John Carver, a life-long resident of Marshfield, passed away on June 21, 2023 at the age of 59. John was the beloved husband of Karin Kaczorowski; loving son of the late Henry Carver, Jr., and Sally J. (Levangie) Carver; dear brother of Robert Carver and his wife Cheryl of North Andover, sister Nancy Carver and her husband Benjamin Murphy of Monson, sister Donna Nelson and her husband Marc of Carver, Kerrie Carver of Pembroke, Steven Carver of Marshfield, and William Carver of Marshfield; uncle of Courtney, Chris, Haley, Benjamin, Kelley, Catherine, Madeline, Marc, Nicole, Jack, and Steven Jr.; and nephew of Denis Levangie and the late Richard Levangie.

John Carver was born in January 1964, the first of seven children born to Hank and Sally Carver. Hank was a part of the local fishing industry and Sally was a Phys Ed teacher and quite the sharpshooter. They made their home just outside the center of Marshfield in an antique cape that was filled with love, life and laughter in every corner, literally. I loved the back room off the kitchen where the wood stove lived and the warm smell of what was simmering on top. I loved the creaky worn floors and the coziness.

I met John when I was in high school, as his sister was one of my good friends. We both ran track and he watched me in the parades, I was in the band. He sat in the grandstands with my mom at my home basketball games. We were one of those couples that proved that opposites do attract. I liked to study and he preferred not to. I was an only child and he was the oldest of seven. He had already graduated when we went to my junior prom, he must have really liked me. I was so jealous of the blue bus and all the Carver family camping trips. John liked cars and fixing them, he liked cycling all through local towns, back when cycling was far safer than it is today. He played soccer and listened to classic rock. He worked as a mason and a carpenter and a dishwasher. He rode his motorcycle. He went duck hunting with his dad.

While I went to UNH to study Animal Science, John commuted to Wentworth Institute of Technology where he pursued his degree in Mechanical Engineering. How lucky for him that his future father in-law was a Dean at Wentworth at that time and they could commute to the city together!! I wish that I could have heard the conversations that transpired during those often long trips to and from Boston! Most Friday afternoons he finished class and drove straight to UNH for the weekend. Which vehicle he showed up in depended on what was running at the time, the Mazda RX4, the diesel VW Rabbit, the Ford Falcon or the silver Volvo. I always knew it was the Mazda because the delayed backfire was recognizable!

To sum it up, John had a passion that didn't involve using his academic mind and sitting behind a desk. He occasionally mentioned that if he ever got the urge to go back to school, he would take some courses in Geology. I think maybe it was the "meteorite" that came up in one of his traps that sparked his interest! More than anything, John desired to be out on the ocean, fishing for lobsters, honoring his heritage. He sterned for Eddie Barrett on the Phoenix and also shared many hours at sea on a dragger out of Nantucket with a captain named Ole. That is where I first heard some ol' fishing lore, like don't ever say the word "pig" on a boat and never bring a banana in your lunch box on the boat, it's bad luck for catching fish.

In 1989, John bought the BONAVITA from John Haviland, who bought it from Mike Duane, who bought it from Ray Noyes. That wooden lobster boat had a lot to tell after so many years working on the sea. Coupled with family wisdom, John embarked into one of the world's most romantic professions. Day to day it was certainly not always a walk in the park. The ocean could be serene and inviting or about to turn into a raging beast. The success of a lobstering year could be defined by just one storm.

In the '91 storm John worried about traps while I worried about the anatomy of the horse and other veterinary conundrums out in Grafton at Vet school. I hoped that when I graduated I could find a local job as a mobile vet like James Herriot, and I did, someone John's family already knew of, Dr Jenny Maas. John's muscle was sometimes recruited for some vet tech help that his sister Nancy remembers all too well. She also cared for Jenny's children. Small world.

