George Arthur Parr

George Arthur Parr, 88, a Marco Island resident since 1987, passed away October 21. A graduate of St. Anselm's College in his native Manchester, NH, George had a long management career with IBM, with most of his years spent in the Washington Federal office in Washington, D.C. A political junkie, he relished spending time on Capitol Hill as he visited accounts at the House of Representatives. He gave his friends and family a " behind the scenes commentary", not always complimentary, about the officeholders of the day!

When he and his wife, Rita, moved to Marco Island, George embarked on a second career in real estate sales, first with Deltona and later with Remax. He often joked that he enjoyed the job so much that he would gladly have done it for free!

From his early years, George loved boating, and he always conspired to live on the water, enjoying homes on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD, on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, NH and on Marco Island. He was rarely happier than when he took his loved ones cruising for the day.

Surely some of his boating expertise came from his service in the US Coast Guard, which he joined at the age of 17 during WWII. In those days, he was practicing how to pilot landing vessels in preparation for a planned invasion of Japan. In later years, fellow boaters marveled at how easily he could maneuver a speedboat into a small dock space!

George also served in the USMC, and was a proud graduate of Officer Candidate School at Parris Island, South Carolina. He often regaled his family with tales of the rigorous training there, including lying submerged underwater while breathing through a straw. Quite a feat for someone who disliked being in the water!

George is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Rita Lacaillade Parr, his daughter, Sue Parr Pyle (Robert) of Raleigh, NC; his granddaughters, Dr. Caroline Pyle Hamilton (Chris) of New York, NY and Celia Pyle Whited (Ben) of Raleigh, NC; and his four great-grandchildren, Christopher Hamilton, Jr., Clementine Hamilton, Henry Whited and Frances Whited. We cherish the memory of this kind, generous and cheerful man, and will miss him greatly.

A memorial mass will be held at San Marco Catholic Church on Marco Island at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 27.