FAREWELL AT SEA: FRIENDS & FAMILY HONOR BENNETT ORR IN HIS RETURN TO THE OCEAN

By
Alex Rickert
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On Dec. 1, friends and family gathered to pay final respects to Marathon fishing icon Bennett Orr. In a ceremony led by Marathon Church of God pastor Nick Vaughn aboard the vessel “Miss Jackie,” Orr’s ashes were placed in a biodegradable container and lowered in a lobster trap into the reef area where Bennett made his living as a commercial fisherman. The trap was retrieved two weeks later to prevent any potential marine debris.

Photos by LARRY BENVENUTI/Contributed

A specially-adorned lobster trap and white roses paid tribute to a Marathon fishing icon.
Bennett Orr’s friends and family prepare to temporarily lower a lobster trap with his ashes into the reef area where he made his living.
Placed inside a biodegradable container, Bennett Orr’s ashes were put inside a lobster trap and released into the ocean. The trap was retrieved two weeks later.
White roses and a commercial trap buoy mark a fitting final resting place for Bennett Orr.
Alex Rickert
Alex Rickert
Alex Rickert made the perfectly natural career progression from dolphin trainer to newspaper editor in 2021 after freelancing for Keys Weekly while working full time at Dolphin Research Center. A resident of Marathon since 2015, he fell in love with the Florida Keys community by helping multiple organizations and friends rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Irma. An avid runner, actor, and spearfisherman, he spends as much of his time outside of work on or under the sea having civil disagreements with sharks.

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