Willard Marshall Marden Jr. died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 24, at his home in East Falmouth. He was 88.

Mr. Marden was predeceased by his wife, Madeline T. (Costa) Marden, in July of 2010 and he was the former husband of Beverly (Campos) Desorcey of Edgartown.

He was born in Gay Head, now Aquinnah, on Oct. 28, 1922, one of 12 children, and was educated and graduated from the Tisbury school system. Willard was active as a basketball and baseball player during his school days. He was a swordfisherman from the age of 12 until he enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He was honorably discharged as an electrician’s mate first class in 1946. While fishing he earned the nickname Hawkeye from a time when he wanted Captain Larsen to move the boat to other fishing grounds and told him he saw a fish bill two miles out. When they arrived, remarkably, there were swordfish.

Willard moved to Falmouth in 1960 and was a carpenter for various contractors. He built his own home on Maravista avenue along with some of his neighbor’s homes. He was an avid sports fan and attended his grandchildren’s games, cheering on all the Falmouth clubs especially at hockey games. He was a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and attended the area powwows.

Willard is survived by his sons, Robert Maseda of West Yarmouth and Willard M. Marden 3rd of Oak Bluffs; his daughters, Deborah Conley of East Falmouth and Julia Ann Marden of South Ryegate, Vt.; 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; his sister, Anna Monteiro of New Bedford; and two brothers, Lloyd Marden and Leroy Marden, both of New Bedford. He was predeceased by his son, Kenneth Maseda, in 1983.

A graveside service was held yesterday in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven with military honors provided by the Veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. Donations may be made in his memory to Falmouth Youth Hockey, 9 Skating Lane, Falmouth, MA 02540. Please visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.