Marsha Joan Perlman

Marsha was born in Brooklyn, where she and her younger brother Richard were raised by their parents, Bill and Rose Klayman. She spoke about a happy childhood with cousins and friends, spending summers in the New York State mountains and seashores.

She developed an early love for music and attended the New York City high school for the performing arts to study piano, ultimately graduating from Midwood High School in Brooklyn. At age 16, she enrolled in college, graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in Education. Her career began as a teacher in Harlem. 

Marsha married Fred Chernow in Brooklyn, and they had their oldest daughter, Hillari, while living in Manhattan.

Eventually, they moved to Boston, where they had two more children, Harneen and Andrew. When Fred received an invitation to CU, the family relocated to Boulder, Colorado, where she lived the rest of her life. Even though they divorced, Marsha remained in Boulder, raising her kids and becoming part of the community.

Marsha loved the outdoors and spent time hiking, camping, snowshoeing, kayaking, and photographing the natural beauty of Colorado. She especially enjoyed camping with her partner Gene in Rocky Mountain National Park.

She returned to school at CU, completing her master’s degree in History, and went on to teach in the St. Vrain and Boulder Valley school systems. Marsha finished her career as an ESOL teacher at Boulder High School.

Marsha was excited to see the world. She traveled to many countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Nicaragua, China, Japan, Greece, Cuba, Canada, Costa Rica, and Peru. She was interested in learning about the people and places she visited and going off the beaten track. A highlight was the year she spent as a Fulbright scholar in England, teaching in a local school.

Marsha was an active member of the Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and participated in a number of committees. She had a deep love of the church community, and it brought her much joy and companionship.

Her social justice values resulted in her leading a number of humanitarian trips to Nicaragua, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, supporting archeological digs in Florida, and teaching English to recent immigrants. She was also a committed volunteer at the Boulder Dairy Arts Center and the Colorado Music Festival at Chautauqua.

Marsha was a dedicated writer of prose and poetry. She participated in the National League of American Pen Women and self-published a memoir and book of poetry.

In addition to her three children, she leaves her brother, Richard Klayman, her son-in-law, Lee Hansen, and daughter-in-law, Susan Moir, and grandchildren, Nicolas Hansen, Kailey Hansen, Simon Chernow, Hayden Chernow, nephew, Gregg Klayman, and other family and friends.

A memorial service will be held on Flagstaff Mountain outside at the Halfway House, 1138 Flagstaff Rd. This has been scheduled for November 15th.

For updated information regarding the memorial, please visit this site: Bit.ly/MPerlman