Tag Archives: has passed away
Lifelong lobsterman Elmer R. Witham of Owls Head, Maine, has passed away
Elmer R. Witham passed away on March 3, 2025, at his home in Owls Head, surrounded by family. Elmer was born on Feb. 16, 1940, to the late Clayton R. Witham and Constance M. Gardner. He grew up in Rockland, attended local schools, and enjoyed a full social life until his later years. He began working as a lobsterman at a young age, and remained a lobsterman all of his working life, fishing the grounds around Large Green Island until health issues forced him into retirement. He never lost his drive and passion for lobstering. Even when his health no longer permitted him to work, he always followed the local lobster trade, catching up with the news of fellow lobstermen, and keeping an eye on the weather. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:015
Commercial Fisherman Steven “Steve” Claude Bailey, 64, of Pensacola, Florida, has passed away
Steven “Steve” Claude Bailey, 64, of Pensacola, Florida, passed away on February 21, 2025. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 24, 1960 to Winston Claude Bailey and Geraldine Bailey. He was married to Merlene Bailey for 35 years. Steve had a career in commercial fishing. He was the owner and captain of the Me Too 662410. He was a member of Heritage Baptist Church and had a passion for hunting and fishing. Steve was preceded in death by his father, Winston Claude Bailey; mother, Geraldine Bailey; sister, Dayna Broxson. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia Merlene Bailey; son, Nicholas Cain (Kristen) Bailey; daughter, Star Savannah Bailey Super; step daughter, Cayce (Robert) Forte. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:17
Commercial Fisherman Thomas “Tom” Michael Doak of Virginia has passed away
Thomas “Tom” Michael Doak passed away on the morning of March 1, 2025, at the age of 68. He was born on November 22, 1956 in Norfolk, VA. Tom worked as a commercial fisherman for most of his life fishing all along the eastern coast from ports of New Bedford, MA, Newport, RI, Virginia, and Wanchese, NC. Tom grew up in Virginia Beach, VA, and graduated from Kempsville High School in 1975. After high school, he moved to the Outer Banks and found work in the commercial fishing business which he loved doing the most. In his youth, he also lived in Long Beach, CA, where his father was stationed in the US Navy. Tom also lived in Seminole, FL; Boston, MA; Newport, RI, and New Hampshire, where he did lots of skiing and hiking. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:12
Career Commercial Fisherman Richard Paterson has passed away
With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Richard Paterson, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on Feb 5 at Inglewood Care Centre in North Van. He was deeply loved and will be missed. He spent several years with the North Van Fire Dept, where he also worked as a paramedic and ambulance driver, before embarking on a long & fulfilling career as a commercial fisherman. In 1966, Richard & Rhea moved their young family to Qualicum Beach, where they built their cherished Pan-Abode home and second troller, Plus III, in their backyard. From 1975 Richard and his family spent 8 yrs homesteading on Read Island, embracing a life of resilience and self-sufficiency. In 1989 he remarried, and by 1993, he had returned to his family estate in Lynn Valley. He continued fishing and kept the Plus III in False Creek until 2011. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:11
Lifelong Harpswell Neck fisherman remembered as cribbage competitor, neighborhood mentor
Sheldon Morse Sr. died Dec. 5, two weeks shy of his 86th birthday. He lived his whole life on the land where he grew up on Allen Point Road, fishing into his late 70s on a boat he built with his father and named after his daughter. Family and fishing were the focal points of his life. Sheldon grew up around his father’s boat shop, but he wanted to be out on the water. He started with a few traps and a skiff as a teenager. He was fishing that same way near the end of his life, when he couldn’t operate his lobster boat anymore. His grandson, Josh Morse, is also a fisherman and lives with his family down the road from his grandfather’s house. The two of them built the skiff that Joshua first fished from, and Sheldon’s Teresa Ann was the first boat that Josh worked on. Sheldon’s youngest granddaughter, Lauren Webster, remembers her grandparents’ house as a place where she and her cousins could be kids, with as many Popsicles and grilled cheese sandwiches as they could eat. photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:03
David L. Lunt of Frenchboro, Maine, has passed away
David L. Lunt, a lobsterman, entrepreneur, patriarch, optimist, and lover of the open road who emerged from humble beginnings to become an iconic coastal figure and powerful voice for Frenchboro, the remote island fishing village where generations of his family worked the sea, has died. He was 86. David was born on an island mired in post-Depression poverty that lacked basic conveniences such as running water, electric lights, and telephones, but worked steadily to pull the community into the modern era, while also pushing forward-thinking programs to keep it alive. He took a lead role in nearly every island decision for roughly six decades, working by gut instinct in a quiet, confident manner-he never flashed anger or frustration. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:47
