Obituary of Alexander Pregnall

Alexander Marshall Pregnall, 59, known as Marshall and "Sam" by his family and friends, was born on November 21, 1956 in Alexandria, Virginia. Cancer unexpectedly gripped Marshall on Labor Day 2016. As part of an active and loving family, he lived every moment of life richly and fully. Up until Labor Day, Marshall was climbing mountains, conducting Blanding's turtle research, teaching waterskiing, and spending great family and friend time on Lake Placid. All were devastated by the sudden and inexplicable loss of the most generous, patient, kind, intelligent man to such an aggressive disease. His 30-year career teaching biology at Vassar College has built great friendships with colleagues and students, as is attested by the hundreds of emails, letters, and stories that have flooded his inboxes over the past seven weeks of his battle. Words cannot express how special Marshall was to the academic and research communities he served, to his friends and family, and most of all, to his wife Maribel, his son Drake, and his daughter, Hali. Marshall passed peacefully at home on October 22, 2016 with his loving wife, Maribel, at his side. Marshall met Maribel at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, on Cape Cod, while working together in the Marine Ecology summer course. They fell in love in 1986 and were married on August 21, 1987. The two journeyed far and wide in their 29-years together, and had a strong, loving relationship. Marshall, who held a SCUBA instructor certification for 25 years, dove with Maribel and their children, for fun and research, in many amazing places including the Cayman Islands, Key Largo, Bonaire, Belize, Oregon, and New England. Marshall was always an explorer, a climber and a fighter. He inspired and encouraged his family of four up all 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks. He started their 46er quest when Hali was five, and Drake was 11, and they achieved their goal nine years later. It was an incredible journey and a testimony to Marshall's drive and vision. He was their navigator, counselor, father, and the love of their lives. He is additionally survived by so many loving family members; his adoring parents, Bill and Joye Pregnall, who reside in Irvington, VA; his brother, Stuart Pregnall and Stuart's wife Karen, and their two sons Duncan and Andrew; his sister Gabrielle Johnson and her husband, Peter and niece and nephew Sarah and Robin; Maribel's sister, Jennifer, and his niece and nephew Madison and Connor and their father Noel; Maribel's brother Hank and his wife, PJ and his niece and nephew Cheyenne and Henry -- all were loved by Marshall. He also leaves behind his adoring mother-in-law, Carmen Marcy, and father and mother-in-law, Henry and Jean Marcy. There are also many other family members who love and cherish him. He is an angel who graced us all with his knowing, perfect, warm and loving smile and thoughtful words and listening ear. His network of friends and loved ones is enormous. Please visit the caring bridge: www.caringbridge.org/visit/marshallpregnall) to share your thoughts on his final journey, and for additional information regarding the Memorial Service. Marshall also took enormous pleasure in his role as an extraordinary educator. Marshall was a Professor in the Biology Department at Vassar College. Dr. Pregnall received his B.A. from Amherst College (Psi Upsilon) in 1978, his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in 1984, and did postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago and the University of Massachusetts before joining the Vassar Faculty in 1986. Marshall attended St. Albans high school at the National Cathedral in Washington DC and graduated in 1974. At St. Albans and Amherst College he was an avid springboard diver and made it to Nationals his senior year at Amherst. His Amherst senior thesis on an oil spill in the Arcadia Wildlife refuge, with Marge Holland, launched his career as an aquatic ecologist. Marshall's research and professional interests drove his deep engagement in environmental, ecological and biological science communities, and he enriched the communities he served with an extra layer of critical thought. At Vassar, he recently taught biology courses ranging from The Biology of Salmon to Plant Physiology to Aquatic Ecology, and also taught in the Environmental Studies Program. His research addressed physiological ecology of seagrasses and coastal algae, and he currently was working to conserve a population of the threatened Blanding's Turtles around Arlington High School. Marshall recently had the opportunity to dive in Polynesia, on one of his many trips teaching for the Vassar Alumnae association. He also led Alumnae trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and his personal favorite, Easter Island. He participated in interdisciplinary research on the Casperkill and Fonteynkill watersheds with other faculty and students as part of Vassar's Environmental Research Institute. He also served on the IRB (Institutional Review Board) at Vassar Brother's Hospital for many years. Marshall was a long-time member of the New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) and loved bringing his undergraduate students to the semi-annual meetings. There are no words that can express how much he will be missed. However, his friends and family will continually be buoyed up by his zest for life and will respect his wishes for all to carry on, and to celebrate his life rather than mourning his death. Marshall epitomized the NY state motto (adopted by his family), "Excelsior", meaning "Forever Upwards". Marshall's spirit continues to shine, and his family is comforted in the knowledge that he he has provided so much inspiration for so many, through a lifetime of acts exhibiting his gracious, kind, altruistic, and inquisitive nature. In lieu of flowers and food, please consider giving in Marshall's name to one of the following organizations: Marshall wanted funds to be raised to enable undergraduates to travel and attend NEERS research meetings. Checks should be made out to "NEERS" with "Marshall Pregnall Fund" in the memo line and mailed to: Courtney Schmidt, NEERS Treasurer, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, 235 Promenade St. Suite 310, Providence, RI 02908 In addition, our family is a big fan of the Dear Jack Foundation started by one of our favorite musical artists, Andrew McMahon. Andrew started a foundation to fight cancer that strikes young people. Andrew personally fought this battle and is determined to help other young people fight and gain access to bone marrow donor matches. Please consider donating to this worthy foundation: http://www.dearjackfoundation.org/about/. There will be a Memorial Celebration of Marshall's Life on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 10am-12pm at the Vassar College Chapel, followed by a drop-in reception at the Vassar College Alumnae House from 12:15-3pm.