2 Comments
Marvin Hofberg
4 months ago

Mark and I were dear friends for over 70 years. He was more, he was my brother. We shared the good times as well as the bad. I’m sure he and Arlene are laughing again. Since she passed, he wasn’t the same. He was always upbeat and full of life. Mark loved trivia. We would be having dinner and he’d ask the waiter some trivial question. Within minutes, we’d have a crowd around us, laughing and trying to figure out the answer. I miss you and love you buddy. We’ll meet again. Marvin

Reply
Tracy & Stephen Bascove
4 months ago

Our journey started in the early 1970s when Mark and Arlene joined a newly founded synagogue in Northeast Philadelphia. Is Mark would say and I quote ” for 11 years I never knew where I was going on Saturday night. But I knew I would be with Tracy and Steve Bascove.” And indeed we did. For 11 years every Saturday night the four of us we go out for the evening. Oftentimes with other friends as well. We would often meet for breakfast the following day on Sunday morning. In the early eighties the four of us planed a trip to california. We rented a car and drove from San Francisco to San Diego. When we returned the rental car the guy thought we traveled cross country the mileage on the vehicle was the highest he’d ever seen.

Years after Arlene’s untimely passing he met the second love of his life Judy. Tracy and I had the privilege of attending their wedding in 2005. How friendship continued with marks second chance at life. While Judy and Mark spent most of their time in Oceanside New york, they were snowbirds and visited Florida in the winter. Each year when they came to Florida we always spent quality time together with the two of them in July of 2005 Tracy and I ventured to the seashore in South New Jersey. Unfortunately, by that time Mark had already started to experience cognitive decline. Tracy and I drove five and a half hours from New Jersey to New York to be with Judy and Mark. Judy insisted that we stay with her which we did. By that time in his life he was residing in an assisted living facility. We cherish the years we had with Mark and arlene, and Mark and judy. There’s a giant void in our lives since Marks passing. Unfortunately, at the end he suffered. If any of us make it to heaven, will know we’re there because Mark will be greeting us at the entrance. As we said for decades we- we love you brother Markie. Rest in peace our friend, we love you for eternity. To Judy, Mark always made it a point to tell us how unbelievable you were as a wife, how you took care of him, and how he never could have enjoyed the second of his life without you, and your family became his. We will value your friendship forever.

Reply