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Master and Commander Posts: 1438 Location: NE Florida | Subject: Thursday Obits https://www.facebook.com/ussvi.eternalpatrol/ The above link goes to the USSVI (United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.) Facebook page where their members who have gone on “Eternal Patrol” are noted. I’ll keep my work here going, trying to get others who were not USSVI members. You’re encouraged to look there as well as here! Obviously, there’ll be some I miss and some I duplicate. MERRIGAN .. .. .. Donald Marvin Merrigan — “Don” to everyone who knew and loved him — passed away at home on April 15, 2026, at the age of 83 after a brave battle with cancer, leaving behind his family and many dear friends whose lives were made richer, warmer and more colorful by his presence. Born on March 19, 1943, in Los Angeles, California, Don lived in numerous places across the U.S. before settling down in his wife’s hometown of Marblehead, a place he loved deeply. He served his country in the Navy for 12 years aboard submarines during the Vietnam War on the USS Pomfret, USS Sea Leopard and the USS Woodrow Wilson. His connection to the submarine community never faded. For many years following his service, he ran a dedicated subvet website, and he served as the graphic designer and compositor for the early issues of American Submariner magazine. He was also a former member of the Marblehead chapter of the subvets organization. After leaving the Navy, Don entered the graphics arts and printing industries. He worked as a composition and printing estimator for a number of companies in the greater Boston area and also was an owner of the Impressions One printing company in Marblehead for a time. A member of Marblehead’s Old North Church, Don served as the church’s historian for several years. He was especially interested in learning about the church’s past, as studying history was one of his passions. He was an avid reader, particularly of historical accounts, biographies and anything about the Civil War. Outside of work and service, Don was a man who knew how to live well and enjoy life! He loved to travel with family and friends, and especially enjoyed his trips to Greece, Hawaii, Ireland and Italy. He found joy in music (especially Willie Nelson), in a well-cooked meal, in a good round of golf and in the companionship of his beloved dogs. His “Old Girls” cookouts and New Year’s Eve feasts were legendary! Don was the beloved and devoted husband of Carol (Estes) Merrigan, his partner and companion through it all. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Marie Katherine Davis and Marvin Wilford Davis; his paternal grandparents, Ruby Mary McMillen and Thomas Joseph Merrigan; his father, Donald Earnest Merrigan; his mother, Haroldean Virginia Harris; his sister, Caroldean Gordon; and his son, Donald. He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol; his children, Tara Doyle (Terry Chunn), Shanna Plourd, Dave Merrigan (Tiffany) and Caitlin Harrison (Brian); his grandchildren, Dallas Doyle (Katrina Dixon), Elizabeth Merrigan (Connor Holland), Samantha Plourd, Tiffany Plourd, Finley Merrigan, Sloane Merrigan; his great-granddaughter, Delilah; and his cousin, Jack Jermyn, whom Don considered to be like a brother. MISKOWSKI .. .. .. Michael James (Mike) Miskowski went home to God very unexpectedly on April 17, 2026. He was born on March 27, 1956, in Scranton, PA. He went into the US Navy in 1976 as a sonarman and spent his career on 6 different submarines, his 2 favorites being the Dace and the Francis Scott Key. After the Navy, he spent some time in the Army National Guard to make up for his 20 years of service to his country. He then took a tractor-trailer driving course with Schneider Trucking and earned his CDL; for the last 30+ years, he had worked at Road Scholar Transport in Dunmore, PA, where he retired from just recently on April 1, 2026. Michael was an extremely intelligent man. He could fix just about anything, including his car. He loved fishing, live music concerts, 80s music, square dancing with the Quabbin Valley Twirlers of Ludlow, traveling, camping, baseball, including the Boston and Worcester Red Sox and the Worcester Bravehearts. He found the love of his life and best friend in 2010 when he met Barbara. Together, they were ardent foodies and enjoyed many great meals attributed to Phantom Gourmet recommendations. She brought him into her family and gave him a new title: Papa. Having had no children of his own, he took on babysitting the littles, ages 5 and 2. He also took the 2 older boys, ages 12 and 11, fishing and enjoyed their baseball games. He is survived by his 92-year-old mother, Lee McHugh, sister Trish (Joe) Killinger, sister Kathy (David) Thorne, and brother Paul (Laura) McHugh. He leaves the love of his life and partner Barbara Nutting, her son Ricky (Jena) Nutting, and 