Maria Fabrizia Marcus

Maria Fabrizia Marcus (nee de Staglieno)
May 22nd, 1924 – July 23rd, 2017

After having led a long and fulfilling life, Maria Fabrizia Marcus (nee de Staglieno) was called home to the Lord on July 23rd, 2017. She was 93. Born in Genova, Italy, into Italian aristocracy - her father was the Marquis Carlo de Staglieno of Genova and her mother, Baroness Matilda Parisi of Trieste - she led an interesting life, growing up in pre-war Italy. Following her father’s death, her mother remarried Fulvio Suvich of Trieste, who became ambassador to the US from 1936 to 1938. A graduate from the University of Rome Medical School in 1951, she later won a Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed her to complete a Psychiatry residency at Fordham Hospital in New York City. While there, she met her future husband, M. Bennett Marcus, and they were wed October 1st, 1955. Following her husband’s medical career, she moved out to Anaheim, California where she lived for 40 years. For nearly a decade, she was Chief of Staff at the LA County Psychiatric Hospital in Norwalk, part of the county’s Department of Mental Health. She obtained additional training and subsequently opened a private psychiatric practice. When she was not busy raising her five children, she and her husband were avid supporters of the arts. They were among the founding members of the Bowers Museum, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, and the South Coast Repertory Theater. Their support for the arts continued when they moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1995. Maria for many years served as a volunteer for the Santa Fe Opera as well as various museums and folk/art festivals in town. Additionally, she served as a reading volunteer at a local elementary school and was a long-term driver for the Kitchen Angels. Life With a Purpose was her mantra, which she tried to fulfill every day.
She was predeceased by a son (Christopher Robin Marcus), her husband of 43 years (M. Bennett Marcus), and a daughter (D. Francesca Marcus, divorced from Fong). She is survived by two sons, Charles Richard Marcus (Jenny), and Peter Sebastian Marcus (Lyree), a daughter, Claudia Marcus; and ten grandchildren, Matthew, Allen, and Megan Fong, Andrew, Min, Seol Marcus, and Magdalena, Nathanial, Brigitta, Marcella Marcus.
A Rosary will be recited at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis at 9:00am on Friday, July 28th ; Mass of Christian burial will follow at 10:00am. Friday
Internment will follow at Rosario Cemetery
Donations in her honor can be made to the Kitchen Angels, The Santa Fe Opera, Medecins Sans Frontieres, St. Michael’s Indian School (Window Rock, Az), St Labre Indian School (Ashland, MT), and St, Joseph’s Indian School (Chamberlain, SD).