Our Readers Remember Greg Marr I went to UWSP in the '70s and would see Greg there. I don't think we ever actually met, but saw each other enough that he would always say "hi" and he seemed like a nice guy. In the late '80s through the mid '90s I would see him at the Birkie, and he still said "hi." When each month's
issue of Silent Sports came in the mail, my first read was always Greg's editorial. He had a style that was easy to read and seemed to reach out to the readers. It was easy for me, and others who weren't out to win the races, to see that as long as we were enjoying ourselves, that is what the sports are all about. I will miss Greg's presence in silent sports. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
JACK MCCOMB
Please accept my sympathy on the loss of your editor, Greg
Marr. I finished reading the new Jan. 2004 issue today and then tonight learned of his death when checking skinnyskis.com for snow reports north of here. I came to your readership only in the last year, as I live just beyond the outer edge of your readership area, but I greatly admire your magazine and the vision which led him to start it and the work he put into it.
My sympathies to all at Silent Sports and to his family on this sad, sad loss.
LOIS ALBRECHT
My wife made
me aware of the passing of Mr. Marr on Christmas morning. I felt as though I had lost a close friend. I had never spoken to him when I saw him at events, figuring I would have a "next time" to congratulate him on the fine magazine he had put together.
I looked forward to his editorial each month. His words seemed to be for the "athlete" in me. The guy who would never place, but just loved being outside enjoying the day.
I hope the magazine will keep on going in his
memory. It has been a honor to say I knew who Greg Mar was.
BILL & CECE ARNOLD
Pewaukee, Wis.
My "story," if you want to call it such, is similar to that of most readers. I never met Greg Marr. Never saw him in person. Never had a phone conversation or even an e-mail exchange. But I felt as if I knew him through his columns. Greg wrote in a very personal way. I felt as though he were sitting next to me, just talking.
Greg never claimed to be a superstar athlete,
but rather an average guy who tried to stay in shape and help others to do likewise. He was an inspiration to me and many, many other folks who will never win a Birkie, Fat Tire, etc. but who keep showing up and doing their best at such events as these and others, year after year.
Greg was a busy guy, but he made time to get outdoors and do the things he loved. I have been way off my already-insufficient fitness program, and I will be skiing my 13th Birkie in less than two months. My goal
today is to finish some business stuff, then go for a run not just some easy walking, which has lately been the extent of my "training regimen." This is a pretty modest way to honor the accomplishments of such a great guy, but I think Greg would approve.
ROBERT E. FRIEND
Flossmoor, Ill.
I was saddened to read in the paper yesterday of Greg's death. Please express my deepest sympathy to his family. He will be greatly missed by all those in the silent sports
community. I hope he is now on the road where the wind is always at his back.
I hope Silent Sports continues with the same spirit and enthusiasm he helped bring to it over the years.
With continued support and prayers,
GREG KRYSTEK
Greg and I never met, though we shared a mutual respect for one another. I was always a big fan of his editorials in Silent Sports , and often laughed to myself about how similar some of our opinions were we both shared the view that summer was our least favorite season, and that eventually retiring in Marquette, Michigan (not Florida or Arizona), would be the way to go.
Greg often evangelized my simple little ski weather Web page in the magazine, though I'm not sure I deserved such attention. After learning of my ruptured brain aneurysm back in July 2002, we finally connected via e-mail and agreed that we should get together for a ski in central Wisconsin. Sadly, we never did get the opportunity to do so.
My wife and I will miss Greg's influence he inspired us to sign up for the first Noquemanon ski race, and we instantly became hooked on that
particular event. Thank you Greg for Silent Sports ... we shall miss you.
SCOTT BACHMEIER
I was skiing tonight when a friend caught up and told me the news. Although I had never met Greg Marr personally, I felt as if I had lost a close friend. His gentle, yet passionate advocacy, of the silent sports made him a friend of every skier.
His editorial was always the first thing I read when each issue arrived, and what he had to say was always interesting and important. The
fact that he died doing what he loved is thin comfort. I doubt if any Midwestern cross country skier will hit the trails this winter without thinking of Greg, and hoping that wherever he is now, there is plentiful snow and perfect wax.
Please express my heartfelt condolences to his family and the staff of Silent Sports.
MIKE CLAY
Cumberland, Wis.
My condolences to you and the staff at Silent Sports magazine on the untimely death of Greg Marr.
I hope you are
doing OK considering the sorrow you must be feeling. Hopefully one day you will think of Greg with less sadness and more with a smile.
