IN MEMORIAM
TO
VINCE & JULIA MARASCO
Vince & Julia Marasco receiving promotion certificates
at Mt. Pleasant Martial Arts Center, Bernville, Pa.
VINCE MARASCO
4/2/1990 - 3/19/2000
JULIA MARASCO
1/31/1992 - 3/19/2000
It is with great saddness that we post this memorial to two recently deceased students of the Mt. Pleasant Martial Arts Center, Bernville, Pa. Both children were tragically killed recently by their estranged father who then took his own life as well.
Vince and Julia had been training at the Apsokardu Dojo for 4 1/2 years and were scheduled to test for their Junior Black Belts at the 2000 IKKF Annual Training this July. Vince would have just turned 10 years old and his sister Julia was 8 years old. The Mt. Pleasant Martial Arts Center, an IKKF Dojo, is operated by Renshi Tom Apsokardu (4th Dan) and his wife Sensei Michele Apsokardu (3rd Dan). Both children were very serious in their martial arts studies and were excellent role models to the other Dojo students, both young and old.
The children were students of the Cabrini Academy in Reading, Pa., where Vince was in the 4th Grade and Julia in 3rd Grade. The children are survived by their mother Lea M. Marasco and two older sisters, Valerie and Jennifer.
At the 2000 IKKF ANNUAL BANQUET, a special presentation was made to Mrs. Lea Marasco of the childrens Junior Black Belts in Karate and Kobudo. The posthumous award was made by Hanshi Heilman, with the Apsokardu's at his side. A Presentation case for the two embroidered obis (case made by Mr. Tom Dillman, HKA Dojo) was given to Mrs. Marasco. Not a eye in the banquet room was without tears. Mrs. Marasco accepted the Rank Certificates and the Presentation Case / Belts and thanked everyone for their kindness.
Both Vince and Julia will be sorely missed by their teachers and fellow students at the Apsokardu Dojo and also by their extended IKKF Family members.
On April 1, 2001, Tom & Michele Apsokardu in conjunction with Mrs. Lea Marasco sponsored the First Memorial Tournament held at The Cloisters in Reading Pa. The Tournament was well attended by numerous IKKF Dojos and other local Reading and Eastern Pennsylvania schools. The proceeds from the event went to the Cabrini Academy in Reading, the grade school where the two children attended. It is the intent of the Apsokardu's and Mrs. Marasco to make this an annual event in order to keep the memory of the children alive.
Mrs. Lea Marasco receiving promotion certificates in honor of Vince and Julia
at the 2000 IKKF Annual Banquet in Reading, Pa. from Mr. Heilman and Mr. Apsokardu.