Terence Robert Marolt

1935 - 2024

Terence Robert Marolt
10/06/1935-11/24/2024
Terence Robert Marolt, age 89, died of congestive heart failure on November 24, 2024 in Saint Paul. Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Mathew and Mayme; his brother Donald; his first wife, Mary Derby (née Tizard); and his grand-daughter Michelle Fischer.
Born at home in Ely, Terry grew up just outside what later became the BWCA, a wilderness which inspired his deep, lifelong respect, awe, and love for nature. As a child, he befriended neighbor and naturalist Sig Olson, with whom he built bird houses.
At Memorial High School, Terry played football for three years, was senior class secretary, a member of the National Thespian Society, and graduated in 1953.
In his youth, Terry worked on the construction of taconite silos on the shore of Lake Superior and spent three summers working at a summer resort-which he called his happiest times. He also worked for the Forest Service in a fire look-out tower; there he grew to feel so isolated that he tried to chat up a black bear.
Due to football injuries, the draft board classified him as 4F, so Terry went straight to pursuing his dream to become an architect. He designed his parents' home while still a student. He later designed and built his own family's lake cabin and designed a lake-side, midcentury-modern mansion for another family.
Terry worked his way through school, first at Ely Junior College then at the University of Minnesota where he graduated as an architect in 1961. He married in 1959 and began photographing his children and entertaining them with his slideshows, bedtime stories about evolution and the solar system, and the songs Old Shep and Nature Boy.
He also enjoyed road trips, painted landscapes and waterscapes, drew cartoons, remodeled several of his homes, designed and built backyard skating rinks for his kids each winter, and designed and landscaped his garden.
In his 30s, Terry began piano lessons and was soon playing complicated classical pieces. He played until arthritis ended that pursuit in his later years. He idolized Beethoven in music as he idolized Frank Lloyd Wright in architecture.
After his first marriage ended in 1973, Terry transferred to the Washington, DC area. In 1976, he married Yvonne Nelson. They enjoyed bowling, bicycling, picnics, and exploring DC's historic areas. They divorced in 2012 but remained close for the rest of Terry's life.
Terry reveled in his 40-year career in MN, DC, and Annapolis, MD, working for Ellerbe Architects, Perkins & Will, HOK, and Boggs & Partners. He was the architect and/or project or technical manager on countless major building constructions and expansions: the National Archives, National Air and Space Museum - Dulles Center, Japanese Embassy, Johns Hopkins Asthma & Allergy Research Center, Medtronic headquarters, Maryland School for the Deaf, many buildings and studies at the University of Notre Dame, and a technical school in Saudi Arabia. Other projects included more schools, research centers, hospitals/medical buildings, civic centers, sports arenas, hotels, banks, and office buildings.
While working on Notre Dame's biology research building, Terry expressed fascination with photos their scientists were taking through microscopes. In response, they gave him a microscope and a micro-photography kit. He was also intrigued by the macro world; an avid stargazer, he took photos through his telescope, too.
After retirement, Terry drew book illustrations, played piano, Scrabble, and chess. (He reminisced about leaving a work meeting-to avoid losing his temper with an unreasonable client-and spent the rest of the day playing chess in the park with strangers.) He watched and photographed wild birds, enjoyed time with family and his beloved pet cats, took nature walks, and traveled in the US and Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Survived by brother Dex; children Mike (Mary Jo), Genie, and Rick (Carla); grandchildren Kennan (Chris), Jacob (Brooke), and Ann; great grandchildren Jasmine, Jocelyn, Hale, Emma, and Sadie; nieces and nephews; and his best friend, Yvonne Nelson.
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."