Tributes

After 82 years, 56 of them with our mother, our father, Jerry Marmarosh, passed away from lung cancer. The hardest part was helping him say goodbye to our mother, who he adored for most of his life. He described “being attached to her” and was comforted by knowing they will be together again one day. My father met my mother in Monticello, New York, where they both were born. He and his two sisters, Charlotte and Estelle, were raised by his parents, Miriam and Louie, who immigrated to the United States from Russia. Our father described growing up loving baseball and his friendships with Mel, Fuzzy, George, and Eddie. We will always hold onto his hilarious stories of his adventures with Mel—including the time they drove by a “beautiful woman” laying out in the sun (wearing a bikini), who ended up becoming our mother. Our parents started dating in Monticello, New York, had two daughters, and bravely moved to Florida with two young children. On their own, they started a life in Miami, Florida. He started the Just-Rite cleaning company to provide for his family. He was proud of his business that grew and his ability to support his children to go to college. To whoever would listen, he would share how proud he was of his two daughters who graduated with doctorate degrees in professions that are dedicated to helping others. He always thought of others and prioritized the needs of those who had less. We recall the time he asked us to go to the store and help him pick out toys for kids. We had no idea why we were doing this. After we picked them out, we brought the bags into Children’s Hospital. When the nurse thanked us for the toys and asked for his name, he refused to give it. He said he often thought about how lucky he was that his two daughters were healthy, and he knew that there were kids who were sick. He said, “this is my way of saying thank you. We are lucky.” We never felt more loved. Our father was a man who pulled over to help a person with a flat tire, help a neighbor who was sick or out of town, and volunteered his time at Baptist Hospital in South Florida. He retired to Orlando and often traveled to Virigina to be closer to his grandkids. Our father was rich in his ability to love others and to make them feel loved. He was very funny, caring, hardworking, and loyal. He loved to play golf with friends, design/build dollhouses, and catch up with neighbors. Always making people laugh and feel at ease, even during challenging times. Our father taught us the most important lesson in life, that loving someone is more than a word, it is the way we treat others. It is unwavering loyalty, compassion, and commitment, especially when times are hard. Our lives will not be the same without him, and we will carry him with us always. Our dad is survived by our mother, Marilyn Marmarosh, and his two daughters, Cheri Marmarosh and Stacy Van Horn. He is also survived by his two sons-in-laws, Darren Van Horn, and Joel Horwitz, his five amazing granddaughters- Chloe and Chelsea Van Horn, and Hanna, Audrey, and Elan Horwitz, and his nieces, Lisa, Kari and Robyn, and nephew Mark. Lastly, his two feline companions, Dart and Smokey, miss him greatly. A celebration of Jerry’s life will be planned for the Summer. Donations can be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation The MMRF | Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation or St. Jude Ways to Give: How to Donate - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).

Tributes

Gerald "Jerry" David Marmarosh

June 23, 1941 - November 28, 2023