William Seymour Boagey

William Seymour Boagey, 70, of St. Augustine, Fla., died Sept. 17, 2012 at home.

He was born Feb. 10, 1942, in Ft. Wayne, Ind., and grew up in Shalimar, Fla. He graduated from St. Stanislaus College Prep in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

He served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy and was aboard the USS Shangri-La, USS Repose (hospital ship in Vietnam), USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Saratoga. He retired in September 1985 as a HMCS from the Naval Hospital Jacksonville.

Following his retirement, Bill worked for International Total Services as operations director, then Palatka Marine, Inc. He fished most of his life, both inshore and offshore. He earned his captain"s license and managed Midway Phoenix Corporation"s Midway Sport Fishing and Diving, on Midway Island, Pacific Ocean.

Bill was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, as well as a loving uncle to many nieces, and nephews. He was respected by all his fellow fisherman and many good friends. His parents, Thomas and Wave Atkin Boagey, and his son, Thomas Joseph Boagey, who died in 1982, preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife, Carol Gerlach Boagey, St. Augustine, with whom he had planned to celebrate their golden anniversary in January; his daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Rolland Thompson of Temecula, Calif.; his granddaughter, Laing Elizabeth Welch, also of Temecula, Calif.; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Michael and Connie Gerlach of Madison, Ala.; and Tommy and Michele Gerlach of Andalusia, Ala.; and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, all of whom adored their Uncle Bill.

A memorial service is planned for 4 p.m. on Fri, Sept. 21, at Craig Funeral Home, 1475 Old Dixie Highway, St. Augustine, FL 32084.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Northeast Florida Community Hospice, St. Augustine office, 525 State Road 16, Suite 112, St. Augustine, FL 32084, or any cancer research center.