Malcolm Zaretsky

1936 - 2018

Malcolm Zaretsky

November 13, 1936—August 20, 2018

Malcolm died suddenly on August 20 after some years of failing health. He is survived by his wife Alice Meyers, his son Gideon Zaretsky of L.A, step-daughter Emily Siskin of Portland, Ore., step-children Cynthia Meyers of New York, Nathaniel Meyers of El Cerrito, Celia Bosworth of Pacific Grove, and Cebell Hassink of Berkeley, step-grand-daughter Lina Dahbour of New York.
Also his sister Phyllis Wilson and niece Kellee Toon both of New Jersey, and his former wife Kathleen Zaretsky of San Jose.

He was born in Brooklyn NY, to Murray and Sarah Zaretsky. He received his BS from Brooklyn College, and his PHD in biophysics and a Masters in public health from UC Berkeley. He taught and did research in neurobiology in Germany, Princeton, the University of Iowa, as well as at UC Berkeley, where he was a researcher with the UC department of cell and microbiology for many years.

He was a resident of Berkeley since 1961, where he was active in political action, including civil rights and opposition to the war in Vietnam. He was closely involved in the Free Speech Movement when he was a graduate student, and worked on voter registration in Mississippi in the "Freedom Summer" in 1964. Until poor health prevented it, he was active traveling, hiking, back-packing, skiing, bicycling. And he always enjoyed spending time in a coffee shop with friends, talking about politics, over a cappuccino.