Marlene just turned 60 years old. She was truly a living Saint, and like many saintly people she was called early to paradise.
Marlene was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She was educated at Most Precious Blood Catholic Elementary School, The Catholic High School of Baltimore, and Villa Julie College in Greenspring Valley, Maryland. Marlene was a Court Reporter (machine stenographer), but retired from full-time work to be a Mom and Homemaker. Marlene, as an active and retired military spouse mentored many service members, spouses, and military children throughout the US and Internationally over the years. Most recently, Marlene was a Key Spouse Mentor at 21st CONS, US Space Force, Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, acting as a mentor to younger active duty military families. She also worked at Hutzler Brothers Department Store, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the 21st Air Base Group in Izmir, Turkey.
Marlene was a dedicated wife and mother first and foremost. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them. She never missed a game, ballet recital, or any of her children’s events. Marlene supported her husband Joe in 36 years of marriage and for 31 years traveling around the world as an Army Officer’s wife. The Matriarch of the Impallaria family, she supported the children alone when Joe deployed twice to Iraq. Marlene was loved by everyone and has friends all over the world.
She is the loving and devoted wife of Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joseph John Impallaria, Jr. and mother of Marlena Joyce Impallaria, Joseph John Impallaria, III, and daughter-in-law Masha Ilin Impallaria (attending Creighton University Medical School Omaha, Nebraska), and Dominic Anthony Impallaria, all currently residing in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Loving daughter of the late Walter M. Gutowski and Joyce (Bonolis) Gutowski. Dear sister of Walter and wife Charlene Gutowski, Michael Gutowski, Paul Gutowski, Debbie (Gutowski) Trabing and husband Michael Trabing, and the late Wanda Gutowski. Daughter-in-law of the late Joseph John Impallaria, Sr. and Nancy (Pistorio) Impallaria. Sister-in-law to Ricky and wife Sheri Impallaria, Timmy and wife Kristi Impallaria, and Michelle (Impallaria) and husband Jack Urbanski, all of Baltimore Maryland, and many nieces & nephews.
Marlene was an avid downhill skier, hiker, white water rafter, biker, sung beautifully, and loved her Siberian Husky Aviani (Avi). She enjoyed Bible study with Joe and friends at Saint Paul’s Roman Catholic Church.
Marlene met Joe in what can only be described as a “Hallmark Movie Moment.” Joe entered the gymnasium of Archbishop Curley High School, an all-boys school, on February 5th 1977. He was with a group of friends, there were hundreds of High school girls. Joe asked his friends to pick the most beautiful girl at the dance and he would ask her to dance, they looked around and pointed to Marlene. Joe asked Marlene to dance and she accepted, for 44-years they were never separated. Marlene was a beautiful person in every way. Her radiant physical beauty was only exceeded by her saintly spiritual beauty.
For friends in Colorado Springs, there will be a Rosary Ceremony on Wednesday, May 12th, at 6:30PM, at St. Paul Catholic Church, 9 El Pomar Road, Colorado Springs. A Mass of Christian Burial will commence on Thursday, May 13th, at 3pm, at St. John Henry Newman Chapel, located on the UCCS Campus, at 4785 Stanton Road, Colorado Springs, CO. A reception will follow. Internment will take place at Pikes Peak National Cemetery, Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) 910545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80925,Monday, May 17th, at 9AM.
Everyone who knew Marlene, Joe, Marlena, Joseph, and Dominic are invited to a family and friends’ reception at the Chapel following the Funeral Mass on May 13th. You do not have to attend the church service or internment to come to the reception. The Impallaria family urge all friends to join us at the reception to celebrate Marlene’s life. Please do not send flowers to the family’s residence. Flowers can be sent to Swan-Law Funeral Directors, 501 North Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs. Please feel free to leave a condolence and memory on Marlene’s obituary page, for retention in the family book.
You may also make a donation to the Fisher House Foundation at https://fisherhouse.org/ in Marlene’s name, please let me know if you do so. Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military and veteran’s families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital. These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $500 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Marlene and I stayed at the Fisher House in Denver while she received treatments and was hospitalized. I resided in the Denver Fisher House for about 2 ½ months. It would have cost me approximately $10,000 to stay in a hotel or I would have had a 4 hour daily commute from Colorado Springs to Denver and back. While I could have afforded a hotel, many young soldiers, sailors, airman, coasties, or guardians as we are now referred to in the US Space Force, cannot afford lodging and often cannot be there to support a spouse or child. This a great organization, similar to Ronald McDonald House, but better.
Cards for the family can be send to: 5595 Jarman Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Send text to 410-868-0026, e-mail to [email protected]
For Family and Friends in Maryland and the east coast, there will be a memorial service and family and friends reception at a time and place to be determined. The Impallaria family refuse at this time to be limited by mask or distance requirements. As soon as Maryland dispenses with those requirements we will plan the memorial and reception, hopefully sometime this summer.
Livestreaming Services can be accessed during the Funeral Mass on 5/13, 3PM Mountain Time. A link can be found next to the Funeral Mass listing on this obituary page. Please click "Join Livestream" to be brought to Swan-Law Funeral Directors page, where livestreaming will appear.
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