Howland Bottomley

Howland C. Bottomley

Howland Croft Bottomley, age 80, a former fifty year resident of George Town, Exuma, Bahamas and a resident of Easton, MD, for three years died on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 after a long illness at Talbot Hospice House, Easton, Maryland.

He was the long time Chairman of the Out Island Regatta Race Committee, now the Family Island Regatta Committee in George Town, Exuma, Bahamas.

Born on May 1, 1929 in Camden, New Jersey, he was the son of the late Gordon Frederick Bottomley and Constance Sharpe Bottomley.

His earlier years were spent in Merchantville, New Jersey. After attending the University of Virginia he served during the Korean War. Mr. Bottomley served his country in the U.S. Navy from March 30, 1951 to March 28, 1955 and upon his honorable discharge was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Occupation Service (Europe) Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

In 1956 he began cruising the Bahamas in his ketch Albatross before building a home on Little Exuma. After eight years at “The Cut”, he moved to George Town where he built and operated Regatta Point. Throughout these years he served on the Regatta Race Committee becoming Chairman in 1962 until retiring from that post in 1992. He served as Commodore of the Out Island Squadron, the founding organization of the Regatta in 1996. He was elected to the Regatta Hall of Fame in October 1990 and was later made Commodore Emeritus for his valuable services to the Regatta. During his years as Chairman in close collaboration with the late R.H. Bobby Symonette, he developed and implemented the racing rules and requirements that govern sloop racing in the Bahamas.

Commodore Bottomley is survived by two daughters from the union of his first marriage, Sharpe Beaton of Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, Louise Corish of Sag Harbor, Long Island, NY and two children from his second union of marriage, Howland Croft Bottomley, Jr. and Jane Abell of Oxford, MD; six siblings James R. Bottomley, Kathleen Landskroener and her husband Theodore, Nancy Dunphey and her husband Richard, Donald T. Bottomley and his wife Lucy, William E. Bottomley and his wife Ellen; five grandchildren Rachel Beaton, Olivia Corish, William Abell, Abigail Corish and Miles Abell; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in George Town, Exuma.

In lieu of flowers, memorial offerings may be made in Commodore Bottomley’s memory to the Talbot Hospice Foundation, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Mid Shore Cremation Center, Cambridge, MD. Letters of condolences may be sent to www.curran-bromwell.com.