Roy Marsh, Jr. Obituary (1932

Roy was born November 26, 1932 to Oliver Roy and Edith Vivian Tonkins Marsh at the family home on Brown Avenue, Yakima Washington. He was raised in Yakima and graduated from Yakima High School (now Davis) in 1951. He was active in the high school band, helping with the 'Beginning Band' and orchestra. Roy worked for Western Union Telegraph Office the three years he was in high school. On June 22, 1952, Roy married his high school sweetheart, Cecilia Ann Conner and worked as a Western Union teletype operator until being drafted into the Army in the fall of that year. At Camp San Luis Obispo, Roy received recognition for having the highest 'proficiency' score on record out of the 10,000 men who had taken the test before him! (Eighteen tests made up the proficiency score). His wife, proud parents and sister attended the special ceremony where Lt. Col. McClung presented the prestigious trophy to him. He also received recognition as 'top student' in his teletype course, and 'student of the month' and 'top student' in his cryptography course. His initial assignment was at the Cryptographic Center located in the Pentagon in Washington D. C. After his discharge from the Army in 1954, Roy attended YVCC for one year and transferred to the University of Washington, graduating in 1959. He attended a Western Union Management Training program in New York City for six weeks and then trained in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Oakland, before managing a Los Angeles Western Union office for one year, then a Tuscan, Arizona office for a year. He came back to Yakima as Western Union manager then decided to switch careers (and avoid the constant moving!). He worked at Westarc Corp. for four years, until their move to Denver. He then began a 27-year career with Longview Fibre as a sales representative, retiring in 1995. Roy enjoyed playing his trumpet in the years following high school and was a member of the Yakima Lion's Club band for 35 years and the Tacoma Afifi Shrine Band. He played with the former Yakima Elk's Band, now known as the Yakima Valley Community Band for 50 years. He enjoyed jeeping, camping, traveling and his kids and grandkids sports and music events for many years. He and Cecilia enjoyed 13 winters in Indio, CA when the Yakima weather turned cold. He also enjoyed showing visiting friends and relatives the surrounding areas. List of relatives include son, Thomas William Marsh; daughter, Lori Jo (Scott Alan) Sauve; grandsons, Daniel Alan Sauve; Kyle Thomas Sauve; Michael Scott (Cindy Hayward) great-grandson, Jackson Michael Sauve; and Ryan Andrew (Jennifer) Sauve, of Yakima, Washington.; sister, Charlotte Dawn Marsh of Seattle, Washington; Aunt, Phyllis Tonkins, of Bremerton, Washington, brother-in-law, Eben (Monte) Conner and wife Margaret Conner, of Phoenixville, PA. He is preceded in death by infant son, Andy, (Roy Andrew) Marsh; parents, 0. Roy and Edith Vivian Marsh; grandparents; Fred and Margaret Marsh; John and Oressa Maude Tonkins; and foster grand-parents, Charles and Margaret Mullin. A Celebration of Life with military honors will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at 2:00pm at Brookside Funeral Home (500 W. Prospect, Moxee, WA 98936). Celebration of Life Brookside Funeral Home and Crematory (Yakima) Saturday, March 5, 2022 2:00 PM 500 W Prospect Moxee, Washington 98936