Obituary: Capt. Louis M. ‘Toby’ Wattigney Jr.

Capt. Louis M. “Toby” Wattigney Jr., an anchor of the Louisiana maritime industry, his family and the greater New Orleans community, died
unexpectedly October 12. He was 67.

Wattigney was born November 5, 1957, in New Orleans to Louis M. Wattigney Sr. and Helena Blanchard Wattigney. A proud graduate of O. Perry Walker High School, Wattigney attended the University of New Orleans before going to work with his brother, William Louis Wattigney, at

Crescent Towing. Wattigney went on to serve as a captain with Crescent Towing for 18 years.

In 1976, the Wattigney brothers were at the helm of the first tugboat to arrive at the scene of the Luling-Destrehan Ferry disaster, which involved a tanker colliding with a passenger ferry in the Mississippi River. The collision killed 78 passengers, and the Wattigney brothers helped rescue one of the few survivors.

In the mid-1990s, Wattigney went from captaining tugboats to piloting ships with the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA), where he went on to become a vice president and, ultimately, president.

As NOBRA president, Wattigney served in many leadership and advisory roles, including with NOBRA’s board of examiners and board of directors and with the American Pilots Association, the Big River Coalition, the Louisiana Pilotage Fee Commission, the Maritime Navigation Safety Association, the New Orleans Board of Trade, the Propeller Club of the U.S. Port of New Orleans, the University of Louisiana maritime academy advisory council, Open Waters Louisiana and the World Trade Center’s transportation committee. He served as chair of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s task force on navigation and safety, which is part of the Louisiana Ports, Waterways and Investment Commission.

Beyond the maritime industry, Wattigney was a dedicated boxing coach and was passionate about mentoring young athletes.

Wattigney was also a man of faith. He carried on the “Nine Churches Walk,” an annual Good Friday journey through New Orleans that his grandmother started in 1941 as a way to pray for the safe return of her three sons, who were serving in World War II.

In 2024, Wattigney helped organize the inaugural Fête-Dieu du Mississippi, a eucharistic procession and blessing of the fleet down the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, La., to New Orleans.

“His leadership reflected his belief that faith and duty are interconnected, that the river is not only a channel of commerce but also a living symbol of God’s presence and the lifeblood of Louisiana,” his official obituary stated.

Outside of work and worship, Wattigney was a family man. He is survived by Cathy, his wife of 34 years, his son, Louis “Maurice” Wattigney, his granddaughter, Grace Wattigney, his brother and extended family, along with friends and pilots who were like family.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by his nephew, Williams Louis Wattigney Jr.

A funeral Mass was held October 21 at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in New Orleans, and a celebration of life followed at The Croatian House in Belle Chasse, La.

Members of the Louisiana maritime community described Wattigney as both a friend and a colleague. Sean Duffy, executive director of the Big River Coalition, said he was just a teenager when he first met Wattigney. Duffy was a linesman for T. Smith Mooring, and Wattigney was a captain aboard the tugboat Rebecca Smith. Wattigney welcomed Duffy aboard his boat, feeding him, mentoring him and coaching him in life. That instant connection grew into a friendship that lasted 45 years.

“If Toby was your friend, you had someone you could always count on,” Duffy said.

Capt. Michael Miller, president of the Associated Branch Pilots Association, or the Bar Pilots, said the same.

“Toby was the calm in the chaos for me,” Miller said. “He was someone I could rely on.”

Miller praised Wattigney for his vision and leadership and the role he played in the community.

“His leadership will be missed, not just in the pilot community, but in the maritime community and the community as a whole,” Miller said. “His answer was always black and white. You could count on Toby to do what he said he would do and that what he said was true was true.”

NOBRA pilot Jason Ledet described how his father and Wattigney both got their starts as pilots at the same time. When Ledet became a pilot himself, Wattigney was one of his mentors.

“He was probably one of the best teachers we had out there,” Ledet said.

Ledet spoke about how Wattigney had a gift for truly listening to people and remembering them. Like both Duffy and Miller, Ledet also spoke about always being able to trust what Wattigney said.

“If it came out of his mouth, you better believe it was going to happen,” Ledet said.

Ledet pointed to the phrase “men of steel and ships of wood” to describe Wattigney’s toughness, determination and strength.

“That was Toby to a T,” he said.

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