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Richard Joseph Kirst died March 29 at his home in Nokomis, Florida.
Born in Yonkers in 1947, he had moved to Florida with his wife, Gail, and children, Tracy and William, in 1988 after living 20 years on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
He was raised in Yonkers as the second son of Wilford and Winifred (McLaughlin) Kirst. His family moved to Shinnecock Hills, where he attended Nyack Prep School in Southampton. Having grown up on the water, he responded to the call of the sea by circumnavigating the oceans twice as a merchant marine from 1965 to 1969. In 1969 he revisited St. Thomas, to stay, earning his captain’s license, running boats and fishing with the marlin sportfishing pioneers Tommy Gifford, Johnny Harms, Jimmy Loveland and Butch Petrosky, to name only a few. He earned the respect of all he worked with and was always there to lend a helping hand without being asked, survivors said. Most people remember him as the captain of the 54-foot head boat “Fish n Fool” out of the lagoon on the east end, taking tourists to St. John for snorkel tours. He was also a member of the Virgin Islands Fish Game Club in Red Hook, a member of Rotary East on the east end of St. Thomas, a board member of the VI Montessori School and chief construction coordinator of Carnival Parade entries.
Mr. Kirst “imported” Gail Tracy from Southampton in 1973 and married her in 1974, and two children followed in 1975 and 1976. He built their family home. They moved to Florida’s west coast in 1988 only to return to St. Thomas many times to participate in several fishing tournaments and help rebuild homes and businesses after numerous hurricanes damaged structures on the island. He still holds the 984-pound Atlantic Blue Marlin Puerto Rico All Tackle Record caught aboard “Marauder” with Capt. Ron Hamlin in March 1985. He worked in the cellular tower industry covering all of Florida and South Georgia. He and his wife lived and worked with their extended family in Florida till he died at home.
He is survived by his wife, Gail; daughter, Tracy Jean Kirst of Hampton Bays; son, William Richard Kirst and wife Christina of Florida; two grandchildren, Slater and Lela Isabel Kirst; brothers, James Richard Kirst and wife Sarah, and Frederick Michael Kirst and wife Mary of Southampton; nephews, Nathaniel and Jeremy, Michael Kirst, David Kirst and wife Kim Kirst, and Andrew Kirst, serving in the military, now in California. He is also survived by many aunts and cousins.
A memorial gathering is planned locally at the Elks Lodge in Southampton on August 9 at noon.
on May 18, 2015