Richard J. Marrone

Richard J. Marrone, age 71, of Minneapolis, passed away in his home on Monday, December 19, 2022.

He is survived by two brothers, Joseph Marrone and Jim Marrone; and a sister, Deborah (Michael Thiel) Marrone. He was preceded in death by his parents, Margaret and Richard Marrone Sr., and a brother, David Marrone.

Richard, known to many as Dick, grew up with his four siblings in Brooklyn Center. He attended St. Alphonsus School and he graduated from De La Salle High School in 1969.

At a young age, Dick was invited to go fishing with his uncle Jim and from that time on he was hooked on fishing and never lost interest. He enjoyed catching crayfish and frogs as a boy, and he owned his own fishing boat as an adult, traveling to lakes and rivers throughout northern Minnesota and into Canada.

Dick loved automobiles from an early age, and he owned a variety of unusual cars throughout his life. This might explain why he was drawn to working at occupations related to transportation; he drove taxi cabs and operated a car-starting service, and he earned money working on road construction and for delivery services.  Even after suffering a stroke and while in a wheelchair, he persevered through a lengthy process to restore his driver’s license, which allowed him to drive his modified minivan independently.

In his youth, Dick played baseball, basketball, and other sports. Later in his life, he enjoyed watching a variety of sports, but Minnesota Twins baseball and Minnesota Vikings football were his favorites.

Cooking was another of Dick’s passions, and he often experimented with exotic food from distant countries. While working as a taxi driver he befriended several co-workers who came from places like Ethiopia, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, and Vietnam. From these friendships, he would always learn about native recipes and try to prepare them.  Wild game was also on the menu, and he liked to smoke foods such as turkey, fish, and venison.

Interestingly, Dick had an almost photographic memory that allowed him to recall specific events that happened years or decades in the past.  He could routinely report precise details such as the day of the week, address location, weather, and the persons present for events like a baseball game that was played 20 years prior.

Dick was a firstborn child with strong ambitions and strong opinions. He created several small businesses throughout his life, and a few were modestly successful.

Friends and family will miss and remember Dick for his spirited discussions, his broad smile, and his kind heart.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, 2022, at Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapels,

3888 West Broadway, Robbinsdale, MN, 55422. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the

funeral home.