10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015 Photos by Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian The Knappa Red Devils throw candy from their float during the Knappa Days parade. Celebrating Knappa Days Wyatt Olson races his lawnmower around the track during Knappa Days Saturday. Ethan Smalley, 10, of Knappa, gets dunked in a dunk tank during Knappa Days Saturday. Rusty Hebert, of Knappa, foreground, and Gary Boettcher, of Knappa, compete in the Pole Snip competition during a logging show at Knappa Days Saturday. Marsch: She helped start the Astoria School District Wellness Program Continued from Page 1A “In my opinion, she was one of the neatest people I’ve ever met,” said former Astoria coach and Athetic Director Mike Goin, who worked with Marsch for years at the high school. “When I took over as A.D., we needed a win- ter sports adviser, because I couldn’t both coach and serve as the A.D.,” he said. “She was the only person I even considered for that role. When you needed something done, she would always do it right away, and not two days later.” After news of her death spread Friday and Saturday, Facebook timelines quick- ly filled with thoughts, re- membrances and messages to Marsch, especially from Astoria High students. “Senior year will be rough without you, but there wasn’t a day that your wise words and smile didn’t brighten mine … You were truly the most remarkable person I have ever met and I hope to one day have the strength and courage you had yourself. Hearts ex- tremely heavy for you today but God’s gained an angel” — Mykka Abrahams. “… Beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to have known Dena Marsch. Here’s to forever being the brightest smile to walk the halls of AHS, you will be missed and remembered by so many” — Taylor Mickle. “Dena Bondietti Marsh, you taught me some of the most valuable lessons you learn from high school, none of which came from a textbook. I know so much more about the woman I want to be because I had you to model it for me. I’m go- ing to miss your smile, but your wonderful spirit will live on in all of those you shared it with — both inside the classroom and out. Rest in peace, Mrs. Marsch” — Dani Bergeson. “Heaven received another angel. Miss Marsch touched so many lives including mine. I will follow your advice and will make you proud. Rest in peace. Thank you for touching so many lives” — Jordan Gagnon. After graduating from Astoria, Marsch enrolled at Oregon College of Edu- cation (now Western Ore- gon), where she played four seasons of volleyball, three years of softball and two in basketball. She returned to her alma mater and coached varsity volleyball at Astoria from 1980 to 1989, and assist- ed in basketball and track (AHS girls track won the 1981 state championship). During her teaching ca- reer, she served as class ad- viser for 29 years, and win- ter athletics supervisor for 18 years. She also helped start the Astoria School District Wellness Program in the mid-1980s. After retiring in June 2009, Marsh and husband John remained active with contributions to the AHS athletic program, purchas- ing state and sportsmanship banners that hang in the school’s gym. Along with other mem- bers of the Class of ’72, Marsch was part of the 40th reunion celebration just three years ago. Playing sports at Astoria gave Marsch a deep pas- sion for athletics. Her P.E. teacher and coach at AHS, Liz Hewitt, inspired Marsch to become a P.E. and health teacher. She joined the AHS faculty in 1980. “Teaching was never a job,” Marsch told The Daily Astorian reporter Rebecca Sedlak in 2012. “It was a dream, and I had the chance to live that dream every day during my career. You have all these influential minds that are like sponges, just craving knowledge, and you have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.” A memorial service will be held for Marsch 1 p.m. Friday in the Commons at Astoria High School. “She was a real stalwart,” said Goin, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the service. “She was beloved, and will be sorely missed.” Ban: Proposed ordinance would apply to all tobacco consumption Continued from Page 1A “We sympathize, I be- lieve, with the people that do smoke,” said Norma Hernandez, the chairwom- an of the city Parks and Recreation Board, which has recommended the pol- icy change. “But parks are — it’s about health, it’s about nature, it’s about re- ally having a healthy life- style. And smoke has no part in it. “I’m not telling people not to smoke. But when we are maintaining parks that are supported with people’s tax money, I have to respect that money and try to put it to use in the best way that we can protect the whole community.” Preventable death Health campaigns to discourage smoking have significantly reduced the places where people are legally allowed to smoke. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists smoking as the leading cause of preventable death, and has found there is no risk-free exposure to sec- ondhand smoke. Smokers, who have been marginalized for consum- ing a legal product, have not been very successful at fending off restrictions. Last year, Oregon banned smoking in state parks ex- cept in vehicles, campsites and sections of day-use parks set aside as safety rest areas. But an attempt to prohib- it smoking on beaches was met with public criticism of government overreach into personal freedom. Littering, fire risk At parks, the issue is not only secondhand smoke or setting a tobacco-free ex- ample for children, but lit- tering. Cigarette butts are a common item found during park cleanups. Fire risk is also factor. Smoking is already prohib- Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Residents enjoy a movie screening at McClure Park in July. The City Council will consid- er Monday night whether to ban smoking in parks. ited on the elevated wood- en sections of the Astoria Riverwalk. The proposed ordinance in Astoria would apply to all tobacco consumption, including vaping and chew- ing tobacco. “It supports our mission within the Parks Depart- ment of providing wellness and well-being through recreational opportunities,” said Angela Cosby, the di- rector of the city’s Parks and Recreation Depart- ment. “And that also in- cludes outdoor recreational opportunities. “So to be able to protect those who don’t want to re- ceive secondhand smoke, that is very beneficial for our parks’ system.” Clatsop County adopted a ban on smoking and to- bacco use in county parks in May with no public outcry. While some on the county’s Recreational Lands Plan- ning Advisory Committee and others raised concerns about personal rights, the hearings before the county Board of Commissioners were uneventful. The county ban took ef- fect in June. “I have not had one person call me about the county smoking ban,” said Scott Lee, the chairman of the Board of Commission- ers.