William (Bill) Farr Marx left this life gently on October 20, 2006 in the arms of the woman he loved most, his wife Lorraine, under the night sky on Orcas Island, WA – “paradise” to use his own words.

Bill was born on July 2, 1918 in Roswell, New Mexico, delivered by his maternal grandfather Dr. William Farr Mattocks.

He lived mostly in New Mexico until 1935 when he and his family moved to Glendale, California. He made southern California his home for the next 14 years.

Bill was always surprised at his financial success. He had varied careers, from his early positions as a gas station attendant and aircraft parts division manager at Lockheed. Bill enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and proudly served as a B-29 Bomber pilot of the 20th Air Force, West Pacific Air Offensive Japan stationed on the island of Tinian. Bill flew 35 combat missions, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal and 4 Bronze Stars. After his military career he owned and skippered the “Say-When”, a sports fishing boat out of Newport Beach, CA. He managed sales at a Chevrolet dealership and found a lucrative vocation selling real estate in both San Clemente and Orange County. His head for business continued to bring profits as he ran Mac Rents Everything in Gardena. He retired from Mac Rents in 1992, after 33 years as “the idiots who rents anything”.

After retirement Bill moved from Southern California, where he was known for his generosity and community service, to Orcas Island, where he continued with his acts of service and warmed the hearts of his new community with his unending generosity. Retirement was far from the end of things for this driven man, who continued his work with the Kiwanis, a life-time member and former president. He was a Master Mason, member of VFW, model railroad enthusiast, devoted father and husband, made regular donations to the Red Cross blood banks, and was an avid gardener, a farmer at heart. He found comfort as an active member of the Orcas Island Community Church. He lived on Orcas with his wife Lorraine Stevens-Marx for 14 years – the happiest of his life- he was fond of saying.

Bill was preceded in death by his mother Edna Wheeler Farr Marx, father William Thadeus Marx and sister Beatrice Wheeler Sinclair Lineberger. Surviving are his wife Lorraine Stevens-Marx of Eastsound, WA, daughters Melanie Jeanne Marx of Ashland, OR, and Lynne Louise Chabot of Nellysford, Virginia, and step-children Wendy, Michael and Kris Long. He will be affectionately remembered by his 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.