Angelina F. Marino
Posted: Sunday, July 8, 2012 4:00 am
Angelina F. (Farruggio) Marino passed away peacefully Friday, July 6, 2012,
In St. Mary Hospital in Langhorne, surrounded by her loving family. She was 93.
She was born and raised in Bristol Borough.
In Angie's younger years she worked with her father in the family's trucking business, after which she owned and operated Marino's Delicatessen. Angie later opened the Farragut Travel Service, which was established in the same building as her previous business, and there she remained until retiring in 1983.
She loved to travel, and arrange trips for others. Angie was privileged to have had four memorable audiences with Pope John Paul II while in Italy. She also pioneered the 'Wednesday One-day Trips' to Disney, and other close destinations that people could reach and return from on the same day.
Angie will be remembered as a classy lady, who was very business savvy and was years ahead of her time. She was very generous and outgoing towards everyone she called family and friends. She was very proud of her Italian heritage and enjoyed cooking for those she knew and loved. Angie was a proud and loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister, who loved to spend time with her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Guiseppe and Maria Farruggio; her brothers, Samuel and Anthony Farruggio; sisters, Carmella Gervasio and Jenny Mama; her son-in-law, Cary Palmer; and the love of her life, her husband of 46 years, Nicholas Danial Marino.
She will be greatly missed by her loving children, Roseann Palmer, James Marino and his wife, JoAnn, and Nicholas Marino. She also is survived by her adoring grandchildren, Maria Kepp and her husband, Tim, Mark Palmer, Cary Palmer, James Marino Jr. and his wife, Nicole, Joseph Marino, and John Marino; and her great-grandchildren, Bruce, Caitlyn, Sydney, Nicholas, Cary, Riley, Devon, Nicholas, and Joseph. She was the beloved sister of Joseph Farruggio, Eva Passanante, and Dora Stampone. She also is survived by sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins; and good friends, especially Dotti Joy.
Relatives and friends are invited to call from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, and again from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, at Galzerano Funeral Home, 430 Radcliffe St., Bristol Borough, followed by her 10 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Ann Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery.
Family requests memorial donations to be made in her name to St. Ann Church, 357 Dorrance St., Bristol, PA 19007. Galzerano Funeral Home, Bristol
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Edgely firefighters welcome home a longtime member
By George Mattar Staff writer |
Posted: Sunday, October 13, 2013 5:55 am
Before he even got out of the van,
Don Crohe said he couldn’t believe he would ever see
the firehouse again.
Crohe, 66, of Bristol, was paralyzed from the waist down
about three years ago after a severe bout of MRSA,
which ate away at his spinal cord. Doctors tried surgery,
but it didn’t help.
Now in a motorized wheelchair, Crohe on Friday returned to the Edgely Fire Co., which was holding its annual fire prevention open house, attended by more than 500 people.
Edgely firefighter Jeff Buranich got the idea to invite Crohe as the company’s special guest after opening a letter from Crohe, who now lives at Neshaminy Manor in Doylestown Township.
“He will never stop helping people,” Buranich said. “He is unbelievable. He sent me a letter with money inside it. He told me to put the money toward our open house. I went up to see him at the nursing home, woke him up and asked him why he did that.”
Crohe said Buranich asked him to be their guest and the fire company would pay the Newtown Ambulance Squad to transport him to and from the event.
“I got tears in my eyes when he asked me. I was a member at Edgely in the late 1980s and always loved being there,” said Crohe, who was wheeling himself around the firehouse with his vanity plate from his last car, “DON CRO” hanging from his wheelchair.
During a tribute to Crohe, firefighters said “Santa Claus has come home.”
Crohe had played Santa since he was 18 years old, said Marge Chapman of Bristol, who coordinated the borough Christmas parade for many years.
“He was always there for others. I don’t think he ever spent a Christmas for himself,” Chapman said. “I remember him regularly giving Christmas cards with cash to families in need and he never signed the card. He just wanted to help and he didn’t want anyone to know who gave the money.”
