Francisco "Fashico" Arceo and his great granddaughter, Kaitlin. According to Mr. Arceo’s daughter, Susanne Arceo Eiley, her dad is the oldest surviving native San Pedrano fisherman, and boy can he tell some fish stories. He can be found daily tending his tarpons at the lagoon near downtown San Pedro.
He called me Angelito and I affectionately called him Don Fash. He was Fashico for San Pedro, Fash to his dear friends. His name was Francisco Arceo and is survived by a large family including Shelly, Martha, Vicky, Mercie,Susana, Patty, Omar, Panny, Elito or more renown grandchildren like Olive Eiley and Mercita Trejo. Fash contributed to the fishing industry as a lobster fisherman as a founding member of San Pedro's Fishing Cooperative. After he retired as a diver lobster fisherman, he turned to fishing and was the most popular fish supplier to the community for another twenty five years. He was a man of the sea all his life and raised a wonderful family for our community. My fondest memory is an anecdote of Don Fash. On July 14, one day before the opening of the lobster season, his boat and crew were surprised by custom's officials, of course with an illegal catch of lobster tails. Fash set sail at dusk and sailed into the dark night losing sight of custom's motor boat. At six the next morning he was entering the channel of San Pedro, all smiles and a wonderful story to tell. "A God fearing man and made tough by the sea, he is indeed a "Legend of the Sea". Angel Nunez
Photos above and below by Monica Christie Prevett: He was such a good man to many and I am proud to be his granddaughter.
Drawing by Jayson Forman
Top photograph by Jenny Atherley
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