David Marsh

NEWARK - David Marsh passed away on January 11, 2026, after a long illness. Dave grew up in Newark, in upstate N.Y., and spent boyhood summers racing sailboats on Lake Ontario. His first job was delivering groceries by boat across Sodus Bay. A natural leader, Dave was president of his high school class and excelled in athletics. He was recruited to play football for Harvard, and graduated with a BA in Political Science in 1963. From 1963 to 1967, Dave served as a Naval Supply officer aboard the USS Compton, out of Boston. His interest in business led him to banking and, eventually, a job at Gloucester National Bank. Always community-minded, "Captain Dave" was a familiar figure downtown for decades. He was known for his kindness, dry sense of humor, and easygoing nature. He loved to talk with customers and stroll down Main Street or along the waterfront.

A great supporter of small businesses, Dave couldn't drive by a kid's lemonade stand without becoming a customer. In 1977, mentored by friends in the local fisheries, Dave gave up his job as President of Gloucester National Bank to found DM Seafoods. He would wake at dawn to buy the day's catch at the docks, then cut and deliver fresh fish to customers across Cape Ann. His business expanded from the original Smith Street shop to fish markets and restaurants in Sudbury, Billerica, and Marblehead. Eventually he sold DM Seafoods and returned to banking with that same entrepreneurial spirit. In 1987, he co-founded a new community bank, Gloucester Bank & Trust (now TD Bank), where he continued to champion small businesses.

Dave supported many local initiatives, such as Maritime Gloucester, Gloucester Education Foundation, Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation. In the late 70s and early 80s, he supported Gloucester Boxing Club, run by his friend Robert "Slug" Ryan. Dave was a past president of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, and served on the board of Addison Gilbert Hospital.

Dave always had an eye on prevailing winds, and would head out for a sail whenever the weather permitted. He considered Cape Ann a sailor's paradise, and kept a succession of boats moored at Eastern Point or Conomo Point. With friends, he sailed the passage from New Zealand to Fiji, the adventure of a lifetime. Dave enjoyed hard work– whether on the football field, in a new business venture, or simply raking leaves on an autumn afternoon. His family will be forever inspired by his good nature, his generosity, and his steady warmth.

He is survived by his wife, Louise; his sister, Jane Ainslie of Schenectady, N.Y.; his daughter, Zannah, and her husband Don, of Gainesville, FL; his son, Seth, and wife Linette and two granddaughters, of Carpinteria, CA; and many beloved cousins. He was predeceased by his brother, Bob Marsh.

A celebration of life for Dave will be held on Saturday, February 28th at 11:30 a.m. at Essex First Universalist Church, 59 Main Street, Essex MA, with a reception at The James to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation at https://gloucestermeetinghouse.org or Maritime Gloucester at Maritime Gloucester - Maritime Museum, Aquarium and Working Waterfront. Arrangements by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St., Gloucester, MA 01930 For online condolences, please visit http://www.greelyfuneralhome.com