Obituary: Henri de Marne, 1925-2024
Henride Marne rejoined "the Great Spirit" on October 15 in Shelburne,Vt.
Hisgenuine warmth, curiosity, caring, intelligence and old-school Frenchcharm coupled with an extrovert's personality were natural assetsfor a successful life well lived.
Hewas well known for his syndicated newspaper column "About the HouseWith Henri de Marne" which ran in the and hundreds of newspapers across the U.S. for 42 years. As one ofthe pioneers in the building science profession, he was highlyregarded for his expertise in all things related to the constructionindustry.
Hewas a builder, expert litigation witness, researcher, teacher, mentorand lecturer as well as book author. Also an avid whitewatercanoeist, ski instructor, outdoor enthusiast, father, husband andfriend.
Bornin Paris, France, in 1925, to Paul Fievet de Marne and JeanneBonifay, he received the French Baccalaureate in Law Study from "LaSorbonne" University of Paris and later his MA from the Universityof Maryland.
Histeen years spanned World War II. He volunteered with the French RedCross and then served in the army alongside Patton's Second ArmoredDivision during the Siegfried Line campaign. At the war's end, hedecided to immigrate to the U.S., as France was in turmoil and it wasfeared that the Communist Party would take control. While applyingfor his visa, he met his first wife, Muriel Mann, at the AmericanEmbassy, Paris.
Theywere married for 43 years and welcomed three children, Kitty, Philipand Loretta, while located in the Washington, D.C./Bethesda, Md.,area. He taught French at the Pentagon, the University of Maryland,and St. Albans School for Boys.
In1957, he left teaching to launch his long and successful career inhome construction, restoration, renovation and remodeling in Potomac,Md. His company bore his name long after he sold it and relocated toVermont to follow his new passion — skiing!
Hebegan his ski instructing career at Bromley Mountain and then fell inlove with Mad River Glen in Waitsfield, Vt., where he taught skiingfor 20 years. His dream house was built on a hill in Waitsfield witha panoramic view of the Mad River Glen and Sugarbush ski areas.
Destinycalled him to inspect a roof in Essex, Vt., where he met "the loveof his life," future wife and devoted partner for 30 years, Susan(Huyler) Donnis. He loved life and felt that every day was ablessing.
