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Born to Russian Jewish immigrants, Marcus dreamed of being a doctor while growing up in Newark, according to an obituary posted by The Home Depot. His family couldn't afford medical school, so he attended Rutgers University and received a degree in pharmacy, his obituary reads.
Marcus worked for several companies before he became chairman of the board and president of Handy Dan Improvement Centers, according to his obituary. After getting fired from Handy Dan in 1978, he, along with Arthur Blank and Ron Brill, came up with the idea or a one-stop shop for do it-yourselfers, and they opened the first The Home Depot in Atlanta in 1979, his obituary reads.
The Home Depot grew into a worldwide company, eventually employing more than 500,000 associates, his obituary reads.
According to Forbes, Marcus was worth $11 billion at the time of his death.
Marcus was adamant about giving back, helping to create The Marcus Institute, which treats more than 5,500 children with autism. He also helped create Project Share in conjunction with The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, renowned for the treatment of brain and spinal injuries, according to his obituary.
In 1999, Marcus ad the other founders started The Homer Fund to take care of Home Depot associates who suffer unexpected hardships, his obituary reads. Marcus also helped fund the Georgia Aquarium,
Marcus and his wife Billi joined The Giving Pledge in 2010, a commitment to give away most of their money during their lifetime.
“To make quarterly profit is one thing, but changing just one life is so much better,” Marcus wrote in a letter to Warren Buffett.
To view his obituary, click here.
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