| Notes |
- Died: Captain Joseph Ferrell Colton
(Master Mariner, Marine Consultant,
Author, and Venturer).
The son of Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton (Artist) and Dr. Harold Sellers Colton (Scientist) founders of The Museum of Northern Arizona, he was born 30, August, 1914, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Capt. Colton suffered a massive stroke on October 12, at his Tucson home. He was taken to Tucson Medical Center, but never regained consciousness, and passed away on 18, October, 1999.
At just under the age of 16, he went to sea, subsequently rising from Ship?s Boy to Master, sailing in some 21 Merchant sailing and powered vessels of six nations. Colton was one among the few survivors of the men who manned the last Square-rigged Merchant Sailing vessels.
Capt. Colton was a six-year veteran of World War II, the last four years as a member of the United States Coast Guard. He participated in the invasions of Normandy as Chief Boatswain Mate.
Capt. Colton was the author of several books, dealing with marine history, and a plethora of articles and papers on the subjects of government, hydrography, and marine history, published in Australia, England, and the United States of America.
In the period of 1948-1968 he was involved in Arizona Politics. He ran twice for the State Senate, was Chairman of the Coconino County Republican Central Committee, and member and sometime Chairman of the Arizona Commission on the Indian Affairs. He, also served as a Deputy Sheriff, under Sheriff Cecil Richardson.
After 1962, Capt. Colton lived for a decade in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, followed by ten years in Tahiti. In 1983, he and his family moved to Molokai, Hawaii.
Colton graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1933, and undertook, further formal education at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
At one time or another, Capt. Colton was a member of numerous organization, professional or otherwise. He was a founding member of Arizona Academy of Science; Association Amicale Des Capitaines Au Long Course Cap-Horniers (Aland, Finland); Cape-Horners, Australia; Director of the Foundation for the Higher Education of the American Indian; Delta Chi Fraternity; The American Red Cross, Flagstaff Chapter; 27 years Trustee of Museum of Northern Arizona; 36 years in Rotary International; and the American Legion, to name a few.
He is survived by his wife and partner of many years, Paula-Lita Ruiz Colton, and their three children, Janet Russell, Elise Belen, and Hari Sinquet Colton. Two other daughters (by a former marriage), Robin Susanne and Ferrell Denise Colton. In addition, are four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mrs. J. Ferrell COLTON
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1914 - 1999 (85 years)
