If you ever shop at Lee’s Market, you probably remember Michael Hanley, who worked in the meat department for 47 years and considered pretty much everyone he met his friend.

Hanley, 63, passed away last June, but his memory lives on and was celebrated Saturday when the organizers of a foundation named in his honor threw a clambake at the Holy Ghost Club on Sodom Road in Westport, awarding $3,000 in scholarships to three deserving Lee’s employees pursuing higher education.

The second annual clambake was thrown by the Michael J. Hanley Charitable Foundation. Hanley’s cousin, Patty Bettencourt of Westport, said founding the organization has been a good way to keep her beloved cousin’s memory alive, and the support its received since last year has been phenomenal:

“He was a staple in the community,” she said. “If you needed a steak cut — if you needed anything at all — he was the guy to do it. He was a good soul. He had a way of making people comfortable around him, and of being the life of the party. There was an exuberance about him — his laugh was infectious.”

Hanley was a lifelong bachelor, but had a large extended family and many friends across Westport. When he died unexpectedly on June 2, 2022, Bettencourt said it seemed natural to start a foundation in his honor and raise funds to help his fellow Lee’s employees.

Last year’s inaugural clambake was a big success, and funds raised that year and in the months since allowed Bettencourt and her fellow foundation members to award three $1,00 scholarships Saturday, all to young Lee’s employees.

“They’re all good kids,” she said:

Aleece LaMantain, of Fall River, is attending Johnson and Wales and is studying biology and biomedical science; John Messier of Westport is studying media arts production at UMass Dartmouth; and Benjamin Almeida of Little Compton is majoring in finance at Providence College.

Bettencourt said that based on the success of last year’s clamboil and the turnout this year (about 240 people) the hope is that next year the foundation will have enough money to increase the scholarship amount to $1,500 or $2,000.

“We’ve gotten some amazing donations, large amounts,” she said. “People are just giving us money because they knew him.”

Saturday’s affair included the aforementioned clamboil, but also a band, raffle, cornhole and lots of other events. It was a great time, Bettencourt said, and there were enough donations to allow organizers to hand-deliver clamboils free of charge to about 40 elderly residents across town. Hanley would have been proud, Bettencourt said:

“That’s what he was all about, helping everyone.

Hanley was a graduate of Westport High School and had worked at Lee’s since he was a teenager. He was a member of the Fun Bunch softball team and was a huge New England sports fan. He was also a big foodie, and one of her favorite recipes is one he gave her — a simple brown sugar and onion concoction that goes great on steaks (see below).

Bettencourt laughed when asked what his nickname, ‘The Legend,’ refers to.

“I can’t tell all of the stories,” she said. “But he loved a party, let’s put it that way. Every time I saw him he had a smile, we call it ‘The Hanley Smile.’ He showed no judgement, never belittled anyone. He was a great guy.”

Michael’s vidalias

Patty loves this recipe given to her by her cousin Michael: Gather one vidalia onion for every person eating. Peel and quarter it, put it in aluminum foil and throw in a half tablespoon of butter and light brown sugar, right in the center where you’ve quartered it. Cinch up the aluminum foil, preheat the grill and throw it on a little while before starting the steak, as they take 15 to 20 minutes to cook. When the steaks are done, the onion/butter/sugar concoction will spread right over the steak.