Sister Marianne Longo

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Sister of Mercy, Sister Marianne Longo, 88, transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home Friday morning March 15 at St. Bernardine Home, Fremont.  She was a beloved friend, guide, counselor, and mentor to so many over her 70 years of ministry. 

            Sister Marianne was born on April 1, 1935.  During her high school years at Tiffin Calvert, her God-given talent of a beautiful singing voice was recognized and gained her a full scholarship in music to Mary Manse College (Toledo).  Her decision not to accept this was a grave disappointment to her father who wanted her to achieve the acclaim he knew her singing could bring her.  Instead, she chose to knock on the door of the Sisters of Mercy asking to join them. Her beautiful voice, however, was heard by many over the years.

            Her first 17 years of Mercy ministry took her to the classrooms of a number of diocesan parish schools as teacher and then as principal of St. Peter School in Upper Sandusky. She was then asked to take on the principalship and counseling responsibilities at a school in Johnson City, Tennessee.  Even though assigned to this, (as the story goes) she felt she needed to ask her mother if it was alright to go so far away.  Her mother’s response was, “You do what the Sisters tell you.  The kids will bring me to see you.” And they did over the next 10 years as she enjoyed her new surroundings enabling her to camp and hike the foothills of the Smokey Mountains.

            She returned to Ohio in 1987 to become director of Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont. She brought in new programs, building renovations, a new spirit of hospitality, and plans for small cottage-like hermitages. Ever so proud of her Italian heritage, she enlisted the help of family members to cook and serve gourmet Spaghetti dinners as fundraisers over several years. She was always willing to demonstrate and share her culinary expertise.

            After her many years committed to the Pines she resigned from the directorship and continued her ministry of spiritual direction from her home on the grounds, eventually moving to St. Bernardine Home in 2015.

            Her last 7 years have been most difficult for her friends and family as she and they have witnessed her increasing memory loss. Despite that, she never lost her welcoming and gentle spirit, always calling others by endearing names, even not knowing who they were but grateful for their care and presence. In her last months she often talked aloud, conversing with each of her brothers and sisters, living and deceased, sometimes for hours at a time.

            She will be greatly missed by her Community of the Sisters of Mercy, her siblings Connie (Bob) Archer, Rita (Ed) Schwab, and Rose (Joe) Mangus as well as many nieces and nephews.

            She was preceded in death by her parents Frank Longo (proudly of Calabria, Italy), mother Philomena Colatruglio Longo, and siblings Carol Jean, Frank, Leonard, and Joanne (Elchert) Longo.

            There will be a welcoming service and visitation Thursday, March 21 at 2:00 at St. Bernardine Home chapel, Fremont.  The funeral Mass will be Friday March 22, 11:00am at St. Bernardine Home chapel with burial at Our Lady of the Pines Cemetery.

            Funeral arrangements are under the care of Herman-Karlovetz Funeral Home.  Sr. Marianne’s funeral will be live-streamed via the funeral home’s website at https://www.hermanfh.com/.