Legacy Gifts

Alf Marrin (1945-2020) contributed considerably to life on Planet Earth, including patches of the planet served by Children 1st.

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After a tour in the US Navy, he obtained his Masters in Engineering at Auburn University and worked for several defense contractors as an aerospace engineer, including such top secret assignments no one could know where he worked, much less what he did. One accomplishment he could talk about was being a patent holder, inventing part of the B2 while working for Northrop-Grumman. He lived and worked in Florida, New Mexico, Los Angeles, Tucson, Detroit, and Burlington. Work with Beechcraft brought him to Wichita.  A few years into retirement, never one to be idle, Alf sought a volunteer position. He landed at Children 1st where he assisted Kathleen Webb and the tiny initial staff with everything from creating the garden at St. Patrick’s to bringing a local opera performance to several of the schools served by Children 1st. With occasional help from his wife, Ilenya, he cheerfully chaperoned field trips, played a credible Santa Claus, and filled many other roles with a ready smile and uplifting word. A few days before his death, he received his Doctorate in Spiritual Science from Peace Theological Seminary and College of Philosophy. A child at heart, he loved God, his fellow man, and especially all the children.