Beatrice ‘Bea’ Marana

She was born December 23, 1926 in Iron River, Michigan to Isaac Gustav and Jennie Aliisa (Harmala) Laitila. Her father was an immigrant from Jalasjarvi, Finland. She grew up on the family farm on M-73, known then as the Elm District, in Stambaugh Township in Iron County, Michigan.

Beatrice began school at a rural schoolhouse, the Elm School, in Stambaugh Township at the age of 4 years in the first grade. From the 2nd grade through high school, she attended the Stambaugh Public Schools (now West Iron Schools) in Stambaugh, Michigan, where she participated for four years in cheerleading and with the orchestra playing the violin and was a member of the National Honor Society. She worked as a salesclerk at J. C. Penney in Iron River after school and on Saturdays She graduated with the class of 1943 which was the first class to hold commencement services outdoors at Nelson Field in Stambaugh.

World War II brought changes in the lives of the family with the rationing of gasoline, tires, meat and sugar. Bea’s family sold U.S. government war bonds in their neighborhood and students in school purchased war bond stamps weekly. There was no television, but the family’s ears were tuned nightly to the battery radio for news reports about the War.

Students of the Stambaugh High School shorthand and business classes were urged to take government Civil Service tests and all who passed were offered employment by the Detroit Ordinance District in Detroit, MI. Due to the War, the government was accepting applicants at age sixteen to help fill the shortage of employees. After graduation, Bea and several of her classmates moved to Detroit. The offices were located downtown in the First National Bank Building. After going through testing there, she was assigned to the Motor Vehicle Division, Lumber Section, where both military and civilian personnel worked together purchasing lumber to manufacture the vehicles needed in the War effort, much of the lumber came from the U.P. of Michigan and Wisconsin. Groups of employees visited the proving grounds to see the vehicles that were manufactured. The year 1944, the head of the Division and Bea were honored with the Award of Merit. Employees at that time were frozen to their jobs, so it was difficult to have time off to visit family at home. Even sick days were monitored by a possible call or visit and sometimes required a doctor’s statement. It was wartime and getting on trains was a challenge as service personnel had priority.

Bea returned to Iron River in 1945 and was employed by A. H. Proksch Construction Co. and the Proksch Lumber Company as a payroll clerk. On October 26, 1946, she married her high school sweetheart, Geno Peter Marana of Caspian, MI who had returned to Caspian after serving with the U. S. Navy for three years. They were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church rectory in Gaastra, MI. Together they raised three children. They resided in Caspian until 1961, when the family moved to Marquette and Geno enrolled at Northern Michigan University.

Bea was a member of the Northwoods Symphony Orchestra in Iron River, and after moving to Marquette became a member of the Marquette Community Symphony orchestra directed by Dr. Harold Wright. She was employed by Northern Michigan University in 1961. She retired from the senior administration position of Employment Supervisor in the Personnel Department December 31, 1986. She was a member of St. Peter Cathedral church, the P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter BY, the Northern Michigan University Retiree Assn., MARSP, and YMCA swim aerobics group.

Bea was an avid sports fan of the various sports that her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren participated in. She attended most of their games whenever possible, even flying to all out of town college football games. She also enjoyed hockey, basketball games and wrestling meets. Bea was also a Green Bay Packer fan. She traveled to Europe, Hawaii, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada, the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, East, and Midwest states in the U.S.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Isaac in 1955 and Jennie in 1986, her husband, Geno Peter Marana in 1976, two brothers, infant, Leonard Lawrence Laitila in 1924, and Reino Gilbert Laitila, Gurnee, Illinois in 1971, and sister-in-law, Irene Wilson of Gurnee, IL, brothers and sisters-in-law, Bruno (Anita) Marana, Walter (Mary) Kmiecik, Rena Roehrig, Frank (Ada) Binter.

Survivors include her three children, Don (Janice) Marana, of Marquette, Jean (Tim) Schultz of Marquette and James (Beth) Marana of Treasure Island, Florida, seven grandchildren, Jason Smith, Tony (Katrina) Smith of Marquette, Lynne (Donald) Nurkala III of South Lyon, MI, Christopher (Kristin) Marana of Ishpeming Township, MI, Renee (David) Balding of Marquette, MI, Lee (Lucy) Marana, Marquette, MI, and Michael Schultz (fiance: Cassie VanAbel) of Marquette, eleven great-grandchildren, Jason (Brooklyn) Smith, Ray, Kaisa and Brooklyn Nurkala, Gavin, Carson, and Blade Smith, Jude and Iris Balding, Jenna and Megan Marana and Preston Smith, brother, Ray’s children, Steven, Michael (Vivian), Kevin (Sherri) Laitila and Karen (James) Gorsline and their families, several other nieces and nephews, longtime good friend and companion, Robert F. Lawrence of Marquette, two cousins, Adele Tresidder of Scottsdale, AZ and Marlene Mongiat of Marquette, special friends, in Caspian, Gaastra, Marquette, Ishpeming and Big Bay.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter Cathedral with Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Steber officiating on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, gathering in the Bishop’s Room from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm with Mass to follow. Escorts will be Bea’s grandchildren. Lunch will be served in the church hall immediately following the Mass. Burial will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Vincent DePaul Society Food Pantry, 2119 Presque Isle of Marquette, MI 49855.

The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to both Brookridge Heights and Eastwood Nursing Center for taking such good care of Bea.

Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the Marana family where memories of Bea may be shared at canalefuneral.com.