Fernandina Beach mourns the loss of Dockmaster Kevin Little

By Susan Hardee Steger
March 11, 2019 8:29 p.m.

Kevin Little
Photo courtesy of David Roberts.

Fernandina Beach and the Fernandina Harbor Marina community is mourning the loss of Dock Master Keven Little who welcomed boaters from up and down the coast for 32 years.  You couldn’t ask for a nicer person to be the face of Fernandina for the boating community.  He will be greatly missed.

Here is a sampling of condolences posted on the Oxley Heard website:

Wolfgang Linke, who sailed to marina said, “Kevin was an exceptional man and dockmaster.  I’ll never forget his welcoming words when I called the marina on the radio coming in after a long solo sail from Charleston.  I felt like I was coming home.  He had that gift, though I was a customer, to make me feel like a friend.”

David Roberts, a classmates from Kevin’s growing up years in Fernandina said, “He was one of my best friends growing up on Amelia and was one of the nicest and most honorable men I have ever met.  He loved nature.  Kevin will be missed by so many because he touched so many lives in his far too brief time on earth.”

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. on March13 at Bosque Bello.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations in Kevin’s memory be made to the Okefenokee State Park at Okeswamp.com, the Fernandina Beach Humane Society, or any non-profit effort to preserve and protect wildlife and their natural environments.

To view Kevin Little’s life story click here.

 

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Dave Lott
Dave Lott(@dave-l)
5 years ago

Our prayers for Kevin’s family and friends during this time of grief. I had the fortune to interact with Kevin a number of times during my time working on various issues and projects related to the marina. I know that Coleman Langshaw and Joe Springer thought the world of Kevin and the comments from others indicate that affection and appreciation extended far and wide. No matter how serious the condition of the marina, Kevin was there always working with such a positive attitude. The community, and especially the marina community, will miss him greatly. Fair winds and following seas.

Robert S. Warner, Jr.
Robert S. Warner, Jr. (@guest_54649)
5 years ago

Kevin I know you can hear me – waterfront folks just know such things. I volunteer mornings at the Shrimping Museum. My old dog, Zoomer, and I always looked forward to seeing your happy smile and morning welcome. It’s very sad for us both. Our sincere condolences to all your family – on and off the water. As Dave said above, fair winds and following seas.

Chris Hadden
Chris Hadden (@guest_54653)
5 years ago

I lived on my boat at the marina for a number of years and Kevin was such an easy going guy. Always friendly and helpful to me. One of the reasons I liked staying there. I was looking forward to returning to the new marina. It will be far less without him there.

Sharon &Jack Witt
Sharon &Jack Witt (@guest_54656)
5 years ago

We met Kevin years ago cruising from Savannah down to Marathon. He always welcomed us and we enjoyed our stay.The boating community will miss him.

Coleman Langshaw
Coleman Langshaw (@guest_54658)
5 years ago

I met Kevin in 1983 when we worked at the Council on Aging, and we both came to the Marina at the same time. He was one of my closest and dearest friends, and I am heartbroken at his passing. Not only did we spend countless hours, days and years together as co-workers, but I was lucky enough to enjoy some time off with him, as he taught me how to fish from a skiff, at the edge of oyster beds for trout and reds (actually he caught the fish, and I just caught the oysters). He taught me about NASCAR, in a way that made me appreciate the finer aspects of the sport, both from the driving side and the mechanical side (I am sure Jimmy had a lot to do with that too).. He was such an amazing Nature photographer, from pictures of Florida Panthers in mid-jump, to an amazing close-up of a male Painted Bunting in his back yard (he gave me a copy of the Bunting pic, as it was my favorite of his shots). Most people saw him at the marina only, where he worked harder than anyone I knew (I would have to tell him “go home, the marina will be here when you get back”). There are some other stories I have about Kevin, but I will refrain from sharing, because it is just between friends (I will say, that one of them is about my bachelor’s party a long time ago…but that is all I am going to say about that). Kevin was the most loyal of friends, and the mold was broken when he graced our lives with his life. I will always treasure my friendship with this wonderful guy, and I will miss him for the rest of my life.