R. WILLIAM MARBERGER
506 Saddleback Court, Asheville, NC 28803
( 704 ) 684 - 9884
Having decided in Junior year that I would not pursue a career in medicine, the year following graduation I worked in an aircraft pans factory in Ohio, and, in the fall of '42, I joined the Navy V -7 program and was commissioned an Ensign in July '43. Most of my time in the service was spent at the Naval Supply Depot at Mechanicsburg, Pa. where I met Billy ( Vassar '43 ), a Wave Lt. ( j .g. ) in cryptography.
In June '46 Billy and I were married and returned to the Norristown, Pa. area where I joined my father in the automobile business he had started in 1919. After 16 years in the family dealership, I left in January 1962 for a totally new career in the field of turf maintenance.
The past 29 years have been interesting and rewarding in that I made many new friends, and travelled to numerous cities in the U.S. I was instrumental in opening the Bermuda golf course trade to several East coast distributors, thereby enjoying many lovely trips to that beautiful island.
Although not a very spectacular 50 years, It's been a lot of fun, along with blood, sweat, and tears. We lived at Apple Hill Farm for 40 years, and produced three fine sons and Angus cattle along with other assorted livestock. Of our three sons, Will and Peter still reside in Pa., while Tom, Amherst '73, lives and teaches in Asheville. We have two grandsons, courtesy of Will!
Billy and I were active in our Episcopal Church in Pa., and in the School District, Billy as President of the School Board and I was Vice-President of the School Authority.
I spent 15 years as a director of the Pa. Turfgrass Council and also served as President. In one of my proudest moments, I became the recipient of the Council's distinguished Service Award in 1988.
Since moving to North Carolina, I've been working pan-time calling on golf courses on behalf of my employer, Lebanon Chemical Corp. and their distributor in Charlotte, N.C. who serves both Carolinas.
Billy and I are enjoying semi-retirement, making new friends, entertaining old ones, playing a little golf, and gardening. Billy has taken up painting again and has produced some pretty fine work while I keep busy with my part-time employement.
In the future, God and the national economy permitting, we look forward to some travel beyond the Caribbean and Bermuda. Since my wife is a devout Anglophile, I'm sure our first trip abroad will be to the British Isles.
In closing, it's been a great life with a great wife. And isn't it nifty to make it to fifty?!!