Piragis Memories
Joe Seliga developed a special friendship with
many of the employees at Piragis Northwoods Company. Below are the
thoughts and remembrances of Joe from many of them.
THOUGHTS AND
REMEMBRANCES BY JOE'S FRIENDS AT PIRAGIS...
Missing Joe by
Steve Piragis
We each have events that demarcate our lives. My father’s
death 5 years ago created a point in time that became the before and
the after. Yesterday was another one of those dates. Joe Seliga left
this world after 94 years of making canoes and making friends. For
me, from now on, there will always be the time when Joe was with me
and the time after.
What makes one person so special to so many is really hard to
define. Joe was one of those people. He was very lucky in life to
have such good health for so long. At 94 you would never consider
him old. Maybe it was his genes and maybe it was all the cedar dust
he breathed for so long but physically Joe Seliga was one very lucky
guy. Oh, he had a little hearing loss like a lot of us in our
fifties do and his grip had weakened just a little but he still
could read without glasses and his full head of hair was still
mostly black. Even more remarkable than his physical self, Joe was
mentally sharper at 94 than most 40 year olds I know. He, amazingly,
remembered almost every one of the 675 canoes he built and the
customers he built them for. So many times I was with Joe when he
recognized an old customer and spoke with them like an old friend,
recalling the day they picked up their canoe at his shop. And some
of these sales occurred in the 1960’s. His stories of Ely during his
childhood at the time of World War I would mesmerize his listeners
as did his fishing tales with long time paddling and fishing buddy
Checker Hillman. Joe was a very lucky man to have enjoyed such a
long life with extraordinary physical strength and mental acuity but
in fact it was those of us who knew Joe who were the luckiest. He
taught us so much about life that we should all take to heart. He
found a joy in his work. He focused his creative energy into making
a wood canvas canoe that is considered one of the finest ever made.
His last day in the shop was a week ago Wednesday. He also focused
on family and friends. He was never without a smile for everyone he
met, almost never without a glib comment to his friends and of
course a hug for every gal who ever danced with him. And, there are
a lot of dancing partners out there who will miss his suave moves at
this winter’s Mukluk Ball. Thanks Joe for showing us how to live and
letting us into your heart. You’ll be with me in my heart forever.
JOE'S LASTING IMPRESSION by
Amy Wier
In the short time I knew Joe he left a lasting
impression. Everyday he stopped in to Piragis he was full of smiles,
this was admirable because despite losing his dear wife Nora he kept
busy and enjoyed the company of family and friends. I thought it
kind of funny his coming in and asking for his daily "battery
charges" (hugs) but reflecting on the routine, I believe this
"charge" really was the key to his happiness and zest for life. We
will miss Joe but his impression will always be remembered in his
wonderful smile and the gesture we all should share with those we
love, the "battery charge".
So in memory of Joe, hug someone you love.
Joe – The Smiling Man by Drew
Brockett
I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed Joe and how
wonderful it was to get to know him in and out of Piragis Northwoods.
He was an incredibly special man and friend. One thing that I’ll
remember, and that everyone should learn from, is that he always had
a smile on his face. He was very positive and enjoyed each day.
Whether I was visiting him in his workshop, driving him to a dinner,
or watching him come into our office, he was always cheerful and
happy. Joe told me that he was having so much fun over the past few
years and that put a smile on my face. He was very skilled with
wood, but he was also very skilled in loving life. Take a lesson
from the master craftsman. It is a blessing to have someone like Joe
come into your life. He will be greatly missed. Keep on paddling,
Joe!!
Joe, We'll Miss You! by Laurel
Popplar
What a wonderful man! It was to our delight that Joe was
a special friend of ours. He graced our store many days with his
warm heart freely accepting generous hugs from the ladies. Joe had
many stories to tell most of which were how wonderful people were to
him. He was overwhelmed with the kindness that so many people showed
him. I’m so thankful that I got a little space in his life, and that
he would come to my desk just to chat & get a little charge for his
battery. He was a jewel, and will be missed deeply.
Remembering Joe
by Bert Heep
How do you say goodbye to somebody like Joe Seliga?
