John Marnell

John Wallace Marnell passed away peacefully on Saturday May 11 ^th due to complications from respiratory failure at the age of 81.  He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.

John was born on August 16, 1942, in Englewood, NJ to Wally and Suzanne Marnell.  John grew up in New Jersey and attended high school at Bergen Catholic.  He went on to receive a degree in Economics from Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ.  Following graduation, he packed up his life and moved to Minneapolis, MN where he earned a master’s in health administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.  This decision would lead him to a career in Hospital Administration.

John met Carol Piazza at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis when they were both young healthcare professionals. They were married 6 months later. Shortly after being married John had the opportunity to serve his country in the US Public Health Service as a hospital administrator for the IHS (Indian Health Service) first in Wagner, SD then to Eagle Butte, SD over the course of two years.

John learned of a job opportunity at St.  Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson, AZ.  The young family would move to Tucson, where they would spend the next 14 years.  John formed lifelong family friendships with the doctors and healthcare professionals in the Carondelet Healthcare Network and also joined the Tucson Kiwanis Club where he was an active member for 12 years.

Life was good in Tucson, but John’s next opportunity brought him back to Minneapolis, MN for the next eight years at St. Mary’s Hospital.  A final move would bring the family to Hudson, WI where he became the CEO of Hudson Hospital and was instrumental in the creation of a new hospital campus.  Hudson would become home for John and his family for the next 35 years.

John was civic minded and a community builder. He volunteered as a board member or leader of countless organizations in the St. Croix Valley.  John spent 56 years as a Rotary Club Member (joining his first club in Wagner, SD in 1966) and was a charter member of the Day Break Rotary Club in Hudson in 1989.  Over the years, John was a member of the Hudson Hospital Foundation, Hudson Community Foundation, Hudson Chamber of Commerce (Board President), YMCA Camp St. Croix (Board President) and St. Croix Valley Family Resource Center. John was a founding member of the Philosophical Gentleman (PG Group) – a Friday lunch group that would meet to solve the world’s problems.

John is survived by his loving wife of 57 years Carol Marnell (Piazza), son Christopher Marnell (Marilyn Paulos); Elena, daughter Jennifer Hawkins (Tom Hawkins); Clementine, Campbell, Birdie and Genevieve, daughter Colleen Suhanosky; Vivian, Marcella and Roman and son Timothy Marnell (Sheri Marnell); Owen, Evelyn, Charles and Edison.  Sisters Teenie Delaney (Marnell) of Southington, CT and Suzanne Sykes (Marnell) of Spring Lake, NJ and late sister Yvonne Sullivan (Marnell) and his beloved nieces and nephews Neil, Jackie, Kim, Lisa, Sheila, Tim, Casey, Bobby, Kevin, Doug, Paul, Haley and Bradley.

A visitation for John will be held at the O’Connell Funeral Home, 520 S. 11 ^th St,  Hudson, WI on Friday June 7 ^th from 4:30 – 7:00 pm.  Mass of Christian Burial for John will be held Saturday June 8 ^th at St. Patrick’s Church, 1500 Vine St.,  Hudson, WI at 11:00 am with visitation at the church starting at 10:00 am.  A celebration of life will follow from 1–4 pm at the RCU Discovery Center at YMCA Camp St. Croix, 345 Riverview Dr. Hudson.The service will be livestreamed–click here for the livestream.

Donations can be made in John’s name to YMCA Camp St. Croix or Hudson Hospital Foundation.