‘Mr. Fourth of July’ Joe Marino recovering from heart attack

Online Staff Report

Rockford’s “Mr. Fourth of July,” Joe Marino, reportedly suffered a heart attack Wednesday, Oct. 24, and is recovering at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.

Marino’s son told WROK radio that the 86-year-old Marino is in good spirits while he undergoes tests to determine the extent of the damage.

Marino, who founded the Rockford Fourth of July Committee in 1963, was gearing up for the annual Holiday Festival of Lights at Rockford’s Sinnissippi Park, set to begin Nov. 29.

A statue at the corner of North Water and East State streets across from the Register Star building pays tribute to Marino’s more than 50 years of community service.

Posted Oct. 25, 2012