Marcus Walker's Energy Will Always Live

I had an insightful conversation with two young men at the Mason United Methodist Church in Tacoma on Sunday while about 1,000 people crowded inside the sanctuary to celebrate the life of Marcus Walker who died on March 11 from metastatic melanoma.

I asked Hunter Larson and Devon McDonalds-Kelley to describe Walker to me, because I didn't have the opportunity to meet him. Larson, who Walker directed in shows at the , said he instilled a great amount of self-confidence and that his presence and energy would make a room bounce.

"His energy will carry," Larson said.

I could tell how much Walker meant to Larson, 19, within just a couple minutes. Having known him for a while, Larson said Walker will live on through the memories they've built.

I'm sure everybody who knew Walker would agree to that.

McDonalds-Kelley, 21, who works behind stage for the playhouse, said Walker had a crazy energy but in a positive way. He said he's not sure if the playhouse will be the same place ever again.

You can bet that Walker was an amazing artist, pastor, father, husband and friend. His generosity, compassion, love for people and much more will be carried out by the people that knew him.

From the Celebration of Life brochure

Marcus Scott Walker was born on Oct. 29, 1957 and died March 11, 2011 from metastatic melanoma.

Walker was raised in the fairy tale town of Ashland, New Hampshire and the pastoral community of Laurel, Washington where he had the idyllic childhood of which we all dream. There he fished with his father, set wheat fields on fire, raised pigs, played the violin, listened to his mother's analysis of religion and television and rode his bicycle ten miles each day to deliver the Bellingham Herald. More importantly, his loving family set the example that he would follow for kindness to all people in the local community and world.

Graduating from the University of Washington in drama and journalism he received his Master's in Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School, was ordained an American Baptist minister, and later received a postgraduate degree in directing from Mountainview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, England.

Walker was a violinist for the University of Washington Symphony and a singer who sand in classical a cappella groups and on the stage. His musical roles ranged from Matt in the "Fantasticks" to to Horton the Elephant in "Seussical." His dramatic roles ranged from Haley in "Master Harold and the Boys" to numerous characters in "Greater Tuna." He never thought of theater as an actor's playground and always worked on the artist's craft.

With his wife Lauren (married in 1980) at his side they moved from Seattle to Eugene, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; London, England and settled in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington in 1989 where they raised Reuben and Henry. In each place he acted in and directed plays, served as an inspirational pastor and fell into auctioneering for important causes. While working at Old South Church in the 1980s he started Theater at Old South and one of the AIDS crisis. He has worked at theaters and churches throughout the northwest to include the Lakewood Playhouse where he has been artistic director for just shy of 10 years and Burton Community Church on Vashon Island since 1995.

Marcus was always reading, be it tomes of theological texts until 2 a.m., a fabulous noel or the latest play. He wrestled with the meaning of life, the truth about faith and the redemptive nature of theater. His writings and sermons were inspirational.

Marcus' greatest gift was his ability to communicate with people with humor and compassion. Though he regularly shook fist at drivers on the road his daily interactions were always tuned to the importance of each human interaction to ensure that everyone felt appreciated. Though he sometimes drove his family crazy with his workaholic nature, his driving force was to make a mark and, to quote Chaim Potok in "The Chosen," to be "worthy of rest."

Inspired by E.F. Schumacher's book "Small is Beautiful" at the age of 21, he served as a volunteeron a mission far in Cap Haitien, Haiti. It was there that he devalued missionaries for not having any gifts to offer. In spite of this he became fast friends with the Haitian people and began a life-long agonizing struggle with his vocation discerning the roles of religious faith, service and the arts. In a recent sermon he stressed not allowing cancer to define him, but to pray for the people in Haiti as well. Please send donations, in lieu of flowers, in his name to Partners in Health here or to the Burton Community Church P.O. Box 13134 Burton WA, 98013.

Thanks

Lauren, Reuben & Henry would like to thank the immediate family for ongoing support and care, Group Health Hospice Team, Group Health Oncology, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Group Health ATU staff, Stephanie Kriege Pederson for weekly massages, friends for home delivered meals, voice mail, e-mails, text messages, cards and other niceties, "My Name is Asher Lev" cast and crew, Lakewood Playhouse, Burton Community Church, Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches and Rev. Tim Phillips of Seattle First Baptist Church for officiating at this service. There are too many people to thank. Please know you are all very dear to our hearts.