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In Memory

Donald Marrs - Class Of 1936

OBITUARY FROM THE DAILY RECORD (DUNN, NC) WEBSITE:

Donald L. Marrs, of Croasdaile Village, Durham, NC, died following surgery on May 24, 2011, at the age of 92. Don was born on September 28, 1918, in Lee, IN, to Gifford and Edna (Lefler) Marrs.

He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan, where he met and married Goldie Mack, with whom he recently celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary. He taught briefly at Miami (Ohio) University before joining the Army at the onset of WWII. He settled in Lake Hiawatha, NJ. He owned and operated Marrs Jewelers in Bloomfield, NJ, before returning to his true calling as an instrumental music teacher in Parsippany, NJ, in 1952. He was the Band Director at Parsippany High School and later at Parsippany Hills High School until his retirement in 1978. Goldie and Don retired to Costa Rica, where they lived until 1996, at which time they moved to NC. Don was honored on his 55th anniversary as a Master Mason on April 23, 2005 by his brothers of Essex Lodge #7, F.& A.M. Don loved and was loved by his many students, not only for the music they learned from him, but also for the life lessons he taught.

Don is survived by his wife Goldie, his children, Barry L. Marrs and his wife Barbara of Kennett Square, PA, Judith Rowan and her husband Richard Schacht of Urbana, IL, Stuart L. Marrs and his wife Gianna of Bangor, ME, his grandchildren, Abbe Garcia and her husband Albert of Barrington, RI, Gwendolyn Gillies and her husband James of Locust Valley, NY, and his great grandchildren Carolina and Laurie Garcia, and Morgan and John Gillies; his step-grandchildren Eric and Marshall Schacht, and his step-great grandchildren Madison, Wade, Kayley and Noelle Schacht.

A memorial service will be held at Croasdaile Village on July 3, 2011. The family suggests donations to the Salvation Army or another charitable organization in lieu of flowers.

Published by Daily Record on May 28, 2011.

This information was obtained from: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailyrecord/name/donald-marrs-obituary?id=23230941. The picture below was obtained from an interview with Don Marrs about his years at Hobart High School and the University of Michigan under William D. Revelli, the founder of the Hobart High School Band program. You can listen to that interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTVKjMveNQs.

YouTube image for an interview with Donald Marrs about WIlliam D. Revelli