Marie Markowitz Obituary

Marie E. Markowitz

1956 - 2023

QUEENSBURY - Marie E. Markowitz, Attorney and lifelong Advocate for Women and Children, died.

Marie Elizabeth Markowitz lived life with near superhuman perseverance advocating for those disenfranchised and in need.

Marie was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1956. Unknown to anyone at the time, and still poorly understood today, was a random error encoded in her DNA. A neurologic self destruct sequence had been introduced into her genetic code that would remain hidden and inactive for more than five decades.

Marie attended Catholic school in Brooklyn and High School in Floral Park, NY. She was the granddaughter of Italian immigrants who came here after WWI. Marie's father and uncle were both Veterans of WWII serving in the Navy (Pacific theatre) and Army (European theatre) respectively.

Marie graduated with a BA degree from Hofstra University in 1978. She then taught elementary school for one semester in the Dominican Republic commuting to Santo Domingo by bus from her residence in the city of San Pedro de Macoris. The houses on the block that she lived on were new but all the streets of the city were unpaved. The city infrastructure was such that water and electricity were only supplied for a few hours a day and rarely at the same time. Many of the residents lived in a state of poverty rarely seen here in the US, yet the only act of aggression shown towards Marie was made by Maggie, a 600 lb sow. Maggie would frequently wait on the muddy street outside Marie's house intent on separating Marie from her lunch bag during her early morning walk to the bus.

The following semester Marie moved and taught elementary school in Tampico, Mexico. Tampico was an industrial seaport devoid of tourism, but with paved streets, water, and electricity on demand the city seemed palatial. Marie found this year of living abroad to be transformative and was enamored by the warmth extended to her by the residents of both host countries. With a Jewish name, a cross on her necklace, imperfect Spanish spoken with a slight Brooklyn accent and at times seen with a 600 lb sow in tow Marie stood out as a bit of an enigma. She would not have had it any other way.

Marie returned to the states after this year abroad and began work as the Inventory Manager for a chain of lumber stores on Long Island and went to graduate school at night earning a Paralegal certificate from Adelphi University in 1981. She then worked for the NYS Office of the Attorney General Antitrust Division and went to law school at night graduating from Brooklyn Law School in 1985. She was subsequently admitted to the Bar in NY, MA and CT.

While at Hofstra University, Marie met a fellow student named David, who would later become her husband. They were of different ethnicity, different religious background, and different political ideologies. Except for Psychology 101 and the Mets they had nothing in common. So naturally it was love at first sight, at least for the guy. He would admit that the fiery Sicilian girl took a little time to warm up to him. Marie and David were married in 1978 followed by the birth of their daughters in 1986 and 1990.

While her two daughters were young Marie worked from home doing legal writing and editing for Matthew Bender Law Book Publishers.

The family moved to Pittsfield, MA in 1991. Marie withdrew from the workplace for a few years to dedicate her time to her now school age children, striving to make them self confident, independent thinkers, with a sense of charity and activism. She taught them the wonders of the arts and literature, richness of diversity and the importance to protect human rights for all. Family vacations included trips to The Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, NY and the Civil Rights National Monument in Birmingham, AL. By the time the "girls" went off to college they knew how to ski, scuba dive, shoot, speak a foreign language, ride their own motorcycles, be a friend, comfort a friend and respect others.

While living in western Massachusetts, Marie worked as the Interim Director of the Rape Crisis Center and volunteered at night to help answer the Center's hotline. She then served as Assistant Director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, an organization that provides life saving services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and also volunteered at the Center's Shelter for Battered Women. She was a substitute teacher at the Berkshire Country Day School and did divorce mediation for Berkshire Mediation Services.

The family moved to Queensbury, NY in 2003 and Marie worked as the Program Director for Caritas of Glens Falls (now known as Nearcare) a community based organization providing cost free support and respite care to the seriously ill. Marie was also one of the organization's volunteers, at times taking care of up to three families. She volunteered for the Saratoga County Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center's Hotline. Marie was a member of the Adirondack Women's Bar Association and provided Pro Bono legal counseling at their domestic violence clinics.

In 2011 Marie started working as the attorney for the child in Warren County Family Court. She visited with her young clients in their homes to best understand the living conditions and family dynamics and brought her findings and client's wishes before the court's Judges. This was perhaps her most personally rewarding endeavor. She was able to combine her legal training with her skills in childhood education, mediation and crisis intervention. She felt that she was making a difference in the lives of children who were living within dysfunctional and often disadvantaged families.

Although busy with her career and volunteer activities Marie found the time for a variety of recreational activities. With a not so hidden competitive streak she was not to be out done on the hiking trails, ski slopes, and shooting range. Marie was trained as a NRA Pistol Instructor, took additional training at the Smith and Wesson Academy and shot competitively. Marie particularly liked the Cowboy Action style shooting competitions which required period dress and firearms of the "old west". Participants would register under an alias and Marie competed under the name Brooklyn Belle.

She held an advanced open water Scuba Certification logging dives as deep as 100 ft. She and her daughters once bicycled 400 miles from Buffalo to Albany along the Erie Canal. Marie earned a General Class amateur radio license (Call sign: KB1AQY) back when Morse code proficiency was part of the test. She could gallop a horse, handle a boat under sail and fly a plane. The activity she most looked forward to though was meeting up with her book club friends for weekends in the Berkshires, a ritual spanning more than 20 years.

Marie was working in family court, volunteering with Caritas, and enjoying the special privilege of being a grandmother. She was working towards her Private Pilots certificate and was learning American Sign Language when her world began to implode.

That genetically encoded self destruct sequence was set in motion and confusing, inexplicable symptoms appeared. Things that were easy for Marie became difficult and then impossible. In the latter half of 2016 she learned that she had an untreatable neurologic disease and was given a projected life expectancy of four years.

To protect her clients she closed her law practice within days of receiving the diagnosis and withdrew from her volunteer activities. She remained a wife, mother and grandmother for as long as she could until even that was erased. Marie died on October 22, 2023, seven years after her diagnosis. Superwoman had met Kryptonite. Her Neurologist called it Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Marie's family would like to thank Attorney Martin Cohen for his assistance with closing her law practice. It was a most difficult time and Marie drew great comfort in knowing that her young clients would receive ongoing compassionate legal representation.

The family would like to extend these thoughts to the Warren County 4th Judicial District Family Court Judges, including the late Judge J. Timothy Breen; Marie frequently spoke with her family about her experiences within your courtrooms and it was abundantly apparent that she held all of you in the highest regard. It really didn't matter to her whether you agreed or disagreed with her arguments or recommendations. What mattered to Marie was the knowledge that each court session was being presided over by a Judge with an unwavering commitment to the welfare of "her" children. She truly considered it an honor to enter your courtrooms.

There are also special thanks due to Attorney Michael Dezik, for being Marie's friend and mentor. She was truly inspired by his tireless advocacy for the legal rights of our community's elders.

Nature is awe inspiring and beautiful but it is not inherently kind. The kindness we find in life is mostly bestowed on us by others and Marie sought every opportunity to provide that kindness.

Life allows us to choose various paths. Some choose a path of fear, isolation, and intolerance; others, a path of indifference. Marie chose a path through life promoting family, diversity, human rights and community service. Fortunately, she is not alone. Many in our community give freely of their time and money to help others and, like Marie, most do it quietly and without fanfare. So please, if you have a friend or neighbor who volunteers or supports a community need, thank them from the bottom of your heart. Brooklyn Belle would like that in lieu of flowers.

Private services are planned.