Hall of Honor Recipient
Dr. James R. Marks
Class of 1932
Inducted in 1995-96
Dr. James R. Marks graduated from Davenport High School in 1932.He earned a B.A. degree from St. Ambrose College in political science, he attained a B.A. degree in Sacred Theology at Boston University, an M.A. from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Andover Newton Theological School also in Sacred Theology.
From 1942 until 1969, he served as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. During his long military career, he ministered to officers and enlisted men on aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and command ships around the world. During W.W. II, he served in campaigns in the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Aleutian Islands. After the war, he was Senior Chaplain on Guam, and served in the Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean. His ministry was truly worldwide, and in its course he witnessed firsthand many significant historical events. While serving in the Mediterranean, he was responsible for the success of the People To People Program which helped improve the quality of life for elderly and children. In recognition for his work in this area, Dr. Marks was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. One of the many certificates, commendations, and citations for military achievement is membership in Exalted Order of SPREX (Space Recovery Experts), signed by Walter Schirra, Frank Borman, Thomas Stafford and James Lovell for service aboard the ship which recovered Gemini GT 6 and 7.
After retiring from the military, Dr. Marks completed a four year doctoral program in Clinical Psychology which included internships at Boston City Hospital, the Middleton Counseling Center and Danvers State Hospital. Much of his clinical work was with youth and the elderly, as well as hospital patients. Dr. Marks then returned to the ministry for almost a decade. After serving as pastor of the Leyden Congregational Church, and as associate pastor of First Parish Congregational Church in Wakefield, Massachusetts, he then returned to a private counseling practice. The Wakefield newspaper offered this tribute to Dr. Marks upon his retirement from First Parish Church: “He brought to the community a penetratingly rich background, with the professional knowledge and skill and the compassionate personal interest and broad understanding that helped many to cop with problems that might have proven overwhelming… But above and beyond the academic degrees, he brought to his ministry and illuminating insight and a well-balanced compassion in the area of counseling that are definitely unique. ”His retirement was greeted with “deep regret and a sense of loss:” by church members and “many Wakefieldians who have been fortunate enough to know this true man of God.”
Dr. Marks has also been a member of Knight Templar and the Navy League. He has served as Chaplain for his local American Legion post and has worked with Alcoholics Anonymous and senior citizen groups. He also completed an advanced training course for Naval aviators. His daughter describes Dr. Marks achievement of a life of “immense accomplishment.” She states, “Children, parents, families, communities and the nation itself have been influence by his readiness to serve.”
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