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Former Port Alexander and Juneau resident Marc Livingston, of Bellingham, Wash., died Nov. 28, 2009, after a brief illness. He was 63.

Born July 2, 1946, in Seattle, Wash., he grew up in Redding, Calif. He graduated from Coos Bay High School and U.C. Davis, where he studied electrical engineering. He was a construction laborer and commercial fisherman.

He retired from Laborers' Local Union 942 in Juneau and was a current member of the Laborers' Local Union 276 in Bellingham, where he was known as "Digger." He served as an executive board member and was a delegate to the Northwest Central Labor Council AFL-CIO. He was a constant advocate for the laborer's union and the union movement. He paid special attention to helping and guiding apprentices and young laborers.

"Marc Livingston loved his union, and his union loved him," his family wrote. "He enjoyed adventurous travel, running, kayaking, cycling and hard work. He was strong, determined, big-hearted, modest and generous. Marc tackled life with joy and enthusiasm in all things."

He took pride in physical feats but also had a wide-ranging curiosity and intellect that enjoyed mental challenges as diverse as complex math, keeping up with technology and discussing metaphysics, literature and the art of living, his family added. He relished making wry or quirky comments to bring welcome humor at times when it was most unexpected, they said.

Throughout his life, he was continually aware of and kind to those less fortunate than he was. He moved to Alaska in 1973 and worked at various jobs, including the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. He settled in Port Alexander in 1976, helped to build that community, and fished seasonally there and in Sitka for many years.

After living for three years in the 1980s in Juneau, where he met Piper Mertle, he moved to the Puget Sound area in 1989. He and Piper were married in 1990, moved to Bellingham in 1991, and spent the winter of 1993-94 in Vladivostok before returning permanently to Bellingham.

He was an active volunteer for the Health Support Center, Jobs for Justice and the Red Cedar Dharma Hall.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother-in-law, Don Wagner.

He is survived by his wife, Piper Mertle; daughter, Ceanne Livingston, her mother, Nancy, and her children, Dylan, Skyler, Zion, Makenzie and Katrina; daughter, Ember Livingston-Dove and husband, Michael, their son, Michael, and Ember's mother, Nanci; 11-year-old son, Dixon Livingston; sister, Mary Wagner; niece, Kim Wagner and her daughter, Taylor; mother-in-law, Dixie Hood; and numerous friends who will miss his energy, humor and genuine affection.

An account has been established at WECU for his son, Dixon Livingston. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Labor Hall, 1700 S. State St., in Bellingham.

To view photos of his life and share memories with the family, visit www.westfordfuneralhome.com.