It's with a heavy heart that I report another passing in the SeaWatch family: Gib McArdle, author of several SeaWatch books. Gib's books were printed before I took over SeaWatch, so I never got to work with him on a project. However, I did have the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago at the annual Northeast Joint Clubs meeting in Connecticut. He sought me out, introduced himself, and said how he was delighted the show will go on. It was a pleasant conversation and I wish I got to know him better.
One of his sons, Andrew, was kind enough to share Gib's obituary with me, and I link to it below, but here's an excerpt highlighting his modeling interest:
He was an avid, talented craftsman, building everything from museum quality model ships to furniture, staircases and sculptures. He has ten of his ship models in various museums, including the USS Constellation in the World Trade Center in Baltimore, the HMS Sussex in Mystic, Connecticut, and the HMS Cyan at the Constitution Museum in Boston. He also has a model car in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Gib wrote and illustrated several comprehensive books about his ship models which were published by Seawatch Books, and self-published two novels. He also contributed various articles to ship modeling magazines and other publications.
Gib clearly led a fulfilled life and his ship modeling legacy will live on through his books. RIP Gib, and thank you for your contributions to this wonderful hobby.