Marvella Leto, 93, of St. Joseph, passed away Wednesday, October 12, 2016, at Pine Ridge Nursing Home in Stevensville, MI.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 211 Church St., St. Joseph with Fr. Robert Creagan officiating. Entombment will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M., Friday, October 21, 2016, with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI. Memorial donations may made to Hospice at Home or St. Joseph Catholic Church. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com
Marvella was born on September 23, 1923, to Curtis & Gertrude (Autry) Jackson in Hayti, Missouri. She moved to the Twin Cities with her brothers at the age of eighteen after the passing of her parents. On October 29, 1944, she married Henry (Hank) Leto in Kalamazoo, MI. Marvella was the Assistant Inn Keeper at the Holiday Inn of St. Joseph. She and Hank loved being snowbirds, first traveling from St. Joe to Florida and then finally calling Tucson, AZ, their winter home. Marvella loved interior decorating and fashion. She loved following the decorating and fashion trends and was always dressed to the 9’s.
Marvella is survived by a daughter, Luann (Geoff) Leto of St. Joseph; a son, Dennis (Robin) Leto of Tucson, AZ; a daughter-in-law, Katie (Jonathan) Leto-Fightlin of Aspen, CO; six grandchildren, Bradley (Michele) Leto of Tucson, AZ; Greg (Michaela) Leto of Tucson, AZ; Alicia (Chris) Lord of Boulder, CO; D.J. (Stephanie) Zech of Berrien Center, MI; Ryan Leto of Carbondale, CO, and Dale Zech of St. Joseph, MI; four great-grandchildren, Kirk & Ila Leto and Chance & Calli Weiss of Tucson, AZ.
She is preceded by her parents, husband, a son, Patrick Leto, her later in life companion, Otto Smikle, and all of her siblings.