Webster W. Marlowe

Webster Marlowe, 84, of Palatka, died peacefully in his home Monday morning, Oct. 10, 2016. Born Dec. 1, 1931, in Jacksonville to Thomas Lee Marlowe and Ola Alberta Cantee, Marlowe graduated from Lee High School in 1949. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Marlowe moved to Thomasville, N.C., and enrolled at High Point College. An early pioneer in the plastics industry, he was the secretary-treasurer for Flex-OPak in 1955 before leaving to start Rex Plastics in 1959. In 1965, he founded Southern Film Extruders in High Point, N.C., where he served as company president. He was a member and national councilman of the Society of Plastic Engineers and was active in Rankin Memorial United Methodist Church. An avid pilot, he loved flying and served as wing commander of the Civil Air Patrol in Lexington, N.C.
Marlowe moved to Palatka in the 1980s, where he worked for the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch and Lightfoot Fire Extinguisher. He also became an active member of Carraway Seventh Day Baptist Church, and served as post chaplain for American Legion Post 45, Bert Hodge, in Palatka. He and his late wife, Beverly Marlowe, began the “Joy In The Morning” ministry for unwed mothers, which provided assistance for more than 100 single mothers. On a trip to Haiti, he found his passion and learned to build artificial legs in order to serve Haitian amputees. Since the early 1990s, Marlowe made more than 50 mission trips to Haiti and three to the Dominican Republic, bringing artificial limbs to needy recipients.
He is preceded in death by 10 brothers and sisters and two great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marie Benedict Marlowe; his daughter, Dr. Suzanne Marlowe Minarcine (Mrs. Robert Minarcine) of Macon, Ga.; his son, Robert Athel Marlowe of Greensboro, N.C.; his sister, Katherine Long, of Liberty, S.C.; four grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Haitian ministries through Bethlehem Ministry, P.O. Box 48387, Athens, GA 30604; http://www.bethlehemministry.org.
Masters Funeral Home of Palatka is assisting the family.