Martin Alan "Marty" Sacks, 80, died of lung cancer Sept. 24 in Hospice of Atlanta care at his home in Marietta, GA. The son of Samuel and Estelle (Rosenfeld) Sacks, Marty grew up in Union, NJ with