Marcel Andre Largente, aka Corky to a select few, left for heaven on November 14th 2024 at 2 in the morning. He spent the last 10 months of his earthly life at English Meadows, a care facility in Williamsburg, Va, where he was a favorite of the staff. Why not? He was always one of the good guys.
California was his home until Uncle Sam sent him to Vietnam to fight in that terrible war. There he drove big trucks (boys like big trucks) and repaired a variety of radios used to keep in touch with “friends” while chasing “foes”, and after find your way home again.
Back in the states, he returned to his job at the Berkeley Radiation Lab where he crafted one-of-a-kind parts for the linear accelerator, and he was described by a colleague and friend as a respected, knowledgeable, and skilled machinist. Thanks to the GI bill, he was able to continue his education at UC Davis and graduated with a degree in brewing science. My parents were both teetotalers, so that went over well. After working for Miller for a couple years in Los Angles, he ended up in St. Louis at Anheuser Busch and ultimately in Williamsburg, which has been our home for almost 40 years.
I, his wife, Carla, met Marcel in a Berkeley dental office where we were extracting a couple of his lower molars. Romantic, right? After a fairly short courtship, we began a marriage that lasted 51 years, raised four incredible children, and welcomed six grandchildren, all of them exceptionally bright, beautiful, and talented.
We miss him, but not for long. There will be a celebration of life for Marcel in March 2025 at Williamsburg Community Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Heart for Orphans or Williamsburg Community Chapel.
