Sanford E. Marovitz

Sanford E. Marovitz (May 10, 1933 – July 9, 2023), beloved husband, brother, uncle and cousin.  He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 58 years, Nora; his brother-in-law George Dimitsas; his sister-in-law Gail Marovitz; and a large, extended, adoring family in Chicago, New York, California and Greece.  He was preceded in death by his parents Harold and Gertrude Marovitz and his brothers Ivan and James Marovitz.

Dr. Marovitz was a native Chicagoan. After four years in the U.S. Air Force he earned his B.A. with Honors at Lake Forest College (1960) and his M.A. and Ph.D. at Duke University (1961, 1968).  He attended Duke as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, after which time he went to Temple University in Philadelphia where he met his wife Nora.  From 1965 to 1967 he taught English under the Fulbright Program at the University of Athens in Greece.

Dr. Marovitz began teaching at Kent State University in 1967, serving as Professor, and later Chair, of the English Department. In 1976-77 he served as Visiting Professor of English at Shimane University, Matsue, Japan, which – like his time in Greece – had a profound influence on him, providing many long-standing friendships and professional engagements.

His commitment to students and the broader academic community was well recognized both at Kent State, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1985 and the President’s Metal in 1999, as well as at Lake Forest College, where he received the Distinguished Service Citation in 1985. Additionally, he served as a member of Lake Forest’s Board of Trustees.  Shimane University awarded him a Presidential Citation in 1998. Professor Marovitz was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa.

Dr. Marovitz’s career was distinguished by many scholarly accomplishments, including serving as the co-editor of several volumes, and as the author of Twayne Publisher’s volume Abraham Cahan.  He was widely published in critical collections and professional journals on topics that ranged from 19th and 20th century American literature, American-Jewish writing, literature of the American West, and most notably Herman Melville. Dr. Marovitz became the executive secretary and the president of the Melville Society, and served in positions in the Modern Language Association and the Western Literature Association.

Dr. Marovitz and Nora were inseparable and served as patrons of community assets across Northeast Ohio, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Kent State University and its libraries, and Hillel at Kent State University, where Dr. Marovitz served on the Board of Trustees.

In addition to his academic interests, Dr. Marovitz loved people and the outdoors, especially when riding with Nora in their beloved red Morgan, hobnobbing with the Ohio Morgan Owner’s Group (OMOG), or walking the trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. He was an ardent bibliophile, a collector of American and Japanese stamps, and had a Melville-inspired passion for whale preservation. His love of nature started early, when he was first a camper, then served as a counselor and in other managerial positions, at Camp Ojibwa in Eagle River, Wisconsin. While his roots were always in Chicago, he became a beloved presence in Kent to his students, colleagues, and many friends. He loved hosting and attending parties, enjoying fellowship with his colleagues and friends.

The family wishes to acknowledge Dr. Marovitz’s care aide, Christina McCloud; friends Deborah Barnbaum and Gene Pendleton; KentRidge Senior Living; Promedica Hospice and Traditions Hospice for providing him with compassionate care, and many friends who have been supportive during this time.  Those who wish to commemorate Dr. Marovitz are invited to contribute to the Kent State University Library, the Cohn Jewish Student Center (Hillel) at Kent State University, the Portage Park District, or other environmental causes of their preference.

Funeral services will be Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 11:00AM at Bissler and Sons Funeral Home, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240 with Rabbi Michael Ross officiating.  Burial will follow at Standing Rock Cemetery.  Visitation will be prior to the service, from 10:00-11:00AM on Thursday at the funeral home.

Services in care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240.