Fire company Chief Carl Pierce said Crohe has volunteered his entire life and deserved the honor.
Crohe and his twin brother, Harry, joined the then-Bristol No. 6 Fire Co. in Oct. 1962, when they were 15. A year later, they joined the Bucks County Rescue Squad. Today, Harry is still a member.
Don Crohe was greeted by many of his old friends, but said he asked the ambulance driver to take a detour through his hometown, Bristol.
“I have only been out of the nursing home twice in three years and I wanted to go home for a minute,” he said. “It was tough on me, but I am so happy to see all my old friends, who have meant so much to me over the last 50 years. I have accepted the fact I will never walk again, but am blessed with all that has happened to me. I’ve had a good life.”
Edgely’s open house was attended by many other firefighters from as far away as Springtown in Upper Bucks. Nearly a half-dozen ladder trucks were parked outside the firehouse.
Firefighters gave demonstrations of how they cut holes in roofs to ventilate a burning building and had a giant crane from Paul John’s Tree Service to demonstrate a construction accident rescue.
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Magic of Mobility
by Cate Murway
Most unfortunately, we probably all know someone living with paralysis.
Researchers defined paralysis as “a central nervous system disorder resulting in difficulty or inability to move the upper or lower extremities.”
According to a study initiated by Peter T. Wilderotter, President and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, there are nearly 1 in 50 people living with paralysis, approximately 6 million people. That represents the same number of people as the combined populations of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Researchers have acknowledged that while basic supports, such as ramps and in-home caregivers as well as rehabilitation therapies do exist, these therapies and quality of life supports are “all-too-often unavailable, often due to lack of adequate health insurance or limited geographic access.”
If wealth were to be measured by the number of friends one has, then Hayes Street resident Donald L.Crohe, BHS class of 1964 is one of historic Bristol on the Delaware’s richest people.
Donald Leroy “Donny” was an Army cook, stationed in Germany from 1965-1967, dubbed “Sunshine” while serving the eggs sunny-side up. He was the Vice President of the Bucks County Rescue Squad [BCRS] Board as well as the 1st Responder, worked as a police dispatcher and he also served as President of America Hose Hook & Ladder Company #2 right up until his illness. He and his twin brother, Harry Henry Crohe joined the Bucks County Rescue Squad in October 1963 and they both had been active members every year for over 45 years.
“Nothing more precious than being able to help save someone’s life.”
For those of you who don't know him personally, Don has been helping make historic Bristol on the Delaware a better place for nearly half a century.
Don would send “thinking of you” cards to his elderly neighbors.
Nick confirmed, “No matter what kind of help you needed, Don was always there to help, now he needs help. He is just a great guy.”
Don joined the BCRS in 1963 as a volunteer. He has served in the following officer’s positions, Director of First Aid, Assistant Chief, Board of Director and Vice President, and President, the last position he served on the Board. He also worked on the employee relations committee, the fund- raising committee and the building committee.
During the holidays, he even played the part of Santa Claus at Feeney’s in Feasterville.
Once when asked about his inspiration to always help others, Don said his late mother, Ruth Crohe, inspired him. She raised her three sons alone, the twins and their brother, Pat, and she always found the time to not only treat her children exceptionally well, but to still also help others.
Don and Harry once ran a business called “Sunshine, Pretzels and Snowballs” from a cart they purchased for $700.00 from Richard Daniel Poremba, a retired Borough Chief of Police.
Richard remembers, “They were always available to help anyone when they needed help, so much a part of Bristol and the community.”
So the Crohe brothers sold pretzels and snowballs and sometimes hotdogs.
During that time, Don had joked that one of his dreams was to pull up in a stretch limo with his snowball cart hooked to the bumper.
“I want to live every day to the fullest in case there is no tomorrow.”
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself in his position. The most basic and simple routines now appear to be insurmountable obstacles.
Don was recently paralyzed from the waist down from a medical condition and he will never walk again. He is need of a special motorized wheel chair that is very costly and it is not covered by any medical coverage that he has.