Sincerely,
DEBORAH ERNST
In Competition Sports
Greg's passing is a huge loss to the silent sports community. We will miss him greatly. As former president of the North Star Ski Touring Club, I worked closely with Greg to help promote Silent Sports magazine and to help promote our club. Greg was very easy to work with, soft spoken but carried a lot of influence. His desire to work with other silent sports-type organizations was valuable to the future of our sports.
I was shocked one day when Greg contacted me about a photo on our ski club's Web site. He wanted to use it for the cover of his magazine. I gladly responded, mailed the negative to him and a month or so later watched my wife's face in awe as she looked at herself skiing on the cover of Silent Sports magazine in the photo that I had sent Greg.
Your legacy will live forever, Greg; thanks for your commitment to silent sports.
GREG FANGEL
Please continue the magazine if
possible. Greg Marr was much more than just a hell of a guy.
DOUG GRIFFEN
Marquette, Mich.
I was in Appleton and Waupaca this holiday season and learned of Greg Marr's passing. I spoke with Greg on the phone last year after stopping by the Silent Sports booth at Canoecopia. I was asking Greg for advice on moving to Waupaca and maintaining my ties to the sporting and publishing world. Greg was gracious and helpful, even though I was a stranger to him. From personal stories I've heard from Waupaca locals, Greg was also wonderful and spirited man.
My condolences for your loss,
BRANDAN HARDIE
I just found out about Greg's death. He'll be missed by the silent sports community. He has been a real advocate for skiing, cycling, rowing, and to a lesser extent, canoeing and running in the upper Midwest for years.
I signed up for the magazine when it first came out and met Greg on several occasions. His comments on the editor's page will also be missed, from his optimistic snow forecast (covering up his porch windows) to his
advocacy of reducing use of oil.
He was a good speaker. I remember when he came to Madison and spoke at the club meeting he talked about skiing, but he also shared stories of his early days as a journalist, very funny stuff.
DEREK POPP
Madison, Wis.
I am so sorry, Greg did the silent sports community good. I send my regards.
Sincerely,
STEVE
Greg has been a kind sponsor of the "S-No-W Fun" Run for many years, donating back issues of Silent Sports for our 800+ participants. This year, as usual, I tried to harass Greg into coming down for the event. We'd always wanted to meet him, and to show him a good time. "No," he insisted, "if there's even a remote chance of snow, I'll be in the UP. I hate to miss any opportunity to ski." It will be a bittersweet thing when we give away those much-loved back issues at the race this year.
JOEY and TOM
I was a fledging writer, some 12 years ago, when I approached Greg Marr with the very first article I had ever written. It was called "Embracing the Plunge," about the euphoria experienced by a beginning SCUBA diver. I don't think Greg felt that the article would work but he was very kind to me. He wrote back that it was well written but lacked this and that. Encouraged, I rewrote the story and sent it back to Greg.
A month or so later, Greg sent me an extra copy of the upcoming Silent Sports issue, with my story in it. He congratulated me and encouraged more articles on my part. This came as a pleasant shock. I was getting a ton of rejections and nonresponses from other editors, but from Greg I got complete encouragement. He didn't know it but he became my mentor. I kept sending stories and he kept accepting them and, in our e-mails and phone calls, we talked about getting together for a couple beers.
I only met Greg once, briefly, at a Birkie start. He was as nice as I expected him to be. If I have any regrets about Greg, it would have to be along the lines of not having that beer with him. I see that as my loss. I know though that when I see people ski-skating on some frozen lake I'll think of him. I'll still look for him among the crowd at each Birkie. And, some March morning, when I'm skimming across the snow crust of one of the Sobieski, Michigan's farm fields, with the sun giving
me a shadow for a partner, I'll just let that partner be Greg.
JERRY HARPT
As publisher of The Master Skier, I've worked with Greg Marr over the years and always found him to be enthusiastic about life and a joy to deal with. Having similar advertisers and writers, we often sent ad materials to one another and talked about the sports we loved, like cross country skiing.
Greg always had a positive outlook and I looked forward to our annual conversation at the Birkie. The
whole cross country skiing world will miss him. He was an outstanding spokesman for our sport.
BOB GREGG
My husband and I have been long-time subscribers to your wonderful magazine and have it enjoyed it for many many years. When we heard of Greg's passing we were very, very saddened. We both wanted to extend our condolences to all of you there at the magazine as we know that you must have all been very close to Greg and will miss him greatly.
