Two Years Since We Lost Marti
Two years ago today St. Louis lost Marti Frumhoff. Frumhoff was a fellow REALTOR® and urban planning grad student at Saint Louis University. She was a tireless advocate for the city, founder of the popular Rehabbers Club.
Marti is still in my address book — I just can’t delete her.  When I graduate with my Masters in December I will have Marti to thank for pushing me to go back to school. Of course as I spend the next 20 years paying off the debt I’ll know who to blame.
Read my post from 2 years ago announcing her passing. I re-read the nearly 70 comments. Touching. I feel lucky to have called her a close friend.
There was a tribute today in the StL-PD to Marti from her family. It is hard to believe she has been gone for two years. I only knew her from the Rehabbers Club, her work on the Rehabbers yahoo group and her leadership in organizing the monthly meetings for the group. She was dynamite! Her enthusiasm for the City was contagious and her dedication to revitalizing the City inspired many. Although not a City dweller I am a City-kid and booster at heart and spend most of my waking hours within its limits. I get it that without a City center our region will continue to decline. The whole City/County divide is only limiting the potential of the region as a whole.
If not for Marti, I would not have purchased an older house (1935) in Old Town Florissant in desperate need of rehab. I would not have met Steve, and many others too numerous to mention. Also I would not have had the fabulous resources obtainable through the groups she founded. I have used services of many of the business who understand old houses based in the City to help restore my “St Louis Hills” bungalow. These people get it and I am thankful every day for Marti making it possible to find them.
My husband and I have attended many a Saturday morning rehabbers club meeting and met wonderful people. Her influence was like throwing a pebble in the lake and watching the ripples expand. What a wonderful legacy to leave. Marti was truly one of a kind and left her influence on many of us. I believe the stars in the heaven are those of the souls who came before us and are shining down on us and when I look up I see one that is very bright and know it is Marti, happy that we are carrying on her dreams.
Christine
Thanks for the memories, Steve. Marti’s spirit is so much a part of this city. She really was a driving force, not only for St. Louis, but for the people who love it too.