Captain Harry F. Burgess, Jr.
Harry Franklin Burgess, Jr., 61, of St. Augustine, Florida, died suddenly on January 31st, 2024. Harry was born on July 9th, 1962, to Isabelle and Harry Burgess, Sr. in New York, New York. Harry spent his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia, and his teenage & young adult years in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Harry attended Ponte Vedra Palm Valley Elementary and Middle School, Fletcher Duncan High School, and Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida. Harry worked as a Regional Sales Manager for Foster & Company from 2018 until his death.
For most of his life, the ocean was Harry’s home, refuge, and provider. Captain Harry worked in the tuna longline fishing industry for over 32 years. His various positions took him worldwide, from Georges Banks off the coast of Boston to the Caribbean, Mexico, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Australia, America Samoa, Central and South America, and too many more ports to mention. Harry was a very energetic child, and his passion for fishing began when his grandfather, Harry Johnson, and his uncle, Mark Johnson, were seeking an activity to keep “Baby Harry” from bouncing off the walls. Both were accomplished bass fishermen and taught Harry to fish as a child. According to Mark, “Harry was born a natural fisherman.” Harry had the personality, natural inclinations, and physical skills that drew him to fishing and made him good at it.
Harry wore many hats during his long fishing career. He worked for the Asian Development Bank where he trained cadets, wrote training manuals for captains, crews & fleet personnel, and helped write grants. He was a Tuna Longline Consultant for the American Samoa government. During his tenure there, he helped acquire two grants to set up and operate American Samoa’s first training vessel. For 14 years, Harry was the captain of the privately owned FV Adelita, a 170-ton albacore fishing vessel. His fishing trips lasted 60-70 days at a time, and he supplied fish for Star-Kist Tuna in Samoa, the USA School Lunch Program, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Veterans Hospital Commissary. In addition, Harry was president of Captain’s Choice Consulting, where he wrote grants for development banks and other companies to acquire funding for large-scale fishing projects.
Harry was curious, and his inquisitiveness and keen intellect drove all his pursuits. He was an active, precocious, intelligent, and very “busy” child. His mother tried her best to keep sugar out of the house, but Harry had a knack for finding the hidden Moon Pies she put away for special treats. He played music by ear and enjoyed playing the violin, organ, ukulele, and harmonica. He did not play drums but occasionally stole his brother’s drumsticks, and much to the chagrin of anyone around him, he would bang on every kitchen counter, chair, car seat, table, and wall in his path. As a young teenager, Harry became interested in karate and martial arts. He loved practicing with his nunchaku’s and during this time, life with Harry was like living with a bull in a china shop. He had a talent for creative writing and won a poetry contest in college. He loved chemistry, collecting arrowheads, and rock tumbling. Harry was very athletic and enjoyed playing baseball, football, and boxing. He was your quintessential “renaissance child and man.” The only thing he couldn’t do well was sit still!
Harry was humble, kind, funny, creative, down-to-earth, and a wonderful storyteller. For years, his family and friends encouraged him to write a book about his travels and life experiences. Harry loved to talk, but he was an exceptional listener. He spoke to family and friends daily, making each person he talked to feel special. He knew every constellation in the sky, countless dirty jokes, loved food... especially Publix Danish rolls, could tell you anything and everything about the ocean and her inhabitants, was an expert on the weather, loved animals, and never forgot where he came from. Harry would give you the shirt off his back if you asked him for it. He loved making large batches of datil sauce to share with his friends, family and customers. He could also make a mean gumbo! Harry was incredibly proud of his family and grandchildren and spent his last years enjoying life in the country with his sweet partner, Melodie Helmly Brown.
The opening lines to Jimmy Buffet’s song, “A Pirate Looks at Forty” best describe Captain Harry’s pull to ride on the ocean:
Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all, you've seen it all
There will never be another Captain Harry Burgess. His family and friends will deeply miss his keen sense of humor, the colorful stories of his adventures abroad, his mischievous grin, his loud laugh, and the warmth of being in his ray of sunshine.
Harry is survived by his loving partner, Melodie Helmly Brown and her family, children: Cody Burgess of Hollywood Hills, CA, Quenton Burgess (Jillianne) of Fort Campbell, KY, David Burgess (Katt) of Las Vegas, NV, Gloria Burgess of Anchorage, AK, Khadijah Burgess of Anchorage, AK, Meria Burgess of Ashville, NC; grandchildren: Unaloto, Mele, Quenton Jr., Tevita, Thomas, Thaddeus and Isabelle Burgess. He is also survived by his siblings, Brad Burgess of Jacksonville Beach, FL, and Tracy Wind (Patrick) of Darien, CT, by his Uncle Mark Johnson (Cheryl) of Thomaston, GA; Aunt Linda Walker of Albany, GA; nieces, and nephews: Connor Wind of Boston, MA, Samantha Wind of Washington, DC, Walker Wind of Greenwich, CT, and Bailey Reynolds (Kyle) of Vidalia, GA. In addition, he leaves behind his lifelong best friend, Ed Voutour (Cindy), and many close friends whom he considered family. Harry was preceded in death by his mother, Isabelle Walker Burgess (2009), and father, Harry Franklin Burgess (1990). Harry also left behind his sweet German Shepherd, Echo, whom he loved having by his side on his front porch each morning while he sipped his coffee.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of life service for Harry on Saturday, March 9th at 11:00 am at Mill Creek Baptist Church at 6019A FL-16 in St. Augustine, FL.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: First Coast German Shepherd Rescue - https://www.firstcoastgsr.com/donate