Nicholas “Nick” Marino, BHS '69, who earned the high school nickname of “Mayor”, has started a “Friends of Don Crohe” fund drive to secure the purchase of the much needed wheel chair for him.
Please consider an affordable contribution of your choice to make this drive successful.
Checks can be made payable to the “Friends of Don Crohe” and mailed to Nick's office at 964 Woodbourne Road Levittown, PA 19057.
Nick is planning a beef and beer in the early spring. The proceeds from that event will help finance the wheelchair and defray the costs of making Don’s Hayes Street home handicap accessible. People have volunteered to alter his home to make it wheelchair accessible. That will require the installment of ramps and widening door frames.
“We’re looking at all avenues to get him back to his normal life.”
“Friends of Don Crohe” is announced on WBCB 5x a day and Harry Crohe sent letters to local businesses for donations.
A fund has also been opened in Don Crohe’s name at the First National Bank in Newtown, 500 S. Oxford Valley Road, Fairless Hills, PA 19030, 215.547.6410
Don shared, “I am doing pretty good with therapy. I really didn’t expect anyone to help.
My main concern was if I was going to live and then how I was going to live.
A motorized wheelchair costs a lot of money.”
Don was only eleven or twelve when he started working in the Marino’s family deli on Farragut Avenue, cleaning and mopping the floors and taking the trash out.
“They always made a job for me! I can’t thank Nick Marino enough for what he is doing.”
Nick’s mom, Angelina Marino is disabled now and Don would go to visit her and remain there all night until Nick would get back.
“He was so thoughtful. Everyone came before him,” nodded Nick.
Don works through therapy 5 days a week, trying to get his upper body stronger.
“I am getting great care here at Neshaminy!”
He continues his role in life to inspire and motivate and to raise the spirits of those around himself as a “social butterfly” in the nursing facility, as a member of the Neshaminy Manor Nursing facility resident council.
He welcomes phone calls and cards.
1660 Easton Road Room #142 Warrington PA. 18976. 215.416.7197.
“All the years I worked in the Fire Company, I gave with my heart.
I would appreciate if everyone could just send a couple dollars.”
The Quantum® 600 heavy duty power wheelchair with a tru-balance power tilt would deliver stability and maneuverability along with a powerful drivetrain. It accepts a wide range of seating and electronic options, such as elevating leg rests, making it fully rehab capable. The total price of $12,215.70 will also include [2] manufacturer recommended maintenance-free deep-cycle gel-cell lead-acid batteries.
Don’s situation is also posted on the Bristol United facebook page.
Any support you provide will make a world of difference.
Karen Dopson, BHS ‘66 annotated on the BU facebook, “We will forward a check to Nicky tomorrow. Residents of Bristol Borough get your checkbooks out and donate whatever you are financially able to donate. Don Crohe would do this for you or a member of your family.”
Ken Bixler, BHS ’80 wrote, “I grew up across the street from The Crohe brothers.
Don and Harry have been involved in volunteering in the community for most of their lives. They were active for years in the Firehouse and the Rescue Squad. Whenever there was a hardship... or a tragedy of any kind they were usually at the top of the line ready to help.
The most recent hardship that I know of, was at the Bristol Amish Market. About a year ago an Amishman [around 38 years old] suffered a major heart attack and died. This man left behind a wife and six children. Don and Harry volunteered their time at the market and raised nearly $3000.00 for this unfortunate family. No one at the market asked them to do it. They just did it. Hopefully the Bristol Community will come together and make this wheel chair happen.”
Things like this renew your faith in people.
Through hard work, rehabilitation, and the miracle of his friendships, Don can realize his goal to care for himself and return to the community and the family life he so cherishes.
Direct donations should be made payable to “Friends of Don Crohe” and mailed to:
Cellular Advantage
964 Woodbourne Road
Levittown PA 19057
215.949.7900
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
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Bristol Pilot 11.13.86
Nicholas H. Marino
Posted: Monday, February 23, 2015 8:51 am
Nicholas H. Marino of Yardley passed away Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, at St. Mary Hospital. He was 64.
