Jim Marinis' Obituary
Jim Marinis peacefully passed away on September 23, 2022 while surrounded by his family. He was 89 years old and is survived by his wife, Margaret, his sister, Athanasia, his three children; Mary, Michael and Anthony, three grandchildren; Sean, Scott and Stephanie, as well as a great-granddaughter, Zoe. He was proceeded in death by two grandchildren, Megan and Scott Michael.
Jim was born in Mankato, Minnesota on March 7, 1933, to Greek immigrant parents. The family later moved to Mason City, Iowa, where Jim ran track and earned the first of many nicknames, “The Fleet Marinis.” After graduating high school, and attending junior college, he began dating Margaret.
Jim joined the Navy in 1953 and carrier qualified as an aviator. Jim and Margaret were married in Hernando, Mississippi and subsequently returned to Iowa to pursue his teaching certification at Iowa State Teachers’ College. While he was completing his degree, he and Margaret had their first child, Mary. After finishing his schooling, Jim accepted a teaching job at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico. The family remained in Puerto Rico until 1959, and then returned to Davenport, Iowa, where Jim accepted another teaching position. The family then welcomed their second child, Mike.
In 1962, Jim took a teaching position in San Bernardino, California. Shortly after arriving in California, Jim and Margaret had their third child, Tony in 1962. Jim became a vice- principal before becoming a principal in San Bernardino. He would serve the community for the next 30 years at several schools in the area. After retiring, Jim ran for the local school board and served two terms. He remained active in several organizations throughout his retirement. After leaving the school board, Jim and Margaret traveled extensively to places such as Hong Kong, Egypt, Russia and several other countries.
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