Oct. 4, 2024. Louis A. Marciano (Cranston). Born in Providence, Oct. 26, 1924 to Ferruccio and Amelia (Fazzini) Marciano. Lou graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1942. He served in the United States Navy as a radioman, for three years during World War II, promoted to Petty Officer first class. He was on shipboard for more than two years in the Pacific theater. His ship, the USS Prometheus, had just left Okinawa when the Japanese surrendered.

Utilizing the GI Bill, Lou earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Arnold College division of Bridgeport University, in Connecticut, in 1950. He earned a Master of Education degree in School Administration from Rhode Island College in 1960. He also earned Certificates of Merit in National Science Grants from Brown University, Wilkes University, Indiana University, and the University of West Virginia.

Lou was a teacher, administrator, and athletic coach in the Providence School System from 1953-1968. At Mount Pleasant High School, he was head of the Science Department, head wrestling coach, and assistant varsity football coach for 12 years. His wrestling teams won five state championships and compiled a record of 75% victories. His 1963 team was the first public school to win the New England Championships. In 1979, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Wrestling Hall of Fame, and in 2001, into the New England Secondary School Hall of Fame. He was the defensive coach and chief scout for the football team that won or tied for eight “Class A” championships in a ten-year period in the 1950s and 60s.

Lou served as a system-wide Providence School Health Administrator from 1969 to 1978. The Governor of Rhode Island then appointed him to be Chief of Health Promotion at the Rhode Island Department of Health, until his retirement in 1986. He then founded his own consulting firm: Consulting Associates. In June 1985, he became the first recipient of the annual Horace Ogden Award of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “…for extraordinary contribution to the health of the people of Rhode Island and the Nation.” In the same year, he became a member of Leadership Rhode Island, as a member of the Epsilon class.

He was invited to join Rotary International in 1972 and became a member on February 23, the anniversary of the founding of Rotary in 1905. He served as club president in 1981, and in 1991 was elected Governor of District 7950, covering 66 clubs in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. In 1997, he became the second District recipient of the Rotary International Service Above Self Award.

Lou was selected to be a member of the Rotary Legislative Council, which met in New Delhi, India in January 1998. While there, he and his wife Gloria, administered Polio vaccines during a National Immunization Day. It was at that time that he initiated steps to create the Rajendera K. Sabo Endowment Fund. It began with a modest $1,020 collected in India, and today exceeds $550,000. Dividends from this account fund Rotary Peace Scholars with a two-year scholarship.

He served for three years as the first District 7950 trainer and served for three years as a Trainer of Trainers in Zones 31 and 32. He and his wife, Gloria, were Paul Harris Fellows and Benefactors of the Foundation. Lou had more than 52 years of perfect attendance in the Rotary Clubs of North Providence, and Cranston, Rhode Island.

In 1998, he received the Soccer Ball Award “Kick Polio out of Africa” for his efforts to eradicate Poliomyelitis. During the 2000, International Convention in Singapore, President Carlo Rivizza presented Lou with the International Regional Award for his efforts in the Far East. In 2003, he received the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, Rotary’s second highest award.

Lou also served as Zones 31-32 Coordinator for Matching Grants to build 84 shelters in Curitiba, Brazil, and 108 shelters in Honduras following devastating hurricanes. Since the start of the PolioPlus Program, he chaired or co-chaired the district effort. His committee collected more than $250,000 during the first two years of the PolioPlus Partners program. Lou then served as Zone Coordinator during the 2003 drive to raise 80 million dollars. Zones 31 and 32 accounted for 8.2 million dollars. He also served on the National Board of Directors for Hunger Plus, and in 2001 was instrumental in securing a one-million-dollar matching grant for hunger, with Alan Shawn Feinstein, which resulted in a total of $3.2 million dollars. In 2013 this fund raiser accounted for 180 million dollars in the USA.

In 2002, Lou authored a Zone 31-32 manual of procedures for Hunger Plus. In 2004, Rotary President Glenn Estess appointed Lou to be the Assistant International Coordinator for the newly formed Task Force on Water. Lou made a presentation before 600 people on the role of Rotary in the water crisis at the United Nations. He served in that role for Presidents Stenhammer and Boyd and served as International Advisor for Water Resources for Presidents Wilkinson, and Lee. He completed this assignment in June 2009, due to the illness of his wife, Gloria.

Lou continued to serve on District Committees, as well as his international commitments through the Rotary club of Cranston. He was on the Rotary District Polio Eradication committee for 2021-2022. In 1992, he was the liaison person between Rotary District 7950 and the World Scholar Athlete Games. He stood for seven International Presidents at District Conferences in the United States. The latest, number 8, was in Scarborough, England in 2015.

In January 2008, Marciano was selected to receive the highest award of the Rotary International Foundation Board of Trustees, the Distinguished Service Award. This award is presented annually to fewer than fifty Rotarians worldwide. Governor David Clifton presented the credentials to Lou at the District conference in May 2008.

