It’s an old cliche but true enough when it came to Ed Jerome: No one on Martha’s Vineyard ever had an unkind word to say about him.

He was a benevolent public school educator, serving as principal at the Edgartown School for many years until his retirement. Later he returned to help out as interim prinicpal at the West Tisbury School and also did a brief stint as interim superintendent for the Vineyard public schools.

Mr. Jerome had many other community roles, but all were eclipsed by his passion for the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. He had been president of the derby for longer than most people could remember, and just two weeks ago had presided over the opening weigh-in at derby headquarters on the dockfronts of Edgartown.

“Where’s the fish?” he quipped as the derby got under way.

When Ed Jerome died suddenly Tuesday, fishermen all around the Island put down their rods, stunned at the news. And it was clear that the derby won’t be quite the same this year.

But still it will go on, as Ed Jerome of course would have wanted.

Because after all this is fishing season. The albies are giving chase. The bluefish are biting. The nights are turning cooler and soon the big stripers will be coming in from deeper water.

And when fishermen of all ages gather for the awards ceremony next month, everyone will remember how much Ed Jerome enjoyed being there, on stage handing out the keys, throwing his hands in the air in sheer delight when the winner was announced. From the first cast to the last prize given away, he loved everything about the derby.

Then it will be time for one last goodbye for the stalwart leader who left too soon.