Capt Dave Bender
02-07-2021, 07:45 AM
It is with the heaviest of heart that I post, my dear friend and co captain Kevin
has lost his battle this morning. I should have probably waited to compose myself
But he deserves nothing but love from his many friends and family. Kevin was a husband, father, grandfather , son, uncle, and of course a friend, who was great at each and everyone of them. On sundays that we weren’t fishing he was off to Tom’s river to drop mom and dad fresh rolls, when we would be done cleaning the jenny Lee he would run to the car to get home to Cindy, the love of his life.
Over 15 years and hundreds of nights offshore you can get very close to someone and Kevin and I were the best of friends. I apologize for rambling. Kevin and I met many years ago when he worked with Jody XTC , who I was also friends with. Many of you know that Jody passed last year, I’m hoping that Jody and kev are together right now laughing once again. Kevin started with Jimmy and I about 15 years ago, and it was a perfect marriage right from the start, the three musketeers had the opportunity to fish together many times and they were without question some of the best times.
When Capt Kevin was in your circle, you were spoiled for life. Every Christmas Eve a box of chocolate covered strawberries would be left at our house for Dor.
One year the damn squirrel finally figured it out .
Every single night when we anchored up, after we set up on the chunk, kev would go inside and heat up a Joe Leone meal and it wasn’t for him, it was for me..every night!!!!
If we had a good catch the day before, I knew the next night I’d be having Kevin’s home made tuna salad with the bacon bits, on a big sesame seed roll,, I can actually taste it right now. In October and November we would have chowder and a real treat would be his home made crab cake sandwiches, which must have weighed three pounds
Kevin and I will be forever linked to “moe” what Kevin calls the 926 pound mako we caught. I can tell you once again that “moe” was caught because of Kevin. Every single night, I mean every single night, even when Joey zagorski said not tonite kev, that shark rig was the first one out. I would then break his balls to the customers and say” if that thing catches anything, it will be the first time” of course we caught many many makis over the years, but none like “moe”
On our way it that night it was rough, what a surprise , kev asked me what I thought it weighed , I said maybe 600?
Well, you know the rest. I’m sure that someone will bring in a bigger one someday, but for right now, Capt Kevin Gerrity brought in the largest mako ever caught in New Jersey, and I proud to be a small part.
In all the years not once did I ever hear Kevin say a bad word about anyone, he was a man who loved people and everyone got the benefit of doubt . I am and will be a better human, because of him.
A few quotes:
What did he eat kev, ? His last meal cap
On the ride on in a rough northwest wind “ it’s all comin together now”
Can’t wait to get in that 95 degree pool tonite , oh baby!!!
The magic Mahi!!!😳
Not once in all the years did Kevin call me dave, it was always cap. If he called on the phone which was almost everyday it was cap .
Kevin and Cindy were living their best life wintering in south fort Myers and were going to move down fulltime, God had a different plan and now he’s by Gods side.
I’ll end by saying that Kevin is one of the loves of my life and I will be fishing with him again. Until then, rest easy skipper, you’re a worker!!!
has lost his battle this morning. I should have probably waited to compose myself
But he deserves nothing but love from his many friends and family. Kevin was a husband, father, grandfather , son, uncle, and of course a friend, who was great at each and everyone of them. On sundays that we weren’t fishing he was off to Tom’s river to drop mom and dad fresh rolls, when we would be done cleaning the jenny Lee he would run to the car to get home to Cindy, the love of his life.
Over 15 years and hundreds of nights offshore you can get very close to someone and Kevin and I were the best of friends. I apologize for rambling. Kevin and I met many years ago when he worked with Jody XTC , who I was also friends with. Many of you know that Jody passed last year, I’m hoping that Jody and kev are together right now laughing once again. Kevin started with Jimmy and I about 15 years ago, and it was a perfect marriage right from the start, the three musketeers had the opportunity to fish together many times and they were without question some of the best times.
When Capt Kevin was in your circle, you were spoiled for life. Every Christmas Eve a box of chocolate covered strawberries would be left at our house for Dor.
One year the damn squirrel finally figured it out .
Every single night when we anchored up, after we set up on the chunk, kev would go inside and heat up a Joe Leone meal and it wasn’t for him, it was for me..every night!!!!
If we had a good catch the day before, I knew the next night I’d be having Kevin’s home made tuna salad with the bacon bits, on a big sesame seed roll,, I can actually taste it right now. In October and November we would have chowder and a real treat would be his home made crab cake sandwiches, which must have weighed three pounds
Kevin and I will be forever linked to “moe” what Kevin calls the 926 pound mako we caught. I can tell you once again that “moe” was caught because of Kevin. Every single night, I mean every single night, even when Joey zagorski said not tonite kev, that shark rig was the first one out. I would then break his balls to the customers and say” if that thing catches anything, it will be the first time” of course we caught many many makis over the years, but none like “moe”
On our way it that night it was rough, what a surprise , kev asked me what I thought it weighed , I said maybe 600?
Well, you know the rest. I’m sure that someone will bring in a bigger one someday, but for right now, Capt Kevin Gerrity brought in the largest mako ever caught in New Jersey, and I proud to be a small part.
In all the years not once did I ever hear Kevin say a bad word about anyone, he was a man who loved people and everyone got the benefit of doubt . I am and will be a better human, because of him.
A few quotes:
What did he eat kev, ? His last meal cap
On the ride on in a rough northwest wind “ it’s all comin together now”
Can’t wait to get in that 95 degree pool tonite , oh baby!!!
The magic Mahi!!!😳
Not once in all the years did Kevin call me dave, it was always cap. If he called on the phone which was almost everyday it was cap .
Kevin and Cindy were living their best life wintering in south fort Myers and were going to move down fulltime, God had a different plan and now he’s by Gods side.
I’ll end by saying that Kevin is one of the loves of my life and I will be fishing with him again. Until then, rest easy skipper, you’re a worker!!!