Marciano was honored in Montreal, Canada during the International Convention in 2010, by the Class of Rotary Governors of 1991-92 for his efforts to expand the Raja Saboo Endowment fund, which now has assets of more than one-half million dollars. These funds finance a Peace Scholarship every two years for international service.

On October 6, 2011, District 7950 honored Marciano, with the Distinguished Rotarian Award, for his efforts to end Polio.

In November 2011, Marciano received the Outstanding Philanthropic Rhode Island Citizen’s Award at a breakfast attended by more than 650 people. This award, established by the U.S. Congress in all 50 United State, selects one person. He was nominated by then Rhode Island College President, Nancy Carriuolo.

In November 2012, Marciano was inducted into the Rhode Island Football Hall of Fame. Marciano served on the Rhode Island Chiropractic Board of Review for twelve years, and the RI Dental Board for five years.

Lou and his wife Gloria donated an annual scholarship award at Rhode Island College in 2004, which provides a qualified student with funds for scholarship aide. The Rhode Island College Alumni Association Presented Marciano with their annual Alumni Service Award in May 2005. An art studio was funded by Gloria and Lou at the Rhode Island College Alex and Ani Art Center on September 23, 2014.

On August 19, 2015, Marciano was honored by the Pawtucket Red Sox for his efforts during the past 16 years to have Rotary Night at the Paw Sox game. The award is: Hometown Hero Award. Hundreds of children attend each year. He was again recognized, in May 2024, at the Woo Sox Stadium, for service as a veteran. May 2016, saw the conferring upon Marciano of the Outstanding American Award, presented at the 29th annual award from the R.I Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

In April of 2009, the editor of the Federal Hill Gazette, invited Marciano to write a monthly column in that newspaper entitled: I REMEMBER, a perspective of history of people, events, and places that he remembers. He continues to do so, as it became the Echo, and now, under their new name of The Rhode Island Wave. These are available in print and electronic versions. (Therhodeislandwave.com). He was interviewed by the Wave onYouTube: The Rhode Island Wave Presents Dr. Lou Marciano Lifetime Community Servant. His last article appears in the October 2024 issue.

April 17, 2017, Lou was presented The Quilt of Valor, by the Ladies Auxiliary of Tampa, Florida, for distinguished service to the members of the military who served during World War II. As a veteran of WWII, Lou was honored to have served his country, taking part in many veteran programs, Veteran’s Day parades, and proudly wore his WWII Veteran baseball cap everywhere. On November 11, 2018, Lou was selected to be one of the first 10 World War II Veterans to make an Honors Flight with the Rhode Island Fire Chief’s Association. (https://youtu.be/OEz0gIAuLVo?si=4tIUw8UkGADG6X49). This day-long event started in Warwick, to Baltimore, including a send off in RI and a rousing reception in Baltimore, followed by a tour of the WWII Memorial for the vets. On October 17, 2021, Marciano was one of five World War II Veterans selected to ignite the Eternal Flame on the 75TH Anniversary of the ending of WWII, by the Heritage Harbor Foundation, during the dedication of the community park in Woonsocket, RI. Once again, Marciano received further honor for his participation in World War II, by the President and officers of Rhode Island College. He was selected to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC on November 2, 2021.

In 1995, The Rhode Island College Foundation presented Marciano with the Man of The Year Award for his contributions to the college. In recognition of his lifetime of service to others, Rhode Island College awarded Marciano an Honorary Doctoral Degree of Community Service at the RIC Commencement, May 2022. He has served on the Alumni Board there for 53 years.

Lou served in the Holy Name Society, Reunion Committees, Pre-Cana Marriage classes, the Senior Vicar, and as a Lector, Commentator, and Eucharistic Minister at St. Mary Church in Cranston, for 68 years.

Gloria and Lou loved to travel, visiting more than 25 countries together. His favorites, of course, were Italy, where he traveled for the past two years, and visiting his family. Marciano would say his greatest achievement was that he married Gloria Petrucci in 1952. She passed away in 2013, after 61 years of marriage. Lou was predeceased by two sisters, Gloria (Ted) Metcalf, Marie (Fred) Baldoni, and a brother, Joe Marciano, and a nephew.

He is survived by two daughters, both of whom are retired college professors with earned Doctorate Degrees in Education, Deb Marciano (Ray Noll) and Joanne (Ward) Crossman, his grandson, Stephen-Paul Lepre, Jr., two granddaughters, Lisa (Lauren) Crossman-Walsh and Jenna (Brant) Sarkisian, and a great-granddaughter, Madeline. He leaves behind three generations of loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: Lou Marciano Award c/o Rotary Club of Cranston. PO Box 3723 Cranston, RI 02910.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday October 8, 2024 from 2:00-7:00pn in The Butterfield Chapel 500 Pontiac Avenue Cranston.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday October 9, 2024 at 10:00am in St. Mary's Catholic Church 1525 Cranston Street Cranston. 

Burial with Military Honors will follow in St. Ann Cemetery Cranston.