Marcelo Schor was born on October 4, 1958 to the late Haydée (Sasson) and Ernesto Schor in Cordoba, Argentina. He passed away suddenly but peacefully due to heart complications on October 1, 2018 surrounded by his gathered family and friends. He shared his joy, his open laugh, his zeal for life, and his dark sense of humor generously with everyone his life touched.
Marcelo was born in Cordoba, Argentina into the family of a prominent local tailor. He attended kindergarten and elementary school there, where he established a tight group of friends with whom he remained close and enjoyed reunions together later in life.
Subsequently, he briefly attended boarding school in France. Ever his own man, young Marcelo soon effected a daring escape to Israel. There, in 1973, he was reunited with his siblings Adriana and Marcos, joined a kibbutz, and was wounded during his service in the Israeli armed forces.
Marcelo moved to San Francisco in the early 1980s. There he saw the Grateful Dead play live, and met his first wife, Veronica Warne. They were married in August 1982–by an off-duty Elvis impersonator–in Lake Tahoe. Within three years they had moved across the country to New York City. There Marcelo undertook a career in banking and insurance, and he and Veronica had a daughter, Jessica Alejandrina Schor.
By the late 1990s Marcelo had moved to the Princeton area, started his own import-export business, and married Lucy Stover-Schor, the light and love of his life for twenty years. In the marriage he gained a son, Peter Ashton, and Jessica gained a second mother and a brother.
It was here that Marcelo and Lucy put down roots over twenty years ago. They bought a farmhouse and together made it a warm and inviting home. As his Jewish faith deepened, he became an active member of the Princeton Jewish community and a student of Kabbalah. In addition, he was a skilled amateur photographer, connoisseur of good food and coffee, a dog lover, kayaker and the centerpiece of a wide and loving circle of friends.
In May 2014, Marcelo was diagnosed with leukemia. With Lucy’s unflagging support, he underwent many rounds of aggressive chemotherapy as well as a bone marrow transplant. Though his body was taxed, his spirit was strong. He defeated the cancer, having fought through more brushes with death than most men ever encounter.
Marcelo lived for two healthy, full years following his successful transplant. He traveled widely within the US, as well as to Israel, Greece, and France. He took many photographs, drafted a memoir, laughed and loved with his family and friends, and inspired everyone he met.
Marcelo passed away peacefully on October 1, 2018 surrounded–in body and spirit–by those he loved, and who loved him back. He is survived by his loving wife Lucy Stover-Schor, his children Jessica (Tim) and Peter (Laura), his siblings Cristina Schor (Cordoba, Argentina), Marcos Schor (Ensenada, Mexico), Adriana Kapetas (Thessaloniki, Greece), and Alvaro Schor (San Francisco), and family and friends the world over.
Funeral services are Thursday 12PM (October 4) at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel,1534 Pennington Road, Ewing.Burial will follow at Princeton Cemetery.
The period of mourning will be observed Thursday at the Schor residence in Pennington.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcomed at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
