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In Memory of
Marcello
Franchini
Franchini
1921 - 2014
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Obituary for Marcello Franchini
Marcello Franchini died on May 23 at age 92 in Chicago, Illinois, surrounded by his family. He was born in Naples, Italy and spent his early childhood in Somaliland, Africa where his father was an Italian government official. He graduated from the Military Academy of Modena, to become an officer in the Italian Army. While there, he was an accomplished athlete competing in track and field. As a Captain, he was assigned to the 343rd Infantry Regiment stationed in Calabria region of Italy and subsequently in Albania. At the end of WWII, he became a liason officer between the 5th American Army and the Italian Army. In 1950 he was sent to the American Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia on a NATO mission. Returning to Rome, Italy where his parents lived, Marcello later met and married the former Barbara Jean Ralston in 1952, who was working for the U.S. Government's Marshall Plan in Paris. They moved to Chicago in 1954 with their newborn son Alessandro and the next year opened La Colonna Imports on Walton Street, the first-ever "boutique" of its kind specializing in modern Italian women's clothing, accessories and product lines from nascient designers like Pucci, Valentino, Fornasetti and Venini. The shop moved to Oak Street a year later and then finally to Plaza del Lago in Wilmette in 1968, as the family had gradually grown with the addition of three daughters- Luisa, Nicole and Elisabetta. After Barbara passed away in 1984, Luisa joined La Colonna and following Marcello's eventual retirement, she continued to successfully run the business until it was sold in 2011 after 56 years in the family. Marcello is survived by Marina Jacks, his beloved partner and companion for over 25 years, all four of his children, their spouses, eight grandchildren and one great grandson. Private funeral services were held May 26 at the Willow Creek Scottish Cemetery in Caledonia, Illinois. A Memorial will be held on Friday, May 30 at 3:30pm at the Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=171159224#sthash.l5qqyYq9.dpuf
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Life Story for Marcello Franchini
Marcello Franchini died on May 23 at age 92 in Chicago, Illinois, surrounded by his family. He was born in Naples, Italy and spent his early childhood in Somaliland, Africa where his father was an Italian government official. He graduated from the Military Academy of Modena, to become an officer in the Italian Army. While there, he was an accomplished athlete competing in track and field. As a Captain, he was assigned to the 343rd Infantry Regiment stationed in Calabria region of Italy and subsequently in Albania. At the end of WWII, he became a liason officer between the 5th American Army and the Italian Army. In 1950 he was sent to the American Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia on a NATO mission. Returning to Rome, Italy where his parents lived, Marcello later met and married the former Barbara Jean Ralston in 1952, who was working for the U.S. Government's Marshall Plan in Paris. They moved to Chicago in 1954 with their newborn son Alessandro and the next year opened La Colonna Imports on Walton Street, the first-ever "boutique" of its kind specializing in modern Italian women's clothing, accessories and product lines from nascient designers like Pucci, Valentino, Fornasetti and Venini. The shop moved to Oak Street a year later and then finally to Plaza del Lago in Wilmette in 1968, as the family had gradually grown with the addition of three daughters- Luisa, Nicole and Elisabetta. After Barbara passed away in 1984, Luisa joined La Colonna and following Marcello's eventual retirement, she continued to successfully run the business until it was sold in 2011 after 56 years in the family. Marcello is survived by Marina Jacks, his beloved partner and companion for over 25 years, all four of his children, their spouses, eight grandchildren and one great grandson. Private funeral services were held May 26 at the Willow Creek Scottish Cemetery in Caledonia, Illinois. A Memorial will be held on Friday, May 30 at 3:30pm at the Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street.Recently Shared Condolences
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