G. Renick Marsh, 84, of Gulf Shores, passed away Jan. 31, 2014. His life partner, Helen Herring, and his dear friend, Don McCaughey, were by his side when he died.
Renick is survived by Helen; and his sons, Gordon, Mike and Steve.
Renick was born in Birmingham, but spent his early life in Kentucky, where he met his wife, Mary, and received a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Kentucky.
He served in the Army as a lieutenant in the Korean War, for which his unit received the Presidential Unit Citation.
After the war, he began his long career in the oil industry as an exploration geologist while he and Mary raised their three sons.
Mary passed away in 1996 in Houston, Texas, their home since 1967.
In 1997, Renick and Helen met at their 50th high school reunion, and in 1999 moved together to Gulf Shores.
His life in Gulf Shores was a time of great happiness. He and Helen had a wonderful community of friends, and he pursued a number of interests.
He was an avid woodcarver, and a number of his sculptures won awards at art shows in various cities.
His avocation as a lifeguard since high school continued at the Bodenhammer Center until his retirement in 2012. He trained countless lifeguards and instructors during his 55-year association with the Red Cross and with a nationally known water safety organization. It was his way of giving back to the community.
He was a lover of nature in all its marvelous and amazing forms, and passed his love to all his sons.
He maintained a saltwater fish tank for years, containing fish caught in the Gulf.
Last, Renick loved to read a good book, and anyone stopping by to visit Helen and Renick was likely to find them both reading.
His friend, Don McCaughey, called him a Renaissance man because of the breadth of his interests.
Renick was a past president of the Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, and a board member of the Little Lagoon Preservation Society.
He was kind, compassionate and without pretense. His sense of humor, generosity of spirit and quiet courage will be missed.
He never complained and always had a smile for everyone, rare qualities to be sure. In the end, Renick lived his life with grace, quiet dignity and an abiding compassion for his fellow man.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. It was one of his favorite charities.
