The most senior member of Detroit Lodge No. 7, Capt. Ted Cogswell, passed away on December 27, 2022 at the age of 96.  Ted was a member of ISMA for 46 years.  He joined the lodge in March, 1966 and was issued pennant number 9948.  After his retirement from the Ford fleet, Ted moved to northern Minnesota and since he could no longer attend lodge meetings, he resigned from the lodge on January 21, 1993, having been an member for 27 years. He moved back to the Detroit area in 2002 and rejoined the lodge on January 6, 2003. He was issued a new pennant number 12084 and was a lodge member for another 19 years.

His Great Lakes sailing career began during World War II, and in March of 1951 he received his original mates’ license, working for the Interlake Steamship Company aboard the SS Robert Hobson.  He later moved to the Ford Motor Company fleet, where he retired in 1986 as Captain of the M/V Henry Ford II.    

Capt. Cogswell was very active both in Detroit Lodge No. 7 and at the Grand Lodge level. He served two terms as lodge President, elected in 1984 and 2007. He was appointed to the Grand Lodge Navigation Committee for several years, serving as Chairman or Co-Chairman of the committee in 1988, 1989 and 1990. He was also the lodge’s convention delegate in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 2008. Capt. Cogswell was instrumental in designing the ISMA Centennial Plaque back in 1986. Seven plaques were eventually produced. They have been placed in several ports around the Great Lakes (Buffalo, Toledo, Detroit, Rogers City, Alpena, Sault Ste. Marie at the Soo Locks and St. Catharines, Ontario at the Welland Canal).

In 1994, Capt. Cogswell was a recipient of the Lewis Ludington Award, an award given annually by Mariners' Church.

An on-line guest book can be found at the funeral home website.