“Never an ex-marine — Semper Fi” — Nov. 29, 1929 – Jan. 13, 2012
SILVERDALE — Lawrence (Larry) Emmett Marler Jr. was born in St. Louis, Mo. on Nov. 20, 1929 to Lawrence and Golda Marler, the second of seven children.

He studied at Doane College in Nebraska on a basketball scholarship, and served in the Marines from 1950-54, attaining the rank of lance corporal and playing basketball for the Marine Corps team.

In 1952, while recovering in Bremerton from injuries sustained in Korea, he met and married Diane Gwendolyn LaFond, a lieutenant in the Navy Nurse Corps.

Marler received his AA in 1956 from Olympic College, where he played basketball and coached the Rangers. In 1969, the Marlers started a hobby farm near Bangor. He taught math and science for more than 29 years at the PSNS Apprenticeship Program and Olympic College.

He loved to fish. Just before he died, his sons read him Hemingway’s “The Big Two-Hearted River.”

He is survived by his wife Diane; sons, Don and Bill; siblings, Donna Mullins, Dorinda Simpson and Richard Marler; seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Maura.

At his request, there will be no memorial service.  Donations preferred to Hospice of Kitsap County or to the Maura Marler Pilet Nursing Scholarship at Olympic College.

— Family of Lawrence Emmett Marler Jr.