VIENNA, Va. — Gary Marx, 80, died on May 31, 2019, in hospice care at home in Vienna, Virginia, of complications from a long fight against prostate cancer.
Gary was born on November 28, 1938, to Lucille and Harvey Marx in the back of his parents’ grocery store in Manchester.
Gary was an author, international speaker, noted futurist, educator, associate executive, and researcher. He has written nearly a dozen books, focusing on leadership and societal trends. He delivered energizing and thought-provoking presentations in numerous communities on six continents and has visited 81 countries.
He drew on his prairie wisdom as a senior executive of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for 20 years, as an on-air television and radio broadcaster at KSOO in Sioux Falls and at WOW in Omaha. In 1998, he established the Center for Public Outreach in Vienna, Virginia, a future-oriented consulting firm dedicated to enhancing organizational and individual leadership, effective public relations and communications.
In recognition for his lifetime of service, Gary was named to Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World for more than a decade. He was presented the Distinguished Service Award by AASA and the President’s Award by the National School Public Relations Association.
He maintained close ties with the De Smet area throughout his lifetime. He served as a member of the boards of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society and the Harvey Dunn Society. He also worked with members of the community to create the Manchester Monument, in commemoration of his home town, which was destroyed by a 2003 tornado.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, at Osthus Funeral Home in De Smet followed by burial in the De Smet Cemetery.
Gary is survived by his wife Judy; sons, John (Ramona Martinez) and Daniel (Heather Alderman); and grandson, Julian Alderman Marx.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrance donations be made to the Gary and Judy Marx Endowment Servant Leader Scholarship Award, University of South Dakota Foundation, Wagner Center, 1110 N. Dakota St., Vermillion, S.D. 57069.
Visit www.osthusfuneral.com
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