Marion Wilhelmina Fischetti, 93, of Pittsfield, MA, died on Monday evening at Berkshire Medical Center. She was born on August 25, 1931, to Henry and Augusta Reyels, who had both emigrated from Germany as teenagers and had started a Gasthaus that served farmers and workers in Freeport, Long Island, NY.
After high school, Marion worked as a secretary and office administrator for various organizations, retiring from the National Council of Churches headquarters in the 1980s. She sang alto in church choirs from her teens to her sixties. She carried a leather pocketbook with a leather wallet, leather change purse and a mirrored lipstick case. Her lapel was not complete until it was adorned with a pin.
Marion married Frank R. Fischetti on October 11, 1959, in New York City. He passed away on June 28, 2017. Before their first date, Marion purchased “flats” (shoes) because Frank was two inches shorter and she wanted to minimize any awkward feeling he might have. That night they walked across the George Washington Bridge, even though she was afraid of heights. She kept those shoes in a closet, in their original brown cardboard box, for her entire life.
Marion always tried to make other people around her feel at ease, whether with a compliment, a patient ear or a lemon cake. Although she didn’t speak German often, she was always conversant. She reminded her two sons, Mark and Chris, in their college years of the folk wisdom, “Bier auf Wein, das lass sein; Wein auf Bier, das rat ich dir.” Which very loosely translated means “beer after wine, that is not fine; wine after beer, I would advise you dear.”
In her later years, Marion traveled with Frank across Europe, to Thailand, China and Costa Rica. Her happiest times, though, were at the beach, or the theater, or just in the backyard with family and friends and coffee ice cream.
Marion is survived by her sons Mark A. Fischetti of Lenox, MA, and Christopher D. Fischetti of Hamburg, NY; grandchildren Nicholas and Megan Fischetti; great-grandchildren Carter and Faye Fischetti; and many extended family members and friends.
Calling hours for Marion Fischetti will be on Friday, May 9, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Roche Funeral Home in Lenox. A brief service will be held there on Saturday, May 10, at 10 a.m., followed by burial at Mountain View Cemetery in Lenox. In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage you to donate to your favorite charity in Marion’s name, or to contribute to Loomis Senior Living (memo line: Philanthropic, in care of Marion Fischetti); mail to the Roche Funeral Home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, MA 01240.
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