Captain Emil. W. Usinger, 96, of Ashlar Village, Wallingford, with his close family in attendance passed peacefully over the bar, into safe harbor at Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, on January 27, 2007. Captain Usinger whose loving wife of 62 years, Helen (Brown) Usinger, predeceased him in 1996. Emil is survived by a daughter, Carol Usinger Merz and her husband John of Greenfield, MA, a son Emil E. Usinger and his wife Bonnie of Stratford, his daughter in law, Janice Usinger of Holly Springs, NC, wife of William E. Usinger who predeceased his parents in 1981. He also leaves 10 loving grandchildren and 19 loving great grandchildren as well as several nieces and nephews. Truly a man of the sea, Captain Emil was born in Greenwich, July 7, 1910. The eldest son of Emil Mozart Usinger, the lighthouse keeper residing on Great Captains Island and Isabella Watters Usinger who had immigrated to this country from Tillicoultry, Scottland. He had a sister Isabella Usinger Bogush of Wilton and a brother, Lt. Col. Edward Usinger of Sayville, Long Island both predeasing Capt. Usinger. When Cpt. Usinger was old enough to go to school the family moved from Grand Captains Island to Port Jeffereson, where his father took over as keeper of Middle Ground Light. Later they moved to East Norwalk, CT. During the summer months, Cpt. Emil, at a very early age started working on area steamboats, and by the age of 18 aquired his first mariners license. At the age of 21, he received his captains papers for vessels up to 10,000 tons on the inland waterways. He went to work for Colonial Beacon Oil Company running gas tankers in the sound and in and out of New York harbor. The depression years were a difficult time even though he captained a millionaires yacht. In June of 1934 he married Helen Brown of Norwalk and went to work as a deck hand on an oyster boat in Milford. In 1936 he was transferred to Providence and served as a Captain of one of a fleet of oyster boats working the productive Narragansett Bay. He survived the 1938 hurricane which devastated the Rhode Island coastline. He had brought his oyster boat into Providence the morning on the storm, as he had to take the train to New Haven that day and pick up a new oyster boat. His was the last train to leave Rhode Island and despite the stops to remove downed trees across the track the train managed to get within four miles of New Haven. The passangers had to disembark and walk the rest of the way in the storm into the city. The next morning dawned bright and clear. Cpt. Usinger guided the new boat out of New Haven and up to Providence. He was one of the first to realize the extent of damage caused by the storm. Mariners who worked the inland water ways used coastal landmarks as navigation aids. Cpt. Usinger said "from New London to Providence every one of the landmarks had been destroyed by the fury of the storm”. In 1943 he was transferred to Milford where he was later made manager of operations. He remained in Milford until 1963, when he was transferred to Sayville Long Island and named Vice President of Blue Point Oyster Company. He retired from this position at the age of 75 in 1986 having spent over 62 years of active sea duty. Cpt. Usinger was an acknowledged expert in the shellfish industry and traveled throughout the world to act as a consultant and advisor to other countries. He acted as advisor and is responsible for several artifacts in the oyster industry display at Mystic Seaport. He was a delegate before congress representing the oyster industry and he later hosted a Long Island clam bake for the Secretary of Agriculture, Morris Udall. He was a dedicated Mason beginning with his joining of Norwalk Chapter of Demolay in 1924. In 1948 he joined Ansantawae Lodge #89 of Milford. In 1951 he started in the chairs of Ansantawae Lodge and served as Worshipful Master in 1958. He is also a member of the Milford Chapter #49 R.A.M. and the Adam Santtig Council #35 R.&S.M.. Cpt. Usinger was one of the original founding fathers of the Jolly Mariners Square Club which will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary this fall. He was also appointed Chairman of the Demolay Advisory Board, Milford Chapter in 1954. His efforts led to him receiving the Demolay Cross of Honor. Cpt. Usinger was an avid fisherman, boater, bowler, and enjoyed camping, volleyball, picnics, (that were famous for his clam chowder, horseshoes, and singing.) He also enjoyed playing pool, poker, socializing and attending church, where he was a member of the 1st United Church of Christ. Cpt. Usinger was also active and invested in several business associations such as the Rotary of both Milford and Sayville. Northeast shellfish Association, Milford Men’s Club, Milford Club, and Chairman of Troop One Boy Scouts of America. It can be said of Cpt. Emil W. Usinger, that like Will Rogers, "He never met a man he didn’t like.” He will be sorely missed. Relatives and friends may call on Tuesday, January 30th from 4 - 7 PM at Smith Funeral Home, 135 Broad Street, Milford. A Masonic service will be held at 7PM. A funeral service will held on Wednesday at 11AM at the First United Church of Christ Congregational in Milford. Interment will follow in Milford Cemetery. Memorial contribution in Cpt. Emil’s honor may be directed to: Masonic Charity Foundation, P.O. Box 70, Wallingford, CT 06492.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Emil W. Usinger, please visit our
Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
