Liberato Marinilli, creative, talented man
Liberato Marinilli, 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in his home in Rehoboth Beach,
Known as Libby to friends, co-workers, and acquaintances in the U.S., he retired to Rehoboth Beach in 1999 with his wife, Gladys, after a lifetime of traveling the world and the U.S.
Libby was born in Cocullo, a tiny mountain village in the province of L’Aquila, Italy. When he was 20, he joined many young people who emigrated after the Second World War to create a more prosperous future. He chose Venezuela, which was a land of opportunity in the 1950s and ‘60s. He was a proud participant in the many expansive building projects in the capital of Caracas. There, he met and fell in love with the girl next door, a Venezuelan beauty who matched him in courage and adventurous spirit. After marriage and the birth of two daughters, the couple made the decision to emigrate to the U.S. The family arrived in Boston with two suitcases and $30.
Libby was soon employed with RCA, a major manufacturer of technology products, where he applied his innate talent and creativity to solve computer manufacturing issues. Throughout his nonstop career as a computer technician, successive companies transferred Libby and his family, now a family with four daughters, to where his skills were needed, from Massachusetts to Maine, Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio, as well as trips abroad on occasion.
Libby was a proud homeowner wherever the family lived. His home improvement projects benefited from his ingenuity and craftsmanship, whether it was furniture building, interior design, or gardening. Always busy as a creator and fixer, he leaves behind many beautiful and innovative objects. Late in life, Libby started running 10Ks and marathons as a hobby, and even in recent days, he enjoyed long walks along the parks and trails of the beautiful Delaware beaches. A prodigious baker, he took great delight in making breads, pizza, cakes, cookies, and biscotti, as well as improving any recipe he got his hands on. During his busy retirement, he became a great reader and often was up late into the night to finish a novel or biography.
Libby and his wife, who became naturalized U.S. citizens, also nurtured learning, work ethic, and a commitment to American principles and ideals in his four daughters.
Libby is survived by his loving wife, Gladys Perez Marinilli; and his four devoted daughters, Silvia Marinilli of Rehoboth Beach, Gina Marinilli and Sheila Marinilli, both of Philadelphia, Pa., and Shirley Marinilli Gago (Wilson Gago) of New York; as well as brothers, Guido Marinilli of Quincy, Mass., and Guerino Marinilli of Brockton, Mass.; and nephews and nieces. He is predeceased by his sister, Esterina Marinilli Lattanzi of Watertown, Mass.
Services were private.
Donations in memory of Liberato Marinilli can be made to the American Red Cross, redcross.org/donate/donation.html.
Online condolences can be made by visiting melsonfuneralservices.com.
