Marcia G. (Gruhn) Kohl

Marcia G. (Gruhn) Kohl, of Newton, passed away surrounded by family on March 12, 2023.

Marcia was the beloved wife of Ralph, mother of Laura Brecher and Susanne Liswood, mother-in-law to Dr. Paul Liswood, grandmother of Sarah and Anna Brecher and Joshua and Amanda Liswood, sister of Shari Thompson, sister-in-law to Robert Thompson, and sister-in-law to Edward and Shelley Kohl and Dr. Kenneth and Edie Margules.

She graduated Brookline High School in 1959. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College in 1963, Marcia met Ralph, a handsome MIT graduate, civil engineer and Navy veteran and they married the following year. She earned a master’s degree at Columbia University in International Relations and did research on the Middle East at the Harvard Center for International Affairs.

In 1974, she opened Marcia and Bea Antiques in Newton, with her parents, Bernice and Walter Gruhn. Upon retirement, Ralph joined her in the shop. She operated the store for 45 years until 2019. Her customers became friends and friends became customers. While owning the shop was her lifelong vocation, family was a priority.

Married for 59 years, Marcia and Ralph created an unbreakable bond which served as a solid, loving and supportive foundation for their family. In 2011, they took their family on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Israel, memories of which will be treasured forever. While Marcia battled cancer for more than 20 years, she never complained, was eternally optimistic, showed courage beyond the capabilities of most mortals, and was determined to beat this horrific disease. We will remember her every day for the rest of our lives with love, admiration and awe. If we could only have had more time together.

Funeral services have been held.

Donations in Marcia’s memory may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284, www.dana-farber.org or Temple Emanuel, Newton, www.templeemanuel.com