Marjorie Morad Frisco
July 15, 1925 - August 28, 2019
Marjorie (Mulaki) Frisco was born on July 15, 1925 in Los Angeles. Her parents, Boutros and Freda, came from a town in East Lebanon and were devout Catholics, Maronite Rite. They arrived in Los Angeles in 1912 and started a successful family market. Marjorie lost her father in 1935 when she was ten years of age. Raised by her proud mother, Marjorie was the youngest of 7 children.
Marjorie attended Hammel Street Elementary, Belvedere Jr. High and Garfield High. She was a straight “A” student, graduating six months early. While in high school, Marjorie participated in a competition to sell war bonds for US troops abroad during World War II. She not only won the competition, she collected so much money that the War Department, in gratitude, named a jeep in her name: “The Bouncing Margaret.” She received her AA degree at John Marshall where her favorite subject was political science.
Marjorie then worked at May Company as a staff writer and, on occasion, a bridal model. She graced many a magazine cover in full bridal attire. She became a legal secretary in downtown Los Angeles where she met and married the love of her life, attorney Charles Frisco, who later became a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge. They celebrated sixty-one years together before he passed in October, 2015. They parented seven children: Patti Frisco, Charles E. Frisco Jr., Joanne Frisco Stathoulis, Christopher Frisco, Janine Frisco Poletti, Craig Frisco and Jacquie Frisco Habsburg. They had eight grandchildren, Charles Stathoulis, George Stathoulis, Garryn Laws, Elizabeth Fellmeth, Samantha Poletti, Taylor Knudson Frisco, Thomas Poletti Jr. and Giancalo Christopher Frisco. They had three great grandchildren: Joanne Stathoulis, Sophia Fellmeth and another arriving any moment, Panayotis Stathoulis.
Marjorie was very active in the legal community where she served as president of the Southeast Lawyers Wives. During her term, she introduced Law Day to the Southeast Courts as well as assisted in its name change to become the Southeast Auxiliary Committee. Marjorie also introduced Law Day to the Southeast Bar Courts and became a writer for the Southeast Bar Belles Newsletter. Marjorie was an active member of the Cerritos College Foundation Auxiliary, Downey Community Hospital Auxiliary, the Women’s Committee for the Downey Symphony and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Guild. She also participated in annual fund raising for the Downey Community Hospital.
Marjorie was fluent in four languages: Arabic, English, German and Spanish. Marjorie was a self-taught musician and mastered piano on her own. Her pastime included following the Dodgers and attending Dodger games. She was also an ardent supporter of all of her children’s academic and sport activities. She was the homeroom mother to several of her children at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School in Downey.
Many knew of her husband and his success. However, Marge’s achievements are largely unknown because she seemingly always took a backseat to everybody else. The secret behind her husband’s success wasn’t just her support as his loving wife. Theirs was a partnership wherein business and family decisions were joint and well-reasoned. On a more practical level, every morning, Marjorie sat Charles down on the vanity chair, brushed his hair, selected and laid out his suit and shoes, all before preparing breakfast for her gaggle of hungry children.
Marjorie was the Rock of Gibraltar for her family, ever present to comfort her children and grandchildren. She had a regal air about her and would have made a fine First Lady since her written and oral skills were flawless. She was possessed of exquisite grace and composure. At 94, Marjorie appeared as a much younger woman; somehow she managed to escape the ravages of time and maintained her extraordinary beauty. Marjorie was truly amazing even at 94. She still drove until the day she passed, confidently navigating the highways of Whittier while complaining of the slow poke drivers ahead of her.
Elegant, regal, courageous, pious, loving, gracious, eternally beautiful, generous to a fault, pure of heart, sophisticated, and ageless, are adjectives that t only skim the list of words that could be used to describe her.
Marjorie Frisco will always be the First Lady of the Frisco Family, confidante and cheerleader to all who knew her.
Marjorie was wise, not just in words but in actions. In life as in death, she lived and died on her terms. Her most precious words of wisdom were:
1. Your family is everything.
2. Don’t be afraid to die, especially when you’ve lived a good life.
3. There is a loving God.
4. There is a very pleasant after life awaiting us.
A visitation/vigil will be held on Monday, September 9, 2019 from 7:00-8:00pm at St. Bruno Catholic Church in Whittier. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 10:30am with interment to follow at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Huntington Beach.
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website, www.rishermortuary.com. 562-699-0916.