Lois Marie Marrs

A child of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, a wife and mother in war, a postwar Ventura newcomer and a teacher for 25 years in Ventura and South Oxnard schools, Lois Marie Marrs died June 22 after suffering a heart attack. She was 93.

She was the widow of Roy M. Marrs, former superintendent of schools in the Ocean View School District, who died in 1973. Roy and Lois Marrs moved to Ventura in 1948 when they bought a flying school based at the old Pierpont airstrip. He had been an Army flight instructor and air inspector during World War II, and hoped to make a living in the air, but their business did not soar, and the couple turned to education.

Mrs. Marrs began her teaching career in 1950 at Ocean View School where her husband later became superintendent. After two years, she accepted a position in the Ventura schools and taught second grade at Mound School and then kindergarten at Juanamaria School until her retirement in 1975.

Born in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Feb. 21, 1919, she met her husband at the University of Omaha, now a branch of the University of Nebraska. After graduation, they were married in Omaha in 1940 while he served in the Army Air Corps at Randolph Field, Texas.

Lois Marrs was honored locally during the last month as the longest-living member of the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary organization for women in education. She was also a 75-year member of the Order of Eastern Star as well as a past worthy matron of the order’s Channel Islands Chapter in Ventura. She joined Eastern Star as a teenager while serving as honored queen of Job’s Daughters, Omaha Bethel 13.

She made her family’s home in Ventura for 64 years after moving west from Omaha following World War II. In addition to Delta Kappa Gamma and Eastern Star, she was a member of the San Buenaventura Women’s Club, Ladies Oriental Shrine, Daughters of the Nile, the American Association of University Women, Community Presbyterian Church, and several bridge clubs.

After retirement from teaching, she continued to work part-time for many years as an “Avon lady.” She also traveled extensively, and visited dozens of countries all over the globe.

She loved acting as hostess and was never happier than when she had a house full of relatives for family celebrations. Over the years, many of her grandchildren took advantage of her hospitality, taking turns living in her home’s ground-floor apartment.

For many years, she also contributed her musical talent as the organist for Eastern Star ceremonies, and she performed in the handbell chorus at Community Presbyterian Church. Until her death, she continued to provide monthly table decorations for Masonic dinner gatherings.

Her father, John W. Burnett, was general superintendent of the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1930s. One of her fondest memories was of making a trip to California with “Daddy” in his private rail car, No. 517. She grew up in Omaha, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Pocatello, Idaho, as the family moved with each of her father’s promotions in the railroad.

She loved to tell stories and was known for her lively sense of humor. She boasted of “sleeping with” broadcaster Curt Gowdy when they were grade-schoolers in Cheyenne, and of eating frog legs at a fancy Philadelphia restaurant because “it was the cheapest thing on the menu.” She recalled that Rudy Vallee performed while she dined on frog legs. And she often shared joyful stories of later experiences with her students, from kindergarten to second grade, and even Sunday school.

She is survived by her sons and their wives, John and Marie of Port Angeles, Wash., and Richard and Pamela of Quartz Hill, Calif.; grandchildren, Jeff Marrs of Ojai, Joanne Marrs of Ventura, Marianne Balistreri of Calabasas, Rebecca Marrs of Santa Barbara, Roy Miller of Ventura, Joshua Greck of Ventura and Brendan Harrington of Los Gatos; son-in-law, Gerry Greck; and thirteen great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Valerie Lynn Greck, died four years ago.

Visitation will take place at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, from 12:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M., Friday, July 6. Services will be conducted on Saturday, July 7, 10:00 A.M., at Community Presbyterian Church, 1555 Poli Street, Ventura, with a reception following in the church fellowship hall. Private family burial services will be at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, online at shrinershospitals.org or by mail, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at TedMayrFuneralHome.com.