Thomas S. Marino Sr., 84, widower of Irene (Dudzinski) Marino, of New Britain, passed away on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at his home with his family by his side. Thomas Sebastian Marino was born January 21, 1930 in New Britain and was son to the late Sebastian and Pauline (Germano) Marino. He attended New Britain Schools and at the early age of 18, he proudly entered the U.S. Air Force serving during the Korean Conflict. He began his basic training for 13 weeks in 1948 at the Lackland A.F. Base,then in 1949 was transferred to the Lowry A.F. Base in Denver for 6 months. In August, England A.F. Proving Grounds, FL, where he trained in aircraft armor, bomb disposal and chemical warfare. Then in 1950, during the beginning of the Korean War he was sent to Europe, to Wesbolton, Germany and set-up ammo dump and prepared for the 169th CT Infantry.
Thomas received the Soldier Medal for saving airmen from the treacherous undertow of the Ft. Walden Beach and was the 1st and last airman to be awarded the highest award for heroism not including combat. It is now called the Airman Medal. Thomas was discharged in 1952 and went on to be employed by Tuttle & Bailey as a draftsman and product designer.
In 1954, he attended hair dressing school, CT Institute, and received training from M. Lewis in New York and Antoine Paris, N.Y. In 1957 he opened his own Salon “Beautyland” and in 1969 opened a school in New Haven and New Britain until his retirement in 1993. During his career he was a Jhirmach distributor and attended State and National Shows where he was featured as a platform artist.
Thomas also found time to be involved in the Stanley Golf Course, where he assisted as a starter, ranger and in maintenance as well as volunteering as a monitor at the polls during voting. Tom shared a special bond with his cousin, Sebby Bianca and enjoyed talking about the air force with his special nephew who he dearly loved, Mark Chiger from Nevada.
He also enjoyed watching all his grandchildren in anything they did. Tom was a big fan of UConn women's basketball and treasured his morning meetings with "the guys" for coffee.
The Marino family would like to extend special thanks to his friends and family for their constant love and prayers.
Thomas is survived and will be dearly missed by his children: Thomas Marino Jr. and his wife Barbara of New Britain and Lisa Boyce and her husband Charles of New Britain, his brother, Louis Marino and is wife Ronette of Berlin, a sister Carmella Chiger and her husband Frank of New Britain, his six sweet grandchildren; Carrie and Erin Boyce, Meghan, Matthew, Jeffrey and Genevieve Marino, his one precious great grandson, Michael Thomas Joseph Marino and many nieces and nephews. Thomas was also predeceased by a brother, Salvatore Marino, an infant brother, a sister, Josephine Slamons and in 1991 a grandson, Michael Thomas Marino.
His visitation services will be Thursday, November 6, 2014, from 4-8pm at the New Britain Memorial Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave., New Britain. His funeral liturgy will be Friday, November 7, 2014 at 10AM in Holy Cross Church. Burial with full military honors will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, all in New Britain. Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project,P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=66&campaignSource=CDRM&source=Z110037 For directions or to express messages or tributes, please visit www.newbritainsagarino.com.
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