Marie McCloskey's Obituary
Marie McCloskey was born on 01-15-33 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, Angelo Gentile, emigrated from Naples, Italy and met her mother Cora Guida in Philadelphia. They were married in 1930 and Marie’s older brother Ralph was born on 11-01-31. Marie’s father succumbed to a medical illness when she was only three years old.Marie grew up in South Philadelphia in an area that was rural at the time. Her family maintained a small farm with fruit trees and chickens in an area that was razed during World War II to make way for Philadelphia International Airport. Her uncle brewed wine in the cellar! She graduated from Bok Vocational Technical School in 1950 with a High School Diploma and a vocational diploma in dressmaking and drafting. She received an award for Congeniality.During the 1950’s and 1960’s, she helped support her family by doing office work and inventory control. She traveled to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico, and attended night school at St. Joseph’s college, taking courses in business.In 1964 while vacationing in Wildwood, New Jersey, she met the love of her life at the hotel swimming pool. Bernard and Marie McCloskey were married in July, 1965. After serving in WWII in the Pacific, Bernard, who was known affectionately as “Mickey” was just finishing a 20-year career with the US Army. Marie gave birth to Mark in April, 1966 and Ralph in April, 1968. They lived in Darby, just outside of Philadelphia while Mickey worked Civil Service as an electrical engineer. In 1969, he had a job opportunity that brought the family to San Diego, California. They soon bought a home in Clairemont, where Marie lived ever since. She gave birth to her youngest son Thomas in November, 1971.Marie was a lifelong and devout Catholic, and never missed a mass or Holy Day of Obligation. After moving to California, she attended church at Mary Magdalene in Bay Park until joining St. Catherine Laboure Parish in Clairemont. She taught Catechism and was a member of the twelve o’clock mass singing group. She was active in PTA at Holmes Elementary, Hale Junior High, and Madison High School, and held officer positions such as President and Treasurer.Marie worked part-time working for a survey company, and selling catalog products. She loved hosting catalog parties all over San Diego. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, she was a caretaker for Mickey as his health declined due to diabetes. Mickey preceded her in death in 1995. Since then, she has loved life and spending time going to lunch with many dear friends. In 2013 she was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and passed away peacefully in hospice on 11-02-16. She is survived by son Mark of San Diego along with grandson Kiernan and granddaughter Siobahn; son Ralph of Atlantic City, New Jersey; and son Thomas and wife Mary Ellen of Hereford, Arizona, along with grandchildren Tiernan, Margaux, Andrew, Peter, Luke, and Cecelia.A wake and rosary will be held on Tuesday, 11-08-16 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM at the Last Supper Chapel, Greenwood Mortuary at 4300 Imperial Avenue, San Diego. Funeral services will be held on 11-09-16 at 11:00AM at St. Catherine Laboure parish, with a repass held afterward in the parish hall. Marie will be interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery next to her husband at a date to be determined.
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