Before dawn on Friday, January 19, 2024, Marion Louis Rockford finished his battle with cancer and its related complications, to join God and the angels in heaven. According to his wishes, he was surrounded by family under hospice care at home.

Born September 3rd, 1946, Marion was the son of Lena Saladino Rockford and Louis Rockford of Kansas City, Missouri. He lived the next 32 years in the Historic Northeast Neighborhood of Kansas City, attending Northeast High School (Class of 1964) and working at Streeters, Antioch Center Playworld, and Antioch Center Thriftway before opening The Alamo Restaurant & Lounge with his cousins Sal and Nick Arello in 1976. For the next 42 ½ years, he ran and operated The Alamo Restaurant & Lounge, along with establishing the adjacent The Hickory House BBQ, and founding Pro-Bar Margarita Mix Company.

In February of 1979, with the help of his older brother Lonnie and sister-in-law JoMarie Taibi Rockford, he "eloped" with Stacy Campbell to Miami, Oklahoma. Over the next 45 years, they settled north of the river in Gladstone, MO, and would raise their two sons, Vince and Michael.

After a diagnosis of lymphoma in 2017, he "retired" for the first time and closed The Alamo in early 2018 to concentrate on his health and recovery. By the end of 2018, he was ready to return to a working life and joined the team at Enterprise Car Rental shuttling cars around the city he knew so well and increasing his ever-widening circle of friends. He continued to work until February of 2023, when the lasting effects of his cancer treatments made retirement mandatory.

Always a people-person, Marion never knew a stranger, including employees, customers, and the eventual numerous health care workers through his journey of life. He took the welfare of his employees and customers as seriously as that of his family. Everyone was welcomed into his extended family, especially during the holidays.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 45 years, Stacy Campbell Rockford; his sons Marion Vincent (Liz Gall) and Louis Michael; his brothers Lonnie J. Rockford and Louis "Junior" Rockford; and sister Lou Ann Rockford Giamalva (Frank), along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, especially Terry Harris Ricketts.

The family would like to thank the various medical staffs and employees of all the organizations that helped Marion live a healthy and fulfilled life in his last years - North Kansas City Hospital; KU Medical Center: Oncology, Hepatology, Hematology and Radiology Departments; The Grand Royale Skilled Nursing Facility; Mayo Clinic- Rochester; HCA Midwest Home Health Care; HCA Midwest Health Hospice & Family Care – and for the wonderful services they have provided for the whole family.

The Rosary will be prayed at 2:00 p.m. followed by Visitation 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday , January 27, at Passantino Bros. Funeral Home. The Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. on Monday , January 29, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to HCA Midwest Health Hospice & Family Care, or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Honorary Pallbearers: Brandon C. Martin, Steven Ricketts, Matthew Ricketts, Louis Rockford, Sam Rockford, Johnny Rockford, Frankie Joe Giamalva.

Condolences may be offered at www.passantinobros.com