Anthony John Marich

Anthony John “Tony” Marich Jr., 72, of Markleton PA, died Sept. 27, 2022, at home in his sleep.He was a 1968 graduate of Lincoln High School, Ellwood City and received a B.S. in Parks and Recreation and Environmental Education from Pennsylvania State University in 1972. He was a retired surface mine conservation inspector with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Tony had a life-long passion for nature and the environment, duck hunting and photography. As a child he spent many hours documenting pollution, identifying birdsand finding arrowheads along the Beaver River in Wampum. After graduation from college, he worked as the first environmental control supervisor at the Medusa Cement Company in Wampum, served as co-chairman of the LawrenceCounty chapter of Ducks Unlimited and began his hobby of supervising the building and installation of wood duck houses in area wetlands. He moved to Markleton in the 1980s for employmentand became involved in the Sommerset community as a member of High Point Chapter Ducks Unlimited and Somerset County Conservancy. He led many area duck hunts along with providing numerous specimens for study to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia and the state Game Commission’s Pymatuning Wildlife Center in Linesville.Tony was also the caretaker of the Rock Cabin estate for the past 30 years. His love and knowledge of nature, the environment and local minutia was appreciated by all who visited there. His photographs of the Great Allegheny Passage were published in local trail guides and newspapers and featured in several Rails to Trails Conservancy calendars and notecards.One of his photos was displayed at their headquarters in Washington DC for several years. Tony retired from the DEP in 2013 and spent his remaining years volunteering with conservation groups and duck hunting. His greatest joys were sharing his knowledge of nature with others, chili cook-offs and shopping for locally made products to include in goody boxes for his family every Christmas.

Born June 13,1950 in New Castle he was the first son of Pearl (Snyder) Marich of New Castle and the late Anthony John Marich, Sr.Other survivors includesister Marilou (James) Simon; brother Steven (Susan) Marich; nieces: Shelly (Caleb) Quimby, Shannon (Daniel) Woytek,Anna Simon (Steffen Marcus), Stephanie (Joshua) Sweet, andLily Simon (Matt Moler); great nephews: Archer Woytek and Lucas Sweet;and great niece: Arabella Sweet.

No viewing or service at Tony’s request. Interment Clinton Cemetery, Wampum. Arrangements entrusted to Deaner Funeral Home, Stoystown. DeanerFuneralsAndCremations.com