Zealy M. "Marshgrass" Lewis, Sr., of Lee Drive, Hampstead, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, June 5, 2005, after an extended illness.

Eulogy for Marshgrass...as given by his 'yankee' son-in-law down by the dock where he fished for many years....

Dear family and friends, we thank you for taking the time to come here to honor the memory of Zealy Lewis, better known to most of us as "Marshgrass" and to his family as "Pappy".

I knew him as "Pappy" from the start, but I was little prepared for this rapid talking, robust, opinionated, and subtlety generous old salt. As a transplanted Yankee, it took me about 5 years before I could translate one of his sentences.

In fact, as a land-locked Yankee, Pappy struck me as the Robert Shaw character in "Jaws", named "Quint", the old salty boat owner and shark fisherman who told it like it was and knew how to get the job done – but only on his terms. That was "Marshgrass" to me.

He was born, raised, lived and worked as a North Carolinian, hailing from Goldsboro during the deep Depression. He initially worked beside his father in the Cotton Mill, after his family moved from Stump Sound (now Topsail Island, after many generations of fishing and crabbing there.) Then duty called and he was drafted to serve his country during the Korean War in the US Army in Germany, Korea and Colorado Springs as an electrician.

He held onto that Army training, and came back to North Carolina to do electrical work. Many a home and business from here to Carolina Beach had their electricity installed with his two hands.

But as we all can figure out, working for someone else, and doing something he didn't really love, wasn't what Marshgrass had in mind. What was a skill driven by many ancestors who came before him, he turned his love of fishing into his profession. And that he did. Fishing became his life, and that is mostly what we've come to know him for.

As far as I've been able to find out, no one is quite sure when Zealy became known as "Marshgrass". Who called him that first is unknown. Stories have it that a storm came up on him suddenly one night, so he anchored his boat in the marsh and lay there in the midst of the marsh grass until the storm passed.

What "Marshgrass" means, is that no one knew the intercoastal parts like he did. Marshgrass could zoom from clearing to clearing, from inlet to creek, at alarmingly high speeds without hitting a bump or even a sandy shoal. And those of you who know the area, know how these marshes change abruptly with each passing tide, storm, or ship that passes through. No doubt, this was quite a feat.

Even more impressive, though, was his ability to find and "rustle in" the big catch. I say "rustle" for a reason. What else do you call, throwing in a net, zooming to where the fish are, and driving them into your net. The man knew how to bring in the 'big catch'. He never talked about the "big one that got away", he brought in the "big one" every time.

Marshgrass was a fish-finder and weatherman long before technology came along. The groundhog in Pennsylvania has nothing on him, he was a walking Almanac. He'd always tell us the year's weather, including big storms, and usually nailed it.

Somewhere in there, he found time to start and raise a family. He was so very proud of his two daughters, in addition to two granddaughters and three grandsons.

As we can all probably attest, raising a family is a whole lot more involved than being out there in the ocean with only the fish and your creator. Zealy had his share of joys, but also the sorrow and heartache of his youngest daughter's near fatal car accident, and its aftermath on his family and community.

While Marshgrass seemed and was demanding, he was also a generous person, often though, very subtlety. If he asked you to eat a meal with him, you weren't allowed to pay. He'd always say, "I got it on my hip". If you need something like a tool or something of the sort, he'd dig into his shed and usually found what you needed. If he had it to give, you got it. If you came to him on Wednesday needing a mess of fish to feed the family until pay-day, he'd give you a mess of fish to keep you eating until pay day. And not the fish he couldn't sell, but the fish right off the boat.

If you were a stray dog or cat, well, you never went hungry in his yard. And if you were a boy who needed a father figure to keep you out of trouble, he supplied that too, with a young man who became like a second son to him until the very end.

Yes, Marshgrass was an old salt. In fact, there are a few here today that probably think he put the salt in the ocean instead of the other way around. "We could drink that water out there until old Marshgrass fell in it".

And yes, he sure did have a way with words. Everything I needed to know about how to communicate with other drivers I learned from him. (That's why I'm wanted in three states!)

But don't let the gruff words and sass fool you. Marshgrass was a spiritual man, who believed that deeds, not words, were what's important and what he will be remembered for. Pappy never really knew how many people he touched with his simple deeds.

So next time you look out over the ocean and see a lone fisherman, in his favorite boat, with his favorite dog on the bow, know that you are looking into his heaven, doing his favorite thing...and waiting for us to join him there.

Pappy, we love you and you are deeply missed. Save us a seat in that boat next to you...we'll be there, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" as you always say.

He was born in Goldsboro, NC to the late Richard "Lee" Lewis and Eunice Mae Padrick Lewis. He worked as a child at Glenn Raven Cotton Mills with his father and brother in Kinston, NC. He was an Army Veteran having served in the Korean War and was a journeyman electrician. Marshgrass was an avid commercial fisherman having fished the waters of Eastern Carolinas for over 50 years and resided in Scott's Hill and Hampstead since 1968.

He was also a talented musician, and could play a harmonica and keyboard by ear. In his last few years he played numerous old fashioned church songs and sang for anyone who dropped by to see him. He taught his grandchildren to play by ear as well, passing his talents on particularly to his oldest grandson, who is now a talented and accomplished classical pianist, and has his 'grandpappy's hands' on the keyboard.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Eunice Lewis; Christiana Lewis Foy; Rosa Lee Lewis Moffitt; Mattie "Susan" Lewis; Mary Elizabeth "Toots" Lewis Ryan and husband Eddie; Katherine "Katie" Mae Lewis; Bryan Clifton Lewis, Sr. and wife Glennie M. Manning Lewis; James "Whitley" Lewis; and Richard Kermit Lewis.

Marshgrass is survived by his children, Linda LewisFrisch (Rob); Michelle Lewis; Zealy M. Lewis, Jr.; grandchildren, Lauren LaFon-Lonergan (Joe); USAF Major Robert Z. Frisch (Hannah); and Nathan W. Frisch; Zealy M. Lewis, III and Peyton Michelle Lewis; great-grandchildren Noah "Riley" Cox (named after Pappy's Grandfather and Uncle), Avery C. Lonergan , J. "Tanner" Lonergan; Abel W. Frisch, Levi W. Frisch; Vera C. Frisch; former (special) daughter in law Mandy Leigh Starling Lewis; special cousins and neighbors the Reverend Roy and Marie Rhodes; and several nieces and nephews to include Susan Lewis (David Doughtie), Marshall (Julie) Lewis; and Gregory Lewis; great-nieces Penny Guy-Asby, Katlyn Lewis and great-nephew Eric Lewis; special friends Gladys Smith, Frank Smith, the late Arnold Mathis, Clyde Davis and the late Mr & Mrs Jesse Avery, and Nurse Linda McFatter; and former spouse, Sarah Smith-Lewis. He was proceeded in death by his Brother Ralph (and wife, the late Kathy) Lewis; brother-in-law the late Eddie Ryan; sister-in-law the late Carolyn (Dunn) Lewis; his cousin the late Mrs. Ruth Fisher Rhodes; and cousin in law, the late Pat Lewis and was followed in death by his son in law Robert Frisch.

An ocean-side memorial service and graveside service were held with the Rev. Roy Rhodes officiating. Marshgrass was a local legend, having been the first fisherman to create a "channel net" for shrimping. He was a constant figure on the intercoastal waterway, and was a true "fish-finder" when there were none to be found. He was the local "weather man" long before the weather channel came along! He was also a comedian, and loved to make his friends and family laugh. He is greatly admired and will be deeply missed.

Cause of death: Complications of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis