Warren James of Bay Shore and Fire Island (1923-2025)
Warren James divided his time between Bay Shore and the Fire Island community of Lonelyville. He first arrived on Fire Island in 1929 at age six. At 15, he personally experienced the 1938 hurricane. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard, participating in combat in both Europe and the Pacific. After college, he became the ferry captain of Running Wild, a rumrunner boat turned ferry that operated for the Fair Harbor Ferry Company before independent Bay Shore ferry companies merged into Fire Island Ferries, Inc. He married Lorraine in 1950, and together they raised their children, Ellyn and Paul. Lorraine predeceased him in 2011. The Fair Harbor Fire Department held a party in his honor when he turned 100 in 2023, and in 2024, he was recognized for his military service by Canine Companions. James died peacefully on Feb. 16. After his funeral service at Overton Funeral Home in Islip, the U.S. Coast Guard rendered military honors for him at Station Fire Island.
Patricia “Patti” Seal of Patchogue Village (1956-2025)
The passing of longtime former Patchogue Village Clerk, Patti Seal, on March 15, only days after the death of Village Trustee Joe Keyes, was no less tragic. She was only 68 years old. Seal held the elected office of Village Clerk for 15 years before retiring in 2020. She was much respected in her role, being named “Clerk of the Year” by the New York Town Clerks Association in 2018. Seal was born in Bay Shore, raised in Central Islip, and graduated from St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip. Her career path was diverse, including serving as an aide at Central Islip Psychiatric Center, as Head of Sales Training at Smith Barney, and as Patchogue Village Trustee alongside Mayor Pontieri. She is remembered as a Giants and Yankees fan, a lover of the beach, and a dedicated public servant. A memorial was held in her honor at the Patchogue Knights of Columbus Hall on April 25. She is survived by her husband, Howard; her son, Ryan; her brothers, James and John Luisi; and her sister, Kim Thompson, and many nieces and nephews
Name Withheld (1966-2025)
The news that an adult male deliberately jumped to his death from the Fire Island Lighthouse tower at 1:45 p.m. on August 29, the Friday before Labor Day Weekend, shocked the Great South Bay community and the greater Long Island area. He chose the tallest lighthouse on Long Island for this act of suicide. He bought his ticket before jumping off the observation platform. Suffolk County Marine Bureau officers and the West Islip Fire Department responded to the incident. To this day, his name has not been publicly disclosed by authorities. However, about a month after the incident, the publication learned that he was a cousin of one of the contributors to our sister newspaper, the Fire Island News, making him part of our extended family. The man was 59 years old and had spent his life in public service with Suffolk County. We withhold his identity out of respect for his grieving loved ones. If you or someone you know is struggling, remember that resources are available to help. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Hotline at 988 before making such a desperate decision.
