The House at
4285 North Indian River Drive
Cocoa, Florida
The House That Marion Built
This is a side
of Marion that most of you probably don't know. He's a writer,
reformer
and dreamer, but he's also a designer, builder, rebuilder,
mechanic--a
worker with physical things. I once went to the Post Office
and came back to find that Marion had knocked a wall out in my
house.
I needed a larger kitchen. His house on Indian River Drive is
just
one example of his talent and constant drive to make things
better.
He built it entirely himself. No subcontractors. During a
Christmas
visit Marion said I could put the picture I took of them on the balcony
on his home page. I didn't ask about adding this page, and I hope he
does
not mind. But what the heck! What can he do except ask me
to
remove it? The first
two pictures are of the little duplex that Marion and Joy lived in
while
they built "the house." The duplex is now a rental unit and guest
quarters
and is connected to the main house.
If you would like to view a video of
the house today click below
One of Marion's most recent
undertakings was the restoration of a boat that his children and I
learned to ski behind more than fifty years ago. The boat was a 12'
Chris-Craft Kit boat and was assembled sometime in the early
1950's. It was overturned at least twice, and refinished,
and modified, several times over the years. Last year
Marion decided that perhaps there was still some spirit left in the old
hull and then began a reconstruction. With the dedication and zeal he
always has when undertaking a task, he began.
Below is the before
and after
Below is a VW Dune Buggy
that Marion built sometime in the 1970's. He shortened a
1963 VW, by cutting out 14 inches of the frame. The picture was
taken on one of the trips Joy and Marion made to Canada.
He still has it and it still runs!
