Emanuel "Sonny" George Marks

May 29, 1925 - June 17, 2010

Emanuel "Sonny" George Marks Obituary (Age 85) Passed away peacefully June 17, 2010 as a result of a weakened heart condition in recent years. He was born in Spokane May 29, 1925 to Ida and George Marks and was a life-long resident. He married his long-time love Elizabeth Fruin and she passed away in 2005 after 55 years together. Surviving in Spokane are son Gary Marks, wife Lisa and grandchildren Cambrie and Trevor; daughter Gale Marks and granddaughter Jamie; son Grant Marks and wife Manuela; brother Nathan Marks and wife Jodie; sisters-in-law Loretta Brown and Jeanne Marks of Lopez Island, WA; cousin Larry (Shirley) Grossman, Sheldon Grossman of Huntington Beach, CA and Mary Lynn Reiner of Olympia, WA; several nieces and nephews. He spent his entire business career with Merrill Lynch, retiring as a Vice President after 38 years with the firm in 1989. He spent several years on the National Assoc. of Securities Dealers regulation committee and the Business Conduct Committee of the Securities Industry Assoc. overseeing enforcement of the SEC Securities Regulators of Securities Firms in the Northwest. He graduated from Lewis & Clark High School and the University of Washington and was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. In WWII he spent three years in the Army and participated in the D-Day landing on the beaches of France where he was subsequently wounded in action. He holds numerous military awards including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge and the French Medal Jubilee Liberty which was presented to him by Congressman George Nethercutt a few years ago. He was very active in golf and skiing. He was an instructor and Director of the Spokesman-Review Ski School on Mt. Spokane for a number of years. He is a retired member of the Professional Ski Instructors Assoc. and the Pacific Northwest Ski Instructors Assoc. He is a former member of the Manito Golf and Country Club, the Spokane Golf and Country Club and former President of the Indian Canyon Golf men's club. He is a life member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and Military order of the Purple Heart. The family spent summers for more than 30 years at their summer home on Coeur D'Alene Lake. He is a member of St. John's Cathedral and a former Financial Advisor to the Trust and Endowment committee. He was on the Boards of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and the Deaconess Medical Center Foundation in past years. Visitation will be at Heritage Tuesday and Wednesday 8AM-5PM and Funeral Service 2:00PM Thursday, June 24, 2010 at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 12th and Grand, with Graveside Service to follow at 5:00PM at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Disabled American Veterans, 212 S. David Rd., Spokane Valley 99212; St. John's Cathedral, 127 E. 12th. Ave. Spokane 99202, or Sacred Heart Foundation, 101 E. 8th Ave. Spokane 99204