Kenneth Harold Webb

WEBB, Capt. Kenneth Harold (ret.)
b. Jan. 28, 1926 - d. Oct. 1, 2011
Kenneth H. Webb, an Alameda native and master mariner whose 45-year career at sea took him to 'far-away places with strange sounding names,' passed away October 1, 2011. He lived in the Bay Area, Hawaii and Washington during his career but resided in Carmichael for most of his retirement years. He was 85.

As a youngster during summers - and sometimes during self-designated 'holidays' - he rodeoed up and down California's cattle country from Salinas to Yreka, breaking broncs, bones (his own), accumulating belt buckles, prize saddles, and a love and respect for people and animals that opened doors to an amazing life.

His sea-going adventures began as a teenager in the Navy during World War II. He served in the South Pacific as a torpedo-man on the submarine USS Silversides, and was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars. After the war he enrolled at UC Berkeley (Cal), but the call of the sea beckoned, and he joined the merchant marine, rising to master (captain). As a young officer, he sailed for Matson Lines' White Fleet luxury liners, going to exotic ports of call such as Bora Bora, Rarotonga - all over the South Pacific and Asia. Later, sailing for MSTS (a civil service sea transport company), he captained ships that picked up NASA's astronauts as they exited their orbits and fell into the sea; he was deployed on spy missions in southeast Asian waters, and he was sent to both arctic and Antarctic locations for geographic work. When he left MSTS, he sailed huge tankers that conveyed oil to and from ports in South America, the Middle East and Alaska. (US News and World Report featured him in an article.) He even piloted ships in Hawaii, moving them from deep water channels into island ports. His master's license granted him access as captain on vessels of any gross tonnage in any oceans of the world. Kenneth H. Webb was a sailor.

Kenneth Webb not only knew how to sail; he also knew how to tell stories. His low-key appealing manner, knowledge of world cultures, and quick wit captivated audiences. He had a slow easy grin, and in his stories, the joke was usually on him. He enjoyed dividing his time among his buddies at the Carmichael Elks Club, his friends at the Fair Oaks VFW, and reminiscing with other sea-going friends.

He often said, however, that most of his life's happiest moments came from being a father. He was devoted to his two children, Marni and Casey. He taught them astronomy, letting them 'shoot the stars' in their backyard with a navigator's sextant, pointing out various constellations to the two small children who weren't really sure what Orion's Belt or any star group was - but the stories were wonderful. He was patient, rarely cross. Just one raised black Scottish eyebrow was enough to keep the kids in line.

Kenneth Webb was predeceased by his parents, Harold K. and Blanche B. (Lamm) Webb, and his son, Casey K. Webb. He is survived by his daughter, Marni Webb, his granddaughter Shannon Dugger, his grandson Kenneth Brown (Angela), his grandsons Eli (Veronica) and Dugan Webb, two great-grandchildren, Alexandra and Lucas Brown, and his dear, devoted friend Helen Lazorisak. He leaves a unique legacy of honor and humor and love and will be profoundly missed. Per his wishes, services will be private.