Marshall Esty Denkinger ’56

Esty died of a heart attack on Sept. 15, 2000, while he and his wife, Betty, were touring northern Spain with a group of '56 classmates and their wives.

At Princeton Esty joined Quadrangle Club, sang in the chapel choir, and majored in English. He received his master of divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1959 and, until 1972, served in the parish ministry of Episcopal churches in New Jersey, Indiana, and Missouri. For the next 10 years, he was the owner/operator of a farm in Vermont, as well as serving as the developer and managing partner of a low-income housing program for the rural elderly and handicapped. From 1982-89 Esty was a management and marketing consultant in NYC as well as the president and director of a nonprofit group (Ecumenical Community Development Organization) bringing affordable housing to the West Harlem area. Starting in 1989 he served as interim rector in eight churches, the most recent being St. Paul's Parish, Kent, in Chestertown, Md., where a service celebrating Esty's life was held on All Saints Sunday, Nov. 5. Our class was represented by Scott Conover, Bob Hudnut, Matt Perry, Bob Rodgers, Bud Updike, and their wives. Bob H. delivered the homily; Scott and Bob R. read the lessons.

Esty is survived by his wife, Mary Elizabeth ("Betty"), four children, Mary '79, Marshall '81, Thomas, and Eric, and four grandchildren. The class extends its deep sympathy to each of them.

The Class of 1956