One of world's oldest lobster fishers, Virginia Oliver, dies in Maine at 105

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Published  January 27, 2026 8:56pm EST
FOX Local

FILE - Lobsterwoman Virginia Oliver tosses back an undersized lobster as she and her son, Max, haul together in South Thomaston, ME on Aug. 10, 2021.  (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Virginia Oliver, known as Maine’s "lobster lady" and one of the world’s oldest lobster fishers, has died at the age of 105, according to a family obituary.
    • She began trapping lobsters at age 8, built a lifelong career on the water, and became a beloved symbol of Maine’s maritime tradition.
    • Oliver was widely celebrated for her legacy and humility, with state leaders and the Maine Lobster Festival honoring her lasting impact on generations of fishermen.

Virginia Oliver, one of the oldest lobster fishers in the world and Maine’s "lobster lady," has died. 

She was 105 years old.

Oliver died Wednesday, according to a family obituary published Monday.

What they're saying:

"Her life has been celebrated in books, articles, and across social media platforms worldwide," the obituary states. "Yet despite her renown, she remained quiet and humble, greeting everyone with a quick, radiant smile and eyes that literally twinkled."

Maine’s "lobster lady"

FILE - Virginia Oliver, 101, sits as her son Max, 78, pilots their boat "Virginia" to haul in their lobster traps in Penobscot Bay in Maine on July 31, 2021. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Oliver started trapping lobsters when she was 8 years old, alongside her father and older brother.

She fell in love with the business and created a lifelong career as the "lobster lady." 

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

When Oliver first began fishing for lobster, they fetched 28 cents per pound. Today, it costs 22 times that at $6.14 a pound. 

Local perspective:

"Virginia was more than a local icon; she was a living piece of Maine’s maritime history," the Maine Lobster Festival said in a statement honoring Oliver, where she once served as grand marshal of the festival's parade.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who once presented Oliver with a special state recognition for her birthday, posted on social media that the lobster lady's life inspired "the next century of hardworking Maine fishermen."

The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press. 

Maine