Marie R. Mascagni

November 24, 1930 - October 30, 2020

Marie Theresa Mascagni passed away Friday, October 30, 2020 at her home in Clinton. A rosary will be said 5:00 PM Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. Marie was born on All Souls Day, November 2, 1924 to Amelia Cascarano Rogondino and Michael Rogondino in Lake Forest, Illinois. Marie was the third child of five, and the oldest daughter. She spent the first 34 years of her life in close proximity to the very large Cascarano Clan in and around Chicago. She often said that in those days she didn’t have friends, just family. It was a telling statement because Marie had a knack for making everybody feel like family. Her first real job was shortly after the start of World War II, at Great Lakes U.S. Naval Training Base in North Chicago, Illinois. Her job was to collect the personal history of sailors for psychological evaluation and discharge. Marie often spoke of the horrible suffering some of these boys had gone through during their tours of duty but never let this darken her bright smile. A self-described “bum”, Marie travelled the world long before it was fashionable. She took ships to Italy in the late forties to reestablish ties with her father’s family in Bari. She visited England, Spain, West and East Germany. Marie even jumped a plane to pre-revolution Cuba for a go at the clubs. She drove her family crazy bumming the world, but they were all anxious to hear about the adventures upon her return. In 1956 Marie was introduced by her Godmother to a young Italian engineer named Vincent Mascagni. They were married on November 11, 1958 at the Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest, Illinois. Despite rumors that they were married so that Vincent could stay in the country, they immediately moved to Italy for the next 6 years and started a family in the vicinity of Vincent’s large extended family around Bologna, Italy, where their first son, Michael was born. When Marie received word she was to have a second child, she told Vincent she wanted to go back home to America. They landed in Chicago and settled in Marie’s home town where their second boy, Peter was born. From there, they moved to Clinton in the early seventies and Marie became a proud Iowan. Marie spent her life dedicated to family, friends, faith and her charity work. Throughout her long life, Marie never lost that shine that brings joy and happiness to anyone who crossed paths with her. Her smile and outlook on life will never be duplicated and she will be missed. She was the matriarch of a very large family, and was preceded in death by her husband Vincent, two brothers, a sister, and her parents. She is survived by her youngest brother Michael of San Diego, California, son Michael and Becky of Tallahassee, Florida and their three sons, Alexander, Marcus and Evan, and her son Peter and Danielle of Clinton, Iowa and their two daughters Marcella and Francesca. In lieu of flowers charitable donations may be made to Prince of Peace Catholic Church.