Louis M. Marmo Obituary
The heart of gold inside Louis M. Marmo of Wingdale, NY, stopped beating on April 24, 2021 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY. Louis was 72 years old.
Born on September 21, 1948 in Bronx, NY, Louis (who hated his full name and went by ‘Lou’) was the son of the late Louis and Helen (Giordano) Marmo. Lou was a 1966 graduate of St. Raymond’s High School. He always had a knack for working with his hands, and he put them to good use working at Cadillac Motor Corp. for over a decade after high school.
On February 19, 1977, while working at Cadillac Motor Corp., Lou married the love of his life, Kathleen A. Thompson, after a “chance” encounter at a local bowling alley, which was really a set-up by a lifelong mutual friend. They both new it was love at first sight and married after only 8 months. Lou loved Kathleen with all his heart, and he devoutly stayed by her side through good and bad times for the next 45 years, until his passing.
Being a quick learner and having ambition in spades, Lou quickly set out on his own. In the 1980’s he created Gemini Auto Restoration, a one-man company that pulled Cadillacs from junkyards and rebuilt them from the ground up. At the same time, he started to pick up general contracting work on the side and using his quick learning aptitude he added an impressive array of skills to his skillset: carpentry, masonry, landscaping, plumbing, electrical, ironworking, and so many more.
Lou and Kathleen moved to Larchmont, NY and in 1977 had their first child, Timothy Patrick. Although now a family man, Lou still had plenty of ambition, and in 1982 he created Gemini Contracting after the birth of his twin boys, Patrick Michael and Steven Andrew. The name was fitting because in 1983 they had their second set of twins, this time baby girls, whom they named Erin Collen and Kelly Alice.
Blessed with 5 children, Lou knew they needed a bigger home, and he was up to the challenge. As soon as they learned of incoming children #4 and #5 (Lou loved to refer to his children, especially the boys, by number), they quickly found a plot of land in White Plains, NY. Over the next 2 years Lou built a new home from the ground up that the family would move into in and occupy for the next few years. While he continued Gemini Auto for a few years after the move to White Plains, Lou had found his passion with general contracting, and he began building a new, even bigger, home for the family. In 1986, the family moved to Brewster, NY, where they would reside for the next 21 years, until 2007, when Lou would once again build a new home for the family in Wingdale, NY. This would be the last home that Lou ever built, but over his tenure as a contractor he built a dozen homes, remodeled countless rooms, and added many additions to existing homes – all, unbelievably, mostly by himself with the skills he learned over the years.
In the late 1980’s/early 1990’s Lou began watching woodworking shows like “This Old House”, often with a quip along the lines, ‘I can do that.’ He then began to prove it, and picked up woodworking in his spare time. While it began as a hobby, it quickly became more than that, and before long Lou started churning out dozens of pieces of custom furniture for his family – kitchen hutches, tables and chairs, blanket chests, bookcases, full bedroom sets, desks, and much more. Before long word of his talent spread and this turned into a side job that he would continue throughout his life. He honed his skills until he was a Master Craftsman, building a home basement workshop in both the Brewster and Wingdale homes that would impress any who set foot in it. His homes in Brewster and Wingdale, as well as the homes of his children, are adorned with an unbelievable number of beautiful and elegant furniture pieces that are part of his legacy to his family and are constant reminders of the love and dedication he had for all of them.
In the mid-1990’s Lou’s talents continued expanding when he started working with Paving and Wall stones of various types. He learned to create beautiful hardscaped landscapes, and over the rest of his life he built countless stone patios, walls, pillars, pool surroundings, fire pits, bars, grill stands, and even paved entire driveways. He became a master at stone working, like so many other things, and many people throughout the tri-state area have beautiful hardscaped properties as a result.
Lou’s greatest passion in life was his family. He was an amazing husband and father, and he worked himself to the bone for years to provide food, shelter, cars, college tuitions, and so many other things for his large family of 7. He never stopped working and never stopped moving, and it was always in pursuit of making sure that his family had everything they needed and wanted. He could barely sit still to relax and watch TV, whether it be day or night, and the sounds of nail guns and saws could be heard from the basement any time between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
In the last dozen years of his life, Lou’s love for family only deeped as his 5 children moved onto having children of their own. Lou was blessed to meet and spend time with 10 grand-children – 5 boys and 5 girls – and he would dote on each and every one of them, telling them all, “You come to Pop-Pop and he’ll give you anything you want”. He would sing to them as babies and cradle them in his large rough hands, which hid his gentle touch that had lovingly raised 5 children of his own. His love for his grandchildren was all consuming, and he could often be heard saying at the end of a family gathering, that “This was such a great day….what a great day.”
Lou is survived by his large immediate family which consists of his loving wife Kate and their children; Timothy Marmo and his wife Emily of Goshen, NY, Patrick Marmo and his wife Marissa of Poughkeepsie, NY, Steven Marmo and his wife Stephanie of Wingdale, NY, Erin Bjernestad and her husband Charles of Norwalk, CT and Kelly Marmo of Wingdale, NY, and his 10 sweet grandchildren; Kayleigh, Sophia, Kyle, Ian, Jack, Keira, Nickolas, Ryan, Lilliana and Layla. He is also survived by his extended family: sister Victoria Marmo, brothers Brian Marmo and Dennis Marmo, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A private cremation and memorial service will be held to honor Lou.
Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Avenue, Brewster, NY assisted the family with arrangements.
