Teacher led by example
Eddy Marr would have enjoyed the humour had he been listening (and who is sure he wasnt?). His good friend John Parker, former New Zealand cricket international, interrupted his eulogy at Eddys recent funeral to take a cellphone call. It seemed to be from Peter- Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates asking John for a reference check on someone who claimed to know John.
Eddys many friends at the service listened in as John assured the caller of Eddys bona fides and listed his many fine qualities.
Unusual at a funeral, the eulogy was applauded with loud clapping. Eddy was always one for a good joke.
The funeral was at the Hamilton Club, home of the Hamilton Officers Club of which Eddy was three times president. On Eddys casket were Eddys military awards, including the Efficiency Decoration.
He served in the army for 30 years, mostly as a Territorial, and retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Also on the casket was a New Zealand cricket black cap, one of those earned years ago by John and presented to Eddy last year as a thank you for his many contributions to cricket and to Melville Cricket Club in particular.
Eddy was a man with a big heart, especially for troubled youngsters. He was a primary school teacher, and cricket and hockey were special interfaces with his pupils.
That big heart failed him on Saturday July 17. He died at Waikato Hospital after an illness of some weeks. He was 78.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, two daughters, one son, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The Hamilton service for Eddy was held on Wednesday, July 21. Two days later a second service was held at St Johns Anglican Church, Whangarei, and he was buried among family in the Maunu Cemetery.
Eddy had a special connection with the military. His grandfather, Auckland Mounted Rifles Regimental Sergeant Major Joseph Marr, was killed in action on May 17, 1915, six days after landing at Gallipoli.
Three months ago Eddy was a member of the official New Zealand party attending this years Anzac Day commemoration at Gallipoli. It was a lifetime emotional milestone for him.
Twice Eddy served with the United Nations as a military observer -- on the Kashmir-Pakistan border for 18 months in 1967-68 and on truce supervision in Lebanon from June 1974 to October 1976.
In civilian life, sport was always prominent.
He played hockey into his 50s, but cricket was his passion. The Eddy Marr Bowl is Hamilton club crickets premier grade competition trophy.
Eddy gave 25 years to the Hamilton Cricket Association and was its chairman from 1982 to 1985, and was a life member.
Outgoing association chairman Cohn Stevens says that for years Eddy ran the Seddon Park scoreboard with military precision. Eddy kept us honest with his attention to detail - a true servant of Hamilton cricket.
The first of four children of Ruth and Bill Marr, Eddy was born at Te Kopuru (south of Dargaville) and his first six years were at Kohukohu on the Hokianga Harbour. A work opportunity took the family to Whangarei in 1937. Eddy attended Whangarei Primary School and Whangarei Boys High School. He was a top student
Janette Johns, a sister, remembers an excellent family life and a brother who let his sisters bat for the last few minutes of backyard cricket before the dinner call.
At the start of his teacher training Eddy was posted to his sisters primary school - they were in dread, would they have to call him Mr Marr or even Sir?
After Ardmore Teachers Training College came many country postings, including in Maori communities where Eddy blended in and was accepted.
One of these was at Titoki where they lived at the end of the school bus route among tight-knit Maori families. Eddy drove the bus and he learned to put down a fair enough hangi, says Janette.
She recalls a brother who was a Scouting enthusiast and leader, knew his knots and camping skills, and used them to the end of his life.
He met Betty Irving, from Rotokakahi, North-i land. They married and had three children. The marriage failed at the time Eddy took his first United Nations posting. During his time overseas he met Betty Beerlant. Eddy returned to New Zealand, was joined by Betty and they married.
He took a teaching posting at Kohitere Boys Home, near Levin, and later at Melville Boys Home till it closed, and a few final years at Melville Primary School till retirement at 60.
David Cooke, Melville Intermediate School principal, says Eddy never stopped being a school teacher - he taught by example.
He knew that a strong community is built on understanding and respect and hard work. His work in cricket has always included working with children in schools. Generations of our children are privileged to have had the support of Eddy in developing their skills and love of the game of cricket.
He was an icon of our community. He represented our values, our hopes for our children and he worked tirelessly towards those. He was respected by all who knew him.
He was a humble man who never sought publicity for himself.
David adds: He just got on and did a job that needed to be done. He was a man of integrity, dignity, consideration for others, a man to look up to and follow - a man who through his work in our community gave us an example of whom we could aspire to be.
