Obituary for Marina Haley (Alvarez)
Marina Alvarez Haley 10/26/1933 - 4/19/2020
Marina A Haley, 86, of Newton Centre, MA, died on April 19 at Elizabeth Seton Residence in Wellesley,
MA after contracting COVID-19. Her husband of 25 years Pierce Joseph Haley predeceased her. She leaves five children and their families. Pierce John and Alison King Haley of Jamaica Plain, Marina Haley Reiser and her husband George Reiser of Lincoln, Lorraine Haley of Newton Centre, Mark Haley of Dorchester and Kathleen Haley of Newton Centre. She is also survived by her three grandchildren Michael Haley Reiser and Pierce Jackson and Saunders Elizabeth Haley, her sister, Carmen Alvarez of San Salvador, El Salvador and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Born in Santa Ana, El Salvador, Marina was the middle daughter of a family doctor and stay-at-home mother. She first traveled to the US to attend high school at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, CA She arrived in San Francisco without knowing any English and quickly mastered the language by first memorizing her work for school presentations.
Upon returning to El Salvador, Marina spent a few years working. After taking a European history class with some friends, she took a whirlwind tour of Europe with her “classmates” to see all the places they had studied. While on the Isle of Capri in Italy she met her soon to be husband, Pierce J. Haley of Newton, MA who was an officer in the US Navy and on leave for the night. After some dancing, exchanging addresses, and six very convincing letters, Pierce traveled to El Salvador to visit. After just a short week, they decided to marry. A week later, they held the civil ceremony. They were happily married with five children until Pierce died suddenly of a heart attack in 1988.
Marina’s first love was her family. As the grand matriarch, she often hosted or was the impetus for big family meals. She was smitten with her grandchildren.
Marina had a deep love for music. She was an active parishioner and choir member at Sacred Heart Church since moving to Newton in 1964. Singing was “praying twice” and she loved singing with her choir mates who were some of her closest friends. She was also an informal member of the welcoming committee, greeting new parishioners and always eager to help everyone meet others, especially new Latino parishioners at Sunday Coffee Hour.
She also loved Boston College. She worked at the University for 18 years first in the Romance Language
Department and then in the Financial Vice President’s Office where she stayed until she retired when she
turned 70.
After retiring, Marina took the time to thoroughly enjoy life. She traveled to dozens of countries with friends and family and relished her time learning about new cultures, eating good food and enjoying new sights.
Throughout her life, Marina was a voracious reader. When her sight was robbed by macular degeneration,
she traded her books for a trusty transistor radio to keep up with all the latest news.
Thankfully, all five of her children were able to visit with her the night before she died.
The family will hold a memorial service at a later date when they can celebrate with their family and
friends in person.
Marina A Haley, 86, of Newton Centre, MA, died on April 19 at Elizabeth Seton Residence in Wellesley,
MA after contracting COVID-19. Her husband of 25 years Pierce Joseph Haley predeceased her. She leaves five children and their families. Pierce John and Alison King Haley of Jamaica Plain, Marina Haley Reiser and her husband George Reiser of Lincoln, Lorraine Haley of Newton Centre, Mark Haley of Dorchester and Kathleen Haley of Newton Centre. She is also survived by her three grandchildren Michael Haley Reiser and Pierce Jackson and Saunders Elizabeth Haley, her sister, Carmen Alvarez of San Salvador, El Salvador and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Born in Santa Ana, El Salvador, Marina was the middle daughter of a family doctor and stay-at-home mother. She first traveled to the US to attend high school at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, CA She arrived in San Francisco without knowing any English and quickly mastered the language by first memorizing her work for school presentations.
Upon returning to El Salvador, Marina spent a few years working. After taking a European history class with some friends, she took a whirlwind tour of Europe with her “classmates” to see all the places they had studied. While on the Isle of Capri in Italy she met her soon to be husband, Pierce J. Haley of Newton, MA who was an officer in the US Navy and on leave for the night. After some dancing, exchanging addresses, and six very convincing letters, Pierce traveled to El Salvador to visit. After just a short week, they decided to marry. A week later, they held the civil ceremony. They were happily married with five children until Pierce died suddenly of a heart attack in 1988.
Marina’s first love was her family. As the grand matriarch, she often hosted or was the impetus for big family meals. She was smitten with her grandchildren.
Marina had a deep love for music. She was an active parishioner and choir member at Sacred Heart Church since moving to Newton in 1964. Singing was “praying twice” and she loved singing with her choir mates who were some of her closest friends. She was also an informal member of the welcoming committee, greeting new parishioners and always eager to help everyone meet others, especially new Latino parishioners at Sunday Coffee Hour.
She also loved Boston College. She worked at the University for 18 years first in the Romance Language
Department and then in the Financial Vice President’s Office where she stayed until she retired when she
turned 70.
After retiring, Marina took the time to thoroughly enjoy life. She traveled to dozens of countries with friends and family and relished her time learning about new cultures, eating good food and enjoying new sights.
Throughout her life, Marina was a voracious reader. When her sight was robbed by macular degeneration,
she traded her books for a trusty transistor radio to keep up with all the latest news.
Thankfully, all five of her children were able to visit with her the night before she died.
The family will hold a memorial service at a later date when they can celebrate with their family and
friends in person.