Bob Marz, an APCO life member, passed away October 5 at home in South Ogden, Utah, with his family. He was 87.
Marz became a public safety telecommunicator for the Utah Highway Patrol in 1959 and advanced to radio engineer within a year. He served northern Utah in this position until 1990. Marz retired from the state service in 1998.
Marz joined APCO in 1966 as a member of the then Intermountain Chapter and later that year was made the frequency coordinator for the state of Utah. He was the only member from Utah until the Utah Chapter of APCO was formed in 1972.
Marz served as a member of the committee to determine the data contractor when AFC went digital in 1987. In 1989, he served as chairman of the Needs Analysis Committee, which was made up of a frequency advisor from each APCO region to determine the characteristics of the first APCO-owned frequency coordination system. He later served on the team selected to build this system and as a Beta tester. The system would go on-line at the annual conference held in Seattle in 1992. As a member of the AFC Advisory Committee for 14 years, he participated in decisions with respect to system upgrades. He was also part of the team, as well as a Beta tester, of APCO’s the first Windows-based coordination system.
Marz served as the Utah Chapter’s elected appointee to the National Executive Committee for 14 years and on other national committees. He was awarded APCO’s Life Membership in 1991 and has received other President’s Awards as AFC’s Coordinator of the Year and special achievement awards. Marz was one of the initial six people inducted into the Utah APCO communications Hall of Fame.
While serving on Ogden City’s Volunteer Fire Department he was instrumental in helping South Ogden obtain its first two-way public safety and public works radio systems. He also served 9 ½ years as a member of the National Guard. Heattended the University of Utah and Utah State University.
Marz’s wife, Patricia, passed away in 2020. He is survived by three children, 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Viewing is 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday, October 13 at Leavitt’s Mortuary, 836 36th St., Ogden, Utah. Viewing is 11 a.m. Friday, October 14 at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ward building followed by funeral services at noon. Cemetery is 1:15 p.m. at Lindquist Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 S. Washington Blvd., Ogden, Utah.
