Mario Ignacio Merino

Mario Ignacio Merino Ugarte, 77, Plano, died at 7:10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009.

Mario was born August 3, 1932, in Piura-Peru'. He was the son of Jose' Ruperto Merino Agurto and Blanca Maria Ugarte de Merino. He was the last born of seven children, Ruperto, Victor, Victoria, Juan, Dora, and Carlos.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years Marina Julia Merino, and four children, Mario Guillermo Merino, Marina Blanca McDonald, Ricardo Ruperto Merino and Maria Cecilia Newton. Grandchildren; Gabiemarie Patricia Merino, Mario Alberto Merino, Victoria Christine Merino, Jake Kelly McDonald, Joseph Michael McDonald, Richard William Merino, Natalie Marie Newton, and Michael Jude Newton, Jr..

In 1958 he came to Washington D.C. and worked at American Security and Trust Company Bank. After living there for about five years he returned to Peru to work at American Motors of Peru where he was a Purchasing and Managing Supervisor. He then was asked to work for General Motors of Peru to hold the same position and was there until 1970. He then went to work for (FETSA) in the capacity of Purchasing & Traffic Supervisor. He then made the move to the Dallas, Texas in 1978 with his family. For the past 15 years he has been residing in the Plano area and working for Legacy Texas Bank.

Mario was a very dedicated loving son, father and husband. He cared dearly for his loved ones. He had a enormous love for his eight grandchildren. His hobbies were painting, wood carving, fixing anything he could get his hands on. He was a jack of all trades, he was always working on every ones cars no matter what the problems were.

Mario started showing small signs of a mental disease about six months ago. Within the last 6 weeks it came on full force and did away with the Mario that we all knew and loved. The disease is called Creuztfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Because this disease only effects 1 in a million each year, we ask that in lieu of flowers, donations to the CJD Foundation be made to further study and understand this rare terminal mind altering disease. http://www.cjdfoundation.org/donations.html 1-800-659-1991 or help@cjdfoundation.org if you have any questions about donations.
A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2009 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Parkway in Plano with Father Jason Cargo, celebrant and the committal will follow in the church columbarium. The family will receive friends immediately following the committal service in the Parrish Hall.