Marc was a wonderful colleague, a soft-spoken man with a gentle smile. I knew him as a reserved but always friendly colleague. I was aware he was also an outstanding scholar, but I didn’t know the impact of his work until I heard the tributes at the memorial at Smith College. Nor did I know about his quirky sense of humor until then. One thing I always felt was that he was thoughtful and deeply empathetic to people whose lot in life was difficult.
I can’t remember the exact time, but it was several months before Marc died that I last spoke with him, an accidental meeting at a grocery store. I thought he looked fairly well, but he said he was under treatment. How I wish I had gotten to know him better. His much too early passing is a sad loss for all of us on an individual basis, and also for the academic community of Smith College and beyond. He is sorely missed.