Bernie Marcus Obituary, Death – Bernie Marcus, the influential co-founder of Home Depot, has passed away at the age of 95, as confirmed by the company on Tuesday morning. Home Depot expressed deep sorrow at his death, acknowledging the profound impact Marcus had on the organization and the retail industry as a whole. In their statement, the company described him as a “master merchant” and a “retail visionary,” emphasizing his commitment to employees, customers, and communities. They credited him with establishing the company’s core values, which continue to guide its operations.
Marcus was born in 1929 to Russian Jewish immigrant parents in Newark, New Jersey. His early life was marked by hard work; he began his career at the age of 13, sacrificing his dream of becoming a doctor to support his family. He eventually earned a degree from Rutgers University and briefly worked as a pharmacist before transitioning into retail sales.
By the mid-1970s, Marcus held an executive position at Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers in Los Angeles, where he first met Arthur Blank. After both were dismissed from their roles in April 1978, they were encouraged by their colleague Ken Langone to start their own business. This led to the founding of Home Depot, with the first two stores opening in Atlanta on June 22, 1979.
Home Depot rapidly gained traction and went public within two years, eventually growing into a massive retail chain with over 2,300 locations across North America today. Marcus retired from day-to-day operations at Home Depot in 2002 but continued to influence the community through philanthropy.
After his retirement, Marcus contributed more than $200 million from his personal wealth to fund the Georgia Aquarium, which opened in November 2005 and is now one of the largest aquariums in the world and a major tourist attraction in Atlanta.
In addition to his business endeavors, Marcus co-authored the book “Built From Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion” in 1999 alongside Bob Andelman. This publication was timed to celebrate Home Depot’s 20th anniversary and chronicled the company’s journey and successes.
In 2009, his contributions to the state of Georgia were recognized when he was inducted as a Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society, an honor bestowed by the governor’s office.
Throughout his life, Marcus not only transformed the retail landscape but also demonstrated a strong commitment to community service and philanthropy, leaving a lasting legacy both within and beyond the walls of Home Depot.