James Albert Marcinko's Obituary
MARCINKO
James A.
Jim, age 65 of Harrisburg, NC and West Mifflin, passed away Dec. 20 after a heroic battle with cancer which he fought valiantly for 33 yrs. Beloved son of the late Albert C. and the late Ann P. Marcinko, Jim is survived by his sister Leanne (Leonard) Petty, niece Kristin (Michael) Staunton, great-nephew Jake, Aunts Marge Marcinko and Alice Kushner, and many cousins and long-time friends. Although Jim spent most of his adult life in North Carolina, he had an endless love affair of all things “Pittsburgh”…from his alma mater Penn State and the Steelers to all the wonderful ethnic neighborhoods and foods of “The Burgh”…especially pierogies, stuffed cabbages, pizza, haluski, and hot sausage. He began his career following graduation from Penn State as a senior standards analyst in the engineering department with IBM. In short time he developed a format of testing and environmental evaluation on the early computers and printers which became adopted company-wide and eventually became the “gold standard” of operation used nationwide. Jim was truly a “Renaissance Man” long before the term was coined, being well read and knowledgeable in so many diverse and interesting areas. After battling his first cancer at age 32 all the way through an eventual bone marrow transplant in Seattle, he was forced to leave his dream job as the strain of a daily routine and recuperation were simply too much. So he turned his love of knowledge in other directions and began to manage his own healing. He became an expert in the medicinal properties of mushrooms, learned the distinction between each, and became a member of many mushroom clubs. As his strength allowed, he enjoyed seasonal explorations to find, harvest, and make them into medicinal tinctures. He practiced transcendental meditation and endlessly studied holistic alternative practices. He was a proficient gardener; canning, pickling, and dehydrating much of his harvest each year for healthy eating. His beverage of choice had always been beer, so he made craft beers and later meade and became a certified judge of them long before they became the trendy drinks of today. He loved his annual fishing trips and oyster picking at Myrtle Beach in the fall with his fraternity brothers as well as trips to Pittsburgh to see family and friends until this year when in Pittsburgh medical issues again arose and he was never able to return to North Carolina. He will always be remembered for living life his way, as best he could, with a smile on his face as well as his determination and courage against great odds. He made an indelible impact on everyone who was fortunate enough to have known him. His huge heart, gregarious personality, and pure spirit will be truly missed. Family and friends will be welcomed for memorial visitation from 10:00 to 11:30 Saturday morning Jan. 6 at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home , 301 Curry Hollow Road in Pleasant Hills. A private Memorial Service and celebration of his life will follow in the Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to The American Cancer Society or the Sierra Club. Online condolences may be left at www.jeffersonmemorial.biz
Visitation:
301 Curry Hollow Road
301 Curry Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236
Saturday, January 6 th from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
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