Obituary: Zoeth L. Rich II

Zoeth L. Rich II, longtime Maine fishing captain and family man, dies at 78

PORTLAND — Zoeth L. Rich II, a career fisherman who spent more than three decades at the helm of boats along the Maine coast and later helped build a family property management business with his daughter, died on June 3, 2026, at Maine Medical Center. He was 78.

Rich died peacefully, surrounded by his family, after complications from heart disease, according to an obituary shared with the Press Herald.

Born and raised on Long Island, Maine, Rich found his life's work on the water. He dedicated more than 35 years to the fishing industry, captaining vessels for the majority of that time. To many who knew him professionally, he was simply "Skipper," a name that suited him long before he ever earned his captain's license.

After retiring from fishing, Rich brought the steady, practical approach that had defined his career at sea into a second chapter on land. He worked alongside his daughter Leah in the family property management business for nearly 20 years.

Rich graduated from Portland High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968. He and his wife, Karen, raised their two children in Falmouth before returning to Long Island, where the couple lived for 25 years. At home, Rich was rarely far from his two dogs, Chaz and Benny, whom the family continued to call "the puppies" no matter their age. The dogs were constant companions, and Rich took clear joy in their presence.

Friends and family remember him less for his titles than for his character. A close friend captured that sentiment in a statement: "Zoeth was a rock we could all depend on. The epitome of a man. True blue, steadfast and loving. The world is a lesser place without him."

He is survived by Karen, his wife of 48 years; his son, Zodie, and Zodie's wife, Jillian (Dougherty) Rich, and their daughters, Adilyn and Maizie; his daughter, Leah, and her husband, Tim Hand, and their children, Graden, Livia and Beckham; and five grandchildren who knew him simply as Pa. He is also survived by his sister, Cherylene (Rich) Turnbull, and her husband, Robert; and his brother, Douglas Rich, and his wife, Tina. He was predeceased by his parents, Douglas and Jean Rich.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Thursday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at DiMillo's in Portland.