Gloucester, MA — Mark B. Godfried, age 77, of Gloucester, passed away unexpectedly on December 11, 2012. Mark was born on August 23, 1935, he was the cherished son of the late Morris and Edith (Schlossberg) Godfried. Mark grew up in Newton and Brookline and was a graduate of Brookline High School.
Mark continued his education at Bates College; earning his Bachelor’s Degree.
He enlisted in the U. S. Navy on April 24, 1958 and went right into Officer’s Training School, starting his duties as an Ensign. Mark was commissioned as a Chief Navigation Officer aboard the USS Hank, serving off the coast of Vietnam and was part of history during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Following six years of dedicated service, Lieutenant Mark Godfried was honorably discharged on August 8, 1963, returning home to his family.
Upon his return from active duty, Mark went to work for his families restaurant, “Godfried’s Home Bakery,” a local landmark located on Rte. 1 in Saugus. This is where Mark met his present wife Stella “Starr” Michelson and the couple married in 1975. Mark and Starr moved to Magnolia in 1979 where they raised their only son, Andrew, Mark’s pride and joy.
Everyone who knew Mark would agree that Gloucester was the place for Mark to live because even as a youngster he had “fishing” in his blood. after leaving the navy, Mark did his recreational fishing on his boat the Glaucus, and for more than 15 years he Commercially fished on the Stella G. Mark left the ocean Commercially in the early 90's First working for his dear friend Gerald Abrams at Fresh Water Fish Company in Boston. While working within the entire business, he specialized in the accessing and exporting of bluefin tuna to Japan before working exclusively with Bluefin tuna as Mark and Gerry worked together at FWF Tuna in 1998. With Mark and Gerald’s knowledge of the industry, their company soon expanded to where they were exporting bluefin Tuna all over the world. Mark is one of the few responsible for the development of the Italian Bluefin tuna industry in Sardinia.
In Mark’s “semi-retirement”, he was sought after for his knowledge and dedication to the fishing industry and was a consultant for North Coast Seafood in Boston. Mark’s continued dedication for the Gloucester Fishing Industry and their Fisherman earned him the title as a “Fishing Icon”.
When he was not fishing, Mark was known as and excellent cook and enjoyed cooking for his wife Stella, his family, and friends. His thirst for knowledge led him to be and avid reader, a highly opinionated politician, and a self-proclaimed curmudgeon.
Mark’s family and friends will remember him as a proud father and Papa, a devoted family man and true friend, and a man of great dignity and respect. Mark will always be remembered for his work ethic and for letting his wife Starr know that whenever it ended, "he had a great run”.
Mark was the beloved husband of Stella “Starr” (Michelson) Godfried, devoted father of Andrew A. Godfried and his wife Tara (Glynn) of Danvers, loving “Papa Mark” of Molly Joan, Andrew Robert and Courtney Elizabeth, cherished son of the late Morris and Edith (Schlossberg) Godfried, brother of Arline Land of Gloucester, uncle of Abbe Land and her husband Martin Gantman of West Hollywood, CA, Jon Land and his wife Michelle of Savannah, GA and Lisa Land Maloney of Hull, MA, and best friend of many, specifically Louis Linquata and Pasquale Fronteirio.
ARRANGEMENTS: Family and friends are invited to celebrate Mark’s life at the Union Congregational Church, 3 Norman Ave., Gloucester, on Tuesday, December 18th at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mark’s memory may be made to the Foundation for Faces of Children, 258 Harvard Street, #367, Brookline, MA 02446-2904. Arrangements are under the direction of the Nichols Funeral Home, Inc., Wilmington. www.nicholsfuneralhome.com
![Obit-Joyce Brothers-6 [Duplicate]](http://d6673sr63mbv7.cloudfront.net/archive/x701043729/g04803c000000000000c22d779f8a0eb09892fa367a5fb1104ff6b11aa9.jpg "Obit-Joyce Brothers-6 [Duplicate]"){kind=small}
