Maurice Edwards Marler

Maurice Edwards Marler passed away at his home in Merrill Gardens January 27th, 2017. He had suffered a stroke on December 4, 2016. Until his death he was surrounded by family and many friends. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 46 years, Edna, on February 16, 1989. He is survived by a son, Robert Marler and his wife Carol Marler of Indianapolis, Indiana; a daughter, Carol Foster and her husband Basil Foster of Sun Lakes, Arizona; a grandson, Brian Foster and his wife Windy of Sammamish, Washington and three great grandchildren, Kennedy, Drew and Madison. He loved his family, his country, and the Lord passionately.

Maurice was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints. He was a tireless worker in the Church and made weekly visits to the Bellevue Temple. He also did genealogy research and was the director of the record extraction program.

Maurice was born May 12, 1918 in Providence, Utah to Nellie Mae Edwards Marler and Morris Mathews Marler. He loved to say everyone celebrated his birth because it was Mother’s day. He was preceded in death by his older sister, June Marler Henson and his younger brother, Robert. In 1931 the family moved to Logan in search of opportunity and soon they were immersed in the Great Depression which defined their life until his graduation from Logan High School in 1936. He attended Utah State University and studied civil engineering and eventually was the designer of the expanded runway for Logan Cache Airport.

He attended flight schools in San Diego and Randolph Field, Texas beginning in 1939. In May of 1942 he graduated from Navigation School at Kelly Field, Texas and because he was 5th in his class, be became an instructor instead of performing in a tactical role. On a blind date Christmas eve 1941 he met Edna Fay Hardin, an Army nurse, and he fell hopelessly in love. They were married 7 months later on July 8, 1942. A year and a half later their son, Robert was born. Their daughter, Carol was born 2 ½ years after that.

His military career spanned over 30 years and took him to many destinations around the globe including the Pentagon, Okinawa, The Philippines, England, Japan, Vietnam, SAC Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska and numerous other stateside locations. He retired from the US Air Force in 1967 with the rank of Lt Colonel, and was offered a job in Seattle at the Boeing Company and worked there until retiring in 1983.

He and Edna loved to travel. They made many trips to Hawaii. Most often they went to Kauai where they embraced the island lifestyle at the Coco Palms resort. They too, were embraced by the owners of this lovely resort, Gus and Grace Guslander, and became the best of friends. In September 1971, Maurice and Edna became proud grandparents when Carol gave birth to Brian Jeffrey Foster. After Edna’s premature death in 1989 from breast cancer, Grampa and Brian made several trips back to the Coco Palms creating memories to last a lifetime.

In August of 2007 he sold his home in Bellevue and moved in the new Merrill Gardens in downtown Renton, WA. Here he began the final chapter of his life. He acquired many friends and he loved his new Merrill Gardens family. He embraced retirement as every day became a new adventure. He tells the story of how his apartment overlooked the Renton Airport and it gave him the urge to fly again. Typical of his ‘can do’ attitude he jumped through hoops and was able to begin flying again with instructors at Galvin Flying Service. His love of flying was fed by these wonderful people and it remained until the day he took his last breath. His last flight was September 9, 2016!

Services will be held at Sunset Hills Funeral Home, located at 1215 145th PL SE, Bellevue, Washington, 98007, Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11:00 AM with graveside and military honors at 12:30.

In Lieu of flowers remembrances can be made to the Maury Marler scholarship fund at Galvin Flying Service, 7001 Perimeter Rd S. Seattle,WA 98108.