Marcia was born on November 22, 1944, to parents Morris and Audrey Katz, welcomed by her older brother, Irwin, and older sister, Naomi. Marcia grew up on the family farm in Connecticut before attending and graduating from UConn. After college, Marcia traveled extensively throughout Europe, after which she taught school and lived in the Virgin Islands for four years. She then moved to Philadelphia, where she met her husband, Howard---presciently, on the tennis court. Following the birth of their children, Michael and Ricki, Marcia took up real estate, selling houses in the Philadelphia area for over 30 years. When her children left home, Marcia and Howard rekindled their love of travel, including with trips to Israel, Alaska, and all over Europe. Because of her love of tennis, she and Howard went to the US Open Tennis Tournament many times, as well as Wimbledon and The French Open. They had planned to go to The Australian Open, but in December 2020, not long after she and Howard celebrated their 40th anniversary, Marcia began experiencing respiratory problems, and she received the devastating diagnosis of stage IV lung cancer. With the help of cutting edge targeted immunotherapy and the skill of her medical team at Penn, she fought hard and went about her life as normally as possible doing the things she loved: walking in Valley Green Park daily with her long-time friends, selling houses, exercising, spending time with family and friends, and caring for her beloved Siberian Husky. All these things she did with intensity, purpose, and love. But after a long battle, on August 3, 2021, Marcia passed away.

 

She is survived and greatly missed by her husband, Howard, and two children, as well as countless family members and friends.

 

Marcia, thank you for sharing your life with us, and may you rest in peace. We love you...