On Jan. 14, Marathon bid farewell to one of the pillars of our community as Frank Greenman and his wife Judy left the Keys on a journey to Seattle.
As a resident of Marathon since 1954, when his father owned a boat yard at the end of 15th street on Boot Key Harbor, Greenman offers a unique perspective on Marathon’s evolution over the last seven decades. And yes, as he will tell you himself, he’s got too many crazy stories to list in one article.
Speaking at the Marathon library on Jan. 13, Greenman recounted tales from his father’s marina throughout Fidel Castro’s rise to power and subsequent rule. Greenman remembered his first exposure to the Cuban exodus: in 1959, he woke to the sound of gunshots coming from a circling Chris Craft boat in the harbor. Its cargo: a doctor from Havana, his very pregnant wife, two small children and a literal boatload of boxes and suitcases. The armed doctor had originally been told by the Castro government that he would be separated from his family and serve a lengthy prison sentence if he came to the country unprepared, and took some convincing to even approach the dock.
During the Eisenhower administration, Greenman recalled, three repurposed World War II PT boats took over one of the end docks at the marina. Using expatriate Cubans as crew, the boats would use three powerful V-12 engines to roar south to Cuba at full speed, dodge radar-controlled anti-aircraft guns, and return with refugees on board – often with giant holes in the boats and an immediate need for an ambulance.
Greenman graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1969 and eventually returned to teach history for four years at Marathon High School – even convincing the Amazing Rhythm Aces to play at the school’s prom – before heading back to law school at Florida State University. Marathon was always home, however, and he returned to the Keys to practice law in 1980.
Though Greenman’s legal work may speak for itself, including his defense of captains involved in the Mariel Boatlift in federal court, those who know him best are eager to expound upon his commitment to Marathon and vision for the city. As a member of Marathon’s inaugural City Council for two terms, Greenman left an undeniable stamp on Marathon’s early years. “Frank doesn’t just look down the road; he sees around the bend,” said former councilman Jeff Pinkus.
“What Frank brought to the council was a sense of vision for the city, trying to make it better in every possible way,” said Marathon Mayor and fellow councilman John Bartus. “His positions weren’t set in stone, and he was very open-minded. If someone showed him an idea or an angle that he hadn’t thought of, he might change his position right there on the dais.”
“I will tell you that he was as into that in terms of throwing himself 100% at something as anybody,” said Josh Mothner. “There were a lot of people at that time who were actively involved in making sure things got done right, but he had a level of vision that I don’t think any of the others had.”
As a council member, Greenman was instrumental in commissioning a visioning study for the city and seeking public input wherever possible. “It was probably the best cross-section of Marathon residents and business owners that’s ever been done on any issue,” said Bartus.
“He was doing what a leader was supposed to do,” said Mothner. “Everyone who runs now talks about strategic planning, but we’ve had a plan, and that plan was Frank Greenman. He believed in it, and he still believed in it.”
As an advocate for affordable housing in Marathon, Greenman also played a crucial role with Mothner and Bill Daniels in the formation of the Middle Keys Community Land Trust, and later served on the city’s Affordable Housing Task Force. “Honestly, I don’t think he gives himself enough credit for some of the things he’s done,” said Mothner. “He really is quite a remarkable individual. He’s impeccably honest, and he wants to do the right thing.”
“Of all of my friends, Frank is one of the straightest shooting people I’ve had the pleasure to know,” said Pinkus. “I trust the man implicitly, and a friendship like that is very rare.”
As Greenman and his wife depart Marathon to join one of their three highly accomplished daughters in Seattle, he urges the city to use its available spaces creatively and continually seize opportunities to beautify and develop Marathon, lest it become a “pit stop on the way to Key West.” “The city government is a supple tool to create a whole lot of better things for the people who live here, and it takes initiative,” he said.
Though Greenman has made the decision to move on, he said his fondness for Marathon will remain. “My wife and I have always said that every day we lived here, we saw something beautiful,” he said. “Marathon is a generous community, and it was an absolutely remarkable place to raise children.”