In 1993 I graduated from Vet school and we moved to one of the quaintest places on earth, the dead-end part of Bay Ave in Green Harbor. Our two work trucks barely fit side by side in the parking area. We finally got married in September 1995. A ceremony in the church with the quiet presence of a cherished chocolate lab, Shalimar, and a fantastic outdoor reception complete with a drunk uncle trying to mount one of the carriage horses and a delicious feast of lobster and steak!

When we weren't working we spent our time walking the dog and looking for a farm to call our own and wishing for a bigger lobster boat. The boat and the farm came almost at the same time.

John connected with a wooden boat builder up in PEI, Canada and put his ultimate dream on paper. A new lobster boat from start to finish. I saw very little of John in the year or so during the building of the boat, as he spent months at a time up north working alongside the boat builder, and drinking room temperature beer, the way they seem to like it up there! Crazy! The 42-foot Northern Lights steamed down to Green Harbor in the summer of 2000. We found 94 Careswell Street in 2001, thanks to John and Judy Lennon and a pig named Pugsley. We cleared land for the animals and John HAND nailed our new cedar shingled roof.

Year after year the list of memories grows; Date night dinners interrupted because of vet emergencies, following the lobster price, frozen pipes under the kitchen sink, the brand new vet box on the truck, the new stack of traps, the baby goats birthed and the colicky horses, chasing the sheep down 139, the maiden vacation voyage of the Northern Lights Down East to Port Clyde and Vinalhaven, Maine, waiting in the bait line, rescuing Mikey the microwave cat and Rex the goat, walks and bonfires at Hupper's island, Polish Christmas eve at my relatives, many memories at the MLA Banquets, the Blessing of the fleet.

In July 2013, John took an awesome motorcycle trip with close friends, Paul Pantano, Mike Murphy and John Barrett out west where they rode into breathtaking nothingness as far as the eye could see. They took in tourist sites and met real cowboys, talked to the wild bison and became celebrity lobstermen.

I sat proudly on the back of the Street Glide like I would on the back of a horse to take short scenic trips and to go for ice cream. One time John wrote four street numbers on the palm of his hand as our "GPS" and we headed out to Monson for our niece's high school graduation! The slow progression of Parkinson's may have caused the motorcycle to eventually gather cobwebs, but John wasn't going to let it stop him from lobstering.

It's at these "end of life celebrations" that we are reminded to not take life for granted because it can be gone without much warning. Live life every day to its fullest. John was a simple and kind man. He would help anyone anytime and never expected or asked for help in return. Home was where he wanted to be. His home, his dog, his boat and his sweetie made him look forward to every day.

The cancer diagnosis in January condensed the last chapter of our lives together. Watching those traps come in was a heart wrenching moment. We truly became closer than two ships that pass in the night. At times it was certainly a struggle, for both of us. But John didn't complain. He was constantly surrounded by friends and family. He was trapped within his mind and it was the rest of us that could not help him get free, no matter how hard we tried. We are deeply grateful for this amazing community of friends, family, animals, and health care workers. It could not have been done without each and every one of you.

The Blessing of the Fleet is just a few weeks away. Many Years ago it was spontaneous lobster boat races and a rafting up out in the ocean, weather permitting of course. We were part of the young crowd then. Today we are the older crowd and we now have the Northern Lights, known as the boat with the bathroom and the band.

At the blessing It has become tradition that we circle the bell in honor of those that have passed on before us. This year it will be John's turn. See you again when it's my turn. Somewhere on Jeff's private island. I love you, dear.

Your sweetie.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, June 30, 2023 beginning at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude with a Funeral Service at 12:00 Noon at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean Street in Marshfield. Interment will be in the Couch Memorial Cemetery.

John earned his Associate's Degree in Mechanical Design Technology in 1985. Over the years he has been a member of MLA, MCFA, SSLA and GMLF. In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory can be made to the Mass Lobstermen's Association Scholarship Fund, online at MLA Scholarship Fund or by mail to the Mass Lobstermen's Association, Inc., 8 Otis Place, Scituate, MA 02066.

For online guest book, driving directions and other helpful information please visit the website macdonaldfuneralhome.com