Marge Soronen Interview

March 21, 2001

This is an interview which was conducted on March 21, 2001 with Marge Soronen, niece of Joseph Mazes, maintenance man on the Fitz when it went down.  Mrs. Soronen has passed since this interview was originally transcribed.  Here are the questions asked, and Mrs. Soronen's answers.

Question: In what way are you associated with the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald?
Answer: My uncle, Joseph Mazes, was on board when the ship sank.

Question: What was your reaction after finding out about the wreck of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald?
Answer: I was in a state of shock!  None of us could believe it.

Question: How long was it after the wreck before you finally accepted the fact in your heart that there was no chance for survival?
Answer: That is hard to say...for a long time we had hopes that they were rescued....so it was quite awhile.

Question: What is your theory on the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald?
Answer: Well, I think it just busted up with the storm.  It was overloaded and there were a lot of maintenance problems.  My uncle told me that the ship needed many repairs and that if water touched those boilers, they would blow up!

Question: How did you find out that the Edmund Fitzgerald was missing?
Answer: My father was watching the Green Bay Packers game and they interrupted the game with the news.  I went to his house and tried to call the Coast Guard, but they wouldn't tell us anything.  I think my father took it worse than anyone.

Question: Do you think that expeditions to the bottom of Lake Superior can help solve the mystery of the sinking?
Answer: No.  I don't ever think they'll know why it sank.  They should leave it alone...it is their gravesite.

Question: What do you like least about all the hype surrounding the wreck?
Answer: Well, for one thing, we were all very upset when Gordon Lightfoot came out with his song.  It was too soon, and he knew no more than the rest of us.  Let it go.

Question: Do you, as a family member of the crew, feel that having annual memorial services remembering the crew is a good thing, or that it brings up too many bad memories?
Answer: Well, I think it is a good thing if they don't over do it; they shouldn't forget about them though...I think the Whitefish Point one is good.

Question: Do you think that the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is becoming too commercialized, and if so, why?
Answer: I don't think it is, they won't ever be forgotten though!

 
Question: What memorial services have you attended in the past?
Answer: The only memorial service that I attended was the first one...the first year.  I also went two years ago to Whitefish Point Museum and got a few souvenirs.  Every year they send me letters wanting me to go, but I never can.

Question: Do you think that it is right to charge admission to see the restored bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald?  Isn't this capitalizing on a loss?
Answer: They are probably only charging admission to keep the museum open.  That costs a lot of money to keep it open, but it should be on a donation basis-you give what you think they should have.

Question: Do you believe the highly disliked theory that the wreck could have been caused by human error?
Answer: Well, I do...and I don't.  Isn't that crazy?!  McSorley was captain for a long time, and my uncle liked him, but the ship was overloaded.  I think nothing could've prevented it, it had to happen.

Question: Should the wreckage be raised from the lake bottom?
Answer: No...absolutely not.

Question: Were you able to attend the consecration of the gravesite?  What was it like?
Answer: No, I didn't go, but they did send me a tape and we watched it.

Question: Do you think that the Anderson did all that it could to ensure the welfare of the Fitz on November 10, 1975?
Answer: No, well, I just know that they saw they were in trouble and had them in sight, but I don't think they did all they could.  I don't know what it was like out there though.