Harry A. Marmion

WILLIAMSBURG - Dr. Harry A. Marmion, 77, a resident of Williamsburg Landing, Williamsburg, Va., the son of Irish immigrants, was born in Queens, N.Y., on June 14, 1931. He died on Aug. 14, 2008 from complications related to Parkinson's disease.
Marmion attended LaSalle Academy in NYC, where he nurtured his love for basketball. He continued to play basketball well enough to earn a full scholarship to Fairfield University, where he wrote a sports column for the school newspaper and served on the debate team. Marmion frequently hitchhiked from NYC to his classes in Fairfield, Conn.
Following his graduation, Marmion served for two years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantry officer, where he was stationed in Japan during the Korean conflict. He then served in the Marine Corps Reserve for 26 years, retiring as a Colonel. Marmion earned a J.D. and a master's in labor law under the GI Bill from Georgetown University. Marmion went on to earn a master's and a doctorate in education from the University of Connecticut.
At age 37, Dr. Marmion assumed the first of the two college presidencies he would hold, serving as president of St. Xavier College in Chicago from 1969-1972. In 1972, he was appointed president of Southampton College of Long Island University. Outgoing and accessible, he increased enrollment and positioned the college as a liberal arts institution with specialties in the sciences and the arts. One of Marmion's proudest achievements during his tenure at Southampton College was the creation of the John Steinbeck room in the library.
In 1980, Dr. Marmion was appointed vice president for academic affairs and professor of law and management at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. After 10 years, he retired in 1992 and established an educational consulting firm.
It was at that time that Marmion embarked on his second career, initially fostered during the early 1980's, when he became involved with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as a player. He was a ranked senior player in the East, despite the fact that he never played tennis until his 30s. His love of the game and his playing ability helped pave his way as a leader in volunteer tennis administration. After serving as the president of the Eastern Tennis Association and on the USTA's Board of Directors, Marmion became its 43rd president and chairman of the USTA's board in 1997. Marmion's tenure as president was marked by his successful campaign to complete the renovation of the tennis facility in Flushing Meadows named for Arthur Ashe. Marmion was instrumental in ensuring that the stadium honor the great African-American athlete, rather than a corporate sponsor. Dr. Marmion also was a critical force in the election of his successor, Judy Levering, the first female to become president of the USTA.
Throughout his life, Marmion took an active role in community affairs, which included serving as Southampton Democratic Town Chairman and as a member of the Board of Southampton Hospital and the Meadow Club of Southampton. When Southampton College was facing closure in 2005, he helped spearhead the 'Save the College' organization, which ultimately resulted in the opening of the Stony Brook Southampton campus.
Dr. Marmion was a frequent writer and speaker on matters pertaining to higher education and the military draft, publishing two books, 'The Case Against the Volunteer Army' and 'Selective Service: Conflict and Compromise.' Senator Edward Kennedy wrote that Marmion 'had written the best and most exhaustive description I have seen of what actually happened to the attempt to reform the draft.'
Dr. Marmion and his wife, Patricia Hurley Marmion were married for 54 years. They have three daughters, Elizabeth, Sarah and Sheila; and three sons-in-law, Tierney Carlos, Bruce Zabriski and Don Breakell. Dr. Marmion and his wife also have nine grandchildren, Norah, Maeve, Niamh, Evan, Neal, Clara, Conor, Clare and Liam.
The families ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be directed to the Harry A. Marmion Scholarship Fund at LaSalle Academy. Donations can be made by visiting www.Lasalleacademy.org or LaSalle Academy, 44 East 2nd Street, NY, NY 10003.
A funeral mass will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Saint Bede's in Williamsburg, Va. The family is planning a memorial service to take place in Southampton, N.Y., in the fall. A separate announcement offering details will follow.
Nelsen Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. On-line condolences may be registered at www.nelsenfh.com. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.