James 'Jim' Marquardt of Sag Harbor Remembered

James Joseph Marquardt of Sag Harbor died peacefully on March 20 surrounded by his loving family. He was 91. Marquardt spent winters in Longboat Key, Florida, and died there, overlooking the water and with the sound of waves.

Marquardt was born and raised in Rockaway, Queens, the son of Alice (McDermott), a teacher, and Charles, a firefighter and Deputy Fire Chief of Brooklyn. As a young man Marquardt considered a career as a priest and attended seminary. Though he ultimately chose a secular life, he remained a practicing Catholic and expressed lifelong gratitude to the church for buoying the family after the sudden death of his father when Marquardt was 13.

Marquardt attended St. Peter’s College through the ROTC program and graduated with a degree in English. He served in the Army after graduation, working stateside as a writer and weapons instructor. Following his service, Marquardt returned to New York City and began his long career in the advertising business. It was at one of those agencies that he met his beloved wife, Ann. Following a yearlong courtship, they wed in January 1964 and celebrated their 60th anniversary this year.

In 1970, Marquardt and his close colleague Edwin Roche began Marquardt & Roche Inc., in Stamford, Ct. Over 25 years, the pair grew the advertising agency to over 40 employees; they sold the company to the employees in 1995. After retirement, Marquardt and Ann moved to Sag Harbor, drawn to the village’s seaside beauty and long history of industry and art.

Marquardt enjoyed creative outlets throughout his life. He was an avid photographer and, after retirement, began a regular column for the Sag Harbor Express, focused on the town’s history and characters. He collected and published many of the columns in his book True Stories of Old Sag Harbor. He delighted in stopping by local bookstores, surreptitiously placing the books near the cash register for tourists to see.

Never far from the ocean, Marquardt learned to sail in his early 20s and maintained this passion throughout his life. His last column for the Sag Harbor Express, “A Thousand Hail Marys,” detailed a voyage from Sag Harbor to the Bahamas through a hurricane. The column was published two weeks before his death.

Marquardt is survived by his wife Ann, children Kevin, Chris and Julie, their partners, grandchildren Daniel, Victoria and Sam, sister Ellie, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends who will miss his wit, intelligence, and steadfast, loyal friendship.

Immediately after his death, leaping dolphins and a flotilla of sailboats passed the window – a fitting sendoff for a passionate sailor and lover of the sea. He will be hugely missed by all who knew him.