John D. McLatchy Jr., owner of the Bridge Tender and Fish House Grill, and founder of Front Street Brewery, died Sept. 13 because of complications from pancreatic cancer. McLatchy was 55.

He is survived by Catherine, his wife of 25 years; his four children, Zachary, Lucas, Ava and Liza; and his parents, sister and brother. 

McLatchy was born in Philadelphia and raised in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from Littlestown High School before attending Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He founded Front Street Brewery in 1995 and purchased the Bridge Tender from its original owners, Johnny and Estelle Baker, in 2003. One year later, he purchased the Bridge Tender’s sister restaurant, The Fish House Grill, also from the Baker family.

Since that time, McLatchy has been the leader of the staff at both restaurants. “Owning restaurants was his true calling,” stated his obituary published by Andrews Mortuary. 

His family also expressed in his obituary the wish that those who knew him would “honor John’s memory by drinking good craft beer and taking an extra minute to really listen just a bit more.”

A celebration of John McLatchy’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Port City Community Church, 250 Vision Dr. in Wilmington. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Dr., or to Port City Community Church in honor of John McLatchy.