Barbara Mariano Obituary

Barbara Ann Mariano of Morgan Hill, CA, passed away peacefully of natural causes on February 13, 2026, at the age of 81.

Barbara was born in Stratford, Connecticut, the only child of Arthur and Mary Barry. She attended St. John's High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Upon graduating, she joined the Women's Army Corps in 1962 and was assigned to the Presidio of San Francisco after basic training. While there, Barbara met and fell in love with Domi Mariano, and the two were married in 1963 and raised two children together.

Barbara worked for 30 years for East Side Union High School District in San Jose. She enjoyed travelling with family, as well as attending her children's marching band and drum and bugle corps activities and her grandchildren's sporting events. She was renowned by those who knew her as a prolific cook, providing generous spreads of delicious food for the frequent gatherings she and Domi hosted at home. Her generosity also extended to family spread around the world, with her numerous nieces and nephews referring to her affectionately as "Auntie Barb."

Barbara is survived by her husband, Domi Mariano; her children, Patricia (Mike) Gustafson and David Mariano; and her grandchildren, Nicholas and Patrick Gustafson.

Visitation will be held at 1:00 PM on March 8, 2026 at Lima-Campagna-Johnson Funeral Home in Morgan Hill, with a memorial service following at 2:00 pm. An interment ceremony will be held at 11:00 AM on March 9, 2026 at California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery in Seaside, followed by a reception at Mama Mia's Restaurant in Morgan Hill.