Family celebrates the life of former Sea Shanty owner Marie “Josie” Blazej

The Journal has used information from the obituary of Marie José Blazej, shared with us by a friend, to write portions of the following article.  

The decades-long owner of a popular Northport Village seafood restaurant has died, and family and friends are commemorating her life in Northport and beyond. 

Owner of the Sea Shanty on Woodbine Avenue (the current location of Salted On the Harbor) for over 20 years, Marie José Blazej passed away peacefully in Massachusetts, where she lived the past few years, on March 21. She was 95 years old. 

Born on December 20, 1928 in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium, Blazej was the second of three children. She was raised in Moortebeek, on the outskirts of Brussels. Despite the hardships of life during WWII, she managed to complete her schooling – excelling in math – and found work in accounting. After the liberation of Belgium, she met her future husband, Richard Blazej, an American soldier, at a street fair in Anderlecht.

At the age of 18, Blazej flew on one of the first transatlantic commercial flights to New York to marry Richard and begin their life on and around Long Island, where they remained together for 70 years. Although she lived most of her life in the United States, she was a proud Belgian who always enjoyed finding others with whom she could speak French.

With prior residences in Queens Village and Commack, Blazej – known as “Josie” to her friends and family –  kept busy in her early years as a homemaker, raising a family. She regularly met up with her French club where she made lifelong friendships, staying in contact with some of those friends up until her passing. She enjoyed volunteering and getting involved in many community activities including the PTA, the church, and Cub Scouts, recounted Blazej’s children in the obituary they wrote for their mother. When she found a cause that needed addressing, Blazej was the first in line to raise questions and challenge authority, they said. Her proudest moment was blocking LILCO, the local utility, from installing transmission lines through their neighborhood.

After the family moved to Northport in 1966, Blazej found an opportunity to resume her accounting skills, becoming a bookkeeper at the Sea Shanty restaurant in 1977. Richard (1925-2017) was a mechanical engineer known for his passion for black-and-white photography. 

In a March 1978 article in The New York Times’ Dining Out section, the Sea Shanty was described as a tiny and inexpensive place to eat, where a casual atmosphere and menu of fresh seafood staples made for a consistent clientele of loyal locals.

“A steady stream of customers keeps most of the tables occupied most of the time and on weekends, especially in warm weather, there is a patient line assembled outside. The restaurant does not accept reservations and there isn't an inch of space to accommodate standees inside,” the article reads. 

“Efficiency prevails. The same menu applies at all hours and the food is a simple inventory of broiled or fried fish and seafood dishes. A filling meal will require less than an hour of your time and less than $10 of your money. It’s easy to see why they don't serve lobster. Not only does it cost too much, but also it takes too long to eat.”

Blazej purchased the business in 1980 and remained its owner for the next two decades. The Shanty was very popular with the locals for the excellent food, great service and fair prices, her children said, adding that Blazej was proud of the opportunities she provided for local youth with their first jobs, and immigrants from El Salvador to build their lives in Northport. 

“José loved reading, listening to music, dancing, laughing and staying in touch with family and friends through Facebook, email and texting,” her obituary reads. “Despite living through the hardships of occupied Belgium, [her husband]’s PTSD struggles, and the loss of three children (Michael 1948-1950, Suzanne 1958-1960, and Thomas 1961 for two days), she persevered and lived a full life and never stopped fighting for what she believed in.”

Blazej was a beacon of unwavering commitment to political and social justice, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire and guide future generations through her family and friends, her children said: “Throughout her remarkable life, José was dedicated to championing the causes that lay at the heart of civil fairness and the needs of working families. She remained perpetually informed on the breaking issues that shaped our world, understanding deeply how political shifts and policies impacted society. Her legacy is not just in the causes she supported but in the lives she changed, the community she helped build on Long Island, and the love she spread through her fight for a fairer world.”

Blazej is survived by four children and their families: Dan Blazej and his children Michael and Laura; Ken Blazej with his wife Barbara and their children Nanda, Kerri and Lindsy; Tom Blazej with his wife Virginie and their children Lucy and Julia; Jeanne (Blazej) Melhado with her husband David and their children Ashlee and Samuel; and five great-grandchildren: Mathilde, Benny, Leona, Zia and Liliana.

In a tribute to his friend, Pastor Bob MacDonald, who knew Blazej when she was the treasurer at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, recalled Josie’s kind nature. “She was helpful in every way possible. With the church on Main Street we got many drop-ins looking for money. We didn't hand out money but we had an arrangement with Josie's Sea Shanty. I could send the person to the Sea Shanty and a meal would be given. The church would cover it but Josie usually did,” he said. 

“She had a big heart and a sharp mind. She easily settled into the church of her husband and his parents and that church, St. Paul’s, was most fortunate she did… In her last years I got to have many conversations with her. She was wise and insightful about the world and the church. We shared similar viewpoints and questions. After our conversations, I appreciated knowing this kindred spirit.”