Reluctantly, is the word to comes to my mind. I miss him already and
I am sure that feeling will not diminish for a long time. We had a
history of teasing each other. He had great fun sharing a story
about me that seemed to change and grow with each telling. The story
goes something like this -- Several years ago, I was walking through
the gear room at Piragis Northwoods and I saw Joe talking with some
folks. I came up behind him and placed my hands over his eyes and
waited for him to guess who it was. Evidently, my stomach was
pressing into his back and he started to chuckle in his inimitable
fashion and said that whoever it was seemed to be pregnant. Well,
this brought great laugher from all of us who were there. Especially
when he turned around and saw that it was me. I heard Joe retell
this story countless times, and each time he would get a smile from
ear to ear and carry on about how big my stomach was and how he was
positive that it was a pregnant woman behind him. The last time I
heard him tell this story -- I was most certainly 9 months along.
A few months ago, Diane and I had Joe and a few other friends out to
our cabin for dinner. I look back on this time with fondness,
especially because of something Joe shared with me that night. After
dinner Joe and I were sitting in front of the wood stove chatting
and the subject of death came up and Joe said, “I know I am getting
close to the end”. “Naw, you’re going to make it to 100 Joe” was my
reply. Then he said, “I know where I want my ashes will be spread”.
“Where is that Joe?” I asked. “At Widji -- off Chapel Point” he
said. We sat quietly for a moment, looking at the fire, and then Joe
looked at me and said, “Bert, if you are ever on Burntside Lake some
evening and you look to the west and see that big sun setting and
see this small speck on the horizon, that’s me paddling my canoe”.
Later that evening, after Joe had gone home, I sat down and wrote
those words down so I would remember them exactly as he said them.
Little did I know, that in a few short months, Joe would be off on
his journey. Happy paddling Joe! I miss you. Every time I look at a
sunset, I will look for that speck on the horizon, and I expect you
to turn around and wave.
Joe by Lisa Pekuri
Joe claimed he needed hugs from women, particularly young
women, to "charge his battery," a story we all know. This ruse was
quite effective...he'd often have his arms around two women, with
others waiting in line. Occasionally he'd take the opportunity to
refresh his knowledge of female anatomy by discretely counting ribs,
or reviewing the distance between waist and hip. Although he'd get a
charge from hugging me, I never felt any energy drain. Defying the
laws of physics, he returned more energy than he absorbed. Joe was a
generator, a synergist, a contributor, an inspiration, and a
handsome old guy with laughing eyes and a mischievous smile. His
legacy to me is his indomitable spirit and good cheer, the best
example of graceful old age.
Thoughts of Joe by Steve
Schon
Joe Seliga was one of my heroes. I met him when he was
already in his 70's and didn't get to know him well until he was
almost 90. What I admired most about him, and will remember him for,
was his positive attitude and love of life. I loved asking him about
the old days in Ely and listening to his stories. The thing is, I
rarely heard an entire story because Joe had so much fun telling it
he would start laughing partway thru and the ending got lost while
Joe closed his eyes, and finished it in a high voice with tears of
laughter filling his eyes. Like his stories I don't always know
where mine will end but I hope I have learned from Joe to thoroughly
enjoy the ride.
Memories of
Joe by John Soghigian
Sometimes I wondered how Joe could see through the narrow
slits of his squint, yet there was always a sparkle of recognition
or glint spurred by some memory that said he had the vision of an
eagle. His eyes opened wide with the excitement as a story came to
mind, or they would harden in the telling of some grim or serious
business.
He would laugh and reminisce, just an old codger to unknowing
passers-by. His fabulous memory spanned the better part of a
century. We have lost more than we shall ever know, since he never
forced his tales upon us.
He had a pursuit of excellence in his craft. Any canoe that bore
his name had to meet his exacting standards. He would joke that he
had to fire his two helpers because their efforts were not up to
snuff, those of course being "myself and I" leaving only "me" to do
the work. He liked this bit of humor so much he would chuckle each
time he told it. You did not have to talk canoes for long to realize
that this man knew them all.
