Long Time Bethel Resident Moulton “Pete” Marston, Originator of the ‘Wonder Woman Family Museum,’ Dies at Age 88

Report by Paula Antolini
January 19, 2017 8:04AM EDT

 

Long Time Bethel Resident Moulton “Pete” Marston, Originator of the ‘Wonder Woman Family Museum,’ Dies at Age 88

OBITUARY

Moulton “Pete” Marston, a long time resident of Bethel, died on January 17, 2017 at Danbury Hospital.

Pete, a local real estate broker, was a familiar face around town.  When not working at the office he enjoyed building new houses and remodeling older ones.  He had many interesting jobs during his life from being a merchant marine, restoring old PT boats to emery mining.  He is the son of William Moulton Marston and Elizabeth Holloway Marston both of whom worked on the invention of the polygraph and creating the comic character Wonder Woman; who is modeled after Elizabeth.  Pete is survived by his wife Olive Louise Marston, brother Byrne Marston, his sister Olive Anne Lamotte; his children Peter W Marston, Carolyn L Marston, and Christie Holland; and his grandchildren William Holland, Courtney E Marston, Andrea N Marston, Cassandra L Marston, and Zulma ML Marston.

From brother Byrne: My brother Pete was always a man of enormous imagination. As a kid, he was a dreamer. When we were teenagers our dad, who was often under pressure to produce scripts for his Wonder Woman superheroine, offered $100 to anyone writing a usable scenario for a Wonder Woman episode. Though $100 was a fortune at that time, Pete was the only one of us who could dream them up. Later in life he was a man of enthusiasm, always imagining a great thing to come. He was a good man to encounter, warm and optimistic.

From grandson (and best friend) Will: In the early morning hours of January 17, 2017 Pete decided it was time to board his invisible jet and head to Paradise Isle to visit his alternate family.  Pete was born in Manhattan on August 26, 1928 to William Moulton Marston and Elizabeth Holloway Marston and almost certainly started tinkering with things shortly thereafter.  During the years of his childhood Pete saw the addition of a second mom, two brothers and a sister in his Rye, NY home.

Pete briefly attended Harvard University where he acted as an armorer for the ROTC until he returned home to care for his ailing father.  After the passing of his father, Pete went on to explore the world and flirt with as many pretty ladies as possible.  Pete married one of those pretty ladies, Louise Wood, and went on to have three children with her and move to Bethel CT where he has been ever since.  Pete’s oldest child is his son Peter who received the name that Pete always wished he had.  Next came Carolyn who went on to become a doctor (well, almost); and then Christie who became a free spirited pita and with her husband Harry produced a child who did the same.

While in Bethel, Pete found many different occupations to keep him busy with the longest running being real estate.  Pete founded Marston Real Estate and also spent a considerable amount of time in the construction trades which satisfied his need to tinker.  While in the trades Pete routinely brought his grandson Will with him and accordingly Will now has the need to take apart and rebuild everything he sees. Pete also returned to flirting with pretty ladies and he met Patricia Tenney who he spent many years with until her passing in 2005.

Pete continued following his passions of real estate and meeting people.  He also volunteered for several years at the Danbury Hospital Cardiac Center and would help anyone he thought might be in need.  In his spare time Pete began the Wonder Woman Family Museum to showcase his parents’ famous creation.  A true highlight of the museum for Pete was having Lynda Carter as a guest and being able to flirt with her in person.  Pete stayed active in the real estate market and the flirting industry until the end, making sure to keep the nurses entertained until he passed in his sleep.

The family will receive friends at the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel, Saturday afternoon, January 21, 2017 from 12:00 to 3:00. Cremation and burial of his ashes at Elmwood Cemetery will be private.

In lieu of flowers, Pete would love to have donations in his memory sent to the Bethel Police Benevolent Association (PBA), P.O. Box 169, Bethel CT 06801.

###