ROY BURKE
Waikato Times August 14, 2010
Eddy Marr would have enjoyed the humour had he been listening (and who is sure he wasnt?). His good friend John Parker, former New Zealand cricket international, interrupted his eulogy at Eddys recent funeral to take a cellphone call. It seemed to be from Peter- Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates asking John for a reference check on someone who claimed to know John.
Eddys many friends at the service listened in as John assured the caller of Eddys bona fides and listed his many fine qualities.
Unusual at a funeral, the eulogy was applauded with loud clapping. Eddy was always one for a good joke.
The funeral was at the Hamilton Club, home of the Hamilton Officers Club of which Eddy was three times president. On Eddys casket were Eddys military awards, including the Efficiency Decoration.
He served in the army for 30 years, mostly as a Territorial, and retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Also on the casket was a New Zealand cricket black cap, one of those earned years ago by John and presented to Eddy last year as a thank you for his many contributions to cricket and to Melville Cricket Club in particular.
Eddy was a man with a big heart, especially for troubled youngsters. He was a primary school teacher, and cricket and hockey were special interfaces with his pupils.
That big heart failed him on Saturday July 17. He died at Waikato Hospital after an illness of some weeks. He was 78.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, two daughters, one son, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The Hamilton service for Eddy was held on Wednesday, July 21. Two days later a second service was held at St Johns Anglican Church, Whangarei, and he was buried among family in the Maunu Cemetery.
Eddy had a special connection with the military. His grandfather, Auckland Mounted Rifles Regimental Sergeant Major Joseph Marr, was killed in action on May 17, 1915, six days after landing at Gallipoli.
Three months ago Eddy was a member of the official New Zealand party attending this years Anzac Day commemoration at Gallipoli. It was a lifetime emotional milestone for him.
Twice Eddy served with the United Nations as a military observer -- on the Kashmir-Pakistan border for 18 months in 1967-68 and on truce supervision in Lebanon from June 1974 to October 1976.
In civilian life, sport was always prominent.
He played hockey into his 50s, but cricket was his passion. The Eddy Marr Bowl is Hamilton club crickets premier grade competition trophy.
Eddy gave 25 years to the Hamilton Cricket Association and was its chairman from 1982 to 1985, and was a life member.
Outgoing association chairman Cohn Stevens says that for years Eddy ran the Seddon Park scoreboard with military precision. Eddy kept us honest with his attention to detail - a true servant of Hamilton cricket.
The first of four children of Ruth and Bill Marr, Eddy was born at Te Kopuru (south of Dargaville) and his first six years were at Kohukohu on the Hokianga Harbour. A work opportunity took the family to Whangarei in 1937. Eddy attended Whangarei Primary School and Whangarei Boys High School. He was a top student
Janette Johns, a sister, remembers an excellent family life and a brother who let his sisters bat for the last few minutes of backyard cricket before the dinner call.
At the start of his teacher training Eddy was posted to his sisters primary school - they were in dread, would they have to call him Mr Marr or even Sir?
After Ardmore Teachers Training College came many country postings, including in Maori communities where Eddy blended in and was accepted.
One of these was at Titoki where they lived at the end of the school bus route among tight-knit Maori families. Eddy drove the bus and he learned to put down a fair enough hangi, says Janette.
She recalls a brother who was a Scouting enthusiast and leader, knew his knots and camping skills, and used them to the end of his life.
He met Betty Irving, from Rotokakahi, North-i land. They married and had three children. The marriage failed at the time Eddy took his first United Nations posting. During his time overseas he met Betty Beerlant. Eddy returned to New Zealand, was joined by Betty and they married.
He took a teaching posting at Kohitere Boys Home, near Levin, and later at Melville Boys Home till it closed, and a few final years at Melville Primary School till retirement at 60.
David Cooke, Melville Intermediate School principal, says Eddy never stopped being a school teacher - he taught by example.
He knew that a strong community is built on understanding and respect and hard work. His work in cricket has always included working with children in schools. Generations of our children are privileged to have had the support of Eddy in developing their skills and love of the game of cricket.
He was an icon of our community. He represented our values, our hopes for our children and he worked tirelessly towards those. He was respected by all who knew him.
He was a humble man who never sought publicity for himself.
David adds: He just got on and did a job that needed to be done. He was a man of integrity, dignity, consideration for others, a man to look up to and follow - a man who through his work in our community gave us an example of whom we could aspire to be.
ROY BURKE
Waikato Times August 14, 2010
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