WESTPORT — He could make and fix anything in his young years, took pride in the town’s heritage, and could spin a tale that earned him the title — Dean of SouthCoast Storytelling.

This dean — Carlton “Cukie” Macomber” — died last week at the Sarah S. Brayton Nursing Care Center. Macomber, 94, was a local historian renowned for chronicling Westport’s history and holding audiences spellbound all the while.

“Cukie was an original character … part historian, part antiquarian, part shanachie,” according to Historical Society President Al Lees. “One never completely could separate fact from fiction when he spoke but I assure you he was always entertaining.”

His death came less than a month after his wife Alice, 91, died.

These deaths marked an end to an era, according to many locals in Westport.

Both were actively involved in Westport’s life and history.

Cukie Macomber was also a founding member of the Westport Fisherman's Association, a member of the Noquochoke Lodge AF & AM of Westport, a 50-year member of the Grange and a former member of the Westport Volunteer Firefighters Association.

He also enjoyed boating on the Westport River, working on his commercial fishing boat and gardening.

“Cukie was the epitome of what it is to be a Westporter, his depth of knowledge of the history and traditions of Westport were unparalleled and our town has suffered an unbelievable loss with his passing,” Selectmen Vice Chairman Brian Valcourt said.

“We have all been impacted by his presence, and we will all miss him and his wonderful stories, as well as his monumental institutional knowledge of all things Westport. … He was a giant among men.”

Westport Historical Society Executive Director Jenny O’Neill also noted Macomber’s writing and storytelling skills, which he put to good use discussing and writing about his personal and local history.

Close friend Howie Gifford said Macomber wrote a story a month about his childhood growing up in Westport.

“Any conversation with him would take me back to another time in our history, he was our most direct connection to a past that is, with his death, beyond our collective memory,” according to ONeill.

Lees also touched upon this lost connection to the past.

“He was a member of that fleeting generation of old time Yankees who bridged that gap from the mid-late 1800s when they recalled stories of local life from their grandparents and parents until the present day,” Lees said. “This is easily a more than 125-year oral archive that we continue to lose.”

Lees went on to add that he hopes that Macomber’s stories are not forgotten, and younger generations can move it forward as a “continuum of life’s progression.”

Community Preservation Committee member Betty Slade noted at a selectmen’s meeting that some of Macomber’s talks will be aired on local cable, which are archived on Vimeo.com.

“He was generous with his knowledge and always happy to provide perspectives on Westport's fishing heritage, through the lens of his own experiences and stories of the Prelude Corporation. He astounded us with his water dowsing skills,” O’Neill also said.

Slade also noted Macomber’s water dowsing abilities.

She recalled another attribute of Cukie Macomber: “A very special attribute was his complete devotion to his wife Alice. He was kind, considerate, always helpful and a lot of fun to be around.”

Howie Gifford, 86, couldn’t say enough about Macomber’s kindness.

Gifford said when he was 16, he became close with Macomber and his family.

Gifford said he would bring his car over to Carlton Macomber Sr.’s garage. Cukie Macomber’s father taught Gifford how to fix everything in the car, and Gifford’s love of engineering can be traced back to those days.

Gifford said he and Cukie Macomber were members of the Westport Fishermen Association, and Gifford recalled how Prelude Corp. welded everything on several lobster boats.

Cukie also lived through the lean years of the Great Depression, as well as World War II and the Korean War.

When parts were scarce for machinery, from snow plows to farming equipment, people would turn to Macomber.

“If you couldn’t buy it, Cukie could make it,” Gifford said.

Gifford noted that Macomber’s skills were also put to some fun, mischievous uses.

When Gifford was a teen, he remembers Macomber fastening a rope to a snow plow and towing local teens along the Westport River's icy surface for some water skiing.

That love of water and ice was also put to altruistic uses. Macomber took special pride in helping to develop life saving stations on Gooseberry Island, Gifford also recalls.

“He was an integral part of Westport,” Gifford said. “He taught me everything I know.”