Justi

Father Marvin Justi, O.F.M., Capuchin, 75, died Wednesday at the Vincentian Regency in Pittsburgh. He had battled cancer for three years.

Father Marvin is survived by his brothers, John Justi of New Brighton and Ronald Justi of Ellwood City; as well as a sister, Elsie Lesinski of New Brighton; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Born to John and Naomi Justi, May 31, 1933, in Udine, Northern Italy, in the Alps mountains, he was given the name Lawrence at his baptism.

He attended elementary school in New Brighton at St. Joseph Catholic School. He was accepted into St. Fidelis Seminary High School in 1946 and continued his studies at St. Fidelis College, both in Herman. At his investiture as a Capuchin friar, July 13, 1952, he was given the name Marvin.

One year later, he made his first vows as a friar and resumed his philosophy studies at St. Fidelis. Upon graduation from college, he pursued theological studies in Washington, D.C., at the Capuchin College. In addition to his undergraduate degree in philosophy and advanced theological studies, he was awarded a master's degree in the classics from Duquesne University in 1966.

He was ordained to the priesthood June 7, 1958, at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. He celebrated his golden jubilee June 7, 2008.

After ordination, Father Marvin was assigned to St. Fidelis Seminary as a professor, prefect and spiritual director. His combined experiences as a student and faculty member at the seminary proved to be among his fondest memories, which he often recounted even to the final days of his life.

In 1969, Father Marvin was assigned to Quigley High School in Ambridge and remained there until 1972, at which time he moved to Shawnee, Kan., as a co-pastor at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. After several short-term assignments in Washington, D.C., Dover, Ohio, and back in Herman, Father Marvin returned in 1980 to the region of his childhood years, Beaver County. After three years as parochial vicar at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, he embarked on a career of hospital chaplaincy, for which he is most recently and fondly remembered. With his gentle pastoral style, Father Marvin was a beloved presence in the Beaver County Medical Center.

In 2002, Father Marvin was assigned to St. Joseph Church in Cabot, where he lived while serving as part-time chaplain at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Butler, until his illness prevented him to do so in 2007. At that time, he moved briefly to the St. Augustine Friary in Pittsburgh and, eventually, to the Vincentian Regency.

Any memory of Father Marvin would be incomplete without mentioning his love for nature. He was an avid hunter and loved fishing. He will always be remembered for concluding his sermons with, "Take time to smell the flowers."

<B>JUSTI</B> — One period of visitation and viewing for Father Marvin Justi, O.F.M., Capuchin, who died Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, will take place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the St. Augustine Friary, 221 36th St., Pittsburgh.Father Marvin's body will be transferred to Rochester for a second period of viewing and visitation from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at St. Cecilia Church. The Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Cecilia Church. Lunch will be served after the funeral Mass and prior to his burial at the St. Mary Cemetery in Herman.Professional services have been entrusted to the care of <B>D'Alessandro Funeral Home & Crematory</B>, Lawrenceville.