Elizabeth Marcus

Elizabeth (Betsy) Marcus
April 22,1937 - January 29, 2022
How do you write about an American original? A woman so smart, so distinctive, so unusual that words defy imagination. Hard to do. But that was our Betsy, so we're going to try and capture her spirit here.

Betsy was born in Detroit, the eldest of Sam and Evelyn Grand's three kids. Like her mother she graduated from high school at 16; like her father and her two siblings, she went to the very competitive University of Michigan, graduating at 20.

A major influence in her life was her art. It started very young, and by her teenage years she was actively teaching others, including giving lessons at a local gallery. She created bronzes which grace many homes, truly professional level work, and at the same time took the greatest joy at decorating green peppers with googly eyes with her three granddaughters. Her gifts were the most imaginative ever, no Disney stuff from her. Maddie, Rose, and Samantha were of supreme importance to her and she was intimately involved in their lives. She was Grammanana.

She also viewed clothing as art. Betsy dressed as if she lived in the 1950's: perfect hairdo tended professionally every week, very sharp dressy outfits (sequined sweaters and cane), never anything out of place. Even to go to the grocery store. She got many compliments and she loved them. The idea that Betsy would look anything other than perfect was unthinkable. She and two friends shared style and were known as The Golden Girls.

Betsy was a woman of fierce opinions, not always gently stated. This isn't to say she was argumentative; on the contrary, almost everyone would describe her as loving and kind. But she had some unconventional views of the world, some of them rooted in her 1940's and 1950's upbringing, some of them more contemporary.
Betsy was one of the smartest people you'd ever meet. When Bill went to Japan after college, to teach English, Betsy visited him and fell in love with the language and the culture. This was followed by decades of Japanese language study and unusual mastery. She and her ex-husband Danny played bridge together, and Betsy was terrific, achieving Diamond Life Master status with over 5,000 Masterpoints. When COVID prevented her from playing in person, she played online and she was still playing bridge in the final days of her life.

As a young woman, Betsy fell in love with San Francisco. She met Danny there while he was stationed at The Presidio and she was working as a teacher in Oakland. She went back to Detroit to have and raise kids, but later the pull of San Francisco was too strong. Her sister Diana had already moved there and Betsy followed in the 1970's, never leaving. Their brother Stephen, who died a year ago, followed later.

Betsy had a soft spot for those in need. She provided financial support for those less fortunate than herself, and not just family members. While in her 80's, she invited young cousins (in their 20's) Andrei and Victor to stay with her and they had a wonderful time, never feeling that they were staying with an "old person." She helped Bill get started in a successful business venture and it jumpstarted his working life. She helped family members in Detroit, Israel, and Ukraine. And all of this behind the scenes, never looking for credit.

The lasting image of Betsy for many of us, unforgettable and typical, was racing Evan (Marsea's husband) on her motorized scooter down the hallway of her condo building, just a couple of weeks before she died, a big grin on her face. And perfectly turned out, of course.

Betsy is survived by her daughter Marsea Marcus-Rotman (Evan), her son William Marcus (Pam, and daughters Maddie, Rose, and Samantha), her sister Diana Grand (Jon Holman), her beloved cousins Corky Luber (Don), Michael Patt (Luana) and countless other family members and friends around the world. Contributions in Betsy's memory may be made to www.caringbridge.org or a charity of your choice.