collection in Lincoln on April 7 netted 83 bikes and monetary donations. Volunteers prepped the bikes for shipping during the day as well. The organization collects about 5,000 used bicycles and tons of used parts each year in greater Boston and New England; most are shipped to economic development projects through international partners in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Green burial information session

On Saturday, April 27 from 3–5 p.m. at the Ryan Estate (140 Lincoln Rd.), Lincoln resident Carol DiGianni will host an informational session on green burial with legal facts, logistical details, and a discussion of the personal benefits of caring for your loved one at home after death and having a natural or green burial with minimal environmental impact.

St. Julia Parish event marks 100 years

St. Julia Parish’s Centenary Gala will be on Saturday, May 4 in the St. Julia Parish Center Hall at 374 Boston Post Rd. in Weston (St. Joseph Church in Lincoln is part of the St. Julia parish). Dinner will be served at 7:15 p.m. with a cash bar. There will also be a raffle/silent auction. Tickets ($50 per person) will be on sale after Masses on March 30-31 and April 6-7 and in the parish offices until April 29. Ticket price is $50 per person. To reserve a table, please call 781-899-4734.

deCordova sponsors 5K trail run, Party for the Park 

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s annual fundraising gala, Party for the Park, will he on Saturday, May 11. The festive event—which includes cocktails, dinner, an auction of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and a dance party in the galleries—will celebrate deCordova’s integration into the Trustees of Reservations. The evening’s special guest is Anita Walker, Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council. Ticket and table proceeds from Party for the Park will help to make partnership with the Trustees possible while providing vital funds to support deCordova’s exhibitions, lectures, and programs. Tickets starting at $500 can be reserved by emailing rsvp@decordova.org or online at decordova.org/party.

The fourth annual Art and Nature 5K Trail Race kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 22. The course begins in deCordova’s Sculpture Park and continues through Lincoln’s conservation trails alongside Flint’s Pond (note that this is a trail run with lots of rocks, roots, dips, turns, and some uphill terrain). Participants are welcome to run or walk the race, and everyone gets a deCordova 5K T-shirt.

There’s also a pre-race yoga session from 8:45–9:15 a.m. New this year: children 9 and under can participate in a free 50-yard dash at 10:15 a.m. (space is limited; registration required). Register online by Tuesday, April 30 for a $5 early-bird discount. Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help with check-in, water stations, trail wayfinding, and general assistance for runners and their families. Please contact Sarah Oh at soh@decordova.org. 

Margaret Ramsey honored for philanthropy

Margaret Ramsay

Foundation for MetroWest, the community foundation serving the 33 cities and towns of MetroWest Boston, has announced that Lincoln resident Margaret “Meg” Ramsey will receive the Community Philanthropist Award.

In addition to being a trustee for the Foundation for MetroWest, Ramsey is a past board member of Belmont Day School and a past chair of the Lincoln Scholarship Committee. She also serves as a board member at the Discovery Museum in Acton, chair of the Lincoln Cultural Council, and a member of the Parents’ Council at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is founder and managing trustee of the Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation, which funds projects in arts education and general education in eastern Massachusetts.

Ramsey, who has degrees in computer science and electrical engineering, spent 20 years in software research, development, and consulting, including research positions at Bell Laboratories, teaching at Rutgers University, and co-founding a software startup company. 

“Meg has been involved with the work of the Foundation for more than 15 years, originally getting involved through our Youth in Philanthropy program,” said Judy Salerno, executive director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “She has always had an interest in philanthropy education, and she truly represents what it means to be not only a philanthropist and a board member but also a caring member of the community. She has been a wonderful friend to the foundation and an asset to our region.”

Mary Gordon, founder and president of Roots of Empathy, will be the 2019 keynote speaker at the Spring Inspiration Breakfast, where Ramsey will receive her award. The event will be held on Thursday, April 25 from 9–11 a.m. at the Wellesley Country Club, 300 Wellesley Ave.