LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / July 7, 1999

NORCO – Former St. Charles Parish Sheriff Johnny Marino Sr. died Sundayfollowing a long illness. An honor funeral is planned by the St. CharlesSheriff Greg Champagne.

Marino, 73, served three consecutive terms as sheriff, the first to do so since Leon C. Vial Jr., who served 1944 to 1964.”He was very proud of that,” son Lance Marino said.

Marino was a lifelong resident of St. Charles Parish and lived in Norco. Heattended Destrehan High School but left to serve in World War II as a corporal before graduation. He later earned a General EquivalencyDevelopment degree upon his return.

Marino worked for Shell Oil in Norco and later with New York Life Insurance before joining the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office as a dispatcher in1972. He rose in the ranks, serving as a road deputy, juvenile probationofficer, public information officer and assistant sheriff before he succeeded Charles Wilson in 1983.

He worked closely with young people as a juvenile probation officer and tried to turn their lives around. Likewise, he was close to the elderly andstarted the annual Easter dinner for senior citizens.

“Those two things really were close to his heart,” Lance Marino said.

After his third term, despite calls by supporters to seek a fourth, Marino retired and attended to his mounting health problems, including serious glaucoma and cataracts in both eyes. He sustained a stroke in 1991 whilestill in office.

His main hobby after his retirement were his grandchildren and great- grandchildren, his son said.

Marino was a member of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, Knights of Columbus Council 3634 and American Legion Post 366.

“I owe him a lot of gratitude, as he was so kind to me,” Sheriff Champagne commented. “During the transition period, he made it very easy. I alwaysliked the man, personally.””He was a great guy to work with,” 29th Judicial District Attorney Harry Morel recalled. “He was very compassionate and easy to work with. We’regoing to miss him.”Marino is survived by his wife, Gloria Cambre Marino, and children Dawn Kelmell and Melody, Johnny Jr., Philip and Lance Marino.Services are today at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norco,with interment at St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery in Destrehan. Visitationstarts at 8 a.m.

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