Obituary of Donald V . Marrer

Donald V. Marrer of Penfield NY died August 7 2012 at age 93. Predeceased by his parents George and Eleanor Marrer; siblings and in-laws, Eleanor (William) Marrer, Phyllis Marrer Farnum, George Marrer III, Dorothy Marrer Bilodeau, Kenneth Marrer, Lawrence Marrer, Everett Blazey and Allen (Teddy) Marrer. Survived by wife, Dorothy Tuttle Marrer; children, Kathy (Michael) Weber, Sally Marrer (Stephen Langlois) and Kurt Marrer; grandchildren, David (Juliet) Weber, Jonathan Weber and Sophie Langlois; sister, Ann Blazey; in-laws, MaryJane Marrer, Rose Marrer, Lester (Barbara) Tuttle,; special niece, Nancy Marrer (Lisa Ford) and many other nieces and nephews. Don was intellectually curious and believed in the transformational power of education and hard work. He was a constant reader and could hold forth on any subject. Born in Berlin NH, he spoke English, French and Norwegian as a pre-schooler. As a youngster, he hunted deer for the family table and put together bicycles and cars from spare parts for fun and profit. Graduating from high school at 16 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps within the year and worked as a heavy equipment operator in Colorado, returning afterward to New Hampshire to work as a machinist. At the beginning of WWII Don enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served as a radio operator stationed in the Philippines flying 57 missions. Post war, he graduated in 2 years from Keene State Teachers College where he met his wife, Dorothy, and taught the next year in Wolfeboro NH. Don then completed graduate studies at Cornell in Industrial and Labor Relations eventually becoming Personnel Manager of Gleason Works. He served on the BOCES Board and was later President of his local AARP chapter. Don loved to sing, play his harmonica, tinker in his shop, ride his tractor, work in his one acre garden and sit in his chair and read at the close of every day. Friends may call at Jennings, Nulton & Mattle Funeral Home, 1704 Penfield Road, Staurday, August 25 from 11:30am to 12:30pm where a Memorial Service will follow at 12:30pm. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider, Bethel Historical Society, Bethel Maine, the Gift and Memorial Fundof The Penfield Public Library or Honor Flight Rochester, Inc.