Christine Whelan FEO, September 1, 2022, 2022, VOL. 4 ISSUE 1
“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my best friend and local legend, Paul Kassay Jr., surrounded by his family. Paul was 91 years old.” Rick Doan’s Facebook post on August 14th sent a ripple effect throughout Greater Fort Erie, especially Crystal Beach. Paul Kassay, long ago, was given the title Mr. Crystal Beach.
Mr. Kassay was survived by his wife Peggy, son Chris (Adriana), who lives in Arizona, daughter Paula, who lives in Florida and daughter Debbie, who lives down the street from her mom in Crystal Beach.
Rick’s dedication to his friend, in almost 70 photos, along with a write-up of the project and adventures they had together, was posted on Doan’s Facebook Page, Ridgeway, Ontario, History following the announcement. “The family asked me to post it.”
What made Paul Kassay Jr. Mr. Crystal Beach?
I knew Rick could answer this question best. “Paul is an icon of Crystal Beach and the area. He’s ingrained in the community in Crystal Beach and beyond with his involvement and the things he did for Crystal Beach, the organizations, committees and events he had joined.
“For instance, he was a member of the Ridgeway/Crystal Beach Kinsmen. But he wasn’t just a Kinsmen. He worked hard at that and got the ambulance going. It was an old station wagon made into an ambulance. At times, he had to drive it. He had the photo studio on Farr Avenue, across from the graveyard and he’d be called to take the ambulance so he had to run people to the hospital. He had some stories about that. One woman had a baby on the way. Another had a gunshot and didn’t make it. At age 40, he received a lifetime membership for his contributions.”
Crystal Beach, as the smiling sun logo represents, was and is about fun and happiness. Paul Kassay represented Crystal Beach with his character and his kindness. “He was kind to everybody. He helped anybody if anybody called him.
“He perpetuated this with his photos and postcards. He would go into the amusement park and take pictures, making postcards out of them. His legend lives on in his photos and postcards.
His Photography: His Legacy
Paul was born in Welland and moved to Crystal Beach with his family as a youth, where they ran a ‘Resort’ home. Then, he worked at his family business, The Derby Market. “While working at his family’s business, he also worked with a local photographer, Harry Woolever. He tutored under Woolever which led him to start his own photography emporium called Edgewood Studio on Farr.”
According to Rick’s Facebook post, “Paul expanded into covering local news. In the ’60s, there were many local fires he covered. He sold these photos to the local and Buffalo papers. He then expanded into photojournalism, doing pieces for the Buffalo and Courier Express in Buffalo. He started filming news events and he told me he had to run to Toronto with footage. The same day, he had to run to the Buffalo stations as well.”
Paul and Rick
Rick took some time to reminisce with me. “I knew him almost all my life. I actually knew him when I was younger but I wasn’t friends with him then.” Paul was 20 years older than him.
“He took a picture when I was in the choir at church. That’s how I knew him. He took all the school pictures around here, church, wedding, passport photos, and family pictures. In the 1960s, he was also a disc jockey. So, he would photograph a wedding and then would be the disc jockey for the reception.
“And then we got together to do these projects. Some of them were really good. Some of them weren’t easy.”
Their Projects: A Legacy Continued
“When the SS Canadiana,” one of the ferries that brought thousands of Americans to the amusement park and back years ago, “was being dismantled in Port Colborne, Paul, the late Harvey Holsworth and I bought the propeller, driveshaft, capstan and bollard.”
They worked with the Town of Fort Erie to have them installed at Waterfront Park in Crystal Beach, raising the $3,000 it took to accomplish the task. “It was a humungous task.”
Doan shared, that they worked very well together on these projects. “We really clicked and that’s why these projects came together. The next one was a plaque for the six sailors who were lost on the ship LV 82 off Point Abino in 1913. Paul was most proud of that project. It took a long time to put it together with the US and Canadian Coast Guard and other local agencies. Paul borrowed a canon from the BCC and we fired off six shots, one for each of the sailors. After each shot, all the boats and ships stationed there blew their horns and whistles and a local youth marine group rang a large bell.”
Their next project was getting a huge anchor donated by Kassay’s friend, Barney, to Waterfront Park.
“Paul’s legacy lives on with his name on each one of the plaques down at Waterfront Park, as well as the plaque at the corner of Ridgeway and Erie Roads, dedicated in memory of Crystal Beach Park.”
Mr. Kassay also belonged to and participated in the Friends of Crystal Beach, the Memories of Crystal Beach and other local projects. Together with the late Janet Truckenbrodt and Rick, they petitioned the Town of Fort Erie Council to restore the Point Abino Lighthouse as it was falling apart, which did happen in 2012.
“One project that didn’t go through,” but is still worth mentioning, “was, we were going to blow the Point Abino lighthouse foghorn. We had everything pretty well lined up. We were told we couldn’t do it. We put a lot of effort into it but it didn’t go. Not every project was successful.”
Paul and Rick participated in a WNED Channel 17 film that was done on Crystal Beach. “They actually came here and shot the interviews with Paul and me in my living room. They had to turn off my fridge because they couldn’t have any noise. Then they put their keys in the fridge so they wouldn’t forget to turn the fridge back on.
“They set Paul in a chair and they put up a background of artifacts and then they put me in the same chair and asked me questions, putting different artifacts in the background.”
The two friends and crew then went to Lake George to ride the Comet. “We had to ride it five times in a row because they didn’t get the shot that they wanted. After five times, we decided not to walk around the park but to head back home. Our backs were so sore. There was a bump in the ride.” However, he admitted. “It was still fun.”
Mr. Kassay co-produced two videos on Crystal Beach Park. The first was The Life and Times of Crystal Beach with co-producers Janet Truckenbrodt and Cathy Herbert.
“And the video we put together is called, Thanks for The Memories. We had still pictures. We had a video. We had 16mm film. We had so much to put together. Finally, we did it. We got it together. That was a really tough project. We got it out there. It’s another one of these films about Crystal Beach Park that actually came from many, many people.” At some point, Rick is going to upload it online.
“We did projects together up until about 10 years ago. In later years, we did Tim’s every week until he could no longer go due to his health.”
Paul and Rick went to Waterfront Park whenever there was a storm approaching to get those awesome storm shots.
“He was a legend.” Crystal Beach’s legend.
So, the next time you venture down to Waterfront Park for the Supper Market on a Thursday evening, a concert on a Sunday, or to just capture a moment alone for the visual beauty and emotional grounding, remember to take a stroll around the park, visit the plaques, read your local history. As so, the legend will live on.
Paul Kassay Jr.: April 3rd 1931-August 14th 2022
There will be a memorial event for Paul Kassay Jr. — Mr. Crystal Beach — to be held in the future.
Photo provided by Rick Doan —
