Marianne C. Montoro

Marianne was born in New York City on June 14, 1933, the only daughter of Virginia Bennett of Denver, Colorado, and the eldest daughter of Charles Crocker of San Francisco, California. She was the great-granddaughter of Charles Crocker, one of the “Big Four” who built the Central Pacific Railroad, the western half of the first transcontinental railroad, and the granddaughter of Horace W. Bennett, industrialist and developer of Cripple Creek, Colorado. She is survived by her two siblings, Daphne Crocker White of San Rafael, California and Charles Crocker of San Francisco, California.

She attended Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, and Mills College in Oakland, California. In 1953, she married Earle M. Elrick and settled in Caracas, Venezuela, where she developed her life-long love of orchids and specialized in phalaenopsis. From her first marriage, she is survived by her two children Marianne (Randi) Virginia Elrick (Kenneth Myers) and Earle (Ricky) Crocker Elrick, and Randi’s daughter Morgan Virginia Manley.

In 1968, she married Hans Ploch of Caracas and, in 1978, they moved to Miami. In 1989, she married Dr. Rafael Montoro, also of Miami. Dr. Montoro passed away in 2010. Their love for each other inspired everyone who knew them. Marianne often spoke of Rafael as “her dessert.” Her love for him extended to his children: Victoria Montoro, Rafael Montoro (Diana Aleman), Teresa Montoro Gross (Jorge), and his five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Marianne was an active member and judge of the American Orchid Society. As a judge, she traveled throughout the world. Marianne was Secretary of the 11th World Orchid Conference in 1984, a long-time board member at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and the first woman president of the South Florida Orchid Society. She arranged the donation of the Dunsterville watercolors of Venezuelan orchids to the American Orchid Society. Orchids honoring Marianne and Rafael were registered in 2009 (Ascda Marianne Montoro and Ascda Rafael Montoro).

She was a longtime member of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and the Riviera Country Club. As an active member of the Riviera Bridge Club, she competed in tournaments throughout Florida and was a Bronze Life Master. She is remembered as a considerate and patient player, whose laughter filled the room.

The funeral service will be held at Saint Augustine Church, 1400 Miller Road, Coral Gables, Florida 33146 on January 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to: The American Orchid Society at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd, Coral Gables, FL 33156, Tel: 305-740-2010; Foxcroft School, 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg, Virginia 20117, Tel: 504-687-5555; or Medecins San Frontieres, 40 Rector Street, New York, NY 10006, Tel: (305) 667-1651.