Kodiak, Alaska on October 14, 2019, instead of on the deck of a boat, as
we had all anticipated. He had been caring for his beloved grandson
Henri, who we called Buddha Boy.
Lu was born June 4, 1942, in Schwabisch Hall, Germany, where his
father Hans, was stationed as a bomber pilot in the Luftwaffe. Towards
the end of the war Hans and his squadron transported their families to
Denmark, where his mother, Linda, and his older brother, Michael, and
soon to be be born sister, Birgitt, were kept in a Red Cross refugee camp
for six months. Last year Lu wrote a letter of gratitude to the Danish
government for the kindness and care that they received while interned.
Returning to the devastation of Linda’s home town of Braunschweig, the
family faced all the deprivations of post-war years - this was a grim time
of pure survival. Lu’s home was in the British zone, and he always spoke
kindly of the occupying forces that he lived under. The marriage of his
parents was one of the many casualties of the war. His maternal family
existed hand-to-mouth, living in primitive housing until their home was
restored to them. Eventually his mother married an attorney, which
provided a more affluent life for the family.
Upon the death of his stepfather, Lu sought the liberation from his
immediate family by immigrating to Olympia, Washington, under the
sponsorship of his great Uncle Henri Schlottmann. At Centralia College
he met his first wife, Sharon Johnson, and one of his many best friends,
Jerry Swigart. Although this marriage was not to last, it provided two
sons, Shawn and KC, with whom he maintained an irrevocable bond as
their father.
Lu and Stefani were married in 1969. Both were hopelessly and blindly
in love, regardless of their tepremental differences. It was the time of the
flower children, but Lu couldn’t stand to be poor, so they straddled that
lifestyle rather blissfully. In 1973, after 9 months of living and tending to
his brother’s bar in Germany, he and Stefani took jobs at the CWF
cannery in Alitak, Alaska.
This set Lu’s direction for life. They worked three years at Alitak, he as
a quality control and electrician’s apprentice (who happened to be
Stefani’s father, Ingulv Eldegard – because no one else could work with
him) she in the office and can shop. They embarked on Halibut fishing in
cannery off hours out of a wooden skiff with a homemade reel with
Danny and Nette Farsovitch as co-crew. What a sight that was!! Lu
made the decision to become a crew member for salmon, halibut & crab
fishing with Simon Ferkingstad, and thereafter crabbing and tendering
with Atom Fairweather on the Tidings. The passion for halibut fishing
never left him. Boat ownership and the pursuit of the elusive bottom
feeder became his destiny. The birth of daughters’ Sharnico in 1976, and
Katrina in 1978, inspired the decision for Stefani to move the family
from California to Alaska in 1980.
His first boat was the Swallow, which lead to his next boat and
“mistress”(Stefani’s words) the Belair. It’s sinking in 1994 was
something he mourned the remainder of his life. Next came the North
Point and the Stormbird – vessels that he owned during the remainder of
his life. The Stormbird was most recently in partnership with Gene
LeDoux. Lu was especially dedicated to the fair treatment and fair
compensation of his crew members.
He creatively fought IFQs, because it hampered new entrants to the
fisheries. He participated very vocally in challenging the ABF, IPHC and
NPFMC to make policies limiting the impact of the drag fisheries on the
resource, and endlessly advocated to initiate crab fishery enhancement
and restoration efforts for the Kodiak community. Lu’s subsidy of
research provided a window into the reality of the current and future
consequences of regulatory agencies ignoring data and facts, and acting
appropriately. His dream endures that changes will occur as a part of his
legacy.
Lu and Stefani had just joyously celebrated their 50th anniversary on
October 4th. It is impossible to list all the friends who have been with
him forever. Stefani and his children are so grateful for the support of
the Kodiak community, as well as some many others throughout Alaska,
California, Oregon, Washington and Germany.
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