A Lifetime, A Legacy: Carmen Conti

Carmen & Ruthy 1970

Carmen Conti

As an iconic member of Sea Isle City’s small but well-established fishing community for more than 90 years, Carmen Anthony Conti may not literally have had “saltwater in his veins.” However, he spent a lifetime building seaworthy vessels, catching fish, and serving popular seafood dishes at his much-loved dockside eatery on 43rd Place, Carmen’s Seafood Restaurant in Sea Isle’s historic “Fish Alley” neighborhood.

Mr. Conti’s story began in Three Forks, W.Va., where he was born in 1929 to Aniello and Concetta Conti, who immigrated to the United States from Ponzi, Italy. Aniello and Concetta raised Carmen and his siblings – Nancy, Sylvia, Yolanda, Lucy, and Mario – in a humble home not unlike many family abodes during the Great Depression.

Yet their home proved to be a fine starting point for a man who would ultimately own and operate successful businesses, raise a close-knit family of his own, teach many people how to fish and “fix things,” and share bonds with countless individuals who proudly considered him a friend.

When he was 3 years old, his parents moved their family to Sea Isle City, where Mr. Conti would happily spend the rest of his days. After working as a lifeguard with the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, he proudly served as a corporal in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. There, his problem-solving skills and “can do” attitude were put to good use while repairing a fleet of broken ambulances that were ultimately used to transport wounded soldiers from the front lines to Army hospitals – effectively helping save many lives in the process.

After his honorable discharge from the Army, he owned and operated Carmen’s Auto Marine Shop; and in 1966 he married his wife of 60 years, Ruthy, who would be at his side until Mr. Conti’s death in January 2026.

Carmen Conti, and his wife Ruthy celebrating a recent anniversary.

Along the way, the couple would share all of life’s blessings and challenges, and in 1970, they opened Carmen’s Lobster Pool on a stretch of waterfront property that Carmen’s father purchased in 1943.

From 1970 to 1980, Mr. Conti and Ruthy served takeout seafood from their establishment. In 1981, they expanded their business and opened Carmen’s Restaurant, which quickly grew in popularity.

Even though his restaurant has maintained a very respectful reputation ever since it first opened, in the long run Mr. Conti proved to be much more than just a successful cook and restaurateur. He was first a well-respected commercial fisherman – and in his “spare time” he handcrafted nearly a dozen fishing boats (including his final vessel, which he completed at age 92).

Because he and his wife were very close, Mr. Conti named most of his boats “Rufus” in Ruthy’s honor. This, of course, was no surprise to anyone who knew him, because Mr. Conti was a fully devoted family man, and his love for his wife was well known.

“My mom treated my dad like a king, and he always treated her like his queen, always pulling out her chair, carrying her suitcases, walking behind her, and correcting anyone who would use language not becoming a lady [when in her presence],” says their daughter, Carrie Foulke, who, along with her younger brother, Carmen Neil Conti, worked each summer at Carmen’s Restaurant in their youth and throughout their adult lives.

Carmen and Ruthy with their kids and grandkids

“My dad was very serious when at work, but he was a lot of fun when it came to his family,” adds Foulke, who is a teacher during the offseason, allowing her to spend summers working with the Conti family’s business. “He only went through the eighth grade, so he was not educated by today’s standards, but we all felt that my dad had more common sense in his little finger than many people have in their whole body.

“He was a very smart person, a problem solver who was always thinking ahead. And if something was broken, he wouldn’t stop until he fixed it – and that taught me to never give up. Also, he did not care about status; he treated everybody as an equal and he never looked down on anyone, nor thought anyone should look down on others. One of the big life lessons that both of our parents taught us was ‘Everybody deserves a second chance.’”

That being said, Mr. Conti’s kindness did not amount to him being a proverbial “pushover.”

“He was tough on you, but if you did good work, he would definitely compliment you,” says Foulke. “He didn’t hand out compliments lightly because he wanted people to earn praise and to do well. He had high expectations, but he was really a big softy – especially when it came to children and animals.”

On the sad day when he died, Mr. Conti’s loving family was with him – and that included his puppies, Rosebud and Annabelle, who lay patiently at his side, eager to hear their owner's voice.

Carmen in the Army in 1951.

Moreover, his fondness for animals was plainly evident at the time of his passing, when the Conti family requested donations to Beacon Animal Rescue in his memory in lieu of flowers.

Mr. Conti’s love for children certainly included his five grandchildren – Evan, Jonathan, and Brian Foulke, and Carmen and Adison Conti – who brought him great joy. In fact, being their “Pop Pop” was his proudest accomplishment – and he was very happy that his grandchildren spent a great deal of time at the family business, just as his children did.

His affection for kids was also shown whenever a child entered Carmen’s Seafood Market (adjacent to the restaurant). Mr. Conti always greeted children with a cheerful smile and welcomed questions about the seafood that was on display.

“Our dad loved to show kids the crabs and lobsters in our market – and to explain all about them,” Foulke says.

