Peter Terrell Marston

Peter Terrell Marston

Peter Terrell Marston of Greenwood, Virginia, and for six years a resident of Mountainside Assisted Living in Crozet, in his beloved Albemarle County, died peacefully in his sleep on All Hallows Eve, Saturday, October 31, 2009.

Born September 18, 1940, at the University of Virginia Hospital, he was the fourth child of H. Lee and Charlotte Minor Cheape Marston, late of Greenwood, Virginia. His father, the renowned Lee Marston, was rector of Emmanuel Church, Greenwood for 32 years and afterwards, at Buck Mountain Church, Earlysville for 10 years. Terry put it this way when he was recalling his father's life when Mr. Marston died, "I don't believe that you ever understood what a great man my father was, since you are not from Virginia. His life is written up in the Richmond paper and the Charlottesville paper. It will even be in the Baltimore Sun. And all those papers will become collectibles. You know that Daddy's people are from Baltimore, and before that, Urbana, in the Middle Peninsula."

Terry, as he was affectionately called, was always interested in history and was proud of his own family heritage. H. Lee Marston and his brother were descendants of colonial Marstons who settled near Annapolis, Maryland, and Urbanna, Virginia. His mother's family, the Minors, settled in Virginia in 1623. As Terry said one day not too long ago, "Someday, I will be with all my ancestors, in a better place, but now I feel so much better right here. The doctors at Martha Jefferson finally found out why I felt so bad."

Terry was a loving person with an extraordinary amount of intellectual curiosity and perseverance. He was kept from attending the University of Virginia, where his family members and ancestors always matriculated and supported, because of a cognitive disorder, resulting from a fall when he was four years old. Yet, he was among the most knowledgeable individuals about the things he was interested in. And these were myriad, mostly having to do with culture, history and antiques of the Piedmont region of Virginia. Thoughtful and interested, he ended most conversations with friends and family with the words, "I love you very much."

After attending old Greenwood High School, Terry finished his schooling at the Partridge School in Gainesville, Virginia. As a youth, besides an active Boy Scout, he became an enthusiastic explorer, with his lifelong friend, Jimmy Woodson.

His adult life was centered around antiques and helping people. After he returned from the Partridge School to live with his parents at Parson's Green in Greenwood, he worked at an array of jobs, including mowing grass for many local families and estates. In the process of helping older parishioners and family friends move or settle their estates, he became interested in antiques, especially books and the decorative arts. He developed a sharp eye for unusual collectibles and esoterica, having a good sense of their historic and monetary value. As Terry said, "Antiques are a part of me. They are me. Antiques and all of my best friends are what get me through life." He added, "Thank goodness I have so many friends. Anyway, I'm not by myself - I have all Charlottesville."

Terry eventually established his own shop, Terry's Treasure Trove, first in Greenwood and then in Charlottesville. He worked at South Street Antiques, the shop of his friend, Roulhac Toledano, running the shop when she was out of town. He helped many antiquing friends to pack and load for their buying and selling trips and sales, and he never missed an SPCA sale.

After his father's death, Terry's brothers and sister settled him in Belmont, in a picturesque old-time house with a picket fence, close enough to downtown Charlottesville to walk. Doralee Sims, the Marston's longtime housekeeper, literally acted as a substitute mother for Terry, bringing groceries and healthy meals to him at his residence and workplace in Belmont; her son helped with massive organization projects among the antiques. After Dora's death, the place in Belmont began to get out of hand. Besides the Albemarle County and Charlottesville collections, probably Terry's best, there were a number of other subjects in which he specialized, including cookbooks, garden books and first editions as well as esoteric collectibles, like tobacco wrappers, ancient smoking tobacco, unusual statuettes and objects made of pressed and milk glass and much, much more. There was some question as to whether even his four cats could make it alive from the front door to the back door on through the crowded yard to the concrete warehouse, filled to the rafters with Terry's antiques and second-hand furniture, fixtures and memorabilia. Everything teetered.

Besides books and antiques which he collected vigorously, Terry was a fanatic follower of University of Virginia sports. Whether teams won or lost, Terry thought that they were wonderful. He always tried to wear blue and orange shirts with his khakis to be loyal to University of Virginia. He and his longtime friend Jimmy Woodson attended years of University of Virginia basketball. In fact, although Terry had a hard time adding small bills or making change, he could recite all the innings and quarters and scores of any sports game. His friend, Richmond attorney Chad Young, took him to the Sweet Sixteen NCAA basketball tournament one year in Seattle, Washington.

Chad Young wrote, "In March, 1983, I drove Terry to Ogden, Utah to see Ralph Sampson's last University of Virginia basketball game. The hope was that the team would win the regional finals and advance to the Final Four in Albuquerque, New Mexico, so the plan was to spend the week in between touring the West. We lost that regional final, and Terry wanted to go straight back home, but I persuaded him to take the time to see five national parks, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde. We also saw the Great Sand Dunes National Monument before a marathon drive of over 1000 miles in seventeen hours to get back. Although Terry appreciated the trip, he was anxious to get back to Albemarle County.

"The next year, we took a charter jet to see University of Virginia in the Final Four at Seattle, Washington. I rented a car and drove Terry through Canada to the isolated peninsula of Point Roberts, Washington which marks the westernmost land point of the United States - Canada border. I believe that was the farthest he ever got from Albemarle County, all of which he called home. Those were the days when he was going to every home basketball game and many of the away games as one of the 'Travellin' Hoos.'"

