This gathering was recorded in Little River as friends, family, and community members shared memories of Captain Poo — not to explain a life, but to honor one.
Some people do not leave quietly.
They leave in conversations, in laughter, in bridges, in places, and in the way a town remembers them.
Captain Poo was one of those people.
This gathering was a community remembering one of its own — through stories, humor, gratitude, and love.
This is a Little River story.
The names spoken here are not credits.
They are threads in a community fabric.
Over time, many of these names will become stories of their own — connected, remembered, and preserved within the Grand Strand Story Network.
This story belongs to Little River.
And Little River belongs to its people.
Preserved Transcript — A Gathering of Stories
This transcript has been gently cleaned for clarity while preserving the natural voice, humor, and humanity of the speakers.
It is shared not as a script — but as a living record of how a community remembers one of its own.
[Music playing softly]
The family said the high-top tables right here — numbers one, three, and seven —
so if any of you folks don’t know the family, take a moment to come over and get to know them.
We have now the patriarch of the family, Mr. Dick, and all the rest.
When you asked me to speak, I’m not real sure why — other than I’m loud.
But I just want to tell you a few of the things I overheard this morning.
I’ve only known Poo about fifteen years — certainly not as long as many of you —
but someone said, I think it was Mr. Allen,
“Who would have thought you all were doing too much, having this out here today?”
Jim Baldwin said,
“We lost a good friend, man.”
Suzy Watson said,
“I’ve just got to make it right.”
And we all disagreed with Suzy on that — because she already did so much to make that man’s life better.
[Applause]
She called me about six o’clock the other morning to tell me that Poo had passed.
And she said, “Can we get the bar from three to five?”
That may be the dumbest thing she’s ever asked me.
[Laughter]
But of course, this was the place where he started.
And the amazing thing about Poo is — when you think about everything he did —
this place was only a small part of it.
This was where everybody gathered to talk about all the other things he did.
I remember a friend of mine in the boating business saying:
“Man, wherever you go up and down the East Coast,
if you say you’re from North Myrtle Beach,
the first thing out of their mouth is,
‘Do you know Poo?’”
Yeah.
And if you were around here, you knew him.
People today have been reminiscing about the first time they met Poo —
and telling those stories.
And then Stuart walked in from California — and that was an added bonus today.
We’re all here because of Poo — in so many different ways.
But today, because of his passing and what he meant to us,
Patrick Kelly is going to say a few words.
Patrick Kelly
“Well… today’s the day.
I feel like I’ve been preparing for this for a couple of years now.
Poo’s health hadn’t been good.
Every day I thought about how life would be without Poo.
He was a dear friend to all of us.
Like Billy said — this was the headquarters of North Myrtle Beach right here.
I had the privilege of working with Captain Poo on Kenneth McDonald’s boat — The Dream — in the mid to late ‘90s.
I was living in Hawaii at the time.
I’ve known Poo my whole life.
He looked after all the local kids — it was like a coconut telegraph.
He always knew who was where and kept parents informed.
I probably had my first beer here…
I was maybe fourteen.
[Laughter]
I came back home, lived on the boat with Poo, traveled the East Coast, the Bahamas, South Florida.
Racing was huge.
Poo was a big Dale Earnhardt fan.
Down in Daytona, we docked right beside Dale’s yacht — because Poo and Dale were buddies.
They talked about old times, cutting up on the beaches.
Dale couldn’t even walk through a parking lot without getting mobbed.
But in the marina, it was private.
And there I was, sitting on the dock with Poo and Dale Earnhardt, talking about life.
It was surreal.
I’ve never been star-struck, but I’ll never forget that moment.
Poo just knew everybody.
He loved everyone.
He loved me.
And I loved him.
So here’s a big cheer for Poo.
He’s with all his buddies in heaven now.”
[Applause]
Jim Baldwin
“I’ve known Poo for over sixty-five years.
Everybody asks me about the name ‘Captain Poo.’
Here’s how it happened.
He was born Archie Neal.
He went to Wampee High School as Archie.
Then he became ‘Poo Poo.’
Then just ‘Poo.’
Then Papa Poo.
Then Captain Poo.
And now, with the bridge, we go back to Archie Neal again.
But as far as I’m concerned…
He was a great boat captain.
He was a great friend.
And he always kept Poo in his heart.”
[Applause]
Tom Slaney
“I’ve known Poo over forty years.
He looked after my boat, looked after me.
We traveled the coast.
We stopped everywhere there was a good bar and restaurant.
It took us two and a half weeks to make a two-day trip.
We finally got to Palm Beach.
I woke him up at six a.m. and said,
‘Let’s go fishing.’
He said,
‘You dumbass. We don’t get up that early to fish down here.’
We fished two hours, caught sailfish, ran out of beer, came back in.
That was Poo.
Everywhere you went, people loved him.
I’m going to miss him.”
[Applause]
Donnie Trexler
“I met Poo back in the ‘60s.
When we opened our restaurant, the first person through the door was Captain Poo.
He said, ‘Do y’all remember me?’
Susan cried.
For twenty years I played here on Tuesday nights.
Sometimes Poo would look at me and say,
‘Why are you playing that shit?’
[Laughter]
I loved that man like he was my father.”
[Applause]
Sonny
“My 21st birthday… where did we come?
Captain Poo.
He bought us our first drink.
God bless you, Poo.”
[Applause]
Kim
“He wouldn’t have shown up for a funeral.
He didn’t like hospitals or goodbyes.
This… this is perfect.
Thank you to everyone who loved him.
He loved you all.”
Closing
“We’re going to buy everyone a drink in honor of Poo.
Here’s to Captain Poo.”
[Applause]
[Music begins]
Preserved by the Grand Strand Story Network
Stories are held with care, shared with respect, and kept for those who come after us.
