Maine’s Legendary “Lobster Lady” Virginia Oliver Dies at 105 After Nearly a Century on the Water

Virginia Oliver, believed to be one of the oldest lobster fishers in the world and a true icon of Maine’s maritime heritage, has died at the age of 105.

Oliver spent nearly her entire life working on the water, trapping lobsters in Maine for close to a century. Born in Rockland, Maine, she began hauling traps at just 8 years old, working alongside her father and older brother during a time when women were rarely seen in the male-dominated fishing industry.

What started as a childhood responsibility quickly became a lifelong passion.

“I like doing it, I like being along the water,” Oliver told The Associated Press in a 2021 interview. “And so I’m going to keep on doing it just as long as I can.”

Her family confirmed that Oliver passed away on Wednesday, according to an obituary published Monday.

Over the decades, Oliver earned the affectionate nickname “the lobster lady,” becoming a symbol of dedication, resilience, and tradition. Despite international recognition, her family said she remained humble throughout her life.

“Her life has been celebrated in books, articles, and across social media platforms worldwide,” the obituary noted. “Yet despite her renown, she stayed quiet and kind, greeting everyone with a bright smile and eyes that truly sparkled.”

During her long career, Oliver witnessed dramatic changes in the lobster industry. When she first started fishing, lobsters sold for just 28 cents per pound on the docks. Today, the crustacean has become a luxury item, fetching more than $6 per pound — a price increase of more than 20 times what she once earned.

Still, much of the work itself never changed.

Oliver continued waking before dawn, heading out on the water and baiting her traps with menhaden — also known as pogies — from the boat once owned by her late husband, fittingly named Virginia.

Her contributions left a lasting mark on Maine’s fishing culture. The Maine Lobster Festival honored Oliver as a grand marshal in past parades, calling her “a living piece of Maine’s maritime history.”

Maine Governor Janet Mills also paid tribute, sharing on social media that Oliver’s extraordinary life and work inspired “the next century of hardworking Maine fishermen.”

Though Virginia Oliver is gone, her legacy lives on — not only in Maine’s lobster industry, but in the generations of fishermen and women who follow in her wake.