In Memory

Marlene Camacho (Weiss) VIEW PROFILE

Marlene Camacho (Weiss)

Marlene “Marl” Camacho Weiss ’60 – R.I.P.

Although it’s definitely not one of my favorite things (and apologies to Dame Julie Andrews for that), this will report on the passing of Marlene Camacho Weiss ’60 in 2013.  What is uplifting in an otherwise sad story, however, is the persistent effort of our ’60 classmates to stay in touch with each other for all things good and bad.  What’s particularly striking is that people have gone out of their way to celebrate the life of a classmate who entered O’Dowd as a junior, was quiet, reserved and not well-known in school. 

Moreover, Marlene apparently kept a low-profile for most of her adult life.  Now, at least a bit of that life story can be shared, thanks to good efforts by ‘60 classmates. Reflects quality character ⏤ and that those profound Catholic values we were taught in high school are practiced daily and well by very good people.

Joy Parlett Furtado ’60 reported first, briefly last year at our Reunion 55, that Marlene had died from complications due to advanced dementia.  Details were not then available. Earlier, in 2009, when we were preparing for ‘60@Fifty, Bob Keck ’60 found through meticulous research that Marlene was living in Laguna Niguel, CA, and was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Her son David Weiss confirmed his mother’s condition at that time. 

Since then, thanks to a recent reminder from Joy and a deeper dive into life and times research, we’ve learned more.  What follows is primarily from a conversation with Marlene’s sister Cathy Alexopoulos ’67. 

Marlene’s birthdate was October 15, 1941. She died in May 2013, specific date unknown.

Marlene was born in Guam, before it formally became an unincorporated territory of the US (1950).  She was among seven in the Camacho family to attend O’Dowd out of nine siblings.

We are reminded that almost all of our ’60 classmates were “war babies.”  Probably only one, however, experienced the enemy armed forces actually invading her or his neighborhood.  Marlene's birth day, on Guam, was less than two months before army and naval forces of the Empire of Japan invaded and occupied the island on Dec. 8th, the day after their attack on Pearl Harbor.  No doubt that was a very tough time for the Camacho family.  (Trivia: Cary Greenwood '60, now deceased, was born Dec. 7, 1941.)  

Marlene’s father Pedro moved the majority of his family to the US in 1946-7. However, Marlene did not want to leave. She stayed in Guam with relatives. Her parents visited regularly to check on her. When she was 13, she visited the US, but returned due to what the family described as “culture shock.” By this time, all of her siblings had come to the US. Marlene was a hold-out. Before she was 16, her father convinced her to finally move for good. She entered O’Dowd as a junior that fall, 1958.

Although not particularly outgoing, Marlene did get considerable attention when it came to interest from the opposite sex. She was asked by THREE guys to go to the senior ball: Dave Satterfield ‘59, John Weiss ’59 and a third Cathy could not remember. Marlene went with John.

Marlene & John were married in 1963. Marlene had two sons, David John Weiss, 4/64, and Richard Warren Weiss, 4/65. Marlene worked until David was born, and then she became a homemaker. Marlene and John had homes in Alamo and Blackhawk. According to our highly sophisticated search sleuths, the Weiss family lived for a period on the same street in Alamo as Mike ’60 & Sylvia ’62 Kealy.

Marlene was divorced around 1980. She moved to Dana Point and later Laguna Niguel, where she would ultimately succumb to Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition to Marlene ‘60 and Cathy ‘67, others in the large Camacho family to graduate from O’Dowd: Marlene’s brother Orbia “Orb” Camacho ’57, followed by Mildred “58 & Russell ’58, Fred ’63 and Peter ‘70.

In the classic TV series from our days in high school, the Naked City, which featured a different prominent actor each week in a lead role, the off-camera announcer would intone at the conclusion of every episode, "There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them."

Marlene’s story tells volumes.  Wish more of us could have known her during high school and after.

John ‘60





Click here to see Marlene's last Profile entry.




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