Manny Marcus

Emanuel (Manny) Marcus passed away on November 7, 2010. Born in 1918 in Bronx, N.Y., he was the beloved husband of 69 years of Sylvia Goldstein Marcus. Manny was a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and of the City College of New York, class of 1941. While in college, Manny conducted independent research on carcinogenesis which years later was recognized as the kind of work upon which today’s cancer research is based. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Manny became co-founder, inventor, and innovator of Tetrad Corporation in Yonkers, N.Y., one of the first companies to develop and mass produce diamond phonograph needles. Among his marketing innovations was to give opera singers, classical musicians, and conductors samples of the new needles, acquiring in return their testimonials.

In the 1960’s Manny moved to Miami, Florida, where he designed and produced industrial diamond tools. Answering a call to provide refugees with employment following the Vietnam War, Manny hired Vietnamese “boat people” for work in his factory.

Manny retired and moved to Austin in 1986 where he pursued his many interests and hobbies: antique gun collecting, rock sculpture, stone and gem polishing, photography, memoir writing, swimming and golf, and extensive travel to all seven continents. A great humorist, Manny wove jokes so cleverly into his stories that only those who knew him well expected a punch line.

Manny was a member of the Jewish War Veterans as well as a devoted member of Learning for Adult Mature People at the University of Texas. For LAMP he gave numerous presentations and also made bolos, donating them as door prizes at LAMP events.

In addition to his wife, Manny is survived by his daughter Beth Marcus of Washington, D.C.; his son Howard and wife Margaret Marcus of Austin; three grandchildren, Sarah Marcus Burke, David Marcus, and Caroline Marcus Wangler; and five great-grandchildren.

Burial is on Friday, November 12, in Elmont, New York.