Joseph Marion

Joseph M. Marion

85 died peacefully on November 25, 2014 in Daly City, Ca. Joseph was born April 4, 1929 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. Husband of the late Ruth Behringer Marion deceased 1978; son of the late Salvatore Maiorana and Sarafina Maiorana; brother to, all deceased, Josephine Zielinski(Henry), John Marion (Sally), Diane Walczak (John), and Antoinette Kruszewski (Frank); father of Joseph Marion Jr. (Dorothy), Michael Marion, Diana Marion Giampaoli (Ronald); grandfather of Rachael Tsukamaki (Jason), Jennifer Marion, Laura Marion (Tommaso Dumi), Joseph A. Marion, Christine Marion and Dr. Victoria Giampaoli; great grandfather to Kai, Adam, Teo, Malia, and Lilliana; brother-in-law to Donna Parker and the late Donald Parker.
We would like to thank Julie Medina who was his care giver this last year and his poker pal.
Joe left Pittsburgh to join the Marines in 1946. Once honorably discharged he made his way to SF where he was a painter. After being offered a job painting the Golden Gate Bridge he refused because he was afraid of heights. Joe met and married Ruth in 1950 after seeing her at a soda shop next to the Castro Theatre in SF.
Joe opened all of the Littleman Cala Foods stores as the produce manager. After many years with the Cala brothers he ventured off to Byrne's Fine Foods as their produce buyer. Joe, along with his sons, opened J. Marion and Sons Produce which they ran for years.
Joe was a regular on the Al Collins Jazzbo TV show as The Rainbow Grocer.
He ran the Most Holy Redeemer church bingo for years in SF pulling the grammar school out of debt with many fundraisers and festivals.
After Ruth passed he became very active in the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. His rags to riches story was purchasing a colt named PRINCE DON B. stakes winner of over a dozen stake races at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. Joe was active in the horse racing industry until his death waiting for a little filly who should be racing by January. Later in life Joe enjoyed garage sales and loved collecting coins and art. Joe was a member of the Doelger Senior Center and loved playing Bocce in his spare time.
Joe was a cancer survivor of over 33 years beating the odds of a 1% survival rate. He was proud that when the Mayo clinic would call yearly to check on him he would smile and say, "yes, I am still here". Unfortunately the cancer returned this year and he fought a brave battle passing in his home with his family at his bedside and Sinatra playing. Our Dad will be missed. We love you Dad.
Friends may visit Tuesday December 2, 2014 from 4pm and are invited to attend the Rosary at 7pm at Duggan's Serra Mortuary, 500 Westlake Ave, Daly City. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday December 3, 2014 at 10am at Most Holy Redeemer Church, 100 Diamond St, San Francisco. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma.
Donations to any children's cancer fund of your choice.