ARTHUR MYNDERT "Skipper" KIMBERLY

Arthur Kimberly, "Skipper", 89 years old, died peacefully on Sept. 17, 2011. He was born in Bristol, CT and spent his early years in Worcester, MA. His entire life was lived as a mariner, a sailmaker, ship captain and teacher. He graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy and served in various positions on tankers throughout World War II. He is an Unlimited Master of Steam and Motor Vessels, and Master in Sail in any ocean. Captain Kimberly worked for awhile in the Mystic Seaport shipyard. He was captain of the famous ship "Yankee" where he met his bride to be, Gloria Cloutier. Gloria was a master sailor and photographer. For a time they chartered a small ship around the Virgin Islands, dreaming of owning a larger vessel so they could sail in the South Pacific and perhaps circumnavigate the world. At that time the producers of the movie "Hawaii" finished filming and wanted to sell the lead ship. It was just what the Kimberly's wanted and they bought her and the ship "Romance" was born. The two of them owned and sailed the ship for over 23 years on short eight day cruises with a dozen or more paying passengers. They often sailed the South Pacific ocean and circumnavigated the world twice. A continuous stream of college students, three or four at a time, worked as crew on the ship learning the discipline of the sea, navigation, and maintaining a square rigged vessel. This group called themselves "Marinaros" and received college credit for their work. He and other crew members keeping touch with one another to this day. Captain Kimberly is survived by two sisters, Harriet (Hugh) Crawford, Ft. Myers FL, and Jane (Russ) Meyer, The Villages, FL; five nieces and two nephews. Donations can be sent to Tiffany on the River, Assistant Living for the Elderly, 502 N. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168, or Odyssey Hospice, 149 S. Ridgewood Ave., Ste 600, Daytona Beach, FL 32114. Memorial service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 8, 2011 at Settle-Wilder's New Smyrna Beach Chapel. Condolences may be made online at www.settlewilderfuneralhome.com.