Eugene C. MARLIN

About

Johns Hopkins University

Eugene MARLIN Obituary

YORKTOWN - Eugene C. Marlin, 95, a resident of Yorktown, Va., died peacefully at home on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009.
Employed as Executive Director and Airport Manager for the Peninsula Airport Commission from 1947 to 1977, Mr. Marlin felled the first tree to commence construction of Patrick Henry Airport. For the next 30 years he directed the growth and operation of the field, now known as Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport. Before retirement in 1977 he guided growth of the airport to jet service with 40 scheduled airline flights per day.
During his career as airport manager Mr. Marlin was awarded accreditation by the American Association of Airport Executives and was president of the South-Eastern Airport Managers Association. He left a legacy of accomplishment admired and acclaimed by many national, state and local aviation interests.
Born in Brunswick, Ga., on July 8, 1914, he proudly spoke of being a four-year old who helped sell war savings stamps to help finance WWI. Not until 50 years after the end of WWII was he acknowledged by the Air Force to be a veteran for his services as an officer flying in U.S. Army aircraft. Employed by TWA Intercontinental Division as a celestial navigator, he crossed the Atlantic 86 times in propeller-driven Army transport planes carrying troops and cargo to South America, Africa, England, France and the Middle East.
A 1932 graduate of Catonsville High School in Maryland, he attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and then earned a commercial pilot license. Before and after the war he operated several aircraft of his own. From 1934 until 1941 he held positions as buyer and purchasing agent at the aircraft manufacturing plants of both Glenn L. Martin Co. in Baltimore and McDonnell Aircraft Co. in St. Louis, Mo. Prior to his employment as an airport manager in Newport News, he inaugurated an unsuccessful airline service between Baltimore and Salisbury, Md., using surplus Army Air Force DC-3s.
A member and treasurer of Grace Episcopal Church in Yorktown, his participation in religious and civic activities kept him active in the community after building his home and moving there in 1977. As a charter member and president of the Rotary Club of Yorktown, Mr. Marlin was active for 30 years and awarded a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997. He was also involved for years as manager and Board Chairman of the Fifes and Drums of York Town.
In 1996 Mr. Marlin was granted a permit to operate a bed and breakfast enterprise in his home, known as Marl Inn. In 2000 he sold Marl Inn, moved to a smaller residence in Yorktown and then in 2006 moved to Colonial Harbor of Yorktown where he resided until his death. He was capably assisted over the past few years by faithful caregivers Nancy Emery and Rhonda Schell since family members were all located out of state.
Mr. Marlin, who never married, was a constant in helping family members through the years, both while manager of Patrick Henry Airport and after moving to Yorktown. He and his sisters lost their father to meningitis in 1915 and he remembered how family in Brunswick and St. Simons Island, Ga., and then a loving stepfather, Howard Barrington Diggs of Relay, Md., helped make a difference in all their lives.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Deborah Steuart Marlin Diggs; by both sisters, Deborah Marlin Myers, formally of Williamsburg, Raleigh, N.C., and Yorktown, and Angela Marlin Crown of Zephyrhills, Fla.
He is survived by three nieces and two nephews, Deborah Myers Smith of Oxford, Md., William Nelson Myers of Raleigh, N.C., Robert Boyd Myers of Prairie Village, Kan., Jessie Crown Glasure of Freeport, Fla., and Angela Ruth Crown Mc Mickle of Zephyrhills, Fla.
In lieu of flowers Mr. Marlin requested that he be remembered through contributions to Grace Historical Church Preservation Foundation (a non-profit), P.O. Box 133, Yorktown, VA 23690.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, at Grace Episcopal Church, 111Church Street, Yorktown, Va. A private family burial service will take place at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Williamsburg, Va.
Arrangements by Amory Funeral Home, Grafton. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Press from Jan. 9 to Jan. 10, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for Eugene MARLIN

6 Entries

Gary Wainright

January 22, 2010

Very sad to learn and hard to believe that Eugene Marlin is gone. To provide readers with a little family context for my remarks, my mother, Mary Alice Steuart Wainright, was Gene's first cousin. Her father, George Calvert Steuart, and Gene's mother, Deborah Steuart Marlin Diggs, were siblings.

Gene was a gentleman of impeccable manners and truly a gentle man. He was fortunate enough to live a very long life in apparent good health and was sharp to the end. He bought a McIntosh personal computer not long after they first came out and loved sending email messages to friends and relatives for the rest of his life.

Although Gene never married or had children, he was the “patriarch” of the Steuart-Gould clan after his sisters passed away. He helped keep the descendants of William Frederick Steuart and Angela Gould Steuart in touch during the last three decades of his life.

He was also a very generous man. For example, a few years ago, he spontaneously decided to take our sons, Reeve and Bobby, who were in high school at the time, on an all-expenses-paid cruise of the Great Lakes. I am sure they will never forget that experience.

Gene had many friends who were extremely fond of him. His family loved him deeply. He will certainly be missed.

Bob Brammer

January 22, 2010

Mr. Marlin is remembered by the Southeastern Airport Managers' Association and the Southeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives. His contributions to the airport industry will long be remembered and memories of him will long be cherished.

Debbie Smith

January 22, 2010

It is with a grateful heart that I read the entries in my uncle's Guest Book. My brother Bob and I were very touched with all the memories shared at Grace Church on Jan. 11th and reading those here in the Guest Book round out the memory we have of our uncle. Thank you to all who have touched our lives with your words.

Bob Myers

January 14, 2010

Thanks to all of you fine folks who attended the Memorial Service at Grace Church - Yorktown. Many of you answered Rev. Bakkum's call to speak of your contact with him, and our family was comforted by your kind, emotionally charged words.

Mister Yorktown wearing his full colonial rainment at the October 19th Bloddy Mary parties preceeding the Yorktown Day Parade was just one of many vivid mental pictures you described.

Thank you for adding to our memories.

How you can show support

Get email updates whenever changes are made.

Send flowers

Consider sending flowers.

Add photos

Share their life with photo memories.

Plant trees

Honor them by planting trees in their memory.

Donate in Memory

Make a donation in memory of your loved one.

Share this page

Invite other friends and family to visit the page.

Janet Burgess Loyd

January 10, 2010

Gene was a long time best friend of my father, Bob Burgess. We would visit him at the airport or at his home and he would visit our home. I guess Dad met Gene in Baltimore since that was my Dad's home.

I remember Mr. Marlin's Saint Bernard Jeff. I also remember him taking the dog flying in his Piper cub to rid him of fleas!

I was very appreciative when Mr. Marlin attended Dad's surprise birthday party in 2000. The last time I saw him was in 2003 at my Dad's funeral, but I thought of him often when driving through Yorktown.

Sorry to learn of his death, but glad to have happy memories of him and his friendship.

Blessings & Peace,

Rhonda Schell

January 9, 2010

A Golden Heart stopped beating, Working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He Only Takes The Best.

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 results