Friends mourn 4 US yachters killed by pirates

Riggle was a relief veterinarian for the Seattle Animal Shelter for the past eight years or so, spaying and neutering adopted animals, said director Don Jordan.

"He wasn't a man of many words but he was a kind-hearted individual with a great passion for animals and animal welfare," Jordan said.

Riggle once took a colleague's family sailing when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer to get their mind off their troubles. "That was just a small indicator about how he treated people," he said.

Macay was vice president for training and development for Profitability Consulting Group, an adviser to retail furniture stores based in Hillsborough, N.C.

Macay, who never married, took a sabbatical about three years ago. She and Riggle were romantically involved when they first met, but in recent years were friends who sailed together, said Macay friend Cynthia Kirkham in Seattle.

Chief Executive John Eggers said Macay was regarded in the industry as one of the top educators and presenters on design and sales.

"She was such a free spirit," Eggers said. "She was just a real professional and just loved life."

AP reporter Phuong Le in Seattle and Jason Dearen in South San Francisco contributed to this report.