Lover of history and the arts, shop owner, realtor
Betty Marr. (Courtesy photo)
Elizabeth L. “Betty” Marr, 79, of Harvard, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, at the Life Care Center Nashoba Valley in Littleton.
She was born in Boston on March 25, 1936, the daughter of the late Bernard and E. Louise (Reilly) Maloney, and lived in Harvard for most of her life. She was a 1953 graduate of the Bromfield School and also a graduate of the Chamberlain School of Retailing.
In 1966 she opened The Gazebo, a fabric shop in Harvard, before turning her focus to real estate. Betty worked in real estate for nearly three decades, achieving the title of vice president of Gold Dome Bank’s real estate subsidiary and retiring in 2009 from TP Hazel Sotheby’s in Harvard.
Throughout the years, Betty participated in many theatrical productions as a member of the Harvard Players. She was a vocalist in the Pro Musica choral group, performing Handel’s Messiah annually, and a cantor at St. Theresa’s Church. Betty enjoyed researching her family’s genealogy and often helped curate town history with the Harvard Historical Society. She enjoyed reading, and she wrote a children’s book titled “Martha Mary” after one of her favorite places, Martha’s Vineyard. Betty loved keeping up with all of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities and achievements. She also shared a love for animals, caring for many throughout her lifetime.
She was predeceased by her husband, Norman H. Marr Jr., in 1969. She leaves three sons, Michael R. Marr and his companion, Judy Malin, of Albion, California, and Portsmouth, Rhode Island; N. Mark Marr and his wife, Tara, of Villanova, Pennsylvania; and Matthew M. Marr and his companion, Deborah Drummey, of Harvard. She also leaves a daughter, Melissa E. Ford, and her husband, Paul, of Ayer; seven grandchildren, Stephanie and Amanda Marr, Danielle and Zachary Marr, Kyle and Colin Ford, and Daniel Malin; two great-grandchildren, Ximena Malin and Salvador Espinal; the Marr family patriarch and beloved brother-in-law, Raymond Marr, and his wife, Marilyn, of Fort Meyers, Florida; and many more dear family members and friends.
Betty’s funeral Mass was celebrated on Monday, Jan. 18, at St. Theresa’s Church, Harvard. Calling hours were Sunday, Jan. 17, at the Anderson Funeral Home, Ayer.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to ESSO-MGH Breast Cancer Research Fund, c/o MDH Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 (www.esscomghbcrf.com).
