SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE

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Sheriff's Office loses one of their own

posted 03/04/01

Lopez Island Deputy Mark Felber died of an apparent heart attack while on duty Saturday. He radioed the sheriff's office just before 5 p.m.: "I'm having a heart attack, I'm at Islandale's," San Juan County dispatchers called paramedics to aid Felber. While they were en route a dispatcher called workers at Islandale Store and CPR instructions were given out over the phone. Dr. Wilson heard Felber's message over the scanner and also responded. Efforts to revive Felber were unsuccessful.

"Everybody is shocked and feeling pretty helpless, " said Sheriff Bill Cumming. " We feel deeply the loss of one of our own."

Felber, 50, had worked on Lopez Island as a deputy since 1992. Prior to becoming a San Juan County deputy, Felber was a San Francisco police officer from 1981 to 1992. "He said he was a small town cop in a big city" said Cumming. "He was glad to get into a smaller department. "Mark had a style of policy that was unique and appreciated by many of the Lopezians. He will be missed in the department."

Felber enjoyed classical music and opera. "I always felt that interest brought a little culture to our world, " said Cumming.

County Land Bank volunteers working at Hummel Lake on Lopez Sunday planted a grove of cedar trees in Felber's memory.

Felber is survived by his wife Carina and two children, Logan, 6, and Fiora, 3, of Lopez Island and his father of Orcas Island.

Services set for Deputy Felber

posted 03/08/01
Family, friends and colleagues will remember San Juan County Deputy Mark Felber during a procession, graveside services and wake Friday on Lopez Island. Felber died March 3 of an apparent heart attack while on duty on Lopez.

A procession of San Juan County Sheriff's Office and Lopez Fire Department vehicles and Felber's beloved vintage truck -- carrying his casket -- will motor from the main Lopez fire station in Lopez Village to Union Cemetery. Seattle Police Department will provide a color guard for a public graveside service at 2 p.m. and piper Elizabeth Dunnsire also will play. Available San Juan County Sheriff's Office personnel and police officers from San Francisco -- where Felber worked prior to moving to Lopez -- are expected for the memorial.

A private service for Felber's family will precede a wake in the Lopez Islander.

Also, the San Juan County Sheriff's Office has reserved a hospitality room at the Lopez Islander. The room will be open at 8:30 a.m.

Sharon Kivisto and Matt Pranger
can be reached:
phone: 360.378.3748      fax: 360.378.9748
by e-mail: news@sanjuanislander.com

by mail: San Juan Islander
PO Box 1118
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 USA

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