Joseph Marra

Joseph R. Marra died of natural causes on April 14, 2015.Joseph was born in Havre, Montana on January 25, 1924 to Frank and Mary Marra, who also had two other children, Anthony J. and Norine Marra, who predeceased him. Joseph Marra graduated from Havre High School in 1941 and attended Northern Montana College for one year. He enlisted in the Navy at 18 in 1942 from which he was honorably discharged in 1946. He then attended the University of Illinois and graduated from the University of Montana law school in 1951. He practiced law in Great Falls from 1951 until he retired.During that time the Montana Supreme Court appointed him to serve on the Civil Rules Commission in 1970 where he served until shortly before his retirement. The Court appointed him Chairman of the first Reapportionment Commission in 1973, and its representative on the Judicial Nominating Commission where he served for 11 years. He was a member of the American Bar Association Legislative Committee. He was President of the Cascade County Bar Association and received the first Edward C. Alexander award for professionalism and integrity.Joseph married Norma Grassechi of Black Eagle on June 6, 1949, who predeceased him. They had four sons, Frank of Boise, Idaho; Tom (Antonia) of Great Falls; John (Ann Marie) of Honolulu, Hawaii; and Paul (Lonny) of Hollywood, California, all of whom survive. Also surviving are four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.He married June L. Wilder in 1999, and she died November 24, 2014. He played with the Great Falls Symphony for many years and would prefer that donations in his name be made to the Great Falls Symphony, 11 3rd St. N., Great Falls, MT 59401.No funeral services will be held at his request.