Remembering John Marr
REMEMBERING JOHN MARR
One of ARCA’s neighborhood heroes, Colonel John Marr, died on January 19, 2015, at the age of 96, in Mill Creek, Washington. Personable, optimistic and principled, John Marr brought the leadership and organizational management skills he had learned in 32 years of military service to ARCA. His strategic, creative, and operational thinking enabled him to critically examine and assimilate details while simultaneously seeing the larger picture. By continually reaching out to others, offering and seeking support, John was someone who could explain, listen, advocate, synthesize, and interpret multiple perspectives.
John and his wife Willa moved to our community in 1963. A long time member of ARCA, he served in many leadership positions, including two terms as president, from 1975-1977, and again from 1981 – 2.
In 1975 our community was confronted with challenging land use and environmental issues. The major one was the proposed high density rezoning of the 116 acre Pentagon City Tract, now a dense development of retail, office and residences, but then it was a large open lot owned by the developer Cafritz. The second challenge was the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration’s plan to construct a 5/8 of a mile interstate highway, I-595, to replace Arlington’s section of Route 1 in Crystal City, from I-395 to the Airport Connector. Thirdly, Arlington County wanted to build an “experimental” pyrolysis plant for sludge incineration on South 31st Street, which could result in noxious air pollution.
The Pentagon City Tract issue required many individuals willing to analyze the noise, air quality, transportation, legal and economic issues, reminiscent of our recent PenPlace fight. John brought together volunteers from Arlington Ridge, Aurora Highlands, and the River House Tenants to form the Pentagon City Coordinating Committee (PCCC), and in 3 months they prepared a report which they submitted to the County in January, 1976. Also submitted was a petition signed by over 1,000 individuals urging that the application for rezoning be denied.
At the same time, the PCCC and local businesses filed a motion in the Federal District Court seeking an injunction to stop the construction of I-595 on environmental and other grounds, which the Court granted. I-595 died a quiet death. Also, the “pyrolysis” experiment was dropped but the County went ahead to incinerate sludge using a more conventional burning system.
n February 1976, despite the PCCC report, the County Board approved the application to rezone the Pentagon City Tract. PCCC thought it had a good case and decided to sue the County, retaining the law firm of Covington and Burling. To ensure standing in the court John Marr and his wife Willa volunteered to be two of the several named plaintiffs in the suit. On December 22, 1976, Judge Paul D.Brown upheld the County Board’s rezoning decision, saying “The Court will not substitute its judgment for that of a legislative body, and if the reasonableness of a zoning ordinance is fairly debatable, it must be sustained.” Thus the path toward the Pentagon City we now know was begun.
During John’s second term as ARCA’s President in 1981-82, he was also a Vice President of PCCC, which was now renamed the Center for Urban Education (CUE) with a broader environmental focus. The neighborhood had a large outstanding debt resulting from the two lawsuits, and ever ready with “thinking outside the box” skills, John suggested a regular Bingo Night as a fundraiser. The resulting Friday night games were held at the recently closed Gunston Junior High School, and with a large number of dedicated volunteers, the games continued for years until the debt was paid.
In addition to his ARCA duties, John was ARCA’s representative to the County-wide Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee, and worked tirelessly to support the neighborhood’s interests.
Additional Highlights of his effectiveness include working with ARCA towards:
- Maintaining Glebe Road as a 4-lane highway instead of the 6-lanes proposed in the Master Thoroughfare Plan;
- Opposing an “experimental” pyrolysis plant for sludge incineration on 31st Street S., an idea that the County then dropped;
- Advocating for Fort Scott Drive to end at Eads Street rather than Route 1. (This action also eliminated the proposed 27th Street Connector, that would have enabled Crystal City commuters to cross Route 1 and speed home via Fort Scott Drive)
- Ensuring that a green strip was provided around the outside of the expanded Giant Shopping Center.
- Collaborating with the Aurora Highlands Civic Association to protect their neighborhood by securing a green buffer strip around what is today Linden Resources on 23rd Street
- Blocking further apartment house development at 15th & Ridge Road.
- Derailing the plans of developers attempting to buy homes between Lang St. & and Ridge Rd. in order to build residences at greater density than allowed by the existing zoning.
John reveled in his civic activism and community involvement. He was patient with the process of change, knowing that some of his endeavors would not bear fruit for years. In addition to his full plate of ARCA activities, he delivered Meals-on-Wheels, and was a member of the Kiwanis Club. He was a 70-year member of the Matthews-Crawford Post of the American Legion and active in the Army Aviation Association of America. He was inducted into that Association’s Hall of Fame in 1980.
Born in Missouri in 1918 in a large farm family, John was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941. He volunteered for paratroop training and earned his jump wings, and was then sent to Officers Candidate School where he became a Lieutenant. Assigned to Company G of the 507th Parachute Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, John jumped into Normandy on D-Day where he led his platoon at the Battle of the La Fiere Causeway, called one of the costliest small-unit actions in U.S. Army history. Now in command of Company B of the 507th, John made his second combat jump in the Battle of the Bulge. He continued to lead the Company as it spearheaded Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine River on March 24, 1945. He returned to the United States in September of that year as a Captain.
After World War II, John continued his military career and served during the occupation of Korea and commanded the 17th Combat Aviation Group in Vietnam. Among his many awards are the Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Bronze Stars. He was decorated by the governments of Great Britain, France, the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Vietnam. On February 7, 2015, the French held a memorial service in his honor in Amfreville, France. John himself can be heard on YouTube providing a three part narrative about his role in the Battle of La Fiere Causeway at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0OWBbjL6Jc.
The community joins us in thanking John for his many years of exceptional leadership and service to the United States and to the Arlington Ridge Civic Association.
Colonel John W. Marr and his wife of 69 years, Willa Fae Rumans Marr (who died last November) will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery during a private family service.
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