As much as he loved to interact with children and animals, Mr. Conti was also happy to spend time with family and friends – and to share his wisdom and many talents with them.

“I have a lot of fond memories fishing with my dad – he taught me how to fish and how to fix things,” says his son Carmen, who also cherishes memories of his father leading the family on many winter vacations in Florida.

“He was good at everything. He was very mechanical, and there was nothing he couldn’t fix – and he taught me lot of those skills, including how to build boats and how to run a restaurant.”

Putting his “family first” was very important to Mr. Conti – and teaching the values of hard work and doing things for themselves were among the many life lessons he instilled in his children.

“My dad worked right alongside the builders [during the construction of Carmen’s Restaurant]; he built the tables and the counters, and he worked on the ceilings – there wasn’t much he couldn’t do,” his son remembers.

In addition to setting a good example for his children and grandchildren, Mr. Conti was also a mentor to countless others who had the good fortune of knowing him. Captain Rob Burcaw, who skippers the commercial fishing boats “The Captain Bob” and “The Two Dukes” in Fish Alley, was among those lucky people.

Carmen and Ruthy with Carrie and Carmen

“I have known Carmen for most of my life,” says Burcaw, who has been using the skills Mr. Conti taught him for decades. “I started commercial fishing with him when I was about 13 years old, and he took me under his wing – he was like a second dad to me.”

He adds: “Carmen was a hardworking man, he loved his friends and he was tough – very strong for a guy his size. He taught me to always chase my dreams, that people are going to have good years and bad years – but to keep at it, and to keep going forward. Carmen never gave up … Carmen also taught me that in the fishing business you are going to learn something new every day – and that is absolutely true.”

Mr. Conti was also like a second father to his nephew, Tommy Leonardis, who has worked many summers at Carmen’s Restaurant over the years – as did many of his siblings, nieces, and other nephews.

“Uncle Carmen taught me everything I know about hunting and fishing,” says Leonardis, who vividly recalls his first fishing trip as a 5-year-old on a boat with his Uncle Carmen and grandfather.

“I was catching nothing, and when we were about to head back, I finally got a bite. I struggled [with the line] but I couldn't bring the fish in, and they were teasing me about being weak.”

That good-spirited teasing turned into a cherished memory for Leonardis, who says that his uncle ultimately grabbed his fishing line and discovered that his nephew had hooked a 19-foot tiger shark, at which point Leonardis was rushed into the safety of the boat’s cabin while his uncle and grandfather dealt with the massive apex predator.

Leonardis also remembers his uncle’s kind and giving heart, stating: “Even in the early years, when money was not plentiful, Uncle Carmen helped anyone who needed help. He was so generous, and he would do anything for anybody. He was a great man, and I think about him and miss him every single day.”

Longtime Carmen’s Restaurant employee Mary Holroyd agrees that Conti was always willing to help others.

“Carmen always had your back,” says Holroyd, who is happily “working her 43rd year on 43rd Place” in 2026.

If things weren’t going well or a particular customer seemed unhappy (or unreasonable), Mr. Conti would tell Holroyd to “smile and don’t let them change who you are.” He also reminded her to “keep positive” because you never know what happened to someone before they sat down at one of the restaurant’s tables.

“Ruthy and Carmen were not like bosses, they were more like parents to their employees,” Holroyd adds. “Carmen always appreciate his employees and he treated us like family. In the offseason, he would call to check in on us, and he instilled a really strong work ethic in me. Plus, he would give you the shirt off his back; and if you were down on your luck, he would never turn you away – he always helped people, and he did it quietly.”

Holroyd notes that in addition to appreciating his employees, Mr. Conti also valued their input, often asking at the end of each season: “How do we make the restaurant better?” All suggestions rendered were given his full consideration.

“He was a wonderful man, and lovely – and he had an engineer’s mind without an engineer’s education,” she says.

Yes, Mr. Conti was a good boss, a fine cook, and obviously a talented craftsman, who used his hands to easily build and repair many different things. He also used those hands skillfully on the bowling lanes. As a boy he worked in a local bowling alley as a pinsetter, and as an adult he was an avid bowler who had a dozen perfect games to his credit – and he would typically play 16 or more games in one session (even in his 80s), often renting two lanes at a time so he could play more rapidly.

When Carmen Conti passed away in January, just five days before his 97th birthday, he left behind a wonderful legacy that could be compared to a popular seafood dish he had served in his restaurant for the past 50 years: the Deluxe Ala Carmen.

Featuring clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, king crab, and scallops, the Deluxe Ala Carmen is composed of many ingredients and yet the combination of flavors blends beautifully. It takes skill to prepare, and requires some hard work.

And, most importantly, it is loved by a myriad of people, who would be very sad if they didn’t see it on the menu at Carmen’s Restaurant.

Not seeing Mr. Conti seated in his favorite chair near the restaurant’s kitchen entrance is sad enough for his countless loyal customers, many of whom are returning to Carmen’s Restaurant this summer, only to learn about his passing for the first time.