Retired Commercial Fisherman/Navy Veteran Marshall Alexander of Biddeford, Maine, has passed away
Marshall Alexander, 78, of Biddeford, died peacefully on December 22, 2024 at Gosnell Hospice in Scarborough, Maine after a 3 ½ year battle with dementia and aphasia. Born to Bernice Brackett and Walter Alexander, he grew up on Old Pool Road with his sister, Donna. The sea was his first love. He started what would become his lifelong career of commercial fishing at the age of 14 with a skiff, a pair of oars and a work ethic surpassed by none. Upon his discharge from the Navy, he returned to the sea, first lobstering then ultimately dragging aboard the F/V De-Dee-Mae II, his fifth and last boat, a 54-foot stern trawler. Marshall was a fierce advocate for the commercial fishing industry serving on numerous committees and councils. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:55
Retired Lobsterman Arnold “Joe” Alvin Nickerson III of Kennebunkport, Me. has passed away
Arnold “Joe” Alvin Nickerson III peacefully passed away on December 25, 2024, at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. He was a loving father who cherished his grandchildren, a caring brother and uncle, and admired by all who knew him. Joe was born on December 8, 1934, in Amherst, MA, to Arnold and Anna (Ashman) Nickerson Jr. He grew up in North Amherst, MA, helping on the Ashman family farm. His Uncle Stanley nicknamed him “Hey Joe,” and the name stuck. He shared a special bond with his Lithuanian grandmother, Caroline “Bobute” Ashman. Summers often found him in Cape Porpoise, visiting his grandparents Arnold Sr. and Verna (Fisher), where his love for the ocean began. By age five, he was lobstering with his father and grandfather. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50
Commercial Fisherman Andrew (Andy) Paul Babich of Gig Harbor, Wa. has passed away
Andrew (Andy) Paul Babich passed away peacefully at home in Gig Harbor, WA, surrounded by loved ones, on November 16, 2024, at the age of 58. He was born May 16, 1966, to Nick and Delia (DeeDee) Babich in Tacoma, WA. He remained a lifelong third-generation resident and commercial fisherman of Gig Harbor. Andy spent his childhood years on Chinook Avenue with brothers, friends, and cousins, and never missed an opportunity to spend time with his Dad on the F/V Sonia, and later the F/V Maria. After his Dad passed in 1985, 19-year-old Andy, alongside his brother, Nick, took over the family fishing operation in Alaska and on Puget Sound, becoming one of the youngest captains in the fleet. In 1997, he purchased the F/V Ocean Dream, fishing salmon, squid, sardines, and Dungeness crab with his younger brother, Mike, who crewed with him for many years. more, >>CLICK TO READ< 11:08
Point Pleasant fisherman James N. Mathews has passed away
James Nestor Mathews passed away on December 4th, 2024 after 80 years of living life to its fullest. Jimmy spent over 60 years doing what he enjoyed most, catching fish from his home port of Point Pleasant NJ. He was born on October 9 th , 1944 in East Orange NJ and moved with his parents and siblings to Point Pleasant, NJ in 1956. It was there that Jimmy’s life long love of fishing took root, as he started working with his dad on his party boat the Flying Fish in the early 1960’s. During those early years with his father, Jimmy became interested in the local commercial fishing scene, and learned how to gill net, along with his life long friend Joey Pierce on a small skiff operated by Adolph Lovgren. It wasn’t long before Jimmy and Joey bought their own Skiffs to pursue the American dream. After a few years Jimmy was ready to move into a bigger boat and bought the Five Devils in 1971, a 57-foot-long dragger that worked out of the Fisherman’s Dock Co-op. He renamed it the Chrissy James and soon developed a reputation of fearlessness by fishing in some extreme weather conditions. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:36
Career Lobsterman/ Korean War Vet Carroll W. Lunt Sr. of Bass Harbor, Maine has passed away
Carroll W. Lunt Sr., 90, died Nov. 2, 2024, at his daughter’s home surrounded by his family. He was born Nov. 20, 1933, in Frenchboro, the son of Wallace and Lenora (Higgins) Lunt. Carroll was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving in the Korean War. He spent his career as a lobsterman. He captained his own boats “The Carroll Jr.” and “The Miss Robin” and truly enjoyed his time on the sea. He loved going to camp at Branch Pond with his grandchildren and family. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was a past member of the Southwest Harbor/Tremont Masonic Lodge No. 77 A.F. & A.M. and the Anah Shrine. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:40
Lifelong Commercial Fisherman David McCrone Pack of Bodega Bay, Ca. has passed away
David McCrone Pack, born October 5,1957, passed peacefully to the great beyond on August 2nd, 2024, surrounded by his family and the music of the Grateful Dead. He will be remembered as a hard-working man, a friend to all animals, and a loving father. He was 66 years old. A native Californian, Dave was born to parents Jim and Beth in the redwood forest of Larkspur, California. He attended Redwood High School and soon thereafter began his life as a commercial fisherman in the San Francisco Bay, where he would eventually captain his own boat, The Blind Faith. For Dave, though, fishing wasn’t just a hobby – it was something he enjoyed alone or with friends and family and had an active fishing license every year of his adulthood. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:20
