READING, Pa. — City leaders say you always knew when “Strat” Marmarou walked into a room.
“Strat was a character. We lose a lot of characters as years go by, but he was clearly in that memorable character kind of persona,” said Reading City Council President Donna Reed.
He served as a Reading police officer. Later, he was director of campus security at Albright College. He helped create Reading American Little League and served District 4 on City Council for nearly two decades.
“He basically served the community without compensation,” Reed said. “He was a public servant in the truest sense of the word.”
Marmarou was also deeply devoted to Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church and proud of his heritage.
“I lost a friend, personally. I had the honor of meeting Strat when I first moved to Reading in 2008, and my son got involved in Reading American Little League, where he was heavily involved, and his grandson at the time was playing,” said Mayor Eddie Moran.
The mayor highlighted Strat’s love for the city.
“If you talk about Strat, you talk about the 9th and Marion Fire Station, which he and his wife, who has passed as well, advocated for so long. And I’m honored that at least before his passing, he was able to see that fire station be strictly built new,” Moran said.
Arrangements will be shared by the family in the coming days.