Marc Katzen (February 11, 1940 – December 4, 2022)
Marc was born in Sykesville, Pennsylvania to Margaret Gordon Katzen and Harry Katzen. He was the middle of five children. Marc's mother took care of the kids and his Father was a business man. Marc and all four of his siblings attended college, graduate school and professional programs. All of Marc’s sisters went to Jewish camps in the summer;one of them attended with Henrietta Harris and“fixed them up”. Their first date was New Year’s Eve 1956 and they spent every New Year’s Eve since then together.
Because both Marc’s and Henrietta’s fathers died in their early 50’s from heart attacks, Marc planned his life so he could retire early and move to Florida. While still in high school and later at college at Penn State, he took over the management of the seven farms and 225 Polled (no horns) Herefords. Marc juggled everything with his college program and did a lot of traveling back and forth from Penn State, sixty miles away from the family home and business in northwestern Pennsylvania. While at Penn State, he was a partner with Penn State, and also with Michigan State, in the ownership of some Polled Hereford breeding bulls. Marc’s family-owned cattle business was known as MarKay Farms and had about 25 Guernsey dairy cattle and 225 prize Polled Herefords.
At Penn State, he earned bachelors and master’s degrees in business. He went on to law school at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. Marc opened a law office in Sykesville when he was 25 years old and was very active in the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Jaycees, Elks and Grange. In 1968 Marc was recognized as one of the Three Outstanding Young Men in the state of Pennsylvania, a Jaycee designation. He was elected the youngest County Commissioner in Pennsylvania at 27 and created the first Democratic majority. He was a Trustee at Clarion State University for 12 years. For thirty years he was Chairman of the Board for Reynoldsville Casket Company. For ten years he built and ran public warehouses in his home area in western PA. His sons, Hank and Hirsh, joined Marc in the family business.
Raising a Jewish family in rural PA in the 1960’s and 70’s was a challenge because of the small number of Jewish families and lack of a large active synagogues found in cities. Marc and Henrietta helped run a Sunday School with a handful of children and an Israeli grad student driving in from Penn State to teach Hebrew. They built sukkahs, ran Seders and had Purim carnivals. Hadassah and B’nai B’rith were the extent of Jewish activities for Marc and Henrietta. In 1976 they took their first trip to Israel with a group of other young adults from Altoona, PA. This was an eye-opening experience, and seeing what was missing for a Jewish family in rural PA was an impetus to move to Florida. The family moved to Florida in 1980 where Marc enjoyed proximity to family and the opportunity for walks on the beach and time in the ocean.
Marc was very active in the Jewish Academy of Orlando (formerly HDS) supporting the computer program by providing the money required to ensure that every student had an Apple Mac. He also served as a TOP Jewish Foundation Trustee, as CAP Chairman, (Community Alliance Program) that built the Maitland Campus, and was president of UCF Hillel, spearheading the campaign to build a combination dormitory/Hillel facility which has become a model for other universities all over the country.
Marc and Henrietta enjoyed taken with Marc was a lifelong bridge player and traveled with a regular group.
In his later years, Marc enjoyed a monthly book club with friends. He took great delight in his five grandsons, Jaron, Malcolm, Max, Mason and Miles. He was fortunate to live to see a great-grandchild, Kelvin.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Henrietta, his siblings Marlene Morris of New Smyrna Beach, FL, Marcia Gold of Chestnut Hill, MA, Marian (Arthur) Glasgow of Newton, MA, and Marshall Katzen (Bari Boyer) of Martha’s Vineyard, MA, his children, Hank (Marcie) Katzen, Halbert Katzen and Hirsh Katzen (Melissa Marshall), his grandchildren, Jaron Katzen (Katie Clanton), Malcolm Katzen, Max (Elana) Katzen, Mason Katzen and Miles Katzen and a great grandson, Kelvin Clanton.
Funeral Services for Mr. Katzen will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 7, 2022 in the Pavilion of Temple Israel Cemetery with Rabbi Geoffery Spector of Congregation Ohev Shalom officiating with a reception to follow at Congregation Ohev Shalom at 1:00 PM. Donations in Marc’s memory may be sent to the Jewish Academy of Orlando or Central Florida Hillel.
Shiva will be held Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 7:00 PM at the home of Hank & Marcie Katzen.
Services entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 933 Lee Road, Suite 101, Orlando, Florida 407-599-1180.
Watch Wednesday's service copy and paste the following link: https://vimeo.com/778226486/3c5042c054
