Online Obituaries
Irvine MarrJanuary 16, 1907 - January 26, 2010
On January 26, 2010, at the age of 103, Irv Marr left us to join his beloved wife, Frannie. Irv showed us each day how to age gracefully and with joy. Our lives are all richer because he modeled for us, his strong faith, his deep love of family and friends, his loyalty and great generosity, and his zest for life. As far as Irv was concerned, the more family he had surrounding him, the happier he was. Irv's greatest concern was to provide for and care for his family. Irv's wife, Frances, preceded him in death in 2002, and his son, Peter, in 1954. He is survived by his son, David (Jan), and daughters Ann Ott (Charles), Virginia Miller (Don), Deborah Ederer (Bob), and Susan Bordner, (Tom), 17 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and his sister, Priscilla Reems. Dad was born on January 16, 1907, in Lowell, MA. At nine months of age, his family moved to Bellevue, WA, where Irv spent his childhood, graduating from Bellevue HS in 1926. Joining the National Guard in 1924 as a Buck Private, within four years he attained the rank of Lieutenant. In 1941 he spent a year serving at Camp Murray, and was promoted to the rank of Major, second in command of the 641st Tanker Destroyer Battalion. He was then the commanding officer at Camp Puckapanol, north of Melbourne, Australia. After spending most of his tour in Cairns, he was in charge of the motor pool in Townsville. Because of a hearing loss, he was sent to Camp Ethan Allen, TX and hospitalized for a month, shortly before the Japanese surrender. Dad's work experience began in the Piggly Wiggly stores and with management of the old Safeway store on 32nd and NE 65th. It was in the Piggly Wiggly store that he met his wife of 69 years, Frances. In 1935, he became a salesman for Aetna Life Insurance Company. At the end of the war, he returned to Aetna as an Associate General Agent, and shortly thereafter he formed his own casualty business, Marr and Associates. In 1959, Dad started Hospital Television, a company which supplied TVs and related equipment to regional hospitals. The company was sold in 1971. Dad's faith has been central to his life. A member of Sand Point Community Methodist Church, he has served the congregation with his generous gifts of time and resources. He attended his first board meeting in February, 1947. He has been chairman and a long-standing member of the board, was instrumental in the building phases of the church, chairing the finance committee, and hiring the architect. He also served as president of the Hawthorne Hills Community Club, served in the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, was a Toastmaster, an active and long-standing member of the Republican Party, and belonged to the Civic Unity Organization. We also greatly appreciate and thank Dad's many wonderful, loyal friends, neighbors, and chess partners, whose loving visits enriched his life (and ours) and brought him such happiness. Funeral InformationDad's life will be celebrated at Sand Point Community Church, Seattle, on Saturday, February 13, at 1:00 pm. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Millionaire Club or an organization meaningful to you. |
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