Leonard Marzen Sr.

Leonard Marzen, Sr.
Leonard F. Marzen Sr. of Jim Thorpe passed away peacefully on Friday, July 5th in Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital, Lehighton PA. He was within days of his 94th birthday on July 11. Leonard, better known as Lenny, spent his entire 66 year career in the bus business starting as a mechanic with the former Mauch Chunk Transportation Company which became the Jim Thorpe Transportation Co in 1953. He rose from mechanic to owner and general manager of the company and operated 22 school buses and later added a motorcoach division, Jim Thorpe Tours with 11 coaches, in 1983. Next to his family, buses were the love of his life, and he was a past president of the Pennsylvania Bus Association, and a member of the former Pennsylvania School Bus Association, American Bus Association, and United Bus Owners of America. Lenny was also very civic minded having been a charter member of the former Jim Thorpe VFW, and now the Lehighton VFW, a member of the Jim Thorpe American Legion Post 304, the Men of Marian, the Men of Malvern and a former member of the Jim Thorpe Memorial Park Commission for 32 years. As such, he was involved in many of the installations and repairs of rides at Memorial Park as well as its overall maintenance.Lenny was previously in charge of the maintenance of the fire engine and ambulance at the Fairview Hose Co. in East Jim Thorpe for 48 years. He was an usher at St. Josephs Catholic Church in his earlier years. Lenny was very proud that until his later years, he gave over 18 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross during their blood mobile drives. Years ago, he was one of the few people in town with a snowplow and assisted the former boroughs of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk in keeping their streets open. As the Jim Thorpe School Districts transportation company, schools opened and closed based on Lennys evaluation to the school district superintendent during a winter storm. Lenny was the founder of the American Legion Boy Scout Troop when he was commander. He was honored as the Allentown Sertoma Club Man of the Year in 1992 and was awarded a lifetime membership in the Pennsylvania Bus Association upon his retirement in 1997. He was also honored as Jim Thorpe Man of the Year by American Legion Post 304 in 1981. He was a member of St. Josephs Catholic Church in Jim Thorpe. He is pre-deceased by his wives, the former Eleanor Smith who died of leukemia in 1948, and the former Margaret Krajcir who died of a heart attack in 2010. Leonard was the son of John and Amelia Engler Marzen who died in 1976 and 1966 respectively. He is also pre-deceased by brothers, John, Frank, William, and Msgr. Joseph Marzen. Leonard was a World War II veteran, having served in the occupation of Germany and was training for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He thus will be buried appropriately with a military funeral. Survivors: Leonard is survived by a sister, Sister Mary Marzen of the Sisters of Christian Charity, Danville, PA; and brothers, George Marzen and wife Emma of Jim Thorpe, Edward Marzen and wife Helen of RD Lehighton, Robert Marzen and wife Connie of Jim Thorpe and James Marzen and wife Jean of Allentown. Leonard was very proud of and loved his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This includes sons, Leonard Marzen Jr. and wife JoAnn of Whitehall, and Thomas Marzen and wife Kathy of Sewell NJ; his grandchildren are Paul Marzen and wife Maria of Fountain Hill, PA, Amanda Roberts and husband Michael of Wales in the UK, Mark Marzen of Denver, CO, and AnnMarie Marzen of Whitehall; Lennys great-grandchildren are Emma Shea Marzen, Violet Rose Roberts, and Cora Ruth Marzen. Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 10 at Melber Funeral Home, 524 Center St., Jim Thorpe followed by Mass of the Christian Burial, 11 a.m. St. Josephs Roman Catholic Church, 526 North St., Jim Thorpe with the Rev. Francis J. Baransky and the Rev. Thomas Shanfelt officiating. Call 6-9 p.m. Tuesday and 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment: Parish Cemetery, Jim Thorpe. In lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to St. Josephs Regional Academy or Marian Catholic High School.