IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Douglas
Marsh
October 1, 1956 – August 22, 2025
Obituary
Douglas Warren Marsh died of natural causes at his home in the village of Leka, Samos, Greece on Friday, August 22, 2025. He was 68 years old.
Doug was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 1, 1956, the first child of Roger Kenyon Marsh and Marion Jean (née Ory) Marsh. Following the early passing of his mother, Marion, Doug was lovingly raised by his stepmother, Marcheta (née Miller) Marsh. Doug grew up in the greater Milwaukee area and attended University School and Nicolet High School, graduating in 1975 before earning his bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota in 1978. While in college, Doug joined the UND Chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, where he served as social chairman and cook.
As a child, Doug was part of the Boy Scouts Air Explorer Post 309 where he learned to fly airplanes, getting his glider pilot license prior to being eligible to learn to drive a car. This was the start of a lifelong love of flying. He maintained friendships with most of his fellow Post 309ers through college and into their professional years.
Doug had a wonderful career as an airline pilot. During his student years at UND, he was an instructor pilot for the university and flew doctors to various Native American reservations and hospitals. Upon graduation, he was employed as a pilot ferrying government officials around the state. He then joined a dive company as a corporate pilot and moved to Louisiana. New Orleans held a special place in his heart. Doug worked his way through various commercial airlines. One of his favorite companies he worked with was Business Express. He made many friends and great memories there. Eventually, Doug became an international pilot for American Airlines, running trips from the US to either South America or Europe. He retired from American in 2022. He would often say how much he loved flying the Boeings.
Doug met Lisa Anne Knox on New Year's Eve of 1987 at the Black Cat Charity Ball in Portland, Maine. They wed on June 2, 1990 and welcomed their daughters, Deidre and Toria, in 1992 and 1994 respectively. The family moved several times throughout the girls' childhoods, living in Maine, St. Lucia and ultimately returning to Doug's birthplace of Wisconsin.
Although he worked long hours and traveled far, he did his best to be an active part of family life, burping babies, grocery shopping, and planning activities. He and wife Lisa took ballroom dance lessons and joined several dance clubs. Once, their daughters, Deidre and Toria, laughed at them practicing in the living room and said they were horrible at it, so Doug signed the kids up for their own dance lessons. To his delight, they became very good at it!
Upon retirement, he continued with a very rich life. Doug taught himself to do plumbing and electrical work to code and to build whatever was needed. Doug was very handy and could fix anything. He was an avid chef and loved reading cookbooks, throwing parties, hosting dinners, and traveling. He was an excellent downhill skier and enjoyed winters skiing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he bought a ski house and renovated it. Doug was also a golfer and annually participated in the Dandy Duffer golf gathering.
In retirement, Doug also continued his flying. He towed gliders for the local glider club. He renewed his instructor license and was very proud of all of his students.
Doug chose to concentrate on the positive daily. He had wonderful stories to tell and loved to plan activities and get togethers for his family and friends – he called himself the "social chairman."
Those left to cherish his memory include: wife Lisa Marsh, daughter Deidre (Patryk Schmeling) Marsh, daughter Toria (Moritz) Stock, mother Marcheta Marsh, brother Jonathan Marsh, brother James (Leigh Anne) Marsh, and many nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and dear friends. Doug was preceded in death by: father Roger Marsh, mother Marion Marsh, brother R. Bruce Marsh, and brother Joel Marsh.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Phillips Funeral Home from 10:00am to 12:00pm, with a service starting at 12:00pm with lunch after. Donations are being collected to purchase a memorial bench in Doug's name at the Milwaukee County Zoo, where he spent many happy times with his wife and children. If interested in donating, cash and check can be brought to the funeral or you can visit the family's fundraising page by clicking here.
Doug was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 1, 1956, the first child of Roger Kenyon Marsh and Marion Jean (née Ory) Marsh. Following the early passing of his mother, Marion, Doug was lovingly raised by his stepmother, Marcheta (née Miller) Marsh. Doug grew up in the greater Milwaukee area and attended University School and Nicolet High School, graduating in 1975 before earning his bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota in 1978. While in college, Doug joined the UND Chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, where he served as social chairman and cook.
As a child, Doug was part of the Boy Scouts Air Explorer Post 309 where he learned to fly airplanes, getting his glider pilot license prior to being eligible to learn to drive a car. This was the start of a lifelong love of flying. He maintained friendships with most of his fellow Post 309ers through college and into their professional years.
Doug had a wonderful career as an airline pilot. During his student years at UND, he was an instructor pilot for the university and flew doctors to various Native American reservations and hospitals. Upon graduation, he was employed as a pilot ferrying government officials around the state. He then joined a dive company as a corporate pilot and moved to Louisiana. New Orleans held a special place in his heart. Doug worked his way through various commercial airlines. One of his favorite companies he worked with was Business Express. He made many friends and great memories there. Eventually, Doug became an international pilot for American Airlines, running trips from the US to either South America or Europe. He retired from American in 2022. He would often say how much he loved flying the Boeings.
Doug met Lisa Anne Knox on New Year's Eve of 1987 at the Black Cat Charity Ball in Portland, Maine. They wed on June 2, 1990 and welcomed their daughters, Deidre and Toria, in 1992 and 1994 respectively. The family moved several times throughout the girls' childhoods, living in Maine, St. Lucia and ultimately returning to Doug's birthplace of Wisconsin.
Although he worked long hours and traveled far, he did his best to be an active part of family life, burping babies, grocery shopping, and planning activities. He and wife Lisa took ballroom dance lessons and joined several dance clubs. Once, their daughters, Deidre and Toria, laughed at them practicing in the living room and said they were horrible at it, so Doug signed the kids up for their own dance lessons. To his delight, they became very good at it!
Upon retirement, he continued with a very rich life. Doug taught himself to do plumbing and electrical work to code and to build whatever was needed. Doug was very handy and could fix anything. He was an avid chef and loved reading cookbooks, throwing parties, hosting dinners, and traveling. He was an excellent downhill skier and enjoyed winters skiing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he bought a ski house and renovated it. Doug was also a golfer and annually participated in the Dandy Duffer golf gathering.
In retirement, Doug also continued his flying. He towed gliders for the local glider club. He renewed his instructor license and was very proud of all of his students.
Doug chose to concentrate on the positive daily. He had wonderful stories to tell and loved to plan activities and get togethers for his family and friends – he called himself the "social chairman."
Those left to cherish his memory include: wife Lisa Marsh, daughter Deidre (Patryk Schmeling) Marsh, daughter Toria (Moritz) Stock, mother Marcheta Marsh, brother Jonathan Marsh, brother James (Leigh Anne) Marsh, and many nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and dear friends. Doug was preceded in death by: father Roger Marsh, mother Marion Marsh, brother R. Bruce Marsh, and brother Joel Marsh.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Phillips Funeral Home from 10:00am to 12:00pm, with a service starting at 12:00pm with lunch after. Donations are being collected to purchase a memorial bench in Doug's name at the Milwaukee County Zoo, where he spent many happy times with his wife and children. If interested in donating, cash and check can be brought to the funeral or you can visit the family's fundraising page by clicking here.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Douglas Marsh, please visit our flower store.
Services
Visitation
September
21
Phillip Funeral Home
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Service
September
21
Phillip Funeral Home
Starts at 12:00 pm
Douglas Marsh's Guestbook
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