Mary Marko

MARY MARKO

Peacefully passed from this world on April 22, 2017, at the age of 92. She is preceded in death by Frank, her husband of 67 years, and is survived by her two sons, Joseph (Lee) and Michael; one daughter, Stephanie (Bart); four grandchildren, Marisa (Ricardo), Erin, Shawn and Brandy (Mike); and three great grandchildren, Jonathon, Justin and Laurynn.

She was born to Mary and Richard in Los Angeles, California. Mary was 5 years of age when the great depression began. Life for Mary was uncertain and unhappy as her parents separated leaving her mother the difficult task of raising Mary in Northern California during the depression years. Unable to care for her daughter, Mary's mother sent 10 year old Mary to live with her grandparents in Burbank, California, and eventually with her aunt and uncle in Sylmar, California. Mary left high school at 18 years of age, without graduating, to work as Rosie the riveter in Burbank, and eventually Santa Monica in support of the Second World War. While serving as a USO volunteer in Santa Monica, she met her future husband, Frank in 1943. Upon Frank's completion of naval service in 1945, they were married in Los Angeles, California. Finally finding stability and complete happiness, Mary and Frank settled in their new Arleta home in 1950. For 62 years until Frank's untimely death in 2012, they lived in their Arleta home raising a family, surrounded by wonderful friends and neighbors, and founded a catholic parish, Mary Immaculate Church of Van Nuys, California.

Mary spent her well deserved retirement after being a secretary for 25 years at Mary Immaculate Church, doing do it yourself projects and gardening around their Arleta home, volunteering at a local school for the blind, traveling to the Holy Land with friends from church, enjoying their grandchildren, and hosting festive barbecues with friends and family.

The memory of her unconditional love and all that she was to each and every one of us will surely ease the pain of her passing, and remind us of our good fortune to have known her. There will never be another like her.