Marvin S Kaplan

Marvin S. Kaplan, age 96, of Boston, died on Wednesday, September 23, after a brief illness. Marvin was a graduate of Brookline High School (MA) and was drafted during World War II while a freshman at Boston University. While in the army he was sent to Georgetown University for a year and subsequently served in the South Pacific for a year. He returned to Boston University and graduated with a degree in business in 1949. While studying insurance as an undergraduate he became interested in the subject and on graduation took the exam and commenced his agency.

Marvin was a proud member of 32 Arts & Entertainment organizations including the Arts and Entertainment Committee of the Boston Bar Association was a frequent speaker at many groups including Fairs, Festivals, Theatrical and Film Producers.

His passion and vast knowledge of the Arts spilled over to the insurance business. Starting a business from scratch, with his electric typewriter, loose-leaf notebooks, plastic binders and his much beloved electronic stapler at hand, Marvin S. Kaplan Insurance commenced. News quickly spread and Marvin’s name became widely known to the Arts and Entertainment businesses.

His very successful business provided coverage for many famous entertainers among them Gypsy Rose Lee well known for her strip tease act. Among the Special Events are First Night Boston perhaps the largest Arts Festival in the U.S. attracting in excess of one million people, and Sail Boston 2000, also attracting in excess of one million people and many Radio TV Stations and Performing Arts Venues in Massachusetts and beyond.

His office conference table was often filled with thank you notes, congratulatory letters, post cards he would mail to all his customers.

If you were a customer of the Agency you would most likely hear him say “Insurance provides protection and will save you from a possible financial ruin”. He made sure you knew you were not just a customer, but a friend for life.

We will never forget Marvin’s smile, his hearty laughter and great sense of humor. Most of all, his enormous heart.

A celebration of Marvin’s life will be at a later date.

Marvin is survived by his wife, Edith Tagrin Kaplan, his sister Arlene Hewitt, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Florence & Lenny Sebell, nieces and nephews, Jeffrey & Vicki Sebell, Robin & Jeff Sklar, Susan & Neal Heffron, Bill & Julie Sebell, Jo & Steven Rochlis, Gary & Julia Hewitt, great nieces and nephews, Dustin & Lauren Sebell, Emily & Jon Ragsdale, Stephanie Sklar, Samantha Sklar, Ariella Heffron, Brooke Sebell, Anna Sebell, Teddy Rochlis, Michael Rochlis, Andy Hewitt, Ariana Hewitt and great-great nieces Noa Ragsdale and Avery Ragsdale.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial gifts can be made in Marvin Kaplan’s name to Mass General Hospital’s Endowed Chair in Primary Care Internal Medicine in honor of Dr. John Goodson (021831). Gifts may be made online at giving.massgeneral.org or mailed to: Massachusetts General Hospital Development Office, Attention: Patrick Rooney, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 or to the charity of your choice.