Last week I received a call from Gwen Tinker, wife of Spencer Tinker, the first director of the Waikiki Aquarium. Gwen wanted me to know that even though Spencer has been quite ill lately, he still enjoys my weekly “Ocean Watch” columns.

I was saddened to hear of Spencer’s illness, but still, Gwen’s call brought fond memories. When I was just beginning my career in marine science writing, Spencer Tinker was there to offer a helping hand.

It was 1987, and I had only been writing for about a year when I got a phone call. “I like your column. It’s a good idea,” the voice said.

“Thank you,” I said. “What did you say your name was?”

“Spencer Tinker.”

We chatted briefly, then hung up.

I was thrilled. Having recently finished a marine biology degree at the University of Hawaii, I knew that Spencer Tinker was the author of “Fishes of Hawaii,” the bible of Hawaii’s fish species. Now my well-worn copy of that book was even more special.

Over the next year, Spencer, Gwen and I struck up a friendship. I would sit at their dining room table and page through Spencer’s books and other publications while he told stories.

Tinker was born in North Dakota in 1909 to parents with true pioneer spirit. The couple and their two kids moved to Montana, then California, then finally settled in Seattle.

Spencer went to the University of Washington, and in 1931 earned a degree in zoology and a teaching certificate.

Soon after, Spencer moved to Hawaii, where he completed a master’s degree in zoology and began the work he truly loved, teaching.

In 1940, Spencer had an opportunity of a lifetime: He could teach millions of people about Hawaii’s marine life by becoming the first director of the fledgling Waikiki Aquarium. He accepted the position and began his legacy.

In the early days of the aquarium, Spencer told me, he got many of his animals for the aquarium from fishermen and fish markets. After word got out that he needed live fish, anglers brought him their unusual catches.

Also, in those days, people sold living sea turtles to fish markets. Spencer rescued as many as he could and put them in his tanks.

Tinker was the director of the Waikiki Aquarium for 32 years, retiring from his long career at UH in 1972.

But retiring did not diminish his interest in the marine world nor his desire to teach.

Instead, it gave him time to write more books and spread the word about the uniqueness of Hawaii’s marine life and how to conserve and protect it.

During and after his busy tenure as aquarium director, Spencer wrote 12 books and pamphlets. Most are now out of print, but the 1978 fish book is still in bookstores and is still one of my best sources of information.

His other books are also excellent reference books. Once, when I took an unusual crab to a UH professor of invertebrate zoology, he reached to a top shelf of his bookcase and carefully pulled down an obvious treasure: Spencer Tinker’s 1965 “Pacific Crustacea.”

Carefully, we turned the pages, brown and brittle from use — and there was my crab. To this day, it’s the only picture I have seen of this species.

Early in my career, Spencer Tinker’s unflagging enthusiasm for Hawaii’s marine world encouraged me immensely. The fact that his excitement was so infectious was a good lesson for me, one that I try to pass to others through this column.

Thank you, Spencer, for sharing your love of marine biology with us.

Your gift of knowledge will live forever.