He was a lifelong Bristol Borough resident.
Nick was one of the founding partners of Cellular Advantage, which was one of the oldest and largest Verizon/Bell Atlantic cell phone agencies. He also was the owner and operator of Pools, Pools, Pools, which operated throughout the tri-state area.
Nick enjoyed all sports, especially college basketball (Villanova), reading the Daily News, and vanilla cake. He was a kind, generous, thoughtful, and charming man who loved his family dearly, and devoted himself to helping others; especially his friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Nick and Angie Marino; and his brother-in-law, Cary Palmer. He will be missed by his sister, Roseann Palmer, his brother, Jim Marino and his wife, JoAnn; his nieces and nephews, Maria Kepp and her husband, Tim, Mark Palmer, James Marino Jr. and his wife, Nicole, and Joseph and John Marino; and nine great-nieces and nephews. He also is survived by his aunts and uncles, Joe Farruggio Jr., Dora Stampone, Rose Kirk and her husband, Pat, Betty O'Brien, and Roberta Marino; and many cousins and good friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, at Galzerano Funeral Home, 430 Radcliffe St., Bristol. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. in St. Ann Church, Bristol. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Galzerano Funeral Home, Bristol
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Roseann E. Palmer
Born: February 06, 1944
Died: August 07, 2015
Roseann E. Palmer of Bensalem passed away peacefully on August 7, 2015
at the University of Pennsylvania with her loving family by her side. Born and raised in Bristol Borough she has been a resident of Bensalem for the last 43 years. Roseann enjoyed Ocean City, MD, traveling around the world, cooking, but most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband Cary (Corky) L. Palmer, her parents Nicholas and Angelina Marino and her recently deceased beloved brother Nicky Marino. Roseann will be greatly missed by her 3 children, her 6 grandchildren, and her loving brother Jim Marino and his wife JoAnn. She will also be greatly missed by her loving Aunts Dora Stampone, Elizabeth O’Brien, Rose Kirk and her husband Patrick and Joseph Farruggio Jr. and many cousins, nieces, nephews and close friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to call on Monday evening from 6 – 9 pm and again on Tuesday morning from 9 – 10:15 am at Galzerano Funeral Home 3500 Bristol – Oxford Valley Road, Levittown, PA 19057. Funeral mass will be celebrated 11 am at St. Ephrem Church in Bensalem. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children Research Hospital.
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Courier Times 9.1.15
Away for too long, longtime firefighter gets his wish to tour Bristol again
By James Boyle Correspondent
Five years had passed since Don Crohe last sat at a table at the Bristol Amish Market on Green Street in Bristol to enjoy a plate of seafood from one of his favorite spots, Pistol Pete's Seafood.
For more than an hour, Crohe held court in the market, laughing with his brother, sister-in-law and a couple of old friends, stopping frequently to say hello to another passerby thrilled to see a beloved community hero back in town.
A lifetime of service to his neighborhood, including 47 years as a volunteer firefighter, 46 years as a member of the Bucks County Rescue Squad, many years lighting the Christmas tree as the borough Santa Claus and being an all-around good person has reaped an endless supply of well-wishers taking a minute to shake his hand.
"It's nice to be important," said Crohe, "but it's more important to be nice. I've made so many friends along the way, it's something that all the money in the world can't replace."
Two kinds of people stopped by Crohe's table Thursday afternoon. The first included several younger folks like Kenny Hopkins, who grew up with Crohe as an ever-present mentor and family friend who helped guide him into the emergency services field.
"I'm a fifth-generation firefighter, and our families have always been close," said Hopkins, a member of the Bucks County Rescue Squad and volunteer at the Croydon Fire Co. "I've known him all my life, and he would do anything for anybody. He's always been there for me."
The other type were longtime pals reminiscing about the good old days, like Mary Anne Weston, who has known the Crohe brothers for more than 40 years, starting when she used to follow their snow-cone/pretzel cart around town with her own Italian water ice cart.