4 grandbaby boys: Zuryiah 12, Chayton 11, Noah 5, and Barrett (Bear) 2. He also leaves behind his best buddy, Max, his Australian Shepherd. Mike’s love of Aussies and Barbara’s love of Greyhounds joined together to dedicate their lives to animal rescue. He also leaves Doughy and Allie greyhounds and Daisy the Beagle, along with Bella and Bailey, Siamese cats. He was predeceased by his brother Jim Miskowski and his dad, Jack McHugh. WALTON .. .. .. HMCM Steven B. Walton, U.S. Navy (Ret.), age 81, passed away on December 9, 2025, in Mobile, Alabama. He was born on March 9, 1944, in Billings, Montana, to Hubert and Helen Walton. Upon graduation from Laurel High School in 1962, he joined the United States Navy serving 30 years and retiring at the rank of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman (HMCM). During his distinguished naval career, he serviced as a corpsman aboard the USS Madera County (LST-905), in Vietnam and at the Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. In 1972, he completed Submarine Medical School in Groton, Connecticut, and spent 15 years working in Nuclear Submarine Medicine. As a Nuclear Medicine Corpsman, he served aboard the USS James K. Polk (SSBN 645), USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), and with Squadron One in Pearl Harbor, HI. He also served as the Command Master Chief at the Naval Hospital Corps School in San Diego and completed his career as the Command Master Chief at the Naval Environmental Command in Norfolk, Virginia. Following retirement from the Navy, Master Chief Walton continued working in healthcare for several companies before fully retiring in June 2011. That same year, he and his wife moved to Fairhope, Alabama, where he made their home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Helen Walton; his daughter, Dena Walton; his brother, Gary Walton; and sister, Sue Noel. He is survived by his beloved wife, Judy Walton; his daughter, Jamie (Kevin) Kelly; and his son, Darren Walton; his grandchildren Jessica (Ben) Williams, Kevin (Isa) Kelly, and Angel Walton; and four great-grandchildren, Zoey and Austen Williams, and Billy and Tallulah Kelly. He is also survived by his brother Marshall Walton; sister, Claudia (Ron) Morley; and cousin Sally Ridl; nieces Sheila Walters and Tracy (Dustin) Whealon. Master Chief lived a life defined by service - to his country, his Sailors, and his family. He led with integrity, strength, and compassion, earning the respect of all who served alongside him and the deep love of those he cherished at home. His legacy of honor, commitment, and devotion will live on through the generations of family he so proudly loved and protected. LANGLEY .. .. .. Jerry Langley Formerly of Westford passed away at his home in Deltona Florida. Jerry was born on August 15, 1958, the beloved son of the late Walter and Evelyn Langley He attended Westford Academy where he was on the wrestling team. He then joined The Navy and served on the nuclear submarine, the Theodore Roosevelt, stationed in Hawaii and Guam. Jerry worked at several electronic companies including Wang Labs. Jerry loved fishing especially deep-sea fishing, cooking and The Patriots. He later earned his bachelor’s degree from Rivier University. He is survived by his brother Stephen of Littleton, his sister and brother-in-law Judith and Michael Durand of DeBary, Florida and several nieces and nephews. Jerry was predeceased by his brother Ronald, his sisters Sherri Miner and Sharon Langley and baby brothers Walter and Gerard. HOEPFNER .. .. .. Karl Thomas “Tom” Hoepfner, a devoted husband, loving father, and decorated veteran, passed away peacefully at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina, on March 30, 2026. He was 81. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 3, 1944, Tom’s life was marked by a spirit of adventure and a commitment to service. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1966 and immediately married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen “Dee-Dee” Lewin—a decision he often called the best of his life. Tom’s 33-year career in the U.S. Navy took him and his family across the globe. His early assignments included tours in Hawaii, where he not only earned his submarine qualifications but also learned to surf the Pacific waves and love the beach. He was also part of a historic and memorable 1971 expedition under the North Pole. A later teaching assignment as a nuclear power instructor in Idaho was a welcome change of pace, allowing him to trade his fins for snow skis and carve through waist-deep powder. It was there that he discovered a love for the beautiful outdoors, fly fishing for rainbow trout, horseback riding through the Tetons, snowmobiling through Yellowstone, and white-water rafting down the thrilling Snake River Canyon. He often spoke of his favorite assignment, Captain of