TORRI, FRANCISCO

Francisco “Frank” Torre, Sr., age 92, of Washington Township, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Born to John and Josephine Torre in Detroit on October 27, 1925. Upon enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1943, Private First Class Torre was a member of Carlson’s Raiders of the 2nd Marine Raiders Battalion, an elite WWII unit that conducted special operations, participating in landing in rubber boats and operating behind enemy lines. Frank married Frances Bruglio in 1952 and celebrated 65 years of marriage. Frank was a supervisor for Detroit Edison, where he worked for 43 years. Frank was one of the original founders of the Detroit Edison Alliance of Retirees (DEAR), a non-profit corporation that benefits his fellow retirees. He was a lifetime director. Frank was on the Planning Commission for the city of Warren, appointed by successive mayors for 23 years. Frank was a proud member of the Marine Corps League, detachment 152-Utica/Macomb County Chapter. Not only was Frank proud to serve his country, he was proud of his Italian heritage. He was a founding member of the American’s of Italian Origin (A.I.O.) in Warren. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, and was actively involved in local political campaigns. Most importantly, Frank loved and cherished his family. He is survived by his wife, Frances, and children, Frank Torre Jr., Gina (Gerry) Schmidt, Margaret Torre and grandchildren, Brandon (Emmaly) Schmidt and Leah (Jeremiah) Schutt, Angela, Gina and their families. Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 6th at Bagnasco-Calcaterra Funeral Home from 2-9 p.m. The funeral service will take place on Wednesday, March 7th at St. Isadore in Macomb. Frank will lie in repose at 9:30 a.m. with Mass following at 10:00 a.m. Frank’s final resting place will be at Great Lakes National Cemetery off of Belford Road, also known as, PFC Frank Torre Sr. Drive. Adjacent to the entrance, there is a historical marker commemorating PFC Torre’s World War II Marine Corps service. In honor of Frank, and in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, as Frank was actively involved in the organization’s charitable endeavors.

Historian’s note: Francisco Torre’s surname was misspelled “Torri” by the USMC.