Retired Commercial Fisherman Reginald Carl Knowles of Winter Harbor, Maine, has passed away
Reginald Carl Knowles entered eternity and found the peace he had longed for on Sept. 28, 2024. His last week was spent surrounded by family and goodbyes after having a stroke. He was born in Machiasport, Maine, as the firstborn son of Carl and Grace Knowles on “6/22/42” — the one thing he always remembered despite the vascular dementia. During his grade school years, Carl Bryant had given Regie a handful of traps that he hauled from a punt. He had been bitten by the lobster fishing bug in those early years! So, after returning from Germany and a short stint driving a truck for McQuinn’s, he set out be a successful lobsterman. He also went scalloping, shrimping and fish dragging, but lobstering was always his passion. It was a trade he took pride in teaching his sons. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14
Commercial fishing industry member Wallace L. “Buck” Huff of Seattle, Washington has passed away
Wallace L. “Buck” Huff was born June 24, 1938, in Seattle Washington, to Wallace T. and Myrtabelle Huff. On March 24, 1967 Buck was united in marriage to Dolores A. Beste, and became the Dad to her 4 children and welcomed his youngest son a year later. The family lived briefly in Federal Way until moving to Westport WA in the early 70’s, where he worked most his life connected to the commercial fishing industry. He ran a boat lift at the Westport docks for Bar View Resort, owned and ran the Channel Cat and Ocean Knight, primarily fishing salmon, later he operated the Washington Crab Producers meal plant, until he retired in the mid-90’s. He moved to Moses Lake Washington in 2005 to be near his youngest son and his family and took a job at the Senior Center Thrift Store. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14
Remembering Ken Coleman, longtime commercial fisheries advocate
Ken Coleman, a longtime Kenai resident and commercial fisheries activist, died in his home May 7 at age 72. Anyone involved in Cook Inlet fisheries politics in the last 40 years probably either heard of or from Coleman. He was a staple presence at Cook Inlet Board of Fisheries meetings, always ready to put in a word for commercial set-netters, especially with the recent effort to create a permit buyback program. I’ve been at this now for 10 ten years on this reduction thing, the inception and where we are today. And I don’t know if I have another rodeo in me, if this doesn’t pass here,” Coleman said in an interview last year. Though recent years have been poor for setnetters, Coleman often talked about how he wanted the fishery to be available to his children and grandchildren. Coleman fished the beaches of Cook Inlet south of the mouth of the Kenai since the 1970s. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:31
‘Deadliest Catch’ Fisherman Nick Mavar Has Passed Away – The Former Northwestern Deckhand Was 59
Nick Mavar, who appeared on Discovery Channel’s reality franchise Deadliest Catch, died Thursday in Naknek, AK, Bristol Bay Police Chief Jeffrey Eldie confirmed to Deadline. He was 59. Mavar suffered a medical emergency at a boatyard in Naknek Thursday afternoon, according to Eldie. Paramedics were called and he was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead of what was determined to be natural causes, Eldie says. He was a familiar face to fans, given his status on the Northwestern, which is captained by the franchise’s de-facto elder statesman, Sig Hansen. Mavar was also uncle to onetime Northwestern greenhorn turned-deckhand turned-Saga captain, Jake Anderson. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:10
Commercial Fisherman Jimmie “John” Goodwin Jr., 60, of Cedar Island, North Carolina has passed away
Jimmie “John” Goodwin Jr., 60, of Cedar Island, North Carolina, passed away on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at his home. A funeral service to honor John’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, May 30th, at Pilgrims Rest Free Will Baptist Church on Cedar Island, officiated by Rev. Kevin Stott. Interment will follow at Cedar Island Community Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 29th, at Pilgrims Rest Free Will Baptist Church. John was born on October 16, 1963, in Sea Level, North Carolina, to the late Jimmie and Ellen Goodwin. John had a deep connection to Pilgrims Rest Free Will Baptist Church and cherished his involvement there throughout his life. Known for his love of the salt life, John spent his life on the water as a seasoned commercial fisherman and graduate of Core Sound. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:32
Commercial Fisherman Riley Tavis Locker of Blaine, Washington has passed away
