Vodopia, Sam

Vodopia family

VODOPIA, Sam (c. 1891-1938), fisherman washed overboard off Santa Cruz Island during a storm on December 17, 1938. He was born in Dalmatia, Croatia and arrived in New York in 1909. His first wife, Catharina Bugaj (1891-1975) was born in Benadovo, Slovakia. They had three children: Eugene, Theodore, and Rita Vodopia.

His second wife, Mary Zuich (1892-1991), was born in Luka, Croatia. They had two boys, Samuel and Anthony Luka Vodopia. In the words of his namesake son: “My parents knew each other before he met his first wife, that's what makes their story a bit confusing. The first reports of my father drowning was strange, because he was a strong swimmer and would swim between the Islands in Croatia. The autopsy confirmed he did not drown, he sustained a fractured skull and broken ribs. The storm that night was so strong we assume he was blown by the wind while on the deck.”

Here's his story:

“Samuel Vodopia's life started on the island of Luka Dugi Otok Croatia and ended off the island of Santa Cruz. Both Samuel and his second wife Mary were from Islands in Northern Dalmatia Croatia, she was from Iz Mali. Samuel was a strong swimmer, he would swim from Luka to Iz.  Samuel moved to the US and was married to Catherine Bugai, they had three children, Eugene, Theodore, and Rita. Mary moved to the US to marry Samuel's cousin Bob Vodopia; they owned a boarding house in Indiana. 

After Samuel's first marriage ended, he financially needed to start over and went to live at his cousin Bob and Mary's boarding house. After Bob passed away from cancer, Samuel and Mary fell in love. The factory in town had major layoffs, so the boarders were no longer able to pay rent. With a lack of job opportunities in their town, they moved to San Pedro, California for a fresh start. After moving to San Pedro, they got married and had two boys, Samuel and Anthony Luka Vodopia. Samuel and Mary were saving to buy land on the top of San Pedro hill, the plan was to quit fishing and farm the land. They were close to fulfilling the dream, when he went out on the commercial boat on a stormy night.

Mary considered herself married to Sam until the day she passed away, a few months shy of her 100th birthday. His San Pedro sons both became engineers. Samuel earned scholarship offers from Harvard, Stanford, and Caltech but ultimately chose to go to Caltech and his brother Anthony went to UCLA. Anthony was a naturally talented actor, who was offered a contract from a major studio, because he was still considered a minor, his mother's signature was needed for the contract. Mary said, "No son of mine is going to be an actor" and hung up on the studio representative.

Two of Samuel Vodopia (Sr.)'s sons, Anthony Vodopia and Eugene Vodopia served in the United States Air force. Anthony was a firefighter and Eugene was a pilot. Eugene earned medals of honor for his service.”

In the News~

December 17, 1938 [SPNP]: “Return body of fisherman victim of accident at sea. The coast guard cutter Itasca was due here late today with the body of Sam Vodopia, 50-year-old fisherman on the San Pedro purse seiner Harmony who was washed overboard from the boat near Santa Cruz Island at 3 a.m. today. How the body was recovered so quickly or other details of the tragedy were not given in the Itasca's brief radiogram to the base. At request of the coast guard, a police ambulance was to meet the Itasca when she docked at the coast guard base. Mr. Vodopia is survived by his widow and three children at their home, 464 West Seventeenth street. Capt. Catherine Cesareo is skipper-owner of the Harmony. The Itasca, with other boats of the coast guard, were searching for two overdue fishing boats near Santa Cruz Island when Mr. Vodopia was washed overboard. One, the Spartan, overdue at Hermosa Beach since last Wednesday, still missing with three men aboard and an amphibian plane from San Diego has joined the search. Except that one of the men is named Reynolds and Hermosa Beach is his home, the coast guard had no information on the missing boat's crew.”

December 20, 1938 [SPNP]: “The coast guard cutter Itasca was searching today for the body of Tom Endo, San Pedro Japanese fisherman washed overboard from the purse seine fishing boat Johnny Boy off Santa Cruz Island at 12:30 a.m. Death of the Japanese was reported to the coast guard by the victim's widow who was telephoned by a crew member of the fishboat Costa Rica, which has radio telephone equipment. Details of the tragedy had not been received here this afternoon. Endo's death was the second in four days from being washed overboard near Santa Cruz Island, where storm-tossed seas are reported racing high. Sam Vodopia, fisherman on the purse seiner Harmony, of 464 West Seventeenth street perished in a similar manner early last Saturday morning. His body was recovered by the Itasca which was near the scene searching for thew two overdue boats. Earlier last week a Japanese fisherman was washed off his boat and drowned near Point Fermin.”

December 12, 1938 [SPNP]: “Obituary. Samuel Vodopia. The C.H. Cleveland Funeral Home today announced change in arrangements for the funeral of Samuel Vodopia, fisherman who died last week. Instead of final rites being conducted at the chapel, mass will be held at Mary Star of the Sea church at 8 a.m. Saturday.”

December 18, 1938 [LBPT]: “Autopsy is planned for fisherman. An autopsy will be performed over the body of Samuel Vodopia, 50, of 672 West 12th Street, San Pedro, a fisherman who fell overboard from the ship at 3 a.m. yesterday and died. From fellow fishermen it was learned that Vodopia fell overboard while alone on deck. His cried for help were heard by fellow crew members, who immediately stopped the boat and went to his aid. They reached him within ten minutes but although his body was floating he failed to react to resuscitation. The fishing boat Harmony, in charge of Captain John Cesareo, returned to port late today. but Vodopia's body preceded them aboard the Coast Guard cutter Itasca. Accompanying the boat into port were Pete Zankich, a fellow fisherman of the Harmony and Vince Borcich and Ed Broz, both of the fishing boat Commodore, which was nearby at the time of the accident. Borcich and Broz launched a small boat in a vain attempt to rescue the dying man also. Voldopia has been fishing out of San Pedro for many years, and is married and leaves a widow and two children. His body was taken to Cleveland Mortuary in San Pedro.”