North Star Port

Richard "Dick" Ellsworth Shaul, 72, longtime opera- tor of the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge, passed away April 30, 2023, at his winter home in Yuma, Arizona. Shaul was born in Superior, Wisconsin, and was a life- long Superior resident. His career as a professional bridge operator spanned more than 35 years. Early on he operated the old wooden Arrowhead Bridge between Billings Park and western Duluth. Then he was hired as relief operator for railroad bridges around the Duluth- Superior Harbor, including Grassy Point. Shaul retired from the City of Duluth in January 2015 as an Aerial Lift Bridge operator, a job he described at the time as having "a lot more ups than downs" and "one of the cool- est (jobs) in the city." He was proud to retire with a clean record of no broken gates, no lifts with people on the deck, and no boats hitting the bridge on his watch. An avid runner, Shaul completed 17 Grandma's Marathons. He enjoyed coaching Little League base- ball for several years and was a talented musician and longtime drummer in The Emotionals, The Main Event and a few other bands. Shaul is survived his wife, Colleen, two sons, three grandsons and numerous other family members and friends. + DULUTHPORT.COM | 11 Russian ships began arriving in the spring of 1973 and were frequent visitors throughout the 1970s. "I didn't know what I was getting into, but I found out quickly," Hilleren said. "I would spend 16-18 hours a day working on the waterfront." Hubner put himself through the same rigors. Shipping agents work around the clock to manage every detail of a ship's arrival, loading and departure. It involves constant communication to keep all parties informed, tasks on schedule, paperwork completed, vessels fueled, supplies stocked and crews' needs met while in port. In those days, before inter- net and GPS, landline telephones were the tools of the trade. "We probably had more phones in our house than most people at that time," said Howland. "Dad was always on call. He was passionate about representing his clients. When they were in the Port of Duluth-Superior, they were taken care of 150 percent. He was available all the time." Well, all of the time except Wednesday nights when the Duluth Keel Club (now Duluth Yacht Club) held its weekly sailboat races. "Those were kind of sacrosanct," Howland said. "Something really bad had to happen for Dad to miss a Wednesday night race." A few bad things did happen in 1979. First came a three-month grain mill- er's strike which idled dozens of saltwater vessels at local docks and outside the Duluth Harbor. It made a lasting impression on Hubner—or at least on his appearance. A frustrated Sven vowed to stop shaving until the strike was settled. He wound up liking the look and sported a beard for the rest of his life. The second major event of 1979 was even hairier—the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In January 1980, President Jimmy Carter announced the U.S. would no longer sell grain to the Soviet Union. The embargo started a downward spiral of grain shipments through the Twin Ports that continued even after President Ronald Reagan lifted the embargo in 1981. "Through the turmoil we had during the 1970s and into the 80s, Sven knew what to say and how to get people together without ruffling any feathers. He was a lovable character that people could trust," said longtime friend Chuck Ilenda, who retired as vice president for Ceres Terminals, Inc., in 2017, after 45 years overseeing stevedoring operations at grain elevators in the Twin Ports. "When we had problems with the unions, Sven would organize meetings and just let everyone in the business talk and see their way through. He was a good listener." Hubner listened to his heart in 1991 when he decided to sell the business to Hilleren and retire. He and Kitte packed up and moved to North Carolina, where they were close to their daughters and to the Atlantic Ocean. In retirement, Sven enjoyed moving boats up and down the East Coast and sailing to the Bahamas. "For a long time after he retired, we talked just about every week," said Hilleren. "Sven always wanted to know what was going on. He was a tremendous mentor to me and a lot of other people in the port." Howland recalls conversations with her dad shortly before he passed. He told her, "It's been a great ride." When asked if he had any regrets, Sven said, "Not a one, sumbitch." The Danmark sailing into New York.

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