2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Harry Marnie–at the parade!
A decorated former Philadelphia police officer, US Marshall, and investigator for the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, has been named grand marshal of the 2013 Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Harry Marnie, who is also current president of the Emerald Society, an organization of police and fire personnel of Irish descent, will march at the front of the parade on Sunday, March 10, Bob Gessler, parade association president announced today. The parade theme this year is: The Irish Memorial, a Decade of Remembrance, which celebrates the installation of the 30-foot bronze Glenna Goodacre sculpture in the park overlooking Penns Landing.
Marnie is a member of the board of directors of the St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association as well as its treasurer; he also belongs to the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and AOH Divisions 1 and 88. In his role at the Emerald Society, Marine started the annual Leprechaun Run which raises money for the Special Olympics. He is also credited with helping set the Emerald Society back on its financial legs back in the ‘80s, when he joined.
He joined the Philadelphia Police Department in 1965. Right after graduating from the police academy, he was assigned to patrol in center city, then later worked in the juvenile aid division and in Fairmount Park. While a Philly cop, Marnie received two certificates of Merit.
In 1989, he workd in Camden as part of the US Marshal servince, providing security at the federal courthouse. In 2002, Marnie was asked by the Pennsylvania state attorney general to join a team with two other agents to uncover, arrest, and convict people involved in computer child pornography. Later, he worked in the criminal investigation division of the attorney general’s office, investigating various complaints including computer fraud, money laundering, and identity theft.
A graduate of Bishop Neuman High School, where he played varsity basetball and was inducted into Neuman’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996, Marnie is a board member of the Retirement Trust Fund for the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police and has been a member, delgate and chairman of FOP Lodge 5.
Three new members were added to the association’s board this week: Sister James Anne Feerick, IHM, a former grand marshal and one of two chaplins for the board; Joe Fox, president of the Philadelphia County Board of the AOH, and Philadelphia Councilman Bob Henon.
Here is the current makeup of the executive board of the organization that plans and executes the second oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the nation:
The new Executive Board:
Chaplain: Sister James Anne Feerick, IMH
Chaplain: Reverend Kevin J. Gallagher
President: Bob Gessler
1st Vice President: Chris Phillips
2nd Vice President: Mary Frances Fogg
Treasurer: Harry Marnie
Recording Sec: Kathy McGee Burns
Corresponding Sec: John Stevenson
Parade Director: Mike Bradley
