Mario Joseph Celi, 74, of Acton and Kennebunkport, Maine, formerly of Concord and Belmont. died Tuesday, April 8, 2008, following a short illness. He was the beloved husband of Lorraine C. (Talamona) Celi for 51 years.

He was born in Boston on March 7, 1934, the son of the late Joseph and Florence (Barca) Celi. Mr. Celi attended Belmont Public Schools, graduated from Belmont High School in 1951 and received an bachelor of arts degree from Harvard College in 1956.

While at Harvard, Mr. Celi played on the varsity hockey team and was elected to the All Ivy League Team in the 1955/1956 season and was in the Officers Candidate School of the United States Marine Corps. Following college he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

For the past 17 years, Mr. Celi was senior principal, executive vice president of GZA Environmental in Norwood. Previously, he worked for 32 years at Carlson Corporation in Cochichuite as president and chief executive officer.

A longtime Concord resident, he was a member of the Concord Country Club, Harvard Club of Boston, Harvard Club of Concord, where he was a former president, and was one of the founders of the Acton and Concord Youth Hockey Associations, and served as the first president of the Concord Youth Hockey Association.

Mr. Celi's professional affiliations include serving on the Board of Directors of the Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries for over 20 years where he was vice-chairman and chaired the Facilities and Building Committees. He was also a corporator for Wentworth Institute of Technology for 20 years and a corporator of the Emerson Hospital. Other memberships he enjoyed were the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and 49ers.

As a summer resident of Kennebunkport, Maine for more than 40 years, Mr. Celi was a member of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, The Goose Rocks Beach Association and the Maine Audubon Society.

In addition to his wife, Lorraine, he is survived by four children, Peter J. Celi of Tigard, Ore., Mark E. Celi and his wife, Gina, Christopher J. Celi and his wife, Laura, and Courtney C. Haan and her husband, Brian, all of Fountain Hills, Ariz.; 10 grandchildren; and one sister, Camille A. Celi of Harwich.

A funeral Mass was held Monday, April 14, at the Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord Center. Burial was in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord where officers of the U.S. Marine Corps presented honors.

Concord's town flag flew at half staff on Monday in recognition of Mr. Celi's service in the U.S. Marines.

For those who wish, contributions in Mr. Celi's memory may be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., 1501 N.W. 9th Avenue/Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494, www.parkinson.org, 800-327-4545, in honor of his beloved wife, Lorraine.