When Terry's brothers and sister felt it was time for him to leave his Belmont home and warehouse, all chock full of what some people may have thought was junk, the books and paraphernalia went with him to Mountainside Assisted Living in Crozet, where, of course, there was no room for the collections. Terry received one very important extra amenity on the grounds of Mountainside - a large shed which held stacks and stacks of books and sundry paraphernalia. On any visit to Terry in his room at Mountainside, there was the possibility that piles of books, eight feet high, might descend upon the visitor. It was always best to sit on the balcony and enjoy the view. Even the careful tiptoe to the balcony was fraught with danger.

At Mountainside, Terry continued to be fascinated with the written word. His dear friends Ponch McPhee and Chad Young kept him supplied with books, as well as the ones he bought at countless sales. He worked for some years at "The Green Olive Tree," a thrift store in Crozet. He loved all the folk at Mountainside, who were wonderful to him. In turn, Terry was always giving everyone there small items he felt would interest them. June King. RN, Administrator at Mountainside Senior Living, wrote, "Terry had a big heart and a sunny disposition. He always had a friendly smile and always thought of others. He gave books and fruit to staff and residents on many occasions."
Terry left instructions that the best of his books be placed in the libraries and rare book rooms that he held in high regard and loved so much. He wanted the cook books and gardening books to go to the Special Collections at University of Virginia. He asked that his important first editions of Virginia, Jefferson and Southern material, be sent to the Library of Virginia in Richmond.
Chad Young wrote of his shock to hear of Terry's passing. "I saw him last three weeks prior when I delivered a load of books and papers to him in Crozet. He was too tired to come down to his shed, and I told him he looked exhausted, even ill. He nevertheless retained his unique demeanor during the visit. "There is no doubt that the world is somehow more average without Terry in it."
At Timberlake's Pharmacy, John Plantz and the staff are wondering how Christmas will be without Terry and his apples. Terry liked to celebrate his birthday with lunch at Timberlake's and some friend or another would see that he got one of the wonderful bundt-pan cakes that Billie makes at Timberlake's. He always brought or sent Billy, besides the apples, lots of little boxes and baskets from his antiques collection.
From September until Christmas, Terry was busy picking apples when they were ready, and boxing them for Christmas presents for all the antiques and book dealers as well as his various and sundry friends from three counties around. The apple project could be complex, since Terry had no transportation. Friends were called to pick apples near Crozet, to help him with boxes, and finally to deliver them all over the countryside.
Mr. Plantz was called at the drugstore for pickup and delivery service by Terry "because he lives near Parsons Green and we have always known him." Mr. Plantz's permanent volunteer function was to delivery scores and scores of books that Terry collected for Roulhac Toledano on how to write books. "You know how much you need them, Roulhac," Terry would call to say. And so Mr. Plantz loaded them up from season to season.
Terry is survived by his Godchildren, Anthony Lee Blow and Kate Marston Cleven; his sister, Charlotte Jane, and her husband, Lloyd Pope; his brother, Minor Lee and his wife, Sylvia Marston; his brother John Haines Marston II; his nieces and nephews, Anne Minor, Marston, Kirkie, Mary Scott, Kate, Allen, Jamie, Tolee, Christopher, as well as countless friends.
Cottie Kaiser took care of Terry for years. Special and loyal friends include David Wayland, Ponch and Beth McPhee, Mariclaire Hale, Margaret McDonald, Ross Stevens, John Ghoreyeb, Leslie Kravitz, Cathy Overton, Phyllis and Frank Joseph as well as all the antiquers in the state.
Indeed, Charlotte Jane Marston Pope, Terry's sister, commented, "I don't know what to do about all his friends, Roulhac. He only had ten thousand good ones."
On Saturday, December 12, 2009, at one o'clock in the afternoon at Emmanuel Church, Greenwood, Terry's family, friends and guests will participate in a celebration of Terry's life. The Reverends Anthony Andres, Charles Mulally and David Wayland will officiate.
Folks are asked to share Terry stories, instead of a homily, in the middle of the service. The family has asked a friend of theirs and of Terry's to play children's hymns on the organ, ending with "When the Saints Go Marching In!" Lots of Terry's favorite foods will be served, mostly bread and butter and sweets at the reception in the Parish Hall.
He refused to ever eat anything green or healthy after his experience at boarding school. Plans for his memorial service would have pleased Terry very much. He never missed a Christmas, New Year's or Holiday Service at Emmanuel Church. Terry attended every single Christmas service as doorman and "welcomer." He always stood outside the door, rain, shine or snow, greeting the parishioners and guests as though the church was his own, which in a way, it was. His greetings always included gifts of apples, M&Ms and goodies well remembered by all. He also extended his own calling card, which carefully gave his telephone number in case anyone wanted to dispense with old books, manuscripts or antiques. All the Christmas apple giving, he said was following in his father's longtime tradition. He always said he was his father's legacy. On December twelfth, reproductions of Terry's calling card will be available, with one alteration. "You can get in touch with me in Heaven." Memorial contributions may be made to the Albemarle/ Charlottesville SPCA or the H. Lee Marston Scholarship at Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia.
This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.