He was a true son of Gloucester, but author Joseph Garland belonged to all of the North Shore.
His passing Tuesday at the age of 88 leaves a great void in the hearts of family members, his countless friends, this region and its residents, and the veterans of World War II and other wars he honored in his epic 2008 book, "Unknown Soldiers."
Perhaps the best way to truly honor Garland's legacy is to note the mark he left on the region in books ranging from his account of life on our storied Gold Coast in the early part of the 20th century to his history of Marblehead's Eastern Yacht Club.
But Cape Ann and Gloucester in particular were Garland's favorite subjects. Indeed, virtually everything anyone will read or learn about Gloucester's history over the next 50 years or more will likely have come from the pen and/or mind of Joseph Garland.
Garland didn't just chronicle Gloucester's history, bringing to life the stories of characters like Howard Blackburn, and eras like that of the great schooners. He was very much a part of it, from his longtime advocacy on behalf of the city's fishing community to his recent opposition to the development of a new shopping center off Route 128 he feared would alter the character of his beloved community.
It was only appropriate then, as noted in Thursday's Gloucester Daily Times story, that his final minutes and passing were marked by an exchange of cannon salutes between the Garlands' small cannon outside their Eastern Point home and the one aboard the schooner Thomas E. Lannon sailing nearby.
That, of course, is a salute usually seen as honoring heads of state and other political and cultural giants. But Garland was Gloucester's true resident statesman and diplomat.
There are few people who seem truly irreplaceable, but Gloucester's Joe Garland is one of them. May he forever rest in peace.
There's little question, however, that his writings and fighting spirit will truly live forever.
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