Marvin “Reds” Jenkins

Long before “Penny Lane” there was a barber on Pavilion Street showing photos of every head he’d had the pleasure to have known. Reds filled his shop with the pictures of youngsters’ first haircuts; generations later children got to catch a glimpse of their parents at their age. This was just one of the many way he was devoted to his customers; “we can’t ever close the barber shop” he used to say, but never begrudgingly. He wouldn’t even consider taking a vacation. But, the never-ending kindness he showed his customers paled in comparison to the love he displayed for family. When blessed with children, his home in Riverside was not just for them, but it’s where all the neighborhood kids congregated. When he became a grandfather it wasn’t enough to occasionally babysit. Rather, he had the grandkids stay with his wife and him for most of the summer; trips to the shore and Cooperstown were the norm. But his home and his heart were open to more than just his own relatives. Well into his 80s, he volunteered to drive “older” folks around and although he refused to eat vegetables, he grew lush tomatoes and peppers simply to give them away.rnAs a young man Reds was introduced to a woman named Virginia “Ginny” (nee Mannion) while accompanying a friend to a local restaurant. Before her passing in 2001, their 50 year marriage was blessed by their children: Joanne Bromley (fiancée Mark Payne) of Goodland, FL, Nancy DeDeo (Ray) of Pennsauken and the late Thomas, and again by their grandchildren: Amy Walter, Molly Kinne and Nathan DeDeo.rnCome celebrate Red’s 91 wonderful years (Nov. 6, 1921-Dec. 3, 2012) Friday from 6-8 PM and Saturday from 9-10 AM at the Sweeney Funeral Home, Riverside. Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:30 AM Saturday at Jesus the Good Shepherd Church (St. Peter’s Site), Riverside. Interment St. Peter’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to Samaritan Hospice, 5 Eves Dr. Suite 300 Marlton, NJ 08053.rn –