Joe was special to many different people for as many different
reasons. He was a man of surprising depth, humble, loving of his
family and friends. Many will feel a large sense of loss with his
passing. Yet, such was his way that we will also feel immeasurably
blessed for having known him, somehow better, for he made us feel
special too.
Lunch with Joe by Tim
Stouffer
In August I was asked to contribute something as well as
send some pictures in for the website:
http://www.seligacanoes.org/
This is what I wrote:
"As August winds down, Joe takes time away from his garage to come
and visit us at Piragis. This is the time of sweet corn, barbecue
dinners and some of the best days to find yourself in a canoe. What
a beauty this red one is that Joe made a few years ago. I recall a
couple of summers ago after making up a batch of "fresh peach BBQ
sauce" I grabbed some left over venison BBQ and Joe and I drove out
to Steve Piragis' home for an impromptu lunch with the first fruits
of fresh sweet corn and Steve's famous pickles as the main course.
Joe had made "sloppy joes" for his dinner the night before and was
struck with the difference between homemade and canned sauce. As we
joked and talked and ate our fill, I remember looking over to catch
Joe looking at me with a big grin on his face... corn juice and
butter gracing both of our smiles. Joe's summer smile warms the
heart and it was good to see him today. I think I'll have sweet corn
for dinner and ride my bike over to Joe's workshop tonight and
return the visit."
For me, Joe was like the grandfather whom I never met (my mom's dad
died before I was born), who kept popping into my work whenever I
needed a pick-me-up. He'd share a story or he'd share lunch or he'd
tell me how beautiful my children were. He always, always, always
had a smile. When I first met him, he signed my book, and he wrote,
"to my new friend at piragis". That's how it was with Joe. It didn't
take long for him to call you friend. In fact it seemed as if the
loyalty and energy and humble pie and love just passed right through
his hand when he shook yours.
Seeing him walk away down the street with the summer sun setting is
how I'll remember him. My wife and I were having dinner on the deck
of the MOOSE with our baby daughter. Joe stopped to chat, leaning up
against the deck railing as I leaned over the top. "I gotta get
home," he said, and then, "I just came down to take a break and ran
into some people who bought a canoe back in..." He smiled and shook
his head, the twinkle in his eye gleaming before he walked away.
Today that twinkle has found its way to each of our eyes. Bright and
sparkling -- tears for our friend, Joe. Tears that remind me of our
lakes and the dip and rise of a paddle along an exquisite Seliga
hull.
See ya round the bend, Joe!
Excerpt from Piragis
Northwoods Company Newsletter:
Master Canoe
Craftsman, Joe Seliga, passes at age 94...
Joe Seliga with friends Steve and Nancy Piragis
If you’ve read our newsletters
over the past few years you’ve met Joe Seliga in our pages many
times. Joe for several years has been our friend and frequent
visitor to Piragis Northwoods. His passing yesterday wasn’t
unexpected but it was deeply sorrowful. A friend like Joe Seliga
will be sorely missed. We know many of you also know Joe or at least
know of him. Many of you have read the book about Joe and his canoe
building art. Some of you have spotted him on a summer evening
sitting at our counter and have had him autograph a book for you and
found his smile and hand shake somehow a very special moment in your
visit to Ely. We send this special edition of our newsletter today
to let you know that Joe has passed away at 94 early in the morning
of Sunday, December 18. Many of our staff have had time to consider
what Joe meant to them and we take this opportunity to memorialize
him here.
Steve Piragis
DONATIONS IN
MEMORY JOE...
Joe held Camp Widjiwagan on Burntside Lake in a special part of
his heart. His canoes are revered by campers and staff and have
traveled waters from Burntside to the Arctic. Widji as it known
locally has a special endowment created to pay for the maintenance
of Seliga canoes for generations of campers to enjoy into the
future. Joe would especially be honored if you feel so moved to make
cash contributions to that endowment. To do so send checks to:
Camp Widjiwagan
3788 North Arm Rd
Ely, MN 55731
Or more directly to:
Camp Widjiwagan Administrative Offices
2125 E. Hennepin Ave
Suite 150
Minneapolis, MN 55413
