John and Betty Marrack were “grandpa and grandma” to scores of Park Hill kids — and adults — for almost 30 years.
They babysat, ran errands and went to sports events of their own grandchildren and others’ grandchildren.
“They were the only grandparents in the neighborhood — people just flocked to them,” said their daughter, Philippa “Pippa” Marrack of Denver.
John Marrack was 88 when he died Nov. 7. A memorial is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at Ascension Episcopal Church, East Sixth Avenue and Gilpin Street.
“They were the backbone of our community,” said Trudy Linas, whose children were among those the Marracks watched over.
Betty Marrack died several years ago, but her husband continued the tradition of “kid-sitting,” said his daughter.
Kids knew he was in failing health, so about 15 of them showed up at his house on Halloween to show off their costumes and have their picture taken with him, said Bill Dorn, a longtime friend.
A patriot of both Great Britain and the U.S., Marrack nevertheless disagreed fiercely with the invasion of Iraq.
He drew some protests and surprised looks a few years ago when, while giving the “prayers of the people” during Sunday worship, he veered from the script and asked the people to pray for the Iraqi as well as American war casualties, said his son-in-law, John Kappler.
At times, he put anti-war signs on his lawn. “He had tremendous moral conviction,” said a neighbor, Diane Ipsen. Sometimes he encouraged kids to memorize the Declaration of Independence.
The Marracks delivered Meals on Wheels for years, and he continued “way past the time he should have been getting meals himself,” said Pippa Marrack.
John Marrack was involved in saving the “pavilions” at City Park from becoming an office building, was on the Greater Park Hill Neighborhood board and wrote a column for the Park Hill newsletter.
Marrack had “a rich, expressive speaking voice,” and congregants loved to hear him read Scripture during services, said Greg Larsen, Ascension’s organist and music director. But he couldn’t sing.
“He didn’t know a damn thing about music,” said his daughter.
John A. Marrack was born on Feb. 10, 1921, in Barnet, England, and joined the Royal Navy after finishing high school. He married Betty Potter on Nov. 1, 1943.
He was an officer on a destroyer and participated in D-Day. After the war, he was business manager for a London law firm.
Thirty years ago, the Marracks moved to Denver to be close to their daughter and son-in-law, and thus began their neighborhood grandparenting.
In addition to his daughter and son-in-law, Marrack is survived by his son, John Marrack of Canada; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
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Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
