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--- stories:farewell_friend [2023/04/19 13:53]
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 ====== Farewell Friend ======
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+<WRAP centeralign>
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+{{youtube>M_F3s1KVDcY?large}}
+**Farewell Paddle for Peter 6/11/2023**
+.
+</WRAP>
+----
+<WRAP indent>
+===== Farewell =====
 **Kimberly ****Reeves **Jan 28 #33076
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 rd
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 **Jonas ****Ecker **Jan 28 #33081
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 Here’s one fine memory out of a gazillion you all must have. Clean shaven!
+{{:people:peterpic.jpeg?direct&640x480|peterpic.jpeg}}
 **Michael ****Lee **Jan 28 #33085\\
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 **Paul ****Reavley **Feb 1 #33092
-Peter had more irons in our community fires than I can even count. Then he also had his work, liked to compete, and seemed to keep a watchful eye on the bay particular when it was rough.
+Peter had more irons in our community fires than I can even count. Then he also had his work, liked to compete, and seemed to keep a watchful eye on the bay particularly when it was rough.
 Here are a few memorable examples that were reported on Whatcom Paddlers:
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 Cheers Peter Marcus, you will never be forgotten
+===== Peter Marcus =====
+**Larry ****Bussinger **Feb 2 #33099
+I want to add to Peter's tributes of a life well-lived but am paled by the accuracy and eloquence of those who wrote before me. I'm going to write anyway…for my own healing. I thought of myself as pretty stoic and knew his passing was coming, but I find myself gut-punched anyway. The comments honoring Peter and his caregivers are humbling and give one pause about how we live our own lives. What are my ethics, and my awareness and treatment of those I love and those around me? It seems even in death that Peter is still inspiring.
+Larry B
+===== Peter Memories =====
+**Tom ****Halsted **Feb 3 #33129
+I think that Larry B's thoughts on Peter catalyzed me to talk about him. For awhile, I shut down my desire to express grief or much heartfelt empathy and condolences, when people I cared about began dying - many of them from cancer.
+The hell with that - the cat's out of the bag, so here goes -
+I first met Peter at a Wednesday Night Race, where I mainly learned how to fall out of surfskis [a lot], while many of you - and Peter - offered occasionally sincere suggestions.
+Over the years, Peter gave me help on staying upright, proper gear-use, effective paddling techniques, where to find boats to try out, and most importantly, how to loosen up and have fun!
+Once able to stay upright more often, I really enjoyed participating in the races and fund-raising events that he organized or ran - all while still managing to race and talk smack with the rest of us.
+He mentored many of us or our kids, was generous with his time, humor, and compassion, and truly cared about all of his friends, family, and our community. The world is a better place because of him, and those who knew him miss him terribly.
+Thank you, Riley, Alex, Julie, and everyone in our paddling community for sharing him.
+Rest in peace, my friend. I only met you 10 years ago but you made a difference in my life.
+Tom Halsted
+**Derek ****Buse **Feb 3 #33130
+Peter was a great ambassador for our sport and community. My earliest memory of Peter was my first Wednesday night race on Whatcom. I had no clue what was going on or even which side the ama was supposed to be attached to. I was fumbling around with my borrowed gear over in the grass putting on a show like I knew what I was doing. The usual groups were socializing and BSing pre race as it normally happens. Peter spotted me from a mile away. He saw a new face in the Bham paddling world and walked over to greet me. He gracefully navigated the potentially awkward conversation regarding boat safety, and my ability to self rescue in the event of a huli (my recollection was that this encounter was early March and water temps were still down), but once he was satisfied with my self described abilities, he began welcoming me to the community as only he was able to do. He invited me to Monday intervals, which were scheduled to start up in a few weeks. He also asked if I was on a ski to sea team yet.
+I'm pretty sure that he hung way back in the race that night, making sure that I rounded all the corners, and safely made it to the finish line.
