Marvin Earle Wolfenson

Wolfenson, Marvin Marvin Earle Wolfenson was born in Minneapolis on August 13,1926 and passed away December 21, 2013 at the age of 87. He is preceded in death by parents, Susan Wolfenson London and Ernest J. Wolfenson. Raised on the North Side of Minneapolis, Marv was active in sports at North Commons and attended North High School where he earned All-City honors in baseball and basketball and won the Mercury Award for outstanding Jewish scholar/athlete his senior year. Upon graduation, Marvin was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served in the 1st Cavalry 82nd Field Artillery in the Pacific Theater in WW ll. He fought in the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines where he earned a Bronze Battle Star and was part of the first group of soldiers to occupy Japan after the surrender. Marv returned from overseas and attended the University of Minnesota on the G.I. Bill. Marvin met Sandy Berman when she was three years old and patiently waited 14 years to ask her out on a date. They were married two years later in 1953 and created their beautiful family, which is his lasting legacy. Marv and Sandy were married sixty years on December 20, 2013, one day before he passed away. Marvin's business career began at Penn Realty where he sold homes as a real estate agent. He soon decided to start his own real estate business naming it Marvin Realty. In 1951 a beautiful partnership began with his childhood friend, Harvey Ratner, spanning over 50 years until Harvey passed away in 2006. "Marv and Harv" had an illustrious career in real estate, building houses, apartment complexes, the chain of Northwest Health and Fitness Clubs and proudly brought NBA Basketball back to Minnesota when they were awarded the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion franchise and built Target Center to house the team. Marv used to say, "don't fall in love with your business, fall in love with you family" and that he did. Sandy was the love of his life and there was nothing he enjoyed more than being together with his family. Marvin Wolfenson was honest, courageous, kind, generous, smart, loyal, creative, funny, humble and positive. He ended every family conversation by saying "I love you, you know that." Survived by wife, Elayne (Sandy); daughter, Ellyn Wolfenson (Mick Belzer); sons, Ernie Wolfenson and David Wolfenson; grandchildren, Lauren (Brad) Sundick, Brooke Stein, Carly (Howie) Hoffman and Ben Stein; great-grandchildren, Maya and Stella Hoffman and Madeline Sundick. Funeral services will be held THURSDAY, December 26th at 12 Noon at TEMPLE ISRAEL, 2324 Emerson Ave. So., Minneapolis Memorials preferred to: Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, 600 1st Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN. 55403, Temple Israel, Wolfenson Family Acts of Loving Kindness Fund, 2324 Emerson Ave. So., Minneapolis, MN. 55405 or the donor's favorite charity. SHIVA, to be held Thursday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 PM at his daughter's home in Edina. Rest in Peace Wolfie. Hodroff-Epstein 612 871-1234 www.hodroffepstein.com
This obituary was originally published in the Star Tribune.