Maria M. Marczak

Maria was born on August 4, 1928, in Nuremberg, Germany, to Johan Hans Zellhofer and Maria Reichel Zellhofer. Her German heritage was a source of great pride. Her favorite song was Edelweiss and she frequently shared memories and stories of her home country. Maria’s devotion to her family was evident in the love and respect with which she always spoke of her parents. As the oldest of four children, Maria lovingly helped care for and raise her younger siblings. She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Zigfried Zellhofer and Gunther Zellhofer, and survived by her youngest sister, Ursula Schmoll.

Maria’s early life was profoundly shaped by the tragedies of World War II. If you were lucky enough to sit with her and listen to her stories, you understood that this was a source of her strength and tenacity. Maria later immigrated to the United States as a war bride. And became a United States citizen on September 5th, 1952. She traveled by boat for 20+ days before settling in New Jersey.

Maria was known for her strong work ethic. She worked both as a homemaker and outside the home in hospitality. Maria’s first job when she arrived in the United States was as a waitress in Atlantic City. She later took a role as head hostess at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington DC where she was in charge of managing high profile events like the John F. Kennedy inauguration in 1961. It was there that she met her husband, Frank Joseph Currie, who also worked as a purchasing agent.

Maria gave birth to her first child, a son, Kim Joseph Currie, on July 7th, 1954. He currently resides in Lompoc, California. Her daughter, Pamela Marie Currie (Veenendaal) was born on August 31st, 1963. She currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado. Maria was an incredible mother, evident by the way in which Joe and Pamela recount stories of their childhood. One of Maria’s greatest joys in life was being a mother and loved her children immensely.

Maria married William T. Grossi in 1976. Later in life she moved to Colorado to support her daughter and son-in-law, Jan Veenendaal, in raising their twin daughters Caitlin Groeger (spouse Alex Groeger and child Leni Jean Groeger) and Kayla Veenendaal (fiancé Alex Nichols). It is there where she met the love of her life, Joseph Marczak. The two shared a dog together, Bonzo, and many adventures before his passing. Maria’s final resting place will be next to both Joe and Bonzo.

Above all else, Maria’s life was rooted in faith. Strong in character and conviction, she loved God, and her devotion shone through in everything she did.

Maria is also survived by her granddaughter, Stephanie Walker and husband Zephyr Walker. They currently reside in Paso Robles, California with their children Ella and Cole Walker. She is also survived by her other grandchildren Cassaundra McIntyre and Dirk Veenendaal who reside in Dripping Springs, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Maria will be remembered as a faithful follower of Christ, a loving family woman, and a treasured friend. She embraced life with laughter, even in the face of challenges. Her love and selflessness touched all who knew her, leaving a lasting impression on everyone she met.

Auf Wiedersehn in Himmelshoen (Till we meet again in Heaven)

Memories of Maria and words of condolence for her family are welcome at resthavencolorado.com.