"I was a little nervous at first because I was afraid they would think I was trying to steal their customers," said Weston. "They didn't care at all about the competition. They gave me some help, and wherever they went, there I was. We became best of friends."
The Amish Market was one of the final stops of Crohe's tour of his old stomping grounds around Bristol Borough with his twin brother, Harry. The long-needed trip was made possible through the efforts of Twilight Wish, a Doylestown-based nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of elderly veterans. Crohe served in the U.S. Army for several years, stationed in Germany as a cook from 1965 to 1967.
For the past five years, Crohe has resided at Neshaminy Manor in Warrington, confined to a wheelchair after a MRSA diagnosis ravaged his spinal cord. It was hard at first for a man who lives and breathes Bristol to be so far from home, but it did not take long for his personality to overcome the new surroundings.
"They call me the 'Mayor of the Manor,'" said Crohe. "I know everybody by their first name, the nurses, the maintenance crew, housekeeping, the other residents. People from the county government, like [Commissioner] Charley Martin, they come in once in a while just to say hi. It makes me feel so special."
With a regular job managing the gift shop and occasionally making morning announcements over the PA system and an active Facebook account to stay connected with his friends, Crohe has grown to enjoy Neshaminy Manor.
Still, it's just not the same as being back in Bristol. Harry drove his brother around his favorite spots in a special transportation van discounted by MobilityWorks in Bethlehem. It was important to Crohe to see how his hometown had been changing.
"We saw the new public works building, which is just beautiful," he said. "We stopped at the Croydon train station to see the improvements there. We also saw the veteran's monument on Farragut Avenue. I was on the committee formed to get that built, and it looks gorgeous."
Crohe also took a moment to stop at St. Mark's to take a look at his final destination, the cemetery plots that will one day hold him and his girlfriend, Louise.
"I wanted to check out the stone, make sure there wasn't an end date on it," Crohe said.
The day ended with a hero's welcome at the America Hose, Hook and Ladder Fire Station #53 on Farragut Avenue, the fire station where the Crohes grew up and dedicated significant parts of their lives to serve.
Tour of Bristol
"Don is the epitome of a volunteer," said Jay McCay, president of the fire company. "I've known both of them for most of my life, and they have always been very supportive of the station. When you mention the name 'Crohe,' it's the same as saying Bristol. The two are synonymous."
Bryan E. Woolston photo
Bristol Pilot 3.20.1986
Don Crohe, former firefigher at the America Hose Hook and Ladder Company #2 in Bristol,
chats with his friend Joyce Frake, of Bristol, during his return visit to the fire station on Thursday, August 27, 2015.
Crohe was assisted in making the visit by the Twilight Wish Foundation.
Tracie Van Auken
Courier-Times
click on thumbnail to enlarge
Donald L. Crohe
November 12, 1946 - March 2, 2023
Donald L. Crohe passed away peacefully at Neshaminy Manor Nursing Home on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
He was 76. Born in Bristol, he was a lifelong Bristol Borough resident. Don was a U.S. Army Veteran, a life member and past president of the Bucks County Rescue Squad, as well as past president and life member of America Hose, Hook & Ladder No. 2 Fire Company. He served on the Bristol Borough Veterans Memorial Committee as well as the Elm Street Fire Relief Committee. Don was also known as "SANTA" to thousands of children throughout the area and he most enjoyed being the SANTA in the Bristol Borough Christmas Parade. He had a passion for going to flea markets.
Don was predeceased by his mother, Ruth Crohe and brother, Patrick Crohe. He is survived by his twin brother, Harry H. Crohe (Cathy), his niece, Donna Edmondson (Rob), and his nephew, Christopher Cramp. He is also survived by his 2 best friends, Kayann Bixler and Robert Lorendeau.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Viewing on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from 6-9:00pm at the Wade Funeral Home, 1002 Radcliffe Street, Bristol Borough. Interment, private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the America Hose, Hook & Ladder No. 2 Fire Company, 2401 East Farragut Ave., Bristol, Pa 19007.
