Dateline – Arundel
Arnold Alvin “Joe” Nickerson IV 60 yrs., a resident of Arundel died tragically on Thursday January 23, 2020 after his boat, the F/V Hayley Ann sank in the Atlantic Ocean - 50 miles off Portland, Maine.
Joe was born in Saco, Maine on January 7, 1960 the son of Arnold A. Nickerson III and Susan Hanson and graduated from Kennebunk High School, Class of 1978. He attended diving school in California where he received his commercial hard hat scuba diving certification. He was always willing to drop everything to help friends, family, and neighbors.
Joe spent his life on the water. In his early years, he spent time lobstering with his dad out of Cape Porpoise before running a number of fishing vessels out of Portland, Maine and Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
When Joe and his wife had their daughter he purchased his own boat to be home. His vessel the Hayley Ann was named for his daughter and his wife. Joe spend many years fishing off Cape Porpoise and Portland, ME for many years until his final trip.
Joe loved the Ocean and spending time with his family and his beloved grandson, Killian, who he had hoped to one day pass along his knowledge and love of sea. Joe traveled with his wife, daughter and her family annually for many years to his second home in Aruba.
Joe was elected in 2019 as the chairman of the board of directors for the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. He served as vice chair for the previous 7 years and helped build the organization from a volunteer group of fishermen to one of the most respected commercial fishing advocacy organizations in the country.
He is predeceased by his mother Susan Hanson Spiller.
Joe is survived by his wife of 34 years Sharon Ann Rivard Nickerson of Arundel who he adored; his beloved daughter Hayley Renee Brown and her husband Isaac James and his grandson Killian Jack Brown all of West Kennebunk; his father Arnold A. Nickerson III of Sanford; his brother Andy Nickerson of Portland, ME; two sisters: Bonnie Weeman and her husband Mark of Kennebunk and Patty Walters and her husband Bill of Greensboro, NC; several nieces andnephews and many cousins, including his nephew Joel T. Rivard of Arundel who Joe taught from a young age everything he knew about lobstering and fishing. From the day Joe sat Joel in his captain's chair Joel caught the fishing bug and Joe's love and passion for the industry will live on through him.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday February 1, 2020 at 1pm at the American Legion Hall, 102 Main Street, Kennebunkport (Across street from Kennebunkport Police Department).
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association Box 40 Brunswick, Maine 04011 in Arnold A. “Joe” Nickerson’s memory
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Joe’s Book of Memories
Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, ME
04043.