Dena Marino 1924 ~ 2014

Dena Lorraine Marino passed away February 19, 2014 in Lethbridge at the age of 89 years. Dena was born to Charles and Wandah Parry on September 20, 1924 in Lethbridge Alberta. Her beginnings as a child sparked her love for horses, with her daily duty of herding dairy cows along roadside ditches even before she was old enough to start school. There was no such thing as a day without responsibilities on the dairy farm. She attended White School and Olds College but returned home after suffering a knee injury. As their father's health was perilous, and with her older brother Bert overseas with the RCAF, she and her little brother Don were needed to run the farm during the WW2 years. It was then that Dena met Carl Marino of Montreal in 1942, while he was stationed at the Lethbridge Airport, #8 Bombing and Gunnery School .Mom was a talented painter but also had an amazing talent for writing, which landed her an invitation to move to Hollywood after two recordings, sung by Annette Warren, and a lyrical debut adopted by the popular Juliette TV Show. She eagerly left it all behind, for she had met the love of her life, here in Lethbridge: they were married, and settled on 40 acres on the Jail Road. Soon it was wall to wall horses. No surprise there!! We four kids grew up there and loved it with all our hearts, as did Mom and Dad. Family and friends were at the top of her list, along with her passion for her horses. As an accomplished horse woman, and as a founding member of several horse clubs, including the Remington Carriage Combined Driving Club, it was no surprise that she was still winning competitions at the age of 66. She resided on the farm until she was 83 years old, then moved to South Lethbridge. Dena was predeceased by her husband Carl in 1990, brother Bert Parry, infant sister Lola, and granddaughter Leisha Marino. She is survived by her brother Don Parry (Freda); as well as all four of her children: Juanita (Wayne) McKenzie, Don (Dawn) Marino, Linda (Randy) Maxwell and Jamie (Barb) Marino: 10 grandchildren; Tyler and Dan Willis; Lisa and Neil Marino; Kim Punter, Natalie Guidinger and Kyle Maxwell; Raina, Myriah and Ryley Marino: and 8 great-grandchildren, with ""one on the way"". We love you Mom! We thank you for your passion for life, and everything in it, as we would do it all over again.....JUST LIKE THAT! A celebration of her life will take place on Friday, February 28, 2014 at 1:00 pm at the Italian-Canadian Cultural Centre, 1511 St. Edward Blvd. North, Lethbridge.