Marcus Duell

1953 - 2025

Marcus Bertis Duell, 71, of Arlington, WA, passed away at his home on June 2nd, 2025.

Born in Spokane, WA, Marc grew up living in Nome, AK, and Mt. Vernon, WA before his family settled in Edmonds, WA in 1960. He spent many years of his adolescence involved in Boy Scouts of America and Search and Rescue, and was a true lover of the outdoors and preserving wilderness. Marc graduated from Woodway High School in 1971 and joined the Navy shortly thereafter.

He served on the USS Cocopa and as a corpsman at the Bremerton Naval Hospital for 4 years during the Vietnam War. Upon returning home, he began working in the Ballard shipyards as a welder. Before long, he returned to the water, beginning his decades-long career as a commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea. Starting as a deckhand, he worked his way up through every position, from deckhand to engineer, to first mate and eventually captain, a position he was very proud to have earned from the hull up. Over the span of his career, Marc worked on over 20 crabbing, long-lining, gillnetting and trolling boats in the wilds of Alaska.

In the summer of 1989, Marc captained the Isafijord, a 165 ft. crabber, and assisted with the cleanup from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, AK. He used the money earned that summer to purchase land in Arlington, and over the next 35 years would build a home in the forest, a place where family was always welcome and where he could grow old in comfort.

Marc had several near-death experiences, from arctic storms in the Bering Sea to surviving the Penair flight 3296 crash while flying into Dutch Harbor. After more than 3 years of fighting the effects of ALS, Marc slipped away peacefully in his sleep.

Marc loved telling stories about his experience growing up in Nome, Mt. Vernon, and Edmonds, his experience in BSA and SAR, his service in the Navy, and his many adventures fishing over the years.

He was preceded in death by his father, Howard; sister, Melinda, and brother Dallas. He is survived by his mother, Virginia and two sisters, Gina and Celia, his three children, Nathan (Bethany), Samuel, and Johanna, and two grandchildren, Camille and Caleb. Marc loved and was loved by his large extended family and friends and found joy in his children and grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held in August 2025, with details to be announced at a later date.