“That was so like her — buying one stamp to mail in her little donation to the cancer society,” Holloway said.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian physicians later said 71-year-old Mickey’s heart exploded.
She died at Hoag after some 20 hours on life support. Her aorta, the largest artery in the body, had ruptured with no warning.
“When doctors saw what had happened, they knew there was no way she was going to make it,” Holloway said.
A few days later, the envelope Mickey was trying to mail came back to the couple’s Newport Beach home because it was mailed with insufficient postage.
The stamp she purchased that day had a picture of a heart on it.
Although Mickey’s death came just weeks before opening day at Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Phil knew he had to finish Cathleen.
“For Mickey,” he said.
Working on the boat sometimes up to 18 hours a day, Phil, his family and a crew of workers managed to get Cathleen almost finished in time for opening day at the club a few weeks ago.
Some electrical wiring and a few other finishing details still needed to be put on the old yacht, but Cathleen was in presentable shape to compete for a trophy on opening day.
“It was good therapy for me to work on the boat, it’s a way for me to work through my grief,” Phil said.
Helping put the final touches on the furnishings aboard Cathleen, Holloway came across her mother’s sketches for what she hoped the interior of the boat would look like — simple and elegant in neutral tones with a few nautical-themed knickknacks strategically placed.
“It looked just like the sketches, just how she envisioned it would be,” Holloway said.
Phil thought Cathleen might win a trophy for best vintage yacht, but instead took home best-in-show honors.
“I think there was an emotional connection as the announcement was made that Cathleen was the winner,” Gilbertson said.
“The applause was loud and genuine.”
Accepting the grand-prize trophy, Phil said two words.
“Mickey Rowe.”
About Cathleen
Cathleen is a Calkins 50 vintage wooden sailboat, built in 1959 in San Diego.
Phil Rowe believes there are as many as 22 Calkins 50s in existence and wants to start a club for other owners. E-mail phil.rsm@gmail.com for more information.
