Marc Lee Peterzell

Marc Lee Peterzell was born on February 23rd, 1940 and died peacefully in his home on January 13, 2021. He was raised in the small town of Moss Point, Mississippi which he often described, “as far south as you can get without getting your feet wet.” His parents, Diane Entlich and Saul Peterzell were high school sweethearts from Nyack, NY. They moved to Moss Point where his father managed a textile mill owned by another branch of the Peterzell family and his mother was the local librarian. Being the only Jewish family in the town, they traveled to the Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile, Alabama where he met and later married his first wife, Becky Hoffman, in 1963.

Marc attended undergraduate and law school at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. At the age of 19, his father, Saul, died of a heart attack which greatly affected him because he was “without his anchor.” After law school, Marc and his wife moved to New York City where he obtained a Masters in Tax Law from NYU and began his legal career with Kelley Drye Warren LLP. While in New York, he joined the Coast Guard Reserve. As a young attorney, he helped incorporate the Muppets.

In 1969, Marc moved to Atlanta, GA with his wife and their 18 month old daughter, Leslie, after his mother was in a serious car accident. Soon thereafter, their son, Scott, was born in 1970. Marc became the 14th attorney joining the firm of Arnall Golden and Gregory and retired in December of 2017. Marc often liked to say, “The law is a helping profession.” Attorney James E. Dorsey says, “Marc and I joined the firm one year apart and were good friends for 50 years. How many people can say they have a friend that long?”

During his 48 year career with AGG, he started the Georgia Healthcare practice which is currently the largest and one of the most well-respected health care practices in the country. Attorney Hedy Rubinger writes, “Many of us were lucky enough to have been taught the ropes by Marc so that we learned not only how to be great attorneys, but also the importance of having fun while at the office.”

In 1987, he married attorney, Betsy Vance Peterzell, and they had two children, Michael (1991) and Stephen (1992). A big supporter of Mayor Maynard Jackson, Marc did legal work for various non-profit organizations and was a supporter of the civil rights movement in Atlanta. He served as Chairman of the Board for the American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Institute for 10 years.

Atlanta Symphony Drummer of 53 years, Bill Wilder, reflects “Marc was a brilliant person, a great friend, and a valuable confidant. His recommendation to increase charitable giving is the reason there is a James M. and Ruth E. Wilder Charitable Foundation today.”

Married a third time at the age of 74yrs to Meredith Knight, they traveled seven countries during their four years together.

Marc was incessantly curious about a wide range of topics, well-read, a lover of good food and drink, a fabulous host, chef, bartender, gardener, story-teller, with a marvelous sense of humor. He consistently treated others with respect, regardless of their rank or station in life. And there was that ever-present twinkle in his blue eyes.

Marc is survived by his four children, Leslie (Robert), Scott (Amy), Michael, Stephen and four grandchildren (Zoe, River, Griffin and Skye) and sister, Dale Goldsmith (Jerry) and her family.

A virtual memorial service is scheduled for February 10 at 7pm via The Temple.