Clarence C. Kacergis, 96, of Provincetown passed away peacefully at Cape Cod Hospital with his loving daughter, son-in-law and close family friend Nancy Edwards by his side on April 27, 2012. He was a devoted family man, and for 67 years, was the beloved husband of Tillie (Jackett) Kacergis, who predeceased him in 2005.
Clarence leaves behind his sons Clem (wife Marilyn) of Harwich Port, Michael (wife Kathy) of Provincetown, and daughter Kathy (husband Gordon Barney) also of Provincetown, and close family friend Paul DiTacchio. He also leaves six grandchildren: Michael, Amy, Peter, David, Adam and Katie, five great grandchildren, and one great, great grandchild.
Mr. Kacergis was born on March 3, 1916 in Shenandoah, PA. He was the fifth child of a coal miner and life was a struggle. At age 18, Clarence joined the Navy and served as a machinist mate on the destroyer tender U.S.S. Whitney, based in San Diego. He learned to weld in the Navy and because of his skills; he spent the war years in the aircraft industry fabricating parts for military aircraft. In 1946, after the war ended, Clarence brought his family to Provincetown where soon after he started Provincetown Welding Works. The bulk of his metal fabrication work for the first 25 years was for the fishing fleet.
Clarence was a “Jack of all trades.” He had an uncanny understanding of how machine parts worked and the ability to see how things could be repurposed. Using this knowledge he fabricated things out of unrelated metal parts, including an ice toboggan, a motor boat with an automobile top, go carts, and motor bikes for his children and grandchildren. He is also responsible for the Provincetown Monument’s festive holiday lights. Clarence’s vision and accomplishments led admirers to dub him “the Leonardo daVinci of Provincetown,” and “one of the last of the true artisans…a real Renaissance man.” With the decline of the fishing fleet, Clarence turned his attention to art work using silverware, discarded machine parts and old tools to create whimsical artistic pieces. In the last few years, Clarence preferred to make smaller objects such as dragon flies and flowers, particularly roses.
A Funeral Mass will be held Friday May 4, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. in St Peter the Apostle Church, Prince Street, Provincetown. Burial will be private.
Donations may be made in his name to the Provincetown Rescue Squad, PO Box 109, Provincetown, MA 02657.