Marilyn Joy Read Torsello

     Marilyn was born in Long Prairie, Minnesota in 1940. She has two surviving sons, George Raymond Read and Michael Bryant Read, and a surviving younger brother Robert Braley. Marilyn's mother, Veronica LaVonne Stapher married Jerome Robert Braley, who was drafted into the war and later they divorced. Marilyn's mother later remarried. Her stepfather John was in the Navy at the time and they traveled. The Navy sent the family to Japan for 4 years ( 2 years in Yokosuka and 2 years in Sasebo) in her early years as a teenager before they moved back to the United States.

      At the age of 17 they moved to Oak Harbor, Washington.This is where she learned to earn money by milking cows, bailing hay, picking strawberries, and hoeing squash.  Much to her surprise she became princess of the Whidbey Island Outboard Race, and sold a ticket for the event to Bill Muncey, a hydroplane driver. Later in her life at age 18 Marilyn married Erine Scott and she divorced him twice in 3 years which kept the lawyers happy and busy. She started working at the Post office in Long Beach in 1960 as a window clerk and at the age of 23. While working for the Post Office she introduced the first stamp machine which glowed red, white and blue. In 1967 she married George Read who she met at an" Alumni club Meeting" One of the member's was developing one of the first computer matched programs with an IBM 360. George and Marilyn were computer matches. Marilyn divorced him after 29 years of marriage.

       In 1995 Marilyn met Ed after her last divorce and 3 years later, on October 24 1998, they were married at the Fern Grotto in Kauai.  Ed and Marilyn traveled to different parts of the world traveling through Europe and Thailand with our close friends to the New Orleans Mardi Gras, and to Vancouver, western Canada but we both agreed that there is no place like home. Marilyn also had many fun adventures with her son Ray. They went tandem skydiving even though Ray's friends backed out, she enjoyed white water rafting in the Kern River with both our brother's and our close friends, and ziplining in Big Bear. Marilyn, Ed, and Ray also took a Hot Air Balloon ride together. Halloween was a fun time for Marilyn and Ed. They dressed up as pregnant nun and priest, as two TV sets showing Wonder Woman and Better Call Saul and they even wore the original Japanese outfits Marilyn had when she lived in Japan.

    Marilyn and I spent 25 wonderful years together, and we were married for 22 years. Like all healthy marriages, we had our highs and lows, and our love always continues on to this day. She will be missed by all. She was the love of my life.  All of our friends and family that offered their condolences, Marilyn asked that instead of any gifts or flowers that a donation be made to donatelifecalifornia.org in order to help save lives.