Obituary of Iain Charles Marx

        Iain Charles Marx, “Gooshie” died unexpectedly due to complications from Neurofibromatosis Type 1 at Cynthia and Duanne Willett Memorial Children’s Hospital in Savannah, GA at 11:56 pm on May 2, 2023.  He was 14 years old.

        Iain was born on February 18, 2009, in Providence, Rhode Island to his parents, Alexander and Alexandra Marx.  He was in his eighth-grade year at Hilton Head Island Middle School and was looking forward to starting high school with his beloved friends. He loved going to school and was the unofficial mayor of Hilton Head Island, touching every life he came into contact with through his 10,000-watt smile and ability to see a piece of decency in every person no matter how small.

Gooshie, as he was affectionately called since age 2, was his father’s best friend, and they loved spending as much time together as possible whether it was searching far and wide for a Thomas Trackmaster series train or heading to Publix Festival Center for milk runs or running with the dogs and riding his trike, they were inseparable companions and held a bond that will forever be cherished.  To Alexandra, he was her handsome boy. They loved doing errands on a Saturday morning, riding his trike to Publix, making plans to see his friends, or riding his trike on the beach with the dogs. They collectively loved Hilton Head Island. They always cherished being home because so much of their lives were spent traveling to the hospital.

Iain was a younger brother to Duncan, 23, and Isabella, 17. Duncan and Iain were a couple of tricksters. Iain loved recruiting Duncan, and vice versa to play MarioKart, or plotting to play jokes on their sister and their Tita, Cecilia Davidson with whom Iain had a close and special relationship as well as his Nana, Doree Marx. They all shared many wonderful times together.   Iain’s older sister, Isabella, was Iain’s steadfast companion, and a mother hen to all of us. Her dedication to her little brother and his constant fight with NF Type 1, even through the most challenging of times, and above all else, the special bond they shared can never be equaled.  Both Duncan and Isabella were devoted to their little brother beyond words and Iain will forever cherish their dedication, accommodations to his wants and needs, and their love.

       Whether “secretly” plotting to duck out of school early with his best friend Fisher or countless hours spent bonding with his best friend James in D.C. and a wonderful friendship that shows how even in the most challenging of times, something beautiful can flourish, for all of his classmates and teachers throughout the years, especially Princess Emma Lou and Princess Darianna, his affection for all of you was immeasurable.

        Iain also loved his daily supermarket outings and his Buy One Get One Free sales. He was a Main Street Harris Teeter baby and a Festival Center Publix young man. Countless interactions and strong bonds of friendship were developed with employees and customers alike as Iain mastered the self-checkout. He was looking ever so forward to working at Publix Festival Center, arriving in style after a haircut at Crown and Anchor, in his blue Subaru that he was saving his coins to purchase.

The Chinaberry Ridge neighborhood, Our House, was where Iain loved to be the most, for he loved being home.  Home meant dogs, fish, guinea pigs, family, and most of all neighborhood friends - Davin, Natalie, Charlie and the twins, Sienna and Keegan.

Lastly, two further testaments to the reach of Iain’s character were his mother’s place of work NHC Bluffton where they all embraced and loved him as if he was one of their own and The Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head Island- Iain’s time there was impossible to define - growth, responsibility, friendship, brotherhood and sisterhood, mentoring, inspiration, and extraordinary beyond measure - are only a few words of attempt. They welcomed Iain with open arms.

In Heaven, he is lovingly embraced by his grandfathers - John Davidson and Charles Marx along with his Uncles Carlos Rangell and Crawford Davidson, and his great-grandmother, Charlene Marx. 

Iain had the best of everyone’s best characteristics, and he immediately absorbed them and brought them forth with every interaction.  It is up to everyone that knew Iain to create that moment at least once a day in whatever way you know how.

Iain is survived by his parents Alexander and Alexandra Marx; siblings, Duncan and Isabella Marx; grandmothers Cecilia Davidson and Doree Marx, and many uncles, aunts, and cousins. 

Iain Charles Marx will have a public funeral service at St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church, Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926, at 10:00 a.m. on May 18th, 2023 with a public reception to follow at The Country Club of Hilton Head, Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.  A public burial will take place May 19th, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. (1300 hrs) at Six Oaks Cemetery, Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC.  A public reception will follow the burial at Callahan’s Sports Bar and Deluxe Grill, Hilton Head Island, SC 29936.  All are welcome to all events to attend and celebrate Iain’s life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the following in no particular order:

The Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head Island, 151 Gumtree Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 - 843-689-3646 Contact: Kim Likins

The Children’s Tumor Foundation, Mail Code: 6895, P.O. Box 7247, Philadelphia, PA 19170-001 - 1800- 323-7938- info@ctf.org, www.ctf.org