Alvin “Al” Morrell passed away Sept. 30, 2016, at Careage of Whidbey in Coupeville at the age of 74.

Al was born April 28, 1942, in Milton, Fla., to George and Ruby Morrell.

At age 14, Al and his family moved to Pawnee, Neb. In 1964, Al enlisted in the U.S. Navy, joining the Construction Battalion (Seebees) branch of the Navy. The CBs are the militarized construction units of the Navy. Their motto is “We build, we fight, and we do the difficult tasks immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.”

The Seebees have two battalions: Amphibious Construction Battalions and Mobile Construction Battalions. They were formed with the beginning of WWII and have served the military for three-quarters of a century. One of the most significant tasks given to the CBs was the construction of NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines. The Seebees cut Mt. Zambales in half, in one of the largest earthmoving operations in the world. They have served as the construction unit, building facilities for Operation Deep Freeze and for Diego Garcia.

Al’s first duty station following boot camp was Okinawa. He then went on to Vietnam then Japan. While he was in Japan, he met Junko Ogawa. She was working in the same department. Al and Junko were married in Tokyo and they were transferred to the states. Al was sent to school for speed boat operations in Vallejo, Calif.

Al’s next stop was to Midway Island, then unaccompanied to Diego Garcia and finally to NAS Whidbey Island, where he and Junko built their home. Al was then assigned as a Seebee to the U.S. State Department, five years working in Africa, Italy, Zaire, Pakistan and Afghanistan. While on embassy duty in Pakistan, the consulate was attacked and bombed, and Al and Junko lost everything they owned. He then was assigned to public works NAF Atsugi in Japan as his last tour and retired.

Al and Junko returned to Whidbey Island and Al began a series of second occupations. He served as a security guard at the Texaco Refinery in Anacortes, served as a maintenance supervisor for property management in Anacortes for a Stanwood firm, attended school in Seattle for appliance repair and then worked for Stan’s Repair Service of Oak Harbor. His last employment was with Brown & Root at NAS Whidbey Island.

Al is survived by his wife Junko. He was a member of Whidbey Island Lodge #15, F&AM, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Whitehead-Muzzall Post #7392, American Legion George Morris Post #129, Fleet Reserve Association Branch 95, Oak Harbor Elks Lodge #2362, the Scottish Rite and the Disabled American Veterans Association.

A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, with Chaplain David G. Lura,USNR (Ret.) officiating. Graveside committal services will follow at Maple Leaf Cemetery with full military honors under the auspices of the NAS Whidbey Island Honor Guard. A reception will follow for family and friends. Please visit Al’s page in the Book of Memories at www.wallinfuneralhome.com to share memories or condolences. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC.