John Aloysius Morra

John Aloysius Morra, a long-time resident of Roanoke, passed away on February 26, 2016 in Charlottesville, VA. Born in Waterbury, CT, on July 17, 1926 he lived in the greater New York City metropolitan area until relocating to Roanoke permanently in 1966. Mr. Morra was the son of John Aloysius Morra (born in Hartford, CT, in 1896) and Josephine Cattani Morra (born in Differdange, Luxembourg, in 1898). He is survived by his brother, Paul Morra (Blanca) of Brookville, NY; three children from his first marriage to wife, Rosemarie Flood Morra (who predeceased him in 1993): Kathleen Morra-Sloan (Michael) of Troutville, VA; Brian John Morra (Tracy) of McLean, VA; and Karin Morra Magno (Tom) of Charlottesville, VA; eleven grandchildren, Courtney Sloan, Gregory Sloan, Katie Conner (Kevin), Lauren Morra (Zach Stechly), Claire Morra, Coley Perkins, Sarah Perkins, John Barnhill, Luke Barnhill, Patrick Magno (Lindsey), and two great-grandchildren, Amelia Magno and Gabriel Stechly; sister-in-law, Catherine Williams; brother-in-law, Walter Houle; numerous nieces and nephews; his second wife, Clare Hare Morra predeceased him in 2014. Mr. Morra had three step-children from that marriage; Janet Hare, John Hare, and Andrea Short (Tom) and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. John A. Morra spent his early years in the greater New York City area with family and seven siblings. His father and namesake died in 1939. After his father's passing, young John became especially close to his paternal grandfather, Dominic Morra. His grandfather was born in Naples, Italy, and immigrated to the United States with his wife, Lena in the 1880s. Mr. Morra's maternal grandparents lived in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His maternal grandmother died in New York City in 1919, having taken ill while escorting John's mother, Josephine to the United States to join her new husband, shortly after the conclusion of World War One. Mr. Morra's father served in the U.S. Expeditionary Forces in France, Luxembourg, and Germany during the First World War. Mr. Morra's parents were married in Trier, Germany in 1919. John graduated from Rockaway High School in Rockaway, NJ, where he played baseball and ran track. He worked as a caddy as a young man, sparking his life-long interest in golf. He also participated in the Civil Air Patrol in high school and upon his graduation he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in June, 1944, and was accepted into the pilot cadet program. He served from 1944 to 1946 and was stationed at Shemya AFB, Alaska, amongst other duty stations. After military service he returned to New Jersey. A highly talented graphic artist and painter, Mr. Morra worked professionally as an artist in an advertising firm in Manhattan in the late 1940s. He married his first wife Rosemarie Flood in 1949. He changed careers in the early 1950s and became a life insurance salesman. He spent the rest of his career in life insurance sales and management positions in New Jersey and later in Roanoke. The death of his father at a very early age prompted Mr. Morra to work in the field of life insurance - so as to protect other families from the economic hardship his own family endured as a result of his father's untimely passing. He was employed at Prudential Life, Monarch Life, and also worked as an independent broker. In Roanoke he was very active in the Life Underwriters Association. He was blessed to have been married to two exceptional women (he married Clare Hare in 1996) and he was very grateful for that fact until the end of his life. His other loves included music, especially swing, 1950s jazz, and Frank Sinatra; golf; the New York Yankees; and most other sporting activities. He grew up in a large and gregarious family and loved to spend time with family and friends, often entertaining them with his humor and charm. A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, February 29, 2016 at 12 noon in Fincastle, VA, at the Church of the Transfiguration. Visitation will be held one hour prior. The address is 7624 Roanoke Rd (Route 220), Fincastle, VA 24090. He will be buried next to Rosemarie in Evergreen Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Salvation Army, 724 Dale Ave. SE, Roanoke, VA 24013 or the Angels of Assisi, 415 Campbell Ave. SW, Roanoke, VA 24016.