Marlene Greengrass

Marlene was born in Brooklyn, New York during the heart of the Great Depression and raised by her parents, Rhea and Harry Rosenblum. Marlene grew up in a busy, if atypical household, where the multi-talented Harry was an accomplished magician and showman. When Harry gave public performances, Rhea would often join him on stage as his able assistant, and even Marlene would occasionally get in on the act. Marlene was always very proud that the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) named Ring 26 the “Harry Roz-On Ring” to honor her father’s memory.

If there was a defining act in Marlene’s rich, varied life, it was how she wholly devoted herself to her beloved husband, Floyd, a devotion that Floyd reciprocated in kind. They married in 1952 and remained together for the next 68 years. Theirs was a special marriage that only seemed to grow stronger as the years went by. They did almost everything together, whether it was an intimate dinner at their favorite Greek restaurant, a week-end getaway to the White Mountains on motorcycle, or a luxurious cruise to Alaska. Often they could be found in their beautiful home in Tucson simply relaxing in each other’s company. Towards the end of Floyd’s life, when he needed extra care, Marlene took it upon herself to look after him. When she could no longer manage, she steadfastly remained by his side. The two were inseparable to the end.

For Marlene there was never any question that family always came first. When Floyd returned from the Korean War, they bought a home in Deer Park, Long Island and started their own family. Marlene worked tirelessly to raise their three boys. She nursed them when they were sick, reveled in their accomplishments, picked them up when they stumbled, and gave them the room and support they needed to grow and thrive. By the time her two eldest sons moved out of the house, Marlene and Floyd made the fateful decision to begin anew in Tucson, Arizona. There, Floyd opened his own shop as a dental technician, while Marlene went to work managing a dental practice, a position she held for the next 15 years. If Marlene had a traditional side, she was also very much the contemporary woman, smart, capable and independent, not unlike her mother.

Marlene and Floyd lived in their Tucson home for four decades, over which span they hosted countless get-togethers for family and friends. It would be difficult to overstate just how many precious memories such occasions generated. For those who descended upon Tucson each year, it must have all seemed so natural and effortless, but in reality, it was Marlene working hard behind the scenes to pull off her own special brand of magic.

If Marlene’s life was marked by the many sacrifices she made, in the many roles she filled, Marlene always knew how to enjoy herself. She loved a good story well told. From a young age Marlene was a voracious reader and something of a film buff. She delighted in attending Broadway plays and musicals, where she would dress in style for a night on the town. Marlene was also something of a world traveler who felt equally at home knocking back Singapore Slings at the famed Raffles Long Bar, scaling a scenic volcano over the chaotic Bali roads, touring the European continent from the comfort of a train, shopping at Harrod’s of London before attending high tea, or spending the night in a historic, if drafty Scottish castle. Perhaps her favorite trip was a cruise around Greece she and Floyd took with their dearest friends, Ruth and Sid Morgenstern. The foursome had saved diligently for an entire year to make their dream a reality.

If Marlene enjoyed the finer things in life, she also had an adventurous side. Marlene once drove a Chevy Vega from New York to Arizona, alone, and long before there were such things as the internet and iPhones.

In her later years Marlene expressed how fortunate she felt to have such a family who loved and supported her, and whom she so dearly loved in return. Over the course of a life well lived, she knew her share of challenges, and she knew her share of joyous moments. When her time came, Marlene was ready to return to her beloved Floyd. Marlene will be sorely missed.

Marlene is survived by her sons Kipp (Chrissy), Rikk and Lee (Meng); her grandsons Benn, Shonn and Kyle; her sister Rhoda Sokal, and her sisters-in-law Deborah Myers and Gerry Greengrass; and nephews and nieces. Marlene was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd, and her younger brother, Al Morrow.

If you would like to make a donation in remembrance of Marlene, please consider giving to her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.