Born on September 21, 1948 in Bronx, NY, Louis (who hated his full name and went by ‘Lou’) was the son of the late Louis and Helen (Giordano) Marmo. Lou was a 1966 graduate of St. Raymond’s High School. He always had a knack for working with his hands, and he put them to good use working at Cadillac Motor Corp. for over a decade after high school.
On February 19, 1977, while working at Cadillac Motor Corp., Lou married the love of his life, Kathleen A. Thompson, after a “chance” encounter at a local bowling alley, which was really a set-up by a lifelong mutual friend. They both new it was love at first sight and married after only 8 months. Lou loved Kathleen with all his heart, and he devoutly stayed by her side through good and bad times for the next 45 years, until his passing.
Being a quick learner and having ambition in spades, Lou quickly set out on his own. In the 1980’s he created Gemini Auto Restoration, a one-man company that pulled Cadillacs from junkyards and rebuilt them from the ground up. At the same time, he started to pick up general contracting work on the side and using his quick learning aptitude he added an impressive array of skills to his skillset: carpentry, masonry, landscaping, plumbing, electrical, ironworking, and so many more.
Lou and Kathleen moved to Larchmont, NY and in 1977 had their first child, Timothy Patrick. Although now a family man, Lou still had plenty of ambition, and in 1982 he created Gemini Contracting after the birth of his twin boys, Patrick Michael and Steven Andrew. The name was fitting because in 1983 they had their second set of twins, this time baby girls, whom they named Erin Collen and Kelly Alice.
Blessed with 5 children, Lou knew they needed a bigger home, and he was up to the challenge. As soon as they learned of incoming children #4 and #5 (Lou loved to refer to his children, especially the boys, by number), they quickly found a plot of land in White Plains, NY. Over the next 2 years Lou built a new home from the ground up that the family would move into in and occupy for the next few years. While he continued Gemini Auto for a few years after the move to White Plains, Lou had found his passion with general contracting, and he began building a new, even bigger, home for the family. In 1986, the family moved to Brewster, NY, where they would reside for the next 21 years, until 2007, when Lou would once again build a new home for the family in Wingdale, NY. This would be the last home that Lou ever built, but over his tenure as a contractor he built a dozen homes, remodeled countless rooms, and added many additions to existing homes – all, unbelievably, mostly by himself with the skills he learned over the years.
In the late 1980’s/early 1990’s Lou began watching woodworking shows like “This Old House”, often with a quip along the lines, ‘I can do that.’ He then began to prove it, and picked up woodworking in his spare time. While it began as a hobby, it quickly became more than that, and before long Lou started churning out dozens of pieces of custom furniture for his family – kitchen hutches, tables and chairs, blanket chests, bookcases, full bedroom sets, desks, and much more. Before long word of his talent spread and this turned into a side job that he would continue throughout his life. He honed his skills until he was a Master Craftsman, building a home basement workshop in both the Brewster and Wingdale homes that would impress any who set foot in it. His homes in Brewster and Wingdale, as well as the homes of his children, are adorned with an unbelievable number of beautiful and elegant furniture pieces that are part of his legacy to his family and are constant reminders of the love and dedication he had for all of them.
In the mid-1990’s Lou’s talents continued expanding when he started working with Paving and Wall stones of various types. He learned to create beautiful hardscaped landscapes, and over the rest of his life he built countless stone patios, walls, pillars, pool surroundings, fire pits, bars, grill stands, and even paved entire driveways. He became a master at stone working, like so many other things, and many people throughout the tri-state area have beautiful hardscaped properties as a result.
Lou’s greatest passion in life was his family. He was an amazing husband and father, and he worked himself to the bone for years to provide food, shelter, cars, college tuitions, and so many other things for his large family of 7. He never stopped working and never stopped moving, and it was always in pursuit of making sure that his family had everything they needed and wanted. He could barely sit still to relax and watch TV, whether it be day or night, and the sounds of nail guns and saws could be heard from the basement any time between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
In the last dozen years of his life, Lou’s love for family only deeped as his 5 children moved onto having children of their own. Lou was blessed to meet and spend time with 10 grand-children – 5 boys and 5 girls – and he would dote on each and every one of them, telling them all, “You come to Pop-Pop and he’ll give you anything you want”. He would sing to them as babies and cradle them in his large rough hands, which hid his gentle touch that had lovingly raised 5 children of his own. His love for his grandchildren was all consuming, and he could often be heard saying at the end of a family gathering, that “This was such a great day….what a great day.”
Lou is survived by his large immediate family which consists of his loving wife Kate and their children; Timothy Marmo and his wife Emily of Goshen, NY, Patrick Marmo and his wife Marissa of Poughkeepsie, NY, Steven Marmo and his wife Stephanie of Wingdale, NY, Erin Bjernestad and her husband Charles of Norwalk, CT and Kelly Marmo of Wingdale, NY, and his 10 sweet grandchildren; Kayleigh, Sophia, Kyle, Ian, Jack, Keira, Nickolas, Ryan, Lilliana and Layla. He is also survived by his extended family: sister Victoria Marmo, brothers Brian Marmo and Dennis Marmo, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A private cremation and memorial service will be held to honor Lou.
Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Avenue, Brewster, NY assisted the family with arrangements.
To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Louis M. Marmo hosted by Beecher Funeral Home.
Events
Event information can be found on the Official Obituary of Louis M. Marmo.