Last week, former Delta Queen crew members lost a cherished member of our crew family. Vince Lombardi served as a housekeeper onboard and was one of those really vibrant, funny, charming people who always brightened your day. Vince passed away last week and left a huge hole in the lives of many.
Former passengers Jo Ann Schoen and Phillip Johnson were here on the Delta Queen this weekend and we all felt it would be appropriate to have a brief memorial in Vince’s honor. We met in the Pilot House to grieve and share memories of Vince. At 3pm EST on Sunday, we rang the big bell and blew a special steam whistle salute in his honor. We wanted to share it all with you, so we recorded the ceremony and Phillip kindly edited it into the following lovely tribute: