Obituary of Joanne Marino-Murray

Joanne Marino-Murray – age 63, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt died Friday, December 14, 2012 after a prolonged illness. Joanne was the daughter of the late C. J. "Larry" and Rosalie (Gannuscio) Marino. Joanne was born in Hartford and lived in Middletown and Westbrook. Early on, her family instilled in her the virtues of civic responsibility and giving back to the community. She attended Mercy High School in Middletown, CT, and earned a bachelor's degree at Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts. After teaching for several years, she earned a Master's of Education Degree from Southern Connecticut State University. In 1980, Joanne married her beloved husband George, and became the mother of two girls, Margaret Murray Traunfeld and Deirdre Murray. The family relocated to Kentucky where her son, Colin Murray was born. Together, the family enjoyed travelling extensively in Europe before returning to settle in Joanne's home town of Westbrook, CT. Joanne and her family lived for many years in her childhood home at the beach off of Long Island Sound just next door from her brother and sister-in-law, Tony and Patty Marino. There Joanne enjoyed gardening, walking on the beach and doing projects around her home. Most of all she loved spending time with her three grandchildren, Samantha and Alexandra Traunfeld and Reid Twichell as well as her niece and nephew, Catie and Christopher Marino. These children all delighted in spending lazy days at the beach, sailing, collecting shells, and walking the beach at low tide. After her family, Joanne's first passion was for teaching. She was greatly beloved by her students at the Daisy Ingraham Elementary School in Westbrook as demonstrated by the many seniors who invited her to walk with them at their graduation ceremonies. She also served on the board and as Chair of the Westbrook Foundation for several years and took great pleasure in being able to donate her time and energies to the town that had been her home for so many years. Although the last months of her life were slowed by illness, Joanne made the most of her retirement. She lunched with friends, road-tripped to Savannah, Georgia, navigated a barge on the Erie Canal, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and found her family's brick on Ellis Island. Visiting hours will be held at St. Mark Church, Westbrook CT on Thursday, December 20th from 3 to 6 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow immediately. Joanne will be interred privately. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne's name may be made to the Westbrook Foundation at P.O. Box 528, Westbrook, CT 06498-0528.To share a memory of Joanne please visit rwwfh.com. Arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook.