Tag Archives: A Fisherman’s Family

A Fisherman’s Family

Melba Willis of Harkers Island has been around commercial fishermen her whole life. Her dad, husband and even her father-in-law worked on the water.  She married her husband, Billy, in 1960 and they were together for 54 years before his death approximately six years ago. They had three sons, Kerry, Billy Joe and Stephen. Being married to a commercial fisherman was a hard, yet rewarding life. Melba says they got through the years because they loved each other so. Most years, they made good money to feed their family, but there were what she called “dull” years. This meant that they were always having to be sure to “put back” money in the good years to cover the “dull” ones, the years that the ocean was not good to them. >click to read< 09:47