Marion Quetano
Marion Quetano was born on July 7, 1917 in San Francisco. She grew up in the Mission District with her older sister. Both of Marion’s parents were Italian and she is proud of her Italian background.
When Marion was younger she loved to go out to listen to music and go dancing. When Marion met her husband, Larry, it was a perfect match. Larry also enjoyed dancing and he was a saxophone player in a six-piece band that included his brother Raymond. Larry’s sister, Ginger, became one of Marion’s best friends, and the two enjoyed watching Larry and Raymond perform. Their band played all around San Francisco and Marion says Larry was a playboy. Marion and Larry enjoyed finding time to “cut a rug” together, and they married in 1938.
After they were married, the couple came to Santa Clara and they started their family. Marion and Larry had a boy, Ronald, and a girl, Sandra. Larry worked as a crane operator at Westinghouse. He tried to enlist in the military, but the work he did at home for the government was more important. Marion was happy not being uprooted like most military families. Marion loves the Bay Area and was mostly a stay-at-home mother. Marion and Larry lived in Santa Clara in the same home on Blossom Drive for over 50 years. They had a great little neighborhood and friendly neighbors. This is where she met one of her good friends Susan. Ron also met his best friend, Tony, from the neighborhood, and Marion considers Tony to be another son. Marion was always gracious to anyone who came over to visit. Whenever the kids’ friends were staying over she would wake up early to cook them a full breakfast. Larry was 100% Portuguese, and when he was going on a fishing trip she would also cook him breakfast with his special linguica and pack him a lunch for his trip.
When Larry retired, Marion got to take some of her own big trips. One of the biggest trips for Marion and Larry was a trip to Russia. They were one of the first Americans to go to Russia after the travel restrictions were lifted. They also went to the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. Marion’s favorite trip was an Alaskan cruise. They boarded the Alaskan cruise just after the Oakland Raiders had won the Super Bowl, and the entire team was on the ship with them. She is not a huge football fanatic but she was still happy to be able to meet some of the players on that trip. Marion’s two grandchildren and son live out of state. She had the offer to move away with them, but Marion refused. Most of her family lives in Texas now, but she still won’t budge. She has lived all her life in the Bay Area and she loves Santa Clara. She adores her family and did look into a few retirement communities in Texas, but none piqued her interest.
Marion came to Villa Serena in 2009, and she loved how quiet and serene the community was. She loves walking around the pond to watch the little duckies, and she enjoys playing her weekly games of Horse Racing and Mexican Train. Marion never misses an exercise class or any activities that involves music. Marion is sweet, cheerful, and happy to be born, raised, and retired in the Bay Area.
Marion’s Birthday Surprise!
*This blog was first published here: Sunshine Retirement Living
