December, 2008
Dick Marshall
Christine and Dick Marshall with their cruising boat, a Crealock 37, the Lively Lady II.
Dick Marshall worked as a docent at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and helped put together a World War II carrier exhibit. Before him in the photo is a model of the carrier Intrepid, one of the ships on which he served.
Richard Sheppard "Dick" Marshall, a CYC staff commodore and honorary life member who made lasting contributions to the club and the Northwest sailing community, died from congestive heart failure on Dec. 1. He was 86.
Marshall served in 1957 as the club's 10th commodore. He also was co-inventor of the Life-Sling, helped engineer the construction and siting of the Shilshole Clubhouse, and was part of the group that put together Seattle's campaign for the America's Cup in 1974.
"He was a champion sailor, a great guy and our first honorary life member," said Staff Commodore Bill Lieberman, who was in a reserve squadron with Marshall at the Sand Point Naval Air Station and spent 53 years with Marshall in CYC.
Marshall's widow Christine, who crewed for him when they raced in the Northwest and cruised the Pacific, said her husband always was a staunch Corinthian.
"He just believed in the way they ran it," she said. "That it was a sailing club, and he appreciated that it was more for the everyman."
Marshall was born Sept. 28, 1923, in Baltimore, Md. and spent summers on Nantucket Island where he learned to fly, soloing in an Aeronca Chief at the age of 16.
He enlisted as a naval aviation cadet in 1943 and received his wings and commission at age 19. Trained as a carrier dive-bomber, he served on the USS Intrepid and the USS Essex in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Marshall received the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals. He graduated from Williams College in 1947, moved west and married Christine, who would be his wife of 58 years.
He was an investment banker at Pacific Northwest Company, a trust officer for Seattle First National Bank, and then president of Savings Bank Trust Company Northwest from 1973 to 1983.
Marshall also helped incorporate Medina and prevent it from being annexed by Bellevue, and then served on the Medina City Council from 1969 to 1973. He also chaired the boards of Crystal Mountain Ski Area and the Sailing Foundation. He received the U.S. Safe Boating award for his work on the Life Sling, which remains standard equipment on most larger sailboats.
"Flying was always his first love, but sailing was something we could do together and raise our five kids and cruise all over," said Mrs. Marshall. She said her husband skippered or crewed in about 25 Swiftsure races.
Their first boat was a 25 footer, the Lively Lady, which they owned when they joined Corinthian in 1952. They later purchased a 28-foot Triton, Sequin (which they sailed to Alaska), and have cruised in a Crealock 37, Lively Lady II for the last 18 years on the west coast and in Canada.
The Marshalls also joined fellow CYC member Bill Black on his boat for voyages from Hawaii to Kodiak Island and later from Japan to Nahodka, Russia. From Nahodka, Black and Marshall took the Trans-Siberian Railroad about 2,000 miles inland to Lake Baikal and back.
"He was just wonderful on that trip, and we had all sorts of adventures along the way," Black said. "He liked to record events with his camera, and he even talked the train engineer into letting him go up into the engine and being a co-pilot. The windows were a little dirty, and Dick went outside and scrubbed them."
Staff Commodore Maurice Rattray also cruised with the Marshalls when both were members of the Cruising Club of America.
"He always had a good story to tell," Rattray said.
For many years, Marshall served as the CYC historian and maintained the club archives.
Remembrances may be sent to the Museum of Flight in Seattle or the Bonnell Cove Foundation of the Cruising Club of America.
A celebration of Marshall's life will be held Tuesday, December 16, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Church, 8398 NE 12th St., Medina.