William Marsh

William (Pop) Marsh, 86, of Richmond Valley, a retired FDNY lieutenant, veteran, registered nurse and volunteer coach who was dedicated to his family and his faith, died Friday in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, after a fall at his home.

The lifelong Staten Islander was born and raised in Tottenville and graduated from St. Mary's High School in Perth Amboy.

Mr. Marsh served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War era, as a staff sergeant stationed at the USMC base in Barstow, Calif.

He served in the FDNY for 25 years, primarily assigned to Engine Co. 15 on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and was promoted to lieutenant in the early 1970s. He became a registered nurse through the Fire Department and worked with developmentally disabled children at the former Bayley Seton Hospital, Clifton, for 10 years. He then repaired video cameras at Custom Video Systems before finally retiring about 10 years ago.

He and Mary Suchay met on the South Beach boardwalk when they were teenagers, and became sweethearts. They wed in Immaculate Conception R.C. Church in Stapleton in 1950 while he was on leave, and she returned with him to his military base in California until his discharge. They had lived in Richmond Valley for 60 years.

Mr. Marsh loved traveling the world with his wife, and among their destinations were the shrines at Medjugorje and Lourdes, where they renewed their marriage vows. His faith was an integral part of his life, expressed by the prayers he said at every event, his devotion to Divine Mercy, and the example of his life as a committed family man who never hesitated to help people in need, his family said.

He also was the life of the party, loved to dance, and was the first on the dance floor. He loved people and they loved him back, family added.

He brought out the best in everyone he met, said his daughter, Kathy Dowd.

A natural athlete who loved sports, he was the MVP of South Shore Chevvies Football in 1947, his family said. He was a founder of and coach for the South Shore Babe Ruth League, and coached for many years with the South Shore Little League.

He was a loyal New York Mets fan and had been a season ticket holder for over 40 years.

Mr. Marsh was an active parishioner of Our Lady Help of Christians R.C. Church, Tottenville, where he served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and CCD teacher.

Surviving, along with Mary, his wife of 65 years, and his daughter, Kathy, are his sons, William Jr., Peter, Charles and John; his daughter, Margie Marsh Costello; 15 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be Tuesday from the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville, with a Mass at 10 a.m. in Our Lady Help of Christians Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.

Services: A 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday December 22, 2015 at Our Lady Help of Christian R.C. Church. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery.

Visitation: Sunday 7-9 PM, Monday 2-4 7-9PM

Memorials: Contributions to Our Lady Help of Christian's School in Memory of Bill would be appreciated.

Cemetery: Resurrection Cemetery (Staten Island)

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home

Church: Our Lady Help of Christians R.C.Church