the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine USS Woodrow Wilson. In his words, “the best Job I ever had, bar none.” Tours with the Wilson and the Nathan Hale allowed him the time for lots of memories made raising a family in Charleston. He earned numerous accolades, including four Legions of Merit, but he was just as proud of his roles as a husband and father. He balanced the demands of his career with a warm and engaging presence, creating a loving home for his family wherever their adventures took them. After retiring from the Navy, Tom began a second career with Lockheed-Martin before retiring for good at age 55. He and Dee-Dee settled in Wilmington, where he fully embraced a life of leisure and purpose. He could often be found golfing, cooking, tackling home projects, or simply reading in the pool. He lived by a cherished family motto: “If you ain’t havin’ fun, it’s your own damn fault.” Tom was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Kathleen. He is survived by his son, Michael, and his wife, JoBeth; his daughter, Heidi, and her husband, Kevin; and four cherished grandchildren. RAYMOND .. .. .. Stanley “Stan” Eugene Raymond, 74, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2026, in Bristol, Rhode Island, surrounded by his loving family. Stan was born on December 17, 1951, in Pittsburg, California, and lived a life defined by hard work, wit, and a deep devotion to his family. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy as a submariner before building a 40-year career in the private sector as a Defense Contractor, specializing throughout the field of nuclear submarine technologies. This career took him around the world, where he collected countless stories and life lessons along the way. He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Judith Ann Raymond, whom he adored; his children, Stephanie (Derek) Grant, Melissa (Scott) Garst, and Sean (Courtney) Raymond; and his five grandchildren – Kaitlyn, Ryan, Parker, Luke, and Leona – who loved his silliness and endless affection. He is also survived by his sister, Victoria Merickel, and his brothers, Steven Raymond and Scott Raymond. Stan found true happiness spending time with his bride, Judy, and always looked forward to their Thursday dinner dates. During his children’s younger years, he was a constant presence on the sidelines, always their number one fan. A true introvert, he enjoyed reading, building models and anything related to computers. He had a natural curiosity and always kept up with the latest in technology. PATTERSON .. .. .. Saltillo-Sammy Gerald "Sam" Patterson Sr., died on April 21, 2026, at his home in Saltillo after a valiant battle against cancer. Sam, the fourth son of James Clovis Patterson and Annie Lucille Repult Patterson, was born in Itawamba County, Mississippi on November 13, 1940. Sam grew up in East Tupelo. His father died when Sam was age 14. Although he grew up in poverty, Sam, while working part time, applied himself to the education available in Tupelo, and graduated in the Class of 1958 at Tupelo High School. Sam joined the United States Navy the day before his 18th birthday and served as an electrician on submarines in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. After service in the Navy, Sam became one of the top truck salesmen at Truck Center in Tupelo for more than 40 years. During this time, Sam also rescued and raised quarter horses, as well as saddle breaking horses for others. He also helped youngsters train horses and compete in horse shows. After retirement from Truck Center, Sam pursued his passion by becoming a hay farmer. At various times, Sam sold his quality hay to the United States Army to feed their ceremonial horses. The onset of cancer forced him to retire from farming at age 83. | ||
| PaulR |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1301 Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Thursday Obits DON MERRIGAN, recall him well. Myself and many other were members of his early BBS and CAUSE. Member left his site to form USSVI INTERNET BASE, of which I was it's 1st Secretary. Rest in peace. | ||
| Don Gentry |
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Admin Posts: 2389 Location: Renton, WA | Subject: RE: Thursday Obits Thanks for posting Paul. Reading just his name didn't ring a bell but now I remember him. I know we exchanged just a few emails back in the early days. Good guy! | ||
| Coyote |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1438 Location: NE Florida | Subject: RE: Thursday Obits I knew that I knew that name from someplace. Thanks for the reminder. Coyote | ||
| PaulR |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1301 Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Thursday Obits Ric Hedman was in that early CAUSS group as well. Met him, and his wife in Hagerstown USSVI convention in 1998 | ||
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