Former Dukes County Sheriff Laid To Rest Tuesday

Hundreds of townspeople and law-enforcement officers gathered to pay their respects to long-time Dukes County sheriff Christopher S. Look Jr. at the in Edgartown on Tuesday. He was remembered as a faithful public servant, a loving family man and a generous friend.

Huck Look, as he was known, devoted his life to the community of Martha’s Vineyard, working his way up the ranks from courthouse custodian to Dukes County sheriff, a position he held from 1971 to 1999.

During that time, Look oversaw a number of incremental changes to the Island’s law-enforcement system, helping to make Martha's Vineyard an early adopter of 911 services and introducing the DARE substance abuse program to local schools. He was a founding member of the Martha’s Vineyard Chiefs of Police Association, the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association and the Eastern Massachusetts Alcohol Treatment Center, and served on countless committees and boards.

“Huck knew how to serve the public, and everyone of us has benefited greatly by his hard work,” said the Rev. Chip Seadale of , who presided over the Masonic funeral mass.

“I have no memory of how Oak Bluffs might have been when Huck was born and lived there as a child back in 1928. I have no idea what things might have been like when he was delivering oil for the Wells Oil Company, or how the Edgartown Yacht Club was when he was a night watchman there, or even where the old Deitz & Meekins Garage, which Huck bought in 1963 and turned into Look's Texaco, was located.

“But I do know, for I have now experienced it as a new wash-ashore with a lot of fondness and respect for God . . . that on this tiny island of Martha’s Vineyard, the people here are very, very special. And Huck was instrumental in making and keeping it special,” said the reverend.

Superior Court Clerk Joseph E. Sollitto Jr., whose friendship with Look spanned more than 40 years, praised Look for his devotion to the Island’s people and traditions, calling upon well-imprinted memories of Look opening Superior Court in tails and a top hat.

“He had a special place in his heart for those who were down and out and needed help,” said Rev. Seadale. “Early on in his life, when he was delivering oil during the winters, even those who couldn’t pay got their oil.”

That spirit of generosity remained a hallmark of Look’s personality, and likely played a role in his favoring rehabilitation over incarceration. “His innovative policies on jail and the House of Correction changed many defendants’ lives,” said Sollitto.

Look, a Republican, served Dukes County during a period of tremendous political and economic change on Martha’s Vineyard. In 1992, said Sollitto, he faced a difficult challenge from Democratic candidate Daniel Flynn. His re-election was uncertain, but Look received the support of all 13 sheriffs in the commonwealth. One traveled from Berkshire County to assist in his campaign.

On Tuesday, representatives of all the commonwealth’s sheriffs’ offices once again displayed their respect and support of Look. They joined an overflowing crowd that filled every pew of the Old Whaling Church and spilled over into the stairwells.

“As I look around the congregation today, I see judges, clerks, sheriffs, police chiefs, town and county officials. I also see the citizens of Dukes County, who elected Huck five times the sheriff. He truly was a man of the people,” Sollitto said

Look is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years, Marjorie, daughters Diana Butynski and Joyce Look, son Christopher Look III and eight grandchildren. He is predeceased by two sons, William and David Look.

Throughout the memorial service Look was heralded for his commitment to his family and his joyful spirit. “He had that gleam in his eye, like he just swallowed a canary," said Sollitto. "He liked to tell jokes and he liked to have a good time—he really liked to have a good time.”

“We will always remember Huck with his top hat and tails and that gleam in his eye,” Sollitto said.

Look was laid to rest at New Westside Cemetery in Edgartown Tuesday afternoon.