Marc Corbacho

Marc Alan Corbacho (68), a Boston, Massachusetts resident, South Florida sunshine-lover and Newark, New Jersey boy at heart, passed away suddenly – but peacefully – early morning on Sunday, January 19th in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Marc was surrounded by his family, music and the South Florida sun shining over him, alongside his beloved ocean waves.

Marc was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey to a first-generation Spanish and Italian immigrant family. As the youngest of three raised in the tight-knit Ironbound community, Marc’s upbringing was full of family, close friends, great food and good-hearted mischief. Marc’s family moved to nearby Caldwell for his high school years, which involved a tumultuous senior year with a near fatal crash of his orange Volkswagen Bug (it would be nearly three decades before Marc purchased another rear-engine German vehicle...)

After James Caldwell High School (Class of ’74) and a short stint at Montclair State University (dnf), while apprenticing as an electrician, Marc packed a van and drove Southwest to pursue a degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico (Class of ’81). Not before leaving New Jersey, though, did an Uncle question why he ‘had to leave the country’ for college, and not before an extended ‘gap year’ as a taxicab driver on the streets of Miami (in the mid-’70s…), did he arrive at UNM.

Having depleted most of his ‘college fund’ (cash) on the extended road trip from Newark to New Mexico via South Florida, Marc quietly lived out of his van for a period upon arrival to campus, using the University fitness facilities for more than just basketball, and storing an entire prosciutto leg in the vehicle for three square meals a day.

By the end of his undergraduate experience, Marc had dialed-in a career pathway – fueled by intellect, discipline, passion and, of course, his Newark ‘street smarts’. Marc built a long and successful career in technology sales – first in hardware at Motorola, VLSI and Lucent Technologies and then in enterprise software at Mentor Graphics and a series of more entrepreneurial ventures later in his career. Marc fostered lasting relationships everywhere he went, seamlessly blending mutually rewarding business interactions with life-long personal friendships.

Marc carried many passions in life – from traveling the world to tinkering at home, from motorcycle excursions to meals with family, from Bahamian boat trips to barn building, from instigating old friends to initiating new ones. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

In 1983, Marc met the love of his life and partner-in-crime, Laurie, when the two were introduced after a motorcycle trip in New York by his childhood best friend. The ‘blind date’ setup proved successful and in three years the couple was married in Boston at Trinity Church. They went on to create a rich life and beautiful family in Wellesley.

Marc is survived by that same lovely wife of 39 years – his ‘Doll’ – Laurie, daughter – his ‘Q’ – Carly, son – his ‘Al’ – Alex, and daughter-in-law – his ‘Tan’ – Tani, along with his two granddaughters – his ‘little dolls’– Isabella & Gemma. Marc is also survived by both of his older siblings, John Corbacho and Evelyn Deo.

Marc will be missed by so many in this world with his untimely passing, but his energy and spirit will live on in all who knew him.

A Mass will be celebrated at St. Leonard of Port Maurice in Boston’s North End on Saturday, February 8th at 10 am.

Marc’s ‘Anchors Aweigh’ celebration will begin at the Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West on the afternoon of Saturday, March 29th. Come one, come all.