Marianne H. Aaron

MARIANNE H. AARON (Age 90) Of Annandale, VA died October 26, 2012 at Fairfax Inova Hospital. Marianne was born on August 31, 1922 in Cardiff, Wales, the only child of Denis and Ellen O’Donoghue. She and her parents immigrated to New York when Marianne was 4 years old and the family settled in Brooklyn, NY. Marianne attended Julia Richman High School, from which she graduated in 1940. Marianne loved New York City and was especially drawn in by the larger-than-life stories of Broadway plays and the movies. She aspired to be a dancer on Broadway or Radio City Music Hall but her petite 5’4” frame didn’t lend itself to becoming one of the long-legged Rockets dancers. Instead, Marianne took a secretarial position right after high school and volunteered on various war effort causes. Marianne was introduced to her future husband, Lieutenant General Harold Robert Aaron (USMA Class of June ’43) at a US Military Academy social event by her future sister-in-law, Patricia McDonough. Hal and Marianne were married on January 16, 1944 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City, NY before Hal shipped off to the European Theater in the last days of WWII. Marianne loved being an Army wife and followed her husband on many overseas tours to include Panama, Taiwan, Okinawa and Germany as well as several US bases over his 36-year career. Due to his continuing assignments on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, Marianne was able to settle her family in Annandale, VA where she raised seven children: Patricia Ann Howk, Marietta, GA; Dennis Robert, Houston, TX; Leslie, Reston, VA; Jacqueline Marie, Parkland, FL; Jeffrey Walter, DFW, TX; Christine Allison, Reston, VA; and Mark Douglas, Annandale, VA. Marianne is survived by all her children; five grandchildren, and her sister-in-law Pat, as well as several cousins, nieces & nephews. Her husband, Harold, pre-deceased her on April 30, 1980. Catholic Mass is to be held at the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer at 12:45 pm on December 5th with interment at Arlington National Cemetery following the service. Friends and family will gather at the home of Christine Aaron in Reston after the burial. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART) of Fairfax Station, VA and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, VA.