+A few years later I found myself in La Conner getting my boat rigged and set up for the Sound Rowers race. It was one of the years where the course was reversed due to stormy conditions (maybe this year too?), so we were heading North from the bridge at the start and coming back South to finish. I was again in my OC and doing my best to keep pace with the fellow OCs and some of the slower skis. After the halfway turn, the wind and the current hit me head on and I realized that my fitness level was not what I had hoped it was. On the way back to the bridge, shortly after the turn, Peter started to pass me up. I let him go by and did my best to stay on his tail. The suffering was in full effect. To make matters worse, I was overdressed and began to overheat. But, I was determined to stick with Peter. As we made our way towards the bridge on the west side of the slough, we began to approach the log booms that are often prevalent on that section. I was sweating litres every minute trying to keep Peter in my sights. And then he did something very peculiar. Ahead of us, there was a small gap in the log boom, between logs. Peter veered his OC into the small open section, it was only a few feet wide initially just wide enough to fit his boat and ama. I thought that move was risky, too risky. I stayed wide and kept my craft in the main channel. There were other boats around me at this point so I sort of forgot about Peter and concentrated on keeping pace with those around me. My thought was that Peter would snag his boat on a cable or get to a point where the booms pinched too much (and would have to give up on the short cut). After a 1/4 mile or so, the end of the booms were in sight. I looked around for Peter but couldn't see him anywhere near me. I was a bit confused but thought that he was probably forced to turn back. A few more strokes got me around a group of commercial crab boats tied up to dock. Once I rounded those boats, I could see rainbow bridge. It was a welcome sight and I was excited to push on to the finish. I had roughly 1/4 mile more left before the bridge, as I studied the boats ahead of me I realized that one OC which had just finished the race was Peter. His brilliant gamble on the log boom paid off in dividends. It was impressive to see that first hand. Who knows, maybe Peter's log boom chute will be wide open tomorrow…
+Derek Buse
+**Az **Feb 3 #33131
+Thanks for sharing, Derek, great to hear from you! Peter did share with us after that race that he went over a chain. He spotted it too late to stop, and thought he was about to break his rudder. He said he got lucky, but would not try that move again. Wishing everyone serendipitous paths tomorrow 💨
+===== Peter's Obituary =====
+**beau ****whitehead **Feb 8 #33154
+[[https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bellinghamherald/name/peter-marcus-obituary?id=42375419|https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bellinghamherald/name/peter-marcus-obituary]]
+(From Legacy.com Obituary)
+{{:people:peterpic2.jpeg?nolink&398x499|peterpic2.jpeg}}
+**Peter Marcus** \\
+February 18, 1960 - January 28, 2023
+Bellingham, Washington - Peter Ericson Marcus passed away on January 28, 2023 after a courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma. Born in New York, NY on February 18, 1960 to Stanley and Marianne Marcus, Peter and his family moved to Bellingham, Washington in 1966. He attended Happy Valley Elementary, Fairhaven Middle School, and graduated with the class of 1978 from Sehome High School. He went on to study at Western Washington University where he earned a BA in Education. In 1991, Peter had identical twin daughters, Alex and Riley, with his then wife Cindy Thorneycroft. Peter spent the majority of his life in Bellingham, where he established himself as a cornerstone of the community.
+Peter loved the water. He grew up sailing around the Pacific Northwest and spent many summers commercial fishing in Alaska. As he transitioned away from commercial fishing, he found paddling and quickly fell in love. No matter the day, rain or shine, you could find him paddling his surfski or outrigger canoe with a huge smile on his face. He carried his passion for the water over to his career, working over 20 years for MSRC, "playing boat" and helping to protect the environment he loved from oil spills.
+Peter was a superior athlete, coach, and competitor. He loved swimming and in high school, he competed at State and YMCA Nationals. Two years after graduating from Sehome, he took over as the head coach of the swim team (1980-87), leading them to state championship titles in '86 and '87. Many years later, Peter started paddling and competed in countless races across Washington, British Columbia, the Columbia Gorge, and Hawaii. As a Bellingham local, Peter naturally found his way to the Ski to Sea, where he dominated the Kayak leg for many years. During his last few Ski to Seas, he was the Kayak Leg Chair, cementing his legacy within the paddling community. His love for paddling led to the creation of the Bellingham Rough Water race, Paddle 4 Food Relay, and annual Paddler's Film Festival.
+When he wasn't playing on the water or telling cheesy dad jokes, Peter loved to work in his garden, cook meals for his family and friends, and eat delicious food. He kept a beautiful yard and spent countless hours tending to his raspberries and flower beds. You could often find him sitting on his front porch in the sunshine, watching over his flowers, keeping his eyes peeled for local wildlife and birds. His appetite for life was fueled by his love of food. There were few things Peter wouldn't try, but he was especially particular about his seafood, pastries and desserts.
+Peter's biggest love was his family. He is survived and extremely loved by his twin daughters, Alex and Riley, son-in-law Clinton Overman, grandson Miller Overman, loving partner Julie Van Dooren, her children Tyler, Dayna, and Eli, his sisters Wendy and Lisa, Denali, and his amazing community of friends. We are forever grateful for all the love and support. Please join us for a Celebration of Life at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal on Sunday, February 26th from 2-4pm. Hawaiian attire is encouraged.
+</WRAP>

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