Russell L. Marchese
Russell L. Marchese, Sr., 79, of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away peacefully on August 8, 2013. He was a loving husband of 56 years to Antonia Marchese and a devoted father.
Born in Batavia, NY on March 2, 1934, to the late Joseph R. and Carrie Marchese, Sr., Russ owned and operated Marchese National Food Stores in the Batavia community for many years.
He is survived by sons Russell L. Marchese, Jr. (Diane Marchese), of Batavia, NY and Matthew J. Marchese (Melody Marchese), of Williamsville, NY, as well as daughters Marianne L. Jensen (Billy Jensen), of Herndon, VA, Kathleen A. Dermody of Bergen, NY, Joan M. Marchese (David Foster), of Bolton, MA, Lisa K. Marchese (Karen Evans) of Albuquerque, NM, and Jennifer L. Crockett (Timothy Crockett), of Grand Island, NY.
He will be missed by his 14 grandchildren: William Marchese and his spouse, Jessi Marchese; Sarah, Joanna and Rebecca Jensen; Kristina Marchese and her fiancé, Greg Thurber; Katelyn and Shannon Dermody; Owen and Henry Foster; Louis and Carmela Marchese; Zoe and Sasha Evans; Evan Crockett; and great-grandchildren Ronan and Elliot Marchese.
In addition, Russ is survived by brother Robert Marchese (Judith) of New Port Richie, FL and sisters Carolyn McGorray (Thomas McGorray) of Tucson, AZ and Dorothy Marchese of Batavia, NY; brother-in-law Louis Marazza (Marian) of Erie, PA and sister-in-law Arlene Gavazzi of Corry, PA; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. Russ was predeceased by sisters Rose Nigro and Florence Joy and brother Joseph R. Marchese, Jr.
While living in Batavia, Russ served the community for many years as a member of the Sertoma Club. When he retired to Florida, he became an active member of the Sawdust Engineers in Sun City Center, FL to which he was elected President and served as a member of the board. He also sat on the Cypress View Community Board of Property Owners Association. He volunteered as a driver for Samaritan Services of Sun City Center and the Sun City Center Security Patrol.
A memorial mass will be celebrated on August 24, 2013 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sun City Center, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to LifePath Hospice, 3723 Upper Creek Dr., Ruskin, FL 33573.
Virginia Catherine Tosch
Virginia Catherine Tosch, 91, born Virginia Catherine Lesnau, from Sun City Center, Florida, went to Heaven to be in the presence of the Lord, on Tuesday, August 6, 2013.
Virginia or “Virg” was born in Detroit Michigan on Nov. 16, 1921. Virg was the youngest of six children born to Joseph and Cassimira Lesnau. She attended Nursing School at Providence Hospital in Detroit for over three years after high school. Virg then entered the U.S. Army as an Operating Room Nurse in 1945. She had the rank of Second Lieutenant. She earned the WWII Victory Medal and American Campaign Medal and was Honorably Discharged after serving for 21 months. She was married to James “Jim” Tosch on Oct. 1, 1949. She and Jim lived happily for 46 years together, before he passed away in 1995 in Sun City Center.
Virg loved everything she did and always had a positive attitude toward everyone. She loved going to Bob Evans on Sunday with her best friend in her whole life, Lois Perrewe. She loved Prince of Peace Catholic Church. She loved playing cards with her friends. She loved her dog Bella. She loved Wheel of Fortune. She had a long hobby of sewing. Virg was always there for her children and they loved her very much. She loved her nursing during her long life. She was an avid shopper and always found the “deals.”
Virg is survived by daughter Denise Stafford and husband Reid of Friday Harbor, Washington; sons Scott Tosch and wife Apple of Sun City Center, Fla, and Mike Tosch and wife Gloria of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; grandchildren Amanda Reyes and husband Doug of Wolf Creek, Ore., Amy Stafford of Santa Fe, NM and a student in Chicago, Brandon Tosch and fiancée Irene Manay of Canoga Park, Calif., and Melissa Tausig and husband Ian of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; grand-stepson Andrew Johnson of San Diego, Calif.; and great-grandchildren Ember Reyes, and Madera Reyes of Wolf Creek, Ore., Kurt Mann, Kayla Tausig and Riley Tausig, all three of Thousand Oaks, Calif.
A funeral/memorial service is being planned at a date yet to be determined at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Sun City Center. Virg’s ashes, along with late husband Jim Tosch’s ashes, will be laid to rest at a private interment at Bushnell Veteran’s Cemetery in Ocala, Fla. at a date yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers for the memorial services, contributions would be appreciated to Prince of Peace Catholic Church: In memory of Virginia Tosch – 702 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
