La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

Marvin Kevin Cladoosby, “Dubber,” died on Sunday, April 6 at the age of 57.

He was born on February 10, 1957 to Mike Cladoosby and the late Mary Lou Day Cladoosby. His grandparents were the late Ernest Cladoosby, Sr. and Lena Shelton Cladoosby; also the late Garfield Day and Dorothy Billy Day.

Dubber was born in Mt. Vernon and was a lifelong resident of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, never living anywhere else, to him there was no place like home.

Dubber was the third of six children born to Mike and Mary Lou. His older brother Mike Cladoosby, Jr. “Ike” passed away in 1971, when Dubber was 14 years old. It was a tough time for his parents and his siblings.

Dubber entered La Conner grade school in 1963, spending 12 years at La Conner, graduating from La Conner High School in 1975. He made lifelong friends while attending La Conner Schools; even though he didn’t see some of them very often, when they did run into each other, the friendship was very evident.

He enjoyed playing sports growing up, especially football. In high school, he played on the defensive and offensive line. Even though he was only 5’5” tall, he played hard, and no matter the size of the person in front of him, he didn’t back down.

When he was a senior at La Conner High School, Dubber decided he would like to be a warrior. So in the summer of 1975, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He moved to San Diego for boot camp. Ultimately, he was given a medical discharge because of complications from a surgery he had undergone.

After the Marines, Dubber came home and performed various jobs including carpentry. His favorite was when he had the opportunity to follow in his tribal ancestors’ footsteps and become a commercial fisherman. There was nothing he loved more than to be on the water with the other fishermen, especially his dad, his brothers and his friends.

For many years, he was a deckhand on the Miss Nina, working with his brother Brian and his niece Mary during the sockeye season. He would always argue over the bed on the boat with Mary, and he started calling her “Bunkie,” a nickname that stayed with her, only being called that by her Uncle Dub. He finished his last beach seine fishery last summer, pulling in more pink salmon than ever before; he really enjoyed spending time at Lone Tree every two years.

He also loved working as a library aide for the Swinomish Tribe, having the opportunity to work with the students when they came to the library for after-school study hall. He also had the opportunity to work at the Swinomish bingo and casino, where he was a bartender, kitchen worker at the bingo hall. He loved meeting people while working at the bingo and casino and made many friends.

In 1978, he became the number one babysitter to his niece LaVonne Cladoosby. He was a dutiful uncle and took good care of his niece. Then, in 1981, he fell in love with his soul mate, the person who he would spend the rest of his life with, Charlene John. Charlene brought two beautiful girls into the relationship, who Dubber would help raise as if they were his own, Della and Tina Rice. Char stayed right by Dub’s side until the day he passed.

Tina grew up to have a daughter of her own, Lakeisha Byrd. Once again Dubber was given the opportunity to help raise another girl. Lakeisha was his pride and joy. He loved watching her grow into a beautiful young lady. There was nothing Dubber wouldn’t do for Keish. He was more than a grandpa to her, he was her Grandpa “Dad.”

Dubber loved education, and he made a commitment to go back to school and graduate college. In 2003, he graduated from Northwest Indian College, 28 years after graduating from La Conner High School, and proudly held up the Associates in Arts degree. He was a role model for the younger generation.

He was able to return to Northwest Indian College as a teaching assistant at the college’s satellite campus at Swinomish.

He spent many years on the Swinomish Election Board overseeing the tribes’ annual elections. He was able to chair this very important committee for many years, overseeing many important changes to the election ordinance. He was also a member of the Swinomish Enrollment Committee.

Dubber lived life to the fullest, and he loved every one of his family members with all his heart. He would always tell his family members, “Have I told you lately that I love you?” He was also a jokester, always laughing and picking on people. He will always be remembered with his signature laugh; you would hear it every time you saw him. Dubber often told his uncles, “Come on, I can take you.” Always getting a laugh out of them.

He was preceded in death by his mother Mary Lou Day Cladoosby in 1996. His brother Mike Cladoosby, Jr. in 1971. His nephew Samuel Jason Cladoosby in 2011.

He is survived by the love of his life of 32 years Charlene, daughters Della and George Manibussan and Tina Rice, granddaughter Lakeisha Bird Rice and Restin Hatch, grandson Cordell Manibusan, father Mike Cladoosby, brothers Tony and Lori Cladoosby, Brian and Nina Cladoosby, Marty Cladoosby, sister Michelle Cladoosby and Sonny Clark. He had a nephew, his namesake, Jacob Olin Marvin Jernigan, and great-grandnephew, another namesake, Anthony Marvin Cladoosby.

It is so hard to write a life story about someone. If we were able to showcase Dubber’s whole life, we would need a months’ worth of papers to include everything. We are so happy that he got the opportunity to witness the Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl. He was so excited to see another season of the Mariners starting. He and Char would spend many weekends glued to the TV watching sports.

There will be a prayer service today, Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. at the Swinomish gymnasium. Funeral services will be Thursday, April 10, also at the Swinomish gymnasium. He will be laid to rest at the Swinomish Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of the Kern Funeral Home. You may share your memories by signing Melvin’s online guest book at http://www.kernfuneralhome.com