Almost since the era in history when human communication evolved from grunts and hand gestures to the recorded word, there has been a need to occasionally make that communication understood by just a select few. Whether the communicators wanted to share the location of a new food source or the timing of an attack on an enemy, the need for secrecy became a part of our lives. However, it was warfare and the development of electronic communication that could be easily intercepted that code developed into the sophisticated tool it is today. Along with this sophistication, came the need for countermeasures to crack those codes.

 

It was WWII and the development of the German coding known as Enigma that really elevated the codebreakers art to an unheard of level. The epicenter of this effort was headed up by Alan Turing and his colleagues at the top secret English installation at Bletchley Park outside London.  Using early computers developed largely by Turing, they were ultimately successful in cracking Enigma and drastically shortening the war in Europe.

 

Since the end of WWII, the need for codebreakers has continued unabated, and it is possible to draw a direct line from Bletchley Park to Singletree and one of our more distinguished neighbors, Marlin Smickley. In 1959, Marlin was in the US Army with an MOS (military occupational specialty) as a codebreaker stationed in Japan where he spent 32 months as a cryptologist. When he left the army in 1962, he was recruited by the CIA where he continued his work of cracking the codes used by our cold war adversaries to protect our sovereignty from those who would do us harm.

 

In 1968, Marlin left the CIA and began attending East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania as a science major. In college, his priorities shifted a bit and he changed his major to education. It had become his goal to become an elementary school teacher, a pursuit perhaps not as dramatic as decoding secret messages that might change the world, but shaping young minds that might also change the world someday.

 

Upon graduation, Marlin, who was originally from Wind Gap in eastern Pennsylvania, was hired to teach 4th and 5th graders at Leigh Elementary School in Northampton, PA. He brought his love for the outdoors to his students by taking them on annual hikes on the Appalachian Trail. These hikes meant so much that as adults, many of them take their own kids on similar hikes. He pursued his teaching career for an astonishing 33 years until he retired in 2000.  What to do next, thought Marlin.

 

As luck would have it, he had a former teaching colleague who had a love for Colorado and had infused him with that love. He decided to see for himself what the lure of the mountains was all about, so he hopped in his car, sleeping bag and tent lodged firmly in the trunk, and headed west. He drove and camped all over the state for that summer and ended up renting a spot right here in Stonehaven.

 

Marlin’s next move was to enroll in CSU’s extension program here in Eagle County where he earned his Master Gardener certification. From there, he evolved once again this time as a property manager. In the meantime, he went back to Pennsylvania and put his house on the rental market.  His next move in the Valley was the Homestead area where he stayed for two years, eventually settling permanently in Singletree where he lives today.

 

Marlin grew up skiing at a small area in Pennsylvania, but at age 60, he decided he wanted to take up snowboarding so that’s precisely what he did. Additionally, he has been doing interval training every Monday morning with local mountaineer Ellen Miller. As a result of this training, he was able to fulfill a longtime wish to return to Japan - which he did in 2024, when his two daughters, Deanna and Karen, took him on a three week hiking tour.

 

But moving to Singletree as a retiree still does not completely define Marlin. As if his codebreaking exploits, his teaching credentials, and his gardening acumen were not enough, Marlin is also an accomplished runner with countless miles and competitions to his credit. Oh, and did I mention that he is 88 years old? But don’t let those years fool you. He has competed in 23 Bolder Boulder events over the years and is planning to race again this year. In addition to running in the Bolder Boulder, Marlin, Deanna, and Karen will be competing in the Bethlehem Running Festival this summer in Pennsylvania.

 

Marlin Smickley clearly has a zest for life that to this day knows no bounds. From top secret codebreaking to a commitment to our youth, as well as the constant movement of an accomplished road runner, he is a resident to respect and who’s company you want to enjoy. Today, he is thrilled to have his daughter, Deanna, here to share his vibrant life. 

Let’s close with one more interesting fact… In a recent interview, Marlin confessed to one more amazing fact. In all of his 88 years he has seen the inside of a hospital exactly once; when he had his tonsils out… in the 4th grade!