John B. Marino

John B. Marino 1929-2018 of West Chester

After a long and debilitating illness, John passed peacefully on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.  John was surrounded by his loving family and the love of his life, Ellie Marino. Ellie took care of John with a loving and caring heart for many years; she was always by his side.

John was born in Abington, Pennsylvania on November 28, 1929 and is the son of the late John and Francesca Marino.

John is survived by his loving and devoted wife Ellie (Elvira) of almost 61-years. 7 loving children. Kenneth (Paula) Linda Marino, Ronald (Melissa), John (Donna), Timothy (Lucy), Sebastian (Kimberly), and nephew Christopher (Tammy). 25 precious grandchildren, five adorable great-grandchildren, and one sister Catherine Bosk. John’s loving son, Perry Marino, passed in 2012. 

John attended Abington High School and later graduated from Pennsylvania State University with an undergraduate degree in horticulture; he served in the United States Army for two years while stationed in Alaska. He went on to graduate from San Diego University with a master’s degree in education.

With a passion to change public education, John became an elementary school teacher, and later principal, at the Walnut Street Elementary School in Darby, Pennsylvania. John was an innovative educator and founded the Title 1 Program “Keys to Learning Program”; in 1966, John received national recognition for this program.

In 1979, John led a movement to establish the community education concept at the Walnut Street Elementary School. He was invited to present his ideas, related to community education, to the Flint Michigan Education System. John’s presentation was very well received and respected.

During his career as an educator, John established a partnership between the Little Flower Manor Retirement Home and the Walnut Street Elementary School. This partnership enabled seniors to volunteer at the school and interact with young children, as well as have lunch with them. John encouraged his students’ parents to become part of the school family; the parents ran various after school programs, from ceramics clubs for adults to coaching basketball for children.

In 1976, John was presented with the Four Chaplain Legion of Honor membership by the Chapel of Four Chaplains in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. John also received numerous awards from parents, the school board, teachers, and community leaders for his service and dedication to education.

In 1985, John retired from education and dedicated his newly found free time to his other love – growing plants. John, with the support of Ellie, opened up Oakbourne Greenhouses and Landscaping in Westtown, Pennsylvania; John’s specialty was creating, and selling, unusual patio planters. John and Ellie sold plants, and provided landscaping services, to the community from for more than twenty years.

Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation on Friday December 7, 2018 from 9:30-10:30 at the St. Maximilian Kolbe Church 15 E. Pleasant Grove Road West Chester with his Funeral Mass starting at 10:30 am. Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contribution may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital www.stjude.org/donate  501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 In memory of John B. Marino.