MSGT Armando (Pepe’) Marino, age 84, of Wrightstown passed away Monday, November 24 at Samaritan Inpatient Hospice Center in Mt. Holly. Born in Rumford, Maine, he was a resident of Wrightstown since 1977. Armando joined the US Air Force in 1951, serving in Korea, Vietnam and Guam and bases in Hawaii, California, North Carolina and finally McGuire AFB where he retired as a Master Sergeant in 1977. He was the chapel manager for the McGuire AFB Chapel, he taught Sunday School there and he enjoyed woodworking and building the Nativity displays for the base. After his retirement from the Air Force he worked at Diamond M Lumber, Kardon Chevrolet and Miller Ford, all in Mt. Holly. With the help of his Samaritan Hospice team, he was recently awarded the Burlington County Military Service Medal as a Thank You for his military service to his country. Pepe’ was always very involved with his children’s and grandchildren’s activities and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Armando is survived by his wife, Rita (nee Simard) Marino. They first met when he was stationed in New Hampshire. Both were at the same dance, but they didn’t cross paths initially. It wasn’t until Armando spotted Rita across the local diner after the dance that the two were finally introduced! They have stood by each other’s sides from the beginning. They celebrated 58 years of marriage on September 1. Armando is also survived two sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas and Noe Marino of Pine Hill and Daniel and Jane Marino of Bordentown; two brothers, Arnold Marino of Ft. Myers, FL and Tony Marino of Tanton, MA; six grandchildren, Antonio, Annabella, Angelina, Nicholas, Isabella and Sophia and many nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian burial for Armando will be celebrated on Monday, December 1 at 10:00 AM at the McGuire AFB Main Chapel, 2503 East Arnold Avenue, McGuire AFB, NJ 08641 with Father Tim Hirten officiating. Burial with Air Force honors will follow in the BGWCD Veterans Memorial Cemetery in North Hanover Twp. Family and friends may call on Sunday evening November 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and again on Monday morning from 8:30 to 9:00 AM at the Tilghman Funeral Home, 52 Main Street in New Egypt (www.tilghmanfh.com). Anyone going to the Mass at the McGuire Chapel should meet at the funeral home by 9:00 AM on Monday to drive to McGuire in procession. Also we will need everyone's driver license number to be permitted onto the base. Please call the funeral home at 609-758-8500 in advance with your information. Due to cemetery restrictions, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Armando’s name may be made to Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, 5 Eves Drive, Suite 300, Marlton, NJ 08053 (www.samaritanhealthcarenj.org).