Allan Maurice Marsland

Allan Maurice Marsland left us on Sunday, June 2, 2019. We that love him know that he planned the time and waited for all of us to leave his hospital room so he would be left in peace. Aka Big Al, Pops, Simple Man, Coach Allan, Old Man, Grumpy Old Man retired from the NCBC Fire Department in 1998 and began his career in earnest of fixing broken things. He would build or repair anything that people would hire him to do. He was also the beloved coach of the Overdrive Softball Team. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bertrand and Dorothy Sutrain Marsland as well as two sisters, Barbara Ann Wilson and Kathleen Marsland Hernandez. Mr. Marsland’s survivors were just that…..survivors. They include his first wife, Jane Crosby Marsland, mother of his three children including, Christine Marie (Michael) Forsgren, Keith Allen (Terese) Marsland and David Thomas (Jonna) Marsland. His current wife, Chris Barrick Marsland and his adopted daughter, Christine Suzzane Marsland also survive him as well as his sister, Dorothy Marsland Bush. His loving grandchildren include Allen (Bubba) Harris, Michaela Christine Forsgren, Nathan Keith Marsland, Emma Paige Marsland and Chandler Riley Marsland. He is also survived by four of the loudest, meanest little brat dogs that you never want to meet. Allan’s favorite past-time of all was coaching kids. He began by browbeating his own kids in every sport they showed any interest in. This included football, basketball and baseball. He followed their college years after he passed them on to some other coach that was lucky enough to gain from his coaching. His true love in his twilight years was his girls’ softball teams. Overdrive was his passion and he whipped his girls into first rate players without ever giving any of them one compliment! But everyone of them knew they were loved and cared for better than any coach in the world. Old Grumpy Man took care of each of them as if they were his own. Coach Allan never let a kid go home without making sure that kid had what they needed. If he needed glasses, Big Al bought him glasses. If a kid needed shoes, Old Man bought that child shoes. He drove all over these coastal towns picking up players, harassing players and threatening anyone that talked trash about his girls like opposing jealous coaches. His were the best of the bunch and he was quick to tell you! A day didn’t go by without Old Man helping out somebody in the circle of life. He loved sitting on the couch listening to his kids talking about him like he wasn’t there. Telling jokes about him while he sat with that little grin on his face. Loving every minute of it!! He loved driving down the beach looking at the sand and water. In one of his lives, he owned a charter boat and a pleasure boat. His fishing time was some of the best entertaining he ever did for a group of boys that still tell his stories and will as they become old men. Yes, Big Al was a legend. Those that knew him will never forget him. Those that love him will never stop loving him! He was bigger than life and made his kids into the strong people they are today. He tried to teach them how to be strong leaders, how to be a loving parent and how to be the best! Funeral services will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 12:00 pm. Visitation will be from 10:30 am until service time. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.