Paul G. Marks

Paul G. Marks, 90, of Framingham, MA and more recently of the Washington, DC metro area, died April 20, 2020 from the coronavirus. Paul is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Elaine; his daughters, Robbin and Tracey Marks (and their husbands Daniel Zabronsky and Michael Gravitz); his grandchildren, Hope and Sam Zabronsky, and Bobby, Janae, Zoe, Lily, and Ella Gravitz; and his great-granddaughter, Lucy Gravitz.

Paul was born on October 24, 1929 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. After a stint in the Army during the Korean War, Paul attended the University of Massachusetts, where he stayed involved for much of his life, later serving as a trustee and President of The UMASS Foundation. Early in Paul’s career, he served as President of Concept Industries, which made trade show exhibits in Framingham, Massachusetts. After a brief retirement, Paul started a second career, serving as the Chancellor of Higher Education for the state of Massachusetts and later, as President of Montserrat College of Art. In honor of his service to institutions of higher education, he received numerous honorary degrees.

Paul was an active member of the Framingham community, and extensively engaged in its civic and political life. With the help and support of community members and Framingham State University, he and Elaine founded the Danforth Museum (now Danforth Art), an institution that has served Boston’s metro west community as a center of art and art education since 1975. In addition, Paul became a preeminent scholar and lecturer on the artist James McNeal Whistler, about whom he authored several books. He donated his Whistler books and documents to the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art, where he served as trustee. Paul loved traveling the world, especially to Italy. He was an avid art collector, a gourmand, a master gardener, and an amateur architect; and he loved telling corny jokes. But he was best known for being completely devoted and dedicated to his family, as evidenced by his decision to move to the Washington, DC area twenty years ago to be close to his daughters and grandchildren.

A memorial will be held at a later date in Framingham, MA. Those who wish to honor his memory can contribute to either Danforth Art in his name, (https://danforth.framingham.edu/join-support/) or to The Employee Appreciation Fund-Groves c/o https://kensingtonparkseniorliving.com/ for caregivers of residents at Paul’s assisted living facility. Arrangements under the direction of Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, www.stanetskybrookline.com.