Counselor, guardian, teacher, friend, father. Inventor, visionary, philosopher, performer, and artist. Mr. Todd Marrone, adored and admired by anyone who had a conversation with him.

Mr. Marrone, valued as one of the preeminent artists in Philadelphia, was all those descriptions and more. Born in 1974 in Bristol, Pennsylvania, Todd Marrone’s affinity for art quickly became apparent as he vigorously pursued creating and painting drawings deeply rooted in fantasy. By the age of 15, Todd was actively selling original artwork in the Philadelphia area and even opened and operated his own sign painting company.

Upon graduating high school, Mr. Marrone chose to further his education at Kutztown University but returned to the Philadelphia area where he met his future wife, Heather, and eventually had two beautiful kids, Rocco and Matilda.

As an art teacher at Welsh Valley Middle School for 16 years, Mr. Marrone embodied more than just the boundless creativity, sense of humor, and never-ending brilliance that he brought to his classrooms. He represented and stood for all that was fundamental and essential to the progression of humanity: hope, love, acceptance, and unity.

From the very beginning of his career as a teacher at Welsh Valley, Mr. Marrone quickly went from being just teacher at Welsh Valley to a friend and confidant to the thousands of kids that entered the magic wardrobe, E204. Dubbed as “the place where the magic happens,” the coveted art room inhabited by Mr. Marrone became not only a source of fun and enjoyment and a refuge from other classes, but also became a haven for all those who might have felt unwanted or shunned.

I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Marrone as my teacher during my sixth and eighth grade years, and while my first memory of him is dominated by awestruck delight at the jaw-dropping magic tricks and exquisite displays of balancing heavy stools on his chin, looking back, the uniqueness of Mr. Marrone’s presence transcended his demonstrations of physical adroitness.

I now realize it was not the soft, relaxing jazz music that pulsated in the back of our minds as we worked, the captivating ways in which he presented new material in class, or even his flair for illusions that made him so endearing to all the students who knew or experienced him. It was, in fact, that as kids, we sensed – no – we knew that this particular man was different. He was cut from an entirely different cloth.

It was clear from the moment I entered art class that Mr. Marrone emanated love and caring for his students in a way no teacher had ever done. It is precisely this attribute, his signature all-encompassing love for everyone and everything that has left an indelible impact on those who knew Mr. Marrone.

The remembrance event for Todd Marrone, held on December 30^th, saw massive waves of support and an outpouring of love from the Lower Merion community, with hundreds of people attending to support the Marrone family. It was heartening and humbling to see the seemingly never-ending line of cars drive up to an already crammed parking lot and the streams of family members and students pouring into the auditorium doors.

As an attendee, however, the most gut-wrenching and heartbreaking moment was the final remarks by Mr. Marrone’s wife, Heather, as a crowd of people in the lobby of the auditorium bowed their heads in sympathy and grief.

As expected, the people who loved him most, including his three best friends, parents, and wife, highlighted many of the unique characteristics that defined and shaped Mr. Marrone during the memorial service. Packed with hundreds of families, students, and staff members coming to pay their final respects, the auditorium, lined with signature Marrone paintings, echoed with laughter at anecdotes detailing Mr. Marrone’s mischievous childhood, and with sobs at thoughts of what could have been.

It was clear, however, that the constant variable held while describing Mr. Marrone was not his achievements but his everlasting smile and compassion for others.  Although Mr. Marrone’s life was cut cruelly short, many of the speakers for the event emphasized and articulated the need to celebrate Todd’s eternal legacy by doing what he did best: smile.

From the perspective of a brief witness to Mr. Marrone’s life, I can confidently assert that many of my own ideas, concepts, and inspirations stemmed from being blessed with having Mr. Marrone as my teacher. Without a doubt, the way that I approach my own discipline, music, can be traced back to my experiences with Mr. Marrone. Although there is so much more I can say about him, I would like to end with a couple words from Todd Marrone:

“A thing does not end, nor begin, with the maker. Things are consumed, produced and consumed again within an aesthetic ecosystem.”

-Todd Marrone

I take comfort in the belief that Todd Marrone is merely in the process of being produced again in an aesthetic ecosystem waiting to touch our lives. And I find solace in the hope of seeing him once more, both with huge smiles on our faces.

Thank you, Mr. Marrone.

We would like to bring attention to the “Support the Marrone Family” fund set up to bring relief to Mr. Marrone’s wife and two small children.  You can donate, even if a small amount, at this link: http://www.gofundme.com/5y2ha8