Mark C. DeRoche
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the unexpected death of former employee Mark C. DeRoche on August 1, 2023, in Bangor, ME. He was 63.
Mark was born June 30, 1960, in Bangor, Maine, the son of George J. DeRoche and Mary J (Cameron) DeRoche. He graduated from Brewer High School, class of 1979. He attended Washington County Community College in 1979, graduating with a degree in Boat Building in 1981. He pursued classes at Bangor Community College for two years 1981-1983. Continuing his education, he attended Southern Maine Community College for Marine Science. He graduated in 1985 with a degree in Marine Science and a 3rd Mates License.
Mark had been going to sea for more than 37 years before recently retiring. The last 22 years he worked with the Institute for Exploration and Ocean Exploration Trust. Mark was deck chief on the E/V Nautilus. He worked as chief of deck operations for oceanographer Dr. Ballard since 2000. He was in charge of safety on the back deck, responsible for the safe launch and recovery of all over the side equipment.
Mark began his career at WHOI in 1988. He held a variety of seagoing capacities, from messman to 2nd mate, aboard WHOI’s research vessels. He left WHOI in 2000. He also worked as a contractor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
A quote from one of the many articles he participated in “I knew in the 4th grade I wanted to go to sea. It wasn’t until I was getting my degree in Marine Science that I narrowed it down to oceanographic ships and have been working on them ever since.” Mark worked on a variety of ships, from tugboats to oceanographic research ships throughout his career. When not on the E/V Nautilus, Mark made his home in Maine.
Mark was an avid reader his entire life. There were not many subjects he did not have some knowledge of thanks to his love of reading. He could often be heard saying, “I read in a book somewhere…” Mark could always be counted on to add his opinion or advice to any conversation or just talk about all he had seen or done.
Mark would regale those around him, with stories of his travels throughout the world and her oceans. His travels were immense and almost beyond belief. He had visited every continent, so many countries, islands, and cities, too numerous to list. He traversed all the world’s oceans and most of her seas. He crossed datelines and equators, explored the ocean’s deepest depths and most renown shipwrecks. He was blessed with a life of adventure and exploration, an immense amount of knowledge and experience, tales, and stories to tell that would amaze all who heard. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, colleagues and more. He will live on in the stories and lore we tell of our beloved brother of the seas. May the wind always be at your back!
Mark is survived by his brother, Karl DeRoche and his wife, Damelis, of Tampa, FL; sister, M. Angela (DeRoche) Innis and her husband, James, of Carmel, ME; brother, Sandy DeRoche of Portland, ME; sister, Bridget (DeRoche) Ruffino of Naples, Italy; brother, Matthew DeRoche and his wife, Brenda, of Eddington, ME; sister, Meghan (DeRoche) McAvoy and her husband, Ryan, of Kenduskeag, ME; many nieces, nephews and their spouses; as well as a great-niece and nephew. Mark also had a great many aunts, uncles, and cousins, two of whom were very close to him, Joseph “Joe” DeRoche and Frank Arisimeek ll. He was predeceased by his parents; and nephew, Cameron DeRoche. He will be fondly remembered by his seafaring community from all over the world.
A funeral service was held on August 8, 2023, at the Brookings-Smith Chapel. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
Information for this obituary is from the Bangor Daily News