Pictures of Stuart Marr filled the tables and lined the rails as a large contingent from the community came out on July 13 to remember the Key Largo icon at Lighthouse Beach.
A philanthropist and successful developer in the Upper Keys, Marr passed away at age 92 on July 8. Born June 7, 1927 in Clear Lake, South Dakota, Marr moved with his family in 1959 to Tampa, Florida, and then to Miami. He finally ended up in Key Largo. A World War II veteran, Marr developed properties like Buccaneer Point and Port Largo.
Joy Martin, owner and broker at American Caribbean Real Estate, knew Marr for almost 30 years. Martin said he was mentor to her on many levels when she went into real estate. She said he very much enjoyed living in the Keys with community and business his staples.
“He used to tell me as years went by that his wife would want to travel and go on vacation, and he’d say, ‘I wake up and I feel on vacation.’ He just loved the Keys,” Martin said. “He didn’t evacuate his Oceanside home during Irma, much to the dismay of family members and wife. They stayed through the storm, and being on the open ocean through a hurricane is a scary proposition He had built that house and felt comfortable.”
Marr was instrumental in the growth and stability of the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce. In the mid-1990s, Marr permitted the building of a facility on his property at MM 106, bayside, for the chamber and visitors center.
In 2015, the chamber was looking to remortgage the building to get a better loan rate. They couldn’t, however, since they didn’t own the land. After Marr received an explanation about the situation, he signed over the land to the chamber.
“We owe him a lot of gratitude because we’re here today and thriving as a Chamber of Commerce,” said president Elizabeth Moscynski. “He’s been part of this community for so long. We’re certainly grateful for all his contributions.”