This has been a real awakening for
us due to the fact that he was so close to our own ages (mine exactly) and I am supposing that he was in what most of us would consider excellent shape. I guess you just really don't know, do you? We just have to live every day to its fullest.
Again, please accept our deepest condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you as well as Greg's family during this very sad time.
Sincerely,
PAULA and DAN MINKEBIGE
Waupaca, Wis.
I am so very sorry to hear about Greg's
sudden death. I join many other readers in expressing my deepest sympathy to Greg's entire family and that of the magazine staff.
I enjoyed Greg's thinking and writing a great deal. I know he worked very hard to bring each issue to us. What a setback for silent sports this is. Even more, he will be dearly missed by his family because of the fine person he was. May the Lord be a comfort to all those who now grieve Greg's passing from this life.
JOHN MORRIS
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I have been a long-time subscriber to Silent Sports . I saw this weekend in my paper that Greg passed away. I am sorry to hear this and offer my family's condolences. I never met Greg but always looked forward to reading his intro to the magazine. I did so so often that I feel I know him. My family's prayers are with each of you.
Sincerely,
DAVE SACHS
Seymour, Wis.
News of Greg's death hit me in a strange way. Since the '80s when I began subscribing to Silent Sports , I have always read the Editor's page. So many times what Greg was saying was just what I was thinking. I found that we had so much in common, from the good old days of softball to skiing the Birkie, political and social views and a love for nature and the outdoors.
There have been many times when I would read one of Greg's adventures and think, if he liked it I would probably like it, too. I always thought I would run into him somewhere and be able to thank him personally for the activities he motivated me to experience. Now that chance has passed and I feel a loss for someone I never met. I think if I had met him we would have easily become friends.
Thank you for letting me express this. My condolences for Greg's family and friends.
KAREN POSSLEY
Dear Ski for Light Community:
I am very pleased to announce that an article about Ski for Light was recently published in the January issue of Silent Sports magazine.
Unfortunately, this good news was followed by the sad news of the unexpected death of Silent Sports editor Greg Marr on Friday, December 19. Greg offered much assistance with and was instrumental in publishing the article about SFL which appeared in the magazine. I personally found him to be a gracious man who was passionately dedicated to the magazine and the sports it covered. Greg also published an article about SFL in December 2000, prior to our Green Bay event in 2001.
Ski for Light has lost a true friend. If I may be so presumptuous as to speak for the entire Ski for Light Family, our hearts go out to Greg's family, friends and the staff at Silent Sports .
Sincerely,
DUANE FARRAR
Ski for Light
Over the many years that I have been a subscriber to the magazine, I have contacted Greg on a variety of issues. These issues ranged from the mundane such as disappointment with the lack of snow to more serious ski-related technical issues.
Greg always returned my e-mails promptly and in a friendly tone, never condescending, always folksy and friendly. I felt like he was a friend even though I never met him personally.
What a shock his death was a great man with a wonderful love for the outdoors and a keen way of relating that to us via Silent Sports magazine. May he rest in peace.
LENARD STASZAK
One of my favorite memories of the Birkie included Greg.
My kind-of brother-in-law, Bob Richards, and I would
leave the Chicago area on the Thursday before the race. We'd arrive at Telemark, usually around 10 p.m. or so. This goes back to the days when the lobby had the huge bar. Without fail, for several years, Greg and Phil Van Valkenburg would be at the bar, holding court. We'd talk for a bit but it was almost a part of the Birkie tradition, such as the Power Lines, Fire Tower Hill, and those crazy snowmobilers when we ran into Greg and Phil.
We'll miss you, Greg. What you did for the silent
sports was truly unique.
JOHN ULRICH
Greg Marr's loss is profound. The legacy he leaves is even more profound and it is significant to all of us. Greg was a champion of the citizen participant in the outdoors.
Greg was seemingly always there supporting our events, our causes, cheering on our successes and sharing his love of the outdoors at outdoor expos, at bike rides, ski events and recreation trade events. He always said "yes!" when asked to share his love of silent
sports.
Greg was an accomplished journalist editor, publisher, writer, proofreader, and designer taking the musings and ramblings of countless contributors and turning out monthly a polished, honed package celebrating aerobic recreational sports.
Greg, we miss you, but have been strengthened by the gifts you have given us and your legacy will live on.
KARL GUTKNECHT
Cycle Ventures International
Madison, Wis.
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