Marian Ann Hammerstone

Marian Ann Hammerstone died at home on 13 June 2018. Marian was born in Brooklyn, New York on 14 May 1937 and was the daughter of James and Anne Rakonza and the sister of James “Sonny” Rakonza. Growing up, Marian enjoyed playing baseball in the street outside her apartment on Monroe Street with Sonny and the kids in the neighborhood. Marian adored her father and loved spending time with him, including attending church, deep-sea fishing and going to the Brooklyn Dodger baseball games. Marian graduated from St. Joseph’s Commercial High School in 1955 and went to work at Chase Manhattan Bank directly, thereafter, serving as an Executive Secretary. One day, on her lunch break, she stopped into the recruiting office for the United States Marine Corps and joined the service. Everyone thought she was crazy, including her boss and mother, but she was strong willed and knew she wanted more than just working at the bank the rest of her life. While in the Marine Corps, Marian became a court stenographer and met and married her first husband, Frank Beams. Together, they had two children, Steven and Brenda. Marian was honorably discharged from the service in 1958 and moved to Bradley Beach, New Jersey. When Frank was killed in a construction accident just two years later, Marian was devastated. She lived for a time in Georgia and in 1967 married her second husband, Carl Hammerstone and they moved to Manassas, Virginia. Marian became a stepmother to Carl’s daughter Debbie and Carl built them all a house on Cornwell Drive complete with an in the ground pool and screenhouse. In 1978, Marian and Carl had their only child together, Karla. Marian settled into her life as a homemaker and in the 1980s took a job babysitting for neighbors who became very good friends, Noah and Cathy Dellinger. She loved their kids as much as her own and cherished her time watching over them. On New Years Day in 2002, Carl passed away and Marian moved to Florida to be closer to her son Steven, daughter-in-law, Myra and her grandchildren, Paul and Olivia. Marian’s daughter Brenda and grandson Robert moved to Florida with her. After the first severe hurricane, however, Marian decided that Florida was not for her and she moved back to Virginia where she resided with her daughter Karla and her son-in-law, Chris Reese, for the next 14 years. Marian loved baseball and attended many a Washington Nationals baseball game in her later years with Karla and good friends and neighbors, Squirt and Joy Minney. In 2016, Marian moved with Karla from Manassas to Haymarket and spent the next two years settling into her new home and planning her next adventure in life. Marian truly loved living. She kept up on current events, loved to read and learn new things, and made the most of everything that she had. Marian loved everyone she ever met and she enjoyed sending greeting cards to her friends and family for all occasions. In the spring of 2018, Marian started to feel tired and “was getting slow” as she put it. After a few doctors’ visits and a short stint in the hospital, Marian was told she had cancer. She was told that she would have to meet with an oncologist and a surgeon, but still being that strong-willed lady she was, she had other plans. Marian decided instead to go home and make the most of the time she had left. The night before she passed, Marian proclaimed that she had lived the best year of her life yet because she had everything that she had ever wanted. God called Marian Home sometime just after sunrise on the morning of 13 June 2018. There was a memorial service held for Marian at Pierce Funeral Home in Manassas on 19 June 2018 from 5pm to 7pm. Marian received military honors and was laid to rest in Quantico National Cemetery next to her husband, Carl the following day, 20 June 2018.

Marian Ann Hammerstone

May 14, 1937 - June 13, 2018