James A. Gast, 88, of Arcata, CA, died December 11, 2017. He was the son of Alois and Ruth Gast, grew up in Fairhaven and Mattapoisett, and graduated from Fairhaven High School in 1947.
Jimmy graduated from Amherst College in 1951, and after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in oceanography at the University of Washington. In 1960, he began a career of teaching and research at Humbolt State College in Arcata.
He is survived by his wife Thea, three sons, two grandchildren, brothers Richard and Peter of Mattapoisett, sister Barbara Keohane of N.J., two nephews and a niece.