Jaycees raise funds for Cary man’s family
Dennis Marr just got a new job so that he and his new wife could have health insurance, but he died in February before his medical benefits could kick in.
Friends are now coming together to help his wife, Sarah Marr, and his family pay for hospital and hospice care bills. Dennis Marr died Feb. 12 at age 29 after being diagnosed with traumatic brain injury resulting from a car crash in January.
The Cary Grove Jaycees are organizing a raffle April 30 at Wool Street Grill & Sports Bar in Cary to benefit the Dennis Marr Memorial Fund.
“(The medical costs) are out of this world,” said Gail Overstreet-Williams, communications chairwoman for the Cary Grove Jaycees. “He had a young wife, they really didn’t have anything yet. They did not a chance to put together life savings.”
Dennis and Sarah were married in August and lived in the Lake Killarney subdivision near Cary, said his brother David M. Marr of Lakewood. Dennis had been self-employed as a home repair and remodeling contractor, David said.
On the evening of Jan. 17, Dennis’ father, David T. Marr, of Fox River Grove, was driving as he and Dennis were on their way to bowl at Sideouts Bar & Eatery in Island Lake. The road conditions were poor, and their car fishtailed into an oncoming car, Dennis’ brother said.
The brothers grew up in the northwest side of Chicago before the family moved to Fox River Grove in 1993. Dennis graduated from Cary-Grove High School in 2000 and had an associate degree from McHenry County College.
Dennis was a gregarious, athletic guy who liked volleyball, bowling, shooting pool, playing darts and playing bean bags, David said. He made lots of friends at places like Duke O’Brien’s (now Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen) in Crystal Lake, Tony V.’s in Cary and Sideouts, he said.
“My brother was very giving and helpful, he was very friendly. He would go out of his way, above and beyond, for his friends and family,” he said. “He had a big heart.”
A fundraiser sponsored by local bands took place March 26 at Buzz in Crystal Lake.
Raffle tickets for the Cary Grove Jaycees fundraiser are $50. A maximum of 100 tickets will be sold, with a $2,000 cash grand prize. A silent auction might take place as well. To purchase tickets, call Les Gustafson at (815) 355-0592 or Gail Overstreet-Williams at (847) 361-0186.