Frank Thomas was born on January 22, 1946 in Long Branch, NJ. His parents Vera (Little) and Frank Thomas brought him home to Highlands where he spent his entire life. From a very early age Frank (nicknamed Ozzie) learned to love all that the town of Highlands has to offer. His family grew to include his wife, Suzanne (Phillips) Thomas and his daughters Christine and Nancy. The addition of his son in laws Gerald and Rob, and four grandsons was all he needed to fulfill his local family style fishing traditions.

Frank had a genuine love for Highlands. He attended Highlands elementary and graduated from Henry Hudson High School in 1964. He served on many boards for the borough and volunteered his services and skills whenever possible. Frank was a true outdoorsman. He spent his entire life enjoying waterfowl hunting, recreational clamming, skeet shooting and recreational fishing. It is hard to tell which outdoor sport was his favorite.

His family’s lifetime experiences with boating and the Captains Cove Marina span the last nine decades. Frank’s parents were a part of the first group of members of the Highlands Yacht Club in the 1940’s that was located off of Huddy Avenue and connected to the southside of Captains Cove Marina. Many if not all family functions took place with the Highlands waterways as a background. He had his own boat when he was 8 years old, and would keep this boat and all others in this “Basin” (as he called it). From that time on his youth revolved around the marina. Once he owned his own boat, he requested a slip that was always visible from his home on Huddy Ave. He made certain he could look from his bedroom window each morning and night to be sure the vessel was secure. It was a source of many of his daily decisions. He would check the tides by the height of the water in the basin, be able to evaluate the severity of incoming storms and determine whether we needed to move our cars to higher ground. Frank knew everything there was to know about our local waterways. His expertise made him the local go to guy for tides, fishing spots, and seasons. Some refer to him as a Highlands legend. He always had time to share knowledge and experiences with is family, numerous friends, locals and transient passer-bys.

Frank spent many years building and customizing boats. He focused on building speed skiffs and fiberglass hunting boats in the 70’s. He helped establish the Monmouth Beach Cartoppers Association in the mid ‘70’s. He had great pride in his membership in the New Jersey Waterfowlers Association of which he was a founding member and trustee. These friends became a source of love and support throughout his life. He travelled to Montana, Alaska, and Costa Rica with these friends and family to fish and hunt.

Frank overcame many health obstacles. At birth his parents were told he might never walk due to Clubbed feet. He proved the doctors wrong. Developing Osteo as well as Rheumatoid Arthritis in his 30’s provided him with a few speed bumps including multiple joint replacement surgeries. He never complained and always found a way to continue his amazing life. His resiliency has been an inspiration.

Frank Thomas’ love of his hometown with its pristine beauty and its access to the natural resources of the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers, Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean, led a young boy to become a true outdoorsman and live his life well with a true sense of purpose. Captain’s Cove Marina wants to inspire the youth of the area to see what Frank saw, to learn skills that will last a lifetime, to detach from their electronic devices and to lead healthier lives via the magnificent resources so close by and so free. It is the intent of Captain’s Cove Marina to foster this attitude by offering boating workshops, fishing tournaments and jobs for the youth of the community. Please support this effort to instill in our youth an appreciation for the jewel that is this town and to see what Frank Thomas saw so many decades ago that made his life a worthy one.