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Riley Tavis Locker. Riley was a cherished son, twin, brother, nephew, cousin, grandson and father. Born on April 2, 1993, he passed on March 14, 2024. Riley’s vibrant spirit and strength were evident from the beginning, when he entered the world ahead of his twin. Riley attended Ferndale High School, where he graduated in 2011. After graduation he discovered his passion for the water and thrived as a commercial fisherman, embodying a zest for life and a readiness for any adventure. Riley lived life on his own terms. more, >>click to read<< 10:01
Retired Commercial Fisherman James Richard “Jim” Frederick of Anacortes, Washington, has passed away
On Feb 25, 2024 Jim passed away peacefully at home with his wife Dorothy and son Jim Jr. at his side. He was born in 1933 in Michigan to become a lifelong fisherman. He and Dorothy married in 1953, when he was at Fr. Bragg in the 82nd Airborne Div. After his honorable discharge, with wife and son in tow, he left for Washington in 1960 in search of bigger fish, to which he dedicated his life and almost only topic of conversation. He retired from commercial fishing at age 78 (his call sign was affectionately known as “Grumpy”) and turned his attention to sport fishing and added another layer to his preferred topic of conversation. He will be sorely missed in this household. more, >>click to read<< 09:34
Lobsterman Douglas Alan Alexander of Phippsburg, Maine, has passed away
Douglas Alan Alexander, 71 passed peacefully in his Phippsburg home early morning Friday November 24th, 2023.Born on January 11th, 1952 at Bath Memorial Hospital in Bath, Maine. He grew up on the south end of Bath with his mother and brother and attended Morse High school where he graduated in 1970. He began lobstering with his grandfather at 8 years old and continued commercial fishing as his primary occupation until 2020. He fished out of Hunt’s Wharf in Sebasco estates Maine and always regarded the Hunt’s as extended family. In 1987 he married his loving wife, Anita Richardson on April 18th at Corliss Street Baptist Church in Bath, Maine. Doug and Anita shared 36 years of love, friendship and unwavering support for one another. Doug held many positions within the town and Phippsburg most notably as the towns Harbormaster (2002-2022) and Shellfish Warden (2005-2022). more, >>click to read<< 10:32
Murray Bridges, NC soft-crab industry pioneer, has passed away
Murray Bridges, the visionary Outer Banks fisherman who remade tiny Colington Island into a behemoth of the soft-shell crab industry in North Carolina, died Tuesday morning after being infected by the Vibrio bacteria two days earlier while tending his crab shedders. Bridges, who owned and operated Endurance Seafood Co. off Colington Road since 1976, was 89. “One week ago, he was setting peeler pots and fishing them,” Willy Phillips, a close friend and a fellow crabber, told Coastal Review Wednesday. “So, he fished to the end. That was Murray — his work ethic was incredible.” A native of Wanchese, Bridges was instrumental in establishing soft-shell crab as a profitable shellfish product in North Carolina, while also insisting on the highest standards. >click to read< 08:40
Commercial Fisherman Alf Ludvig Forde of Mukilteo, Washington has passed away
Alf Ludvig Forde (80) died peacefully at home in Mukilteo, Washington in the early morning January 4th, 2023 of natural causes. Alf was born November 9th, 1942 to Alf and Odney Forde in Ketchikan, Alaska. Alf was an Alaskan commercial fisherman. He started fishing on his dad’s boat at a young-age, eventually owning 2 halibut longliners and 3 Bering Sea crab boats. Alf built his business through hard work and honesty. He was respected as an extremely fair person not only with partners, but also among crew, fish buyers and professionals throughout the industry and beyond.
Alf’s greatest personal achievement was his family. >click to read< 15:26
Captain Peter Parisi, the last of three generations of Gloucester fishermen, has passed away
Captain Peter Parisi fished all his life. He passed away, unexpectedly, at age 64. Back in 1991 he was going to go shipmate with Captain Billy Tyne, Jr, on the swordfish boat F/V Andrea Gail. Fate was on his side when he got a toothache and called Billy to cancel. No one survived, He was my youngest brother along with my brother Captain James Parisi, who died ten years ago at the age of seventy. I have one brother left, Mike Parisi, who had at one time owned the Three Lantern Ship Supply. I am so sorry to lose them. My heart goes out to them, may they rest in peace. Sam Parisi. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. 09:00
Susan West, 73, remembered as longtime voice of NC fishers has passed away
Susan West, a longtime advocate for the Hatteras Island fishing community and a writer who helped foster improved communications and respect between regulators and fishermen, died last week at age 73. “She made sure that Hatteras and those small fishing communities were never left out of the conversation,”, As a young transplant to the Outer Banks from Baltimore, the course of West’s life was set after meeting Rob West, a surfer from Long Island, when they worked together at a Hatteras restaurant in the 1970s. After they married, Rob became a commercial fisherman. In the early 1990s, as tensions started rising around commercial fishing, Susan decided to organize a local women’s auxiliary group to the North Carolina Fisheries Association. >click to read< 07:00
Kyle Craig of Deadliest Catch Death: The Family and Fans of a Deceased Artist Are Shocked.
