Sigma Nu alumnus killed in fire

[ZTABullwinkle]

DK died in a fire at his home. Here is the link to the article about the fire. Apparently some students tried to help, but it was too late.

Retired ODU professor dies in house fire set by smoking

I met DK when I first joined Zeta Tau Alpha. He was one of the sweetest men I have ever met. Went to everyone of their meetings and was always smiling. He was a great contributor to the sucess of ODU's Sigma Nu chapter. He will be greatly missed.

Donald K. Marchand Jr. , Norfolk
Donald K. Marchand Jr. , Norfolk
Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005
©The Virginian-Pilot

Donald Kirk Marchand Jr. Ph.D., 78, of the 1600 block of Melrose Parkway, died Jan. 27, 2005, in a local hospital. Mr. Marchand was born and raised in Morgantown, W.Va., and attended college at West Virginia University. He went to graduate school at the Norfolk Division of the College Of William and Mary (now ODU) and at the University of Virginia. He taught at the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, Randolph Macon, Bethany College and Central Missouri State, before coming back to teach the remainder of his career at the Norfolk Division of William and Mary in 1962. He taught chemistry, and in 1968, was appointed dean of men at the school, which at that point had been renamed Old Dominion College. He served as dean of men and associate dean of student affairs until 1975, when he returned to teaching in the geophysical sciences department at ODU. He remained in that department as an associate professor until his retirement in 1991. He joined Sigma Nu fraternity while an undergraduate at WVU and maintained a strong lifetime commitment to the fraternity. He was instrumental in bringing Sigma Nu, as well as other national fraternities and sororities, to ODU. He served for a time as division commander for the fraternity and was an adviser to ODU's chapter through the time of his death. He had also recently been designated as an "honorary graduate" of ODU due to his lifetime of service. He is survived by his son, D. Kirk Marchand of College Park, Md.; two sisters, Dorothy Wahl of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Jimmie Sobek of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and a number of nephews, nieces and cousins. He is also survived by several hundred brothers in Sigma Nu fraternity. A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. The Rev. Robert Davenport will officiate. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Memorial donations may take the form of contributions to the charity of the donor's choice. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Norfolk chapel, is handling arrangements. ]

[sigtau305]

My Thoughts and Prayers to his family

[Tom Earp]

Sounds like a Long Life and Good Life by a Gentleman, but a sad way to go!

Remember, Smoke is bad, as Inhalation, been there, Went into a burnig house and is not very damn fun! Can kill you very Quickly!

Be carefull everyone!

[suntzu1963]

My condolences to the loved ones of Mr. Marchand.

[AWJDZ]

I read that today in the Virginian Pilot today while at my parents house. He sounded like a wonderful man. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, the school, and whoever else's life he may have touched.

[mmcat]

how sad...
thoughts and prayers for the family and friends.
he sounded like an incredible man

[Jill1228]

Sad news from my hometown

My thoughts are with his family, friends and Sigma Nu brothers

[Kevin]

A truly outstanding alumnus.

He will certainly be missed.

[A_Tossed_Dwarf]

DK was the epitome of a Sigma Nu. I am damn proud to have known him, and to be able to call him "Brother" is the highest honor.

I am a brother at Eta Chi chapter at ODU, and I was in DK's last initiation class (this fall). I went over to his house a few times and we would talk for hours - he had the greatest stories (he was a WWII vet, and in fact he had to walk with a cane because he still had a piece of shrapnel in his leg from a German grenade). He gave me a copy of Heritage History of Sigma Nu (I'm chapter historian) - and now it will be our chapter's property.

When I heard about his passing and the fire, I left for his house. The news teams were set up there and ready for the 6 o'clock news. I got out of my car and just stood in front of his house, shocked and deeply saddened by the situation. It was a good 10 minutes before a man came behind me and asked me if I was "with channel 13 news." I turned around and simply said "I'm a brother." He nodded knowingly and turned around. I later found out that he was the neighbor who attempted to rescue DK. He later said that, when he got to DK and he picked him up with the help of some police officers, he "felt like Donald wasn't with us anymore."

DK had suffered a heart attack several weeks before-hand. Many of us brothers think that DK had a heart attack while he was handling his pipe, and that is what started the blaze.

Today his son allowed us Brothers to come into the house and get any private Sigma Nu things out of there. The images of his house are forever etched into my mind. It was really emotionally straining to see the damage in there, knowing that it was in these very rooms that I had spent hours just talking and laughing with him. I was able to grab his Sigma Nu mug from a cabinet that had been slightly burnt - it is sitting on my desk, the bottom of the cup still dirty with soot. I've looked at it a great deal today.

Our pledge class this past semester learned The White Star of Sigma Nu so we could sing it for DK at a banquet we put on for him - it was his 60th year as a Nu. I'll always remember him wiping the tears from his eyes as he smiled at our pledge class.

To a Sigma Nu who is now in worthy company with Hopkins, Quarles, and Riley - for an amazing mentor - for a good friend - for DK Marchand, a man who lived the life of Love, Truth, and Honor. I'll see you in the Chapter Eternal, Brother - until then, we all have one hell of an act to follow.