Marion M. Birch passed away peacefully at the Winchester Hospital on Thursday evening. She was 76.Raised in Boston’s West End and Somerville, she was the daughter of the late John and Michelena (Cimorelli) Bruno. Marion worked as a waitress for much of her life, starting out at her dad’s famed restaurant in Boston, JB’s on Charles St. She later went on to work at the venerable Frank’s Steak House on Mass. Ave in Cambridge and later was invited to be the first waitress at the land mark, Kelly’s Diner in Ball Sq. Somerville, upon its opening. She achieved some local fame as the diner was featured on the Phantom Gourmet and Drive-ins, Diners and Dives. While Marion may have worked a lot, she loved spending time with her family and friends and enjoyed playing cards. She was a woman of strong faith, was a devoted wife and excelled at being a mom and grandmother. Throughout her life she made it a point to talk to each of her six children every day.
The beloved wife of Vic Birch, she was a devoted mother to Robert J. McCarron and his wife Eva of Medford, Marion Benoit of Revere, Beth Spinosa and her husband Frank of Winchester, David Flett and his wife Lisa of Saugus, Nicole Galbadis and her husband Steven of York, ME, Francis Birch and his wife Trista of Derry, NH. Marion was a loving grandmother to Doug, Robert, Joseph, Nicholas, Christopher, David, Frankie, Sophia, Michael, David III, Jesse, Alea Beth, William III, Gabriella, Jason, Erik, John and loving great-grandmother to Anthony, Robert Jr., Evalen, Kyleigh, Christopher Jr. and the late Skylar. A dear sister to Emily Gmitter, Robert Reska, Alice Dixon, George Young, Marie Griffin, Michael Bruno, the late John Bruno and Lena Phelan, she is also survived by her former husband David Flett, Sr. Marion also leaves many nieces and nephews.
Marion’s funeral will be from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St. Medford, on Wednesday, March 28th at 11 AM followed by a funeral mass celebrated in St. Raphael Church, 512 High Street, Medford, at 12 Noon. Services will conclude with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may visit at the funeral home, Tuesday 4 - 8 PM.
For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made in Marion's name to St. Jude Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942.