Two of our community’s most active members, Ted and Linda Sempliner, are leaving their East Pier home to move closer to family in Ohio. During their three decades here, they’ve made innumerable contributions to the Floating Homes Association that benefitted the community as a whole.
The couple met while Ted was living aboard a sailboat at Kappas Yacht Harbor (now Richardson Bay Marina). They married at Green Gulch Zen Center at the end of 1991 and rented a home at Commodore Marina for a year, before buying on West Pier in 1992. In 1997 they moved to East Pier, where they have lived ever since.
Working from a recipe from Ted’s sister, the couple began selling fresh seafood sausages at the San Rafael Farmer’s Market. Their success there led them to start a seafood company in 1993. Linda developed a complementary line of seafood cakes and as the business diversified, they named it Jeremiah’s after their West Pier floating home. Linda joined Jeremiah’s full time in 1997, and they worked together for several years before selling Jeremiah’s to a larger concern.
Meanwhile, both found time to help with FHA activities, and they jumped in with both feet.
Ted served as East Pier dock rep, and also has been CERT-ified as an emergency responder. He was instrumental in selling sponsorships for several FHA open homes tours and this year’s Virtual Gala. With his culinary experience, Ted has also planned the menus and selected the caterers for numerous annual membership parties.
Linda was treasurer of the FHA Board until she became the Administrative Coordinator in 2015, a role she is turning over to Lisa McNelley of Liberty Dock.
Together, Ted and Linda coordinated the Humming Toadfish Kazoo Marching Band for the Sausalito Fourth of July parade in 2009. The Toads won Best Overall Entry in that parade, thanks to a call–and–response poem they performed, “The Toadfish Rule the Night,” written by their friend and neighbor Gordon Haight.
In recent years, Ted has volunteered at the Marine Mammal Center, Whistlestop Wheels, and the Bay Model Visitors Center. Linda has served on the board of the Sausalito Historical Society, and as manager of the Society’s Ice House historic display and visitors center. She was also on the auxiliary board of Sausalito Village and continues as the Administrative Coordinator for Marin Open Studios.
On a personal note, when Ted and Linda moved to East Pier, they became my next–door neighbors, and despite their cat’s habit of munching on my potted plants, we became friends. My wife Jane and I count them among our closest pals, and we’ll miss them greatly.