Our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and friend, Freddie “Fred” Lamar Marion, 78, passed away on June 11 in Vero Beach, Florida. He died from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was born in West Point to Mattie Catherine Poore and Walter Pate Marion.

His siblings include Sue Young (Phillip), Phillip Marion (Beverly), and Barbara Hadaway.

Fred was a graduate of Georgia Tech (Aerospace Engineering) and the University of Florida (Masters).

He was President of Electro-Optical Systems with DRS Technologies, responsible for thermal weapon sight, the tactical range thermal imager and the combat gimbaled sight system, from 2000 until 2006. Prior to that, he was Vice President Fire Control Systems for Lockheed Martin, responsible for the performance of Patriot missile, javelin, Hellfire II, Longbow Missile and Pershing II for 25 years. Marion was an avid golfer, loved working out and the arts. He was a former member of Orchid Island, Quail Valley and Oak Harbor.

He is survived by his wife of nineteen years, Marilyn Crockett Marion and his three children, Mary Elizabeth Jackson (Charlie), Michael David Marion (Wendy) and William Frederick Marion (Susannah Rose). He had eight grandchildren, six nieces and three nephews.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Myra Jo Folmar and his mother, father and stepfather, Hugh Hadaway.

Determination, persistence and the belief of “Never Giving Up” are what he lived his life by. He didn’t believe in the word “can’t.”

His memorial service will be at 1st Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Blvd, Vero Beach, on June 18 at 10 a.m.

Fred would like any donations made to First Presbyterian Church where he treasured being a member.

An online guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome.com.