John Marrero

John Marrero was born in The Bronx, New York on July 17, 1949, to Pedro, a Pentecostal minister, and Delia (née Muñoz) Marrero, a saint. He was the youngest of eight children and so his parents had run out of middle names. As a child, John engaged in general mischief like smoking cigarettes, rock fights, and sneaking into Yankee games. At the age of thirteen, he met an older woman, and they began dating. Four years later, at age 17, he decided to do something with his life and enlisted in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam War. After basic training, John was stationed in Germany, working in finance. As a “Chair Borne Ranger”, he was set to be promoted when he went AWOL to attend his own engagement party and was demoted. Undeterred, the wedding took place anyway and on February 10, 1968, John married his longtime girlfriend, the older woman, Linda (née Empey) in a Catholic wedding.

A year later, back in New York, they welcomed their baby Victoria into the world. Then in 1970, on Halloween, God gave them another treat, John Peter. With a wife and two children, John moved his young family out of the hustle and bustle of big city life into the midwestern serenity of Fort Wayne, Indiana. John made waves in the fast-food industry, first at Burger Chef, then as manager of Arby’s. In 1973, John and Linda welcomed a second baby boy, Stephen. In 1975, it was Deborah, another precious little girl. Deborah was born with Downs Syndrome and many other complications and so she died at a very young age surrounded by a loving family. John kept his head down and began a career in drafting at Zollner Corporation. It turns out, drawing hilarious pictures on baby announcement photos in the newspaper does not translate into being a skilled draftsman, and John soon migrated into purchasing. John and Linda welcomed their fifth child, Daniel, in 1978, and the family was complete.

Shortly after, John joined his wife and children and converted to Catholicism. He attended dance recitals and youth basketball games and cross country meets. He coached baseball and eventually become President of Georgetown Little League. In 1989, with his oldest two children grown and out of the house, he briefly moved his family to a town with one stoplight and an Italian restaurant, Brandon, Florida. By the end of the year, it was back to Fort Wayne, only four houses down from where they were previously. John attended football games and school plays and choir concerts and community theatre. He welcomed his son’s wayward friend into his home and later four nieces and nephews came to live in his home for a year. He continued to advance his career, becoming a Certified Purchasing Manager and earning a bachelor’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan.

In 2001, with all his children now grown and some with children of their own, John and Linda moved to Weston in South Florida and then up to St. Petersburg in the same area where the family used to vacation every year. He enjoyed spending as much time at the beach as possible, or with his growing number of grandkids.

He would later get into real estate, eventually retiring from the purchasing rat race altogether and focusing just on selling homes. This may partly explain his unwavering support of another real estate professional, President Donald Trump. John eagerly attended a Trump rally in 2016 and tried unsuccessfully to visit a tightly locked down Mar-a-Lago in 2024.

Really, though, it was his grandkids that brought him so much joy in these later years and he would attend their recitals and baseball games, and soccer matches and school plays. He loved family get-togethers on all the holidays and fishing out on the pier behind his home. He bought a timeshare just so his family would all have to get together at least once a year, and he spent months planning it—not an itinerary of what the family would do—just that they would all be together. He had a pet cockatiel, Pepper, who brought him immense happiness every day.

In June 2024, John was diagnosed with an incurable liver cancer, which he was determined to live with without pity. In October, his peaceful island was rocked by two hurricanes and while his home was spared, his church was decimated as well as many of his favorite restaurants. He continued to attend mass in a tent through the following months and was so happy to be back in the church when it reopened after the storm, he wept with joy. When he was hospitalized shortly thereafter, it was at St. Anthony’s, a Catholic hospital, where he could receive the Blessed Sacrament and remain faithful to God. He was happy to see his family and Pepper again upon his return home for hospice care and even in the late stages of his illness, he remained determined. He was anointed by his priest, and he found victory in physical therapy that got him into a wheelchair, where he wept again with joy.

He anticipated watching Sunday mass on TV when he died peacefully at 9am on Sunday morning, April 6th, forever a faithful servant of the Lord. His wife Linda of 57 years, his grown children and grandchildren quickly gathered by his side, which he would have loved. He is survived by his wife Linda, his brother Jose Marrero, sister Ruth Verdejo, daughter Victoria Vaught, sons John P. Marrero, Stephen Marrero (Tracey), and Daniel Marrero, eight grandchildren, Jessica, Jenna, Jacob, Cierra, McKaleigh, Nicholas, Emily, and Olivia, a great granddaughter Josie with two more great grandchildren due in just months.

A memorial mass for John will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM at St John Vianney Catholic Church, 445 82nd Ave, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706.

Please join the family for light refreshments following Mass at 6104 Palma Del Mar Blvd St Petersburg, FL 33715 CLUBHOUSE A.