Marianne Calderone Mellein

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Josephine Calderone; sisters Norma Calderone Terranova and Diana Calderone Deagle, brother Sonny Calderone, and husband, David Paul Mellein.

Born in 1925, Marianne attended school in the Shaker Heights section of Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from high school at age 16 and achieved the highest score in Cleveland on the Civil Service Exam. She longed for a career where she could see the world. She was awarded scholarships to attend the Sorbonne and Ohio State. Marianne sacrificed those dreams to financially support her parents as they raised her four younger siblings. At 16, she worked full-time as a bookkeeper for a large company supporting the war effort. Then after moving to Los Angeles, she worked as the Clerk Stenographer for the Head of Thoracic Surgery at Birmingham General (Veterans) Hospital, living at home and giving her payhecks to her parents.

In 1950, at age 25, Marianne married David Paul Mellein, with whom she bore and lovingly raised four children: Stephanie, Christopher, Michael and James. As soon as the youngest began school, Marianne returned to work, working for the Los Angeles Unified School District into her eighties.

Marianne was a devout Catholic and was very involved with Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, where she attended for over 70 years. During that time, she taught classes for new converts, lectored weekly during Saturday Mass, participated in weekly Bible discussion groups, and assisted with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, serving impoverished members of her community.

Marianne has four children, sixteen grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, as well as countless other beloved family members and friends, including her dear sister Patricia Calderone Fazio, who survives her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Encino, CA (https://www.ourladyofgrace.org/).