Kirk Larson, a fishing enthusiast who was mayor of Barnegat Light for nearly three decades, died suddenly over Labor Day weekend, according to an obituary and several public officials.
Larson, who died Saturday, was 71. A cause of death was not immediately known.
The mayor was likely best known for co-owning the commercial fishing docks at the Viking Village shops, a staple of Long Beach Island known for its seafood market. Using a fleet of boats, he ran a scallop-catching enterprise out of the docks, which supplied seafood for restaurants, wholesalers, fish markets and supermarkets across the area.
“Kirk Larson was a good friend and it is still hard to believe that he passed away,” Assemblyman Greg Myhre (R-Dist.9) said in a statement. “I got to know him well over the past seven years and my respect for him increased each time we spoke. He was a great conversationalist, always positive and was a tireless advocate for his town, the seafaring community, and the people of Ocean County.”
A tribute posted to the top of Viking Village’s website described Larson as a “loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother.”
Larson was born in 1954, the eldest of seven siblings, according to his obituary shared by the Riggs Funeral Home. He became a full-time Barnegat Light resident at age 8. He graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1972. He later left Ocean County College to begin his commercial fishing career.
Larson was elected mayor in 1994. He also served as president of the LBI Little League and engineer of the Barnegat Light Firehouse.
First responders in the borough shared tributes after Larson’s death.
“Over the years, Mayor Larson has been an avid supporter of our fire company,” Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 wrote on its Facebook page. “Doing everything he could from the Town’s perspective to make sure we had everything we needed. He has also sworn in our officers year after year at our installation dinners. Besides supporting us as the Mayor, Kirk O. Larson was a life member of our fire company.”
The company’s tribute included a photo of its firehouse draped in purple and black memorial flags.
Barnegat Light First Aid Squad members described Larson as a “town icon,” sharing gratitude for the mayor’s support of their team.
“I have tremendous gratitude to how kind he has been to me as captain….and since I started working at the fish market in 1995, he was always so nice to me on the docks,” Squad Capt. Mark Pojednic said in a statement on social media. “He always wanted the best for us (BLFAS) and Barnegat Light.”
Funeral services are scheduled for Sept. 27, according to Larson’s obituary.
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