As a deckhand on the F/V Brenna A., Kyle Craig put in long hours. Who Was Kyle Craig? An Ocean Springs, Mississippi man named Kyle Craig is 26 years old. December 21, 1994, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, was the date of his birth. Craig Enterprises was owned and operated by Kyle. He became enamored with ATVs and boats, and he enjoyed buying and selling both. He was also capable of repairing a motor while keeping his eyes shut. We posted >his obituary here on August 1, 2021<. He loved the sea, his work, and appreciated his crewmates. There wasn’t a lot of detail on what had 
happened to Kyle. Watching the statistics the other day, we noticed a big spike in traffic with no explanation, but it led back to Kyles obituary. Then we stumbled onto this article which brings the tragic end of his life to light. The cause of Kyle Craig’s tragic death is detailed below. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and his shipmates. >click to read< 17:17
Twinkle no more.
Flown at half mast, the harbour’s Cornish flag signifies that yet another Newlyn skipper and someone for whom the title, ‘character’ was totally justified, has gone to the big wheelhouse in the sky. This week we say goodbye to John Trennere, who, as an apprentice boatbuilder in Porthleven was given the nickname Twinkle by the boatyard boss. Anyone who knew him will immediately identify with how the name arose. His very presence enough to lighten the mood no matter what the circumstances, though to be fair, he must have driven said boss and the other guys half-crazy with his constant banter and antics, not that he changed much over the years as anyone who had the pleasure of sailing under him as I did aboard the Reliance for a short while will testify. photos, >click to read< 06:55
Commercial Fisherman Ronnie Lee White has passed away in New Bedford
Ronnie Lee White, age 63, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, February 10, 2022 in New Bedford. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia to Cecil Ronald White and the late Shirley Estep on April 26, 1958. Ronnie’s love for the ocean started at the young age of 16. For almost 50 years he was a commercial fisherman who served on many fishing vessels in Newport, RI. For the past 15 years, he served on multiple vessels out of New Bedford, MA. He was truly one of the best at what he did and worked extremely hard throughout his life spending weeks at sea doing what he knew best and loved the most. >click to read< 10:57
NEA Statement on the Death of National Heritage Fellow Ralph W. Stanley
It is with great sadness that the National Endowment for the Arts acknowledges the passing of Master Boatbuilder Ralph W. Stanley, recipient of a 1999 NEA National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. From Maine’s Mt. Desert Island, Stanley descends from a long line of mariners who first settled on the island around 1760. Stanley grew up in Southwest Harbor where commercial fishing boats and pleasure boats have always been a prominent part of the local landscape. >click to read< 07:57
In Memory of Norbert Stamps
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and fishing community grieve the passing of our beloved friend and board member, Norbert Stamps. Norbert had a love for the ocean, the environment, and the people who made their living from the sea. Even in his final year of life, Norbert was able to see his ban of mass balloon release come to fruition. Fair winds and following seas captain! We will miss you! Please keep Norbert’s family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. >click to read< 11:17
Roberto Gonzalez of Key West, Florida has passed away. He found and lived the American dream
Born to his parents, Maria Paula Oliva and Pedro Gonzalez on the 31st day of March, 1933, in Quiebra Hacha, Cuba. At the tender age of 2, he lost his beloved mother, and, shortly after his father followed, leaving him an orphan at the age of 6. At the age of 23, Roberto met his love Benedicta Herrera. Building their home together in Key West, where he worked as Commercial Fisherman for Stock Island Lobster along side of Peter Bacle. After hard work and sacrifice, in 1979, Roberto purchased his pride and joy, a 43ft. Torres, The Thunderbird, which is still up and running, and one of the most well known boats among the industry. >click to read< 10:39
Benedicta Herrera de Gonzalez – She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. Together they voyaged into freedom, Although, she and Roberto separated they remained family, involved in their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren’s everyday lives, celebrating all their events together. They were a forever family. >click to read< 11:47
