Alban "Al" R. Essbach

Al graduated from Columbia High School in 1942. He attended Lee’s McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943. He served as a 1st Marine Air Wing, MAG 32, AWS, 4 in Pacific Theatre of Operations and was honorably discharged in 1945. Al then attended Tusculum College in Greenville, Tennessee for one year before transferring to Utah State Agricultural College. He majored in Fisheries-Wildlife-Zoology. Al received his Bachelor of Science degree in June 1950 and took a job with Logan River Trout Research. He was employed as a Fisheries Biologist by U.S. Fish and Wildlife at the Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana. He was recalled to the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. During that time he was stationed at Camp Lajeune, North Carolina and was an instructor in communications.

On August 3, 1951, Al married Marie Crowell. From 1952-1965, Al was employed by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Game as a Warm Water Fisheries Biologist. The family moved to Arizona in 1965. Al was employed by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish as a Warm Water Fisheries Supervisor from 1965-1982. He was promoted to Chief of the Fisheries Division in 1972 and remained in that capacity until he retired in 1982. In 1982, he formed Bio-Aquatic Consultants, a management and consulting company. Al and Marie retired in 1992.

Al is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marie; five children, seven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Interment will be held at at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85024, on Friday, December 7, 2012 at 1:30pm. Arrangements entrusted to Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Care, 400 South Power Road, Mesa, Arizona 85206. Please leave a tribute to Al on the family's website at www.MariposaGardens.com.