Robert (Bob) Darlington Jr. of Oak Bluffs died Monday, Oct. 11 of lung cancer. He was 69. Bob was a familiar figure in many places on the Vineyard, but nowhere more than at Memorial Wharf in Edgartown, where he spent many happy hours fishing and greeting visitors young and old as if he had known them all his life.

The wharf was Bob Darlington’s home away from home and also the place where he had achieved fame; in August 1960 he dove off the wharf to rescue nine-year-old Warren Jernegan after he fell off the dock and was swept into the fast-moving harbor currents. A year later Bob was awarded a bronze medal from the Humane Society of Massachusetts for his bravery.

Robert Bixler Darlington was born July 4, 1941, in Indiana and grew up in Connecticut. He was the son of the late Robert Bixler and Jean Senior Darlington of Edgartown, formerly of West Hartford, Conn.

Bob summered in Edgartown all his life He became a full-time resident of the Vineyard in the early 1980s. He worked for the A& P and continued on with Stop & Shop for over 40 years.

His many volunteer activities included helping with the Boy Scouts, of whose uniform he was very proud.

He helped the Edgartown harbor master’s office with his very own call sign, Starfish 12, and received a citation for his service.

He was an assistant coach for several sports, and could be found helping out at the hockey arena, the baseball field and soccer field.

When not at work, in the warm months Bob could be found on the town dock with the many children who learned to fish and loved fishing with him. Fishing was Bob’s passion, and he was the original wharf rat. Bob was a careful guardian of his students.

He was always quick to help with boats that came in to tie up, including the Pied Piper ferry.

In the off-season, he was a careful volunteer at the Martha’s Vineyard Arena, whose property he mowed for many years.

In addition to the medal from the Humane Society in 1961, his awards included one from United Cerebral Palsy for his years of volunteering at Camp Jabberwocky, as well as several certificates of appreciation from the U.S. Coast Guard.

He is survived by his sister, Kate Darlington Davy, niece, Kristin Davy and great-nephew, Rowan Gruffydd, all of Edgartown. He was predeceased by his nephew, Capt. Robert Davy. And he leaves behind his legacy of fishing to the generations of fisher-people he so carefully nurtured.

A memorial service is planned for Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. at the Federated Church on South Summer street in Edgartown. All are invited to join and share their memories of Bob.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Bob’s name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, 1 Hospital Way Vineyard Haven, MA 02568-2608, or the Martha’s Vineyard Arena, 91 Edgartown Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or to the charity of your choice.