Richard Charles Marsella was born on March 3, 1943 to Frank and Rose (Licciardello) Marsella in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He was a 1964 graduate of Saint Anselm College in N.H. with a BA degree in Biology/Pre-Med. He received his M.S. Ph.D. and M.D. Degrees from the University of Maryland Medical School. He did his Internship and Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C. and was Board Certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Cytopathology. He was a Fellow of the College of American Pathologist where he served as Laboratory Inspector. He spent 26 years in the US Army serving in Viet Nam in 1969-70 as an Evacuation Hospital Laboratory Officer. He received a Bronze Star Medal among many other medals and awards during his military career. He also served as an Associate Professor of Pathology at the Uniformed Services Medical School in Bethesda, Maryland from 1983-1986 and retired in 1990 as a Lieutenant Colonel from his position as Chief of the Cytopathology Division and Associate Chairman of the Department of Cellular Pathology Armed Forces Institute of Pathology . He went on to hold a position as Chief of Pathology for CareFirst, Patuxent Medical Group and then finally finished his career as Medical Director at Laboratory Corporation of America. At the time of his death, he had established and was president and CEO of Chesapeake Clinical Consultants.

    Dr. Marsella (Poppy) enjoyed fishing, boating, relaxing at the beach and searching for seashells, but what he especially valued most was spending time with his grandchildren and family. He was an avid Orioles Baseball fan and a Baltimore Ravens season ticket holder from day one. He had a witty sense of humor, the best smile, and was genuinely one of the kindest most thoughtful human beings on this planet. He will be greatly missed by all of those that were fortunate enough to have known him. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Marie, two children, Christina and Michael, fourteen grandchildren, sister Diana Scalora and brother-in-law Paul Scalora. He is preceded in death by his parents Rose and Frank Marsella and son, Stephen. A Celebration of Life is planned to be held at a later date.

"Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" Mathew 25:23

In Lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in his name to one of the following organizations: The American Heart Association, St. Judes Children's Research Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project, World Wildlife Fund or the SPCA. These were all very important and meaningful organizations to him that he supported for many decades.