Marion T. Veitch

Marion T. Veitch, 90, of Seabrook Village, Tinton Falls, passed away on Friday, March 8th, 2024, at home. She was the daughter of Lebanese immigrants to the U.S., and she had an idyllic childhood of playing stickball in the streets of Brooklyn and going on fishing trips with her many uncles. After graduating high school, Marion joined Chase Manhattan Bank because her parents could not afford to send her to college. Highly intelligent and extremely dedicated, she worked her way up the corporate ladder and earned a place during her 40s in the loan officer training program, which was normally reserved for Ivy League graduate students. She had a lot to catch up on that she was never taught, but Marion rose to the task, not only completing the program, but later became a teacher in the program! Often the only woman in the room, she spent decades as a loan officer for Chase Manhattan Bank and later several other banks, helping to support the fashion industry of New York City. She was a First Vice President upon retiring in 1994. Aboard the Queen of Bermuda, Marion met the man of her dreams, the wine connoisseur on board, Richard Veitch. The two married and had over 50 happy years together before Rick passed away of Parkinson’s disease in 2014. An Englishman and an employee of TWA Airlines, Rick often brought Marion to England to visit their family and friends, and they traveled throughout Europe. However, their favorite destination to visit together was St. Martin in the Caribbean, where they enjoyed taking a break from city life for a bit and relax! Retiring didn’t keep Marion from being a generous contributor to society. She began to volunteer at Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, NY. She served at the chapel on the base, ran the thrift shop, and dove into various fundraisers and committees to support U.S. service men and women and their families. The United States Army recognized her with numerous awards and medals for her dedicated volunteer service to the country. Marion could also be found at the Fort Hamilton Pool Club with her late sister, Sonia Arrajj, and late husband, Richard Veitch. She became a pool “grandma” to many children on the base and in the local community, often playing with the children and treating them to ice cream! Marion had a big heart for children. About 12 years ago, Marion, Rick and Sonia left their beloved Bay Ridge, Brooklyn home and moved to Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls to be closer to their family. Shortly after the move, Marion took her business acumen over to the community’s Treasure Shop, where she became a notable personality on Seabrook’s campus. She had a large memory, and if you came into the shop looking for something that arrived at the shop months later, she would track down customers to match them with special pieces. The Treasure Shop under her supervision supported Seabrook’s Resident Care Fund, which helps to cover residents in the community who outlive their money. She initiated jewelry and holiday sales to bring in additional money for the fund. Also, as a devout Catholic, she gave communion at Seabrook’s masses and served as a volunteer for the Catholic community there. Growing up, she was no stranger to an after-dinner card game among family, especially during Lebanese family holidays. Marion carried her love of cards over to her regular nights of Texas Hold ‘Em with her Tuesday night card group at Seabrook. She also found her artistic talent and became an avid watercolor painter in her later years. Marion is predeceased by her parents, James and Nazeera Arrajj, her sister, Sonia Arrajj, her husband Richard Veitch, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins in the Lebanese community who played an important part in her life. She is survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews, but was especially close to her niece and nephew, Jennifer and Stephen Burden of Holmdel, NJ and their children, her great niece, Sophie Burden and her great-nephew Jess Burden; her niece and nephew, Katie Kirdahi and Renko Hardison of Springfield, Virginia; her nephew and godson, Wade Kirdahi, Jr., who is stationed in the U.S. Army in El Paso,Texas. Marion also had special friends that she met along her lifetime of 90 years whom she loved and enjoyed sharing her time with on the planet, including many godchildren in the U.S. and the U.K., notably the Consoli Family, the Robinson Family (UK), Paula’s Family (UK), Noel Thompson (IRL), the Kennedy Family (Jaqueline and Joseph), the Garrold Family, the Imbemba Family (Jackson), the Ziegler Family, and the Pala Family. Marion is also survived by many amazing and dear friends that she made and lived out her years with from the Seabrook Community. She was blessed to have so many wonderful people in her life and to be looked after with such loving care in her final days by Anna, Carlene, and Susie. A memorial mass will be held 11:00 am on Friday March 22, 2024, at the Seabrook Village Auditorium at Town Square, 3000 Essex Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07753. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marion’s memory to the Seabrook Village Resident Care Fund.

Marion T. Veitch

July 23, 1933 - March 8, 2024