The classy new clock standing at Silversmith’s Corner Park in Southold may tell time, but its deeper purpose is to preserve memory.

Dedicated Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Main Road and Youngs Avenue, across from the Southold Town Annex, the clock was donated to the Town of Southold by the Southold Rotary Club in memory of Burt Lewis III and Cynthia Lewis, whose generosity toward the organization continues to benefit the community even after their passing.

The project was made possible through a substantial bequest left to the Rotary by the couple, augmented by additional Rotary fundraising and support. But the story behind the clock stretches back beyond the lives of Burt and Cynthia Lewis.

At the dedication ceremony, Southold Rotary co-president Lisa Jacobs said that the idea for the clock originated with longtime Rotarian Paulette Ofrias, who died in 2025 before seeing the project completed.

“I know her spirit is with us today as we complete this project and dedicate this clock.”

Jacobs credited Rotarian Deborah Doty for carrying the project forward and working with town officials and Public Works Director Erick Haas to bring it to fruition.

“Today, we celebrate more than the installation of a timepiece,” Jacobs said. “A public clock serves as a landmark, a meeting place and a reminder of the moments that bring us together as neighbors and friends. It marks the passage of time while connecting generations, those who have helped build this community and those who will carry it forward.”

‘A real gathering place’

Suzanne Lewis, the daughter of Burt and Cynthia Lewis, said the dedication was a tribute to her parents and her family’s enduring love for the North Fork.

“My parents met in Peconic,” she said in an interview ahead of the ceremony. Their families had neighboring summer homes overlooking the bay. A summer romance ensued and they never looked back.

Although Burt and Cynthia later lived elsewhere, including Pleasantville and Rhode Island, the North Fork remained a constant presence in their lives.

“We didn’t live here, but I grew up coming out here every summer,” Suzanne said. “We did everything — Southold Yacht Club, all the farm stands, pick-your-own farms. We loved it here.”

Her father was an avid sailor who introduced her mother to the sport. Family weekends revolved around boating, community events and gatherings along the North Fork waterfront. Even after relocating to Rhode Island, Burt Lewis continued operating the family business, Lewis Real Estate, and regularly returned to Southold.

The roots of that business trace back to Suzanne’s grandfather, Burt Lewis Jr., who established Lewis Real Estate and built it into a prominent North Fork real estate firm, eventually operating three offices across the region. The elder Lewis maintained a home on Nassau Point that became a gathering place for multiple generations of the family.

“My cousins would come out, and it was a real gathering place,” Suzanne said. “We could pull our Sunfish sailboat right up to the shore. We all enjoyed the same things out here.”

The family’s connection to Southold Rotary also spans generations. Burt Lewis Jr. was a Rotarian, and his son followed in his footsteps, remaining active in the organization that would eventually receive the family’s final gift.

When Cynthia Lewis established a charitable bequest to the Rotary through her trust, she intended it as a way of supporting an organization that had long been important to her husband and his family.

The clock was the Southold Rotary’s idea, Suzanne said.

“When they suggested it, it was kind of like, ‘Wow, that’s good!’”

She said she didn’t initially appreciate the scope of the effort until she got a picture of the new clock.

“I was like, ‘Holy mackerel,'” she said with a laugh. “It’s just really, really nice.”

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski described Rotary as a bridge “between people who’ve been here for a long time and the people who are just coming,” saying the organization has a unique way of bringing neighbors together and turning newcomers into active members of the community.

“This is a bridge between generations here, a bridge throughout our community.”

“It’s so generous to donate something like this,” the supervisor said, noting that the clock “adds a lot to this beautiful corner, [which] represents so much history in this town.”

Town Clerk Denis Noncarrow praised the Rotary for creating a lasting addition to one of Southold’s most historic and visible public spaces.

“You guys work so hard,” he said. “I appreciate it all. I watch all you guys and the people you help in this community, and all the work you do, and raising money, and getting out there … You guys are amazing, that’s the truth.”

The town clerk went on to say that “it’s because of love, because you love the community, you love the groups that you’re in, it’s all about love, so it’s much appreciated.”

The clock now stands where thousands of residents and visitors will pass each week.

“It feels terrific,” Suzanne Lewis said. “People can see it when they drive by and, maybe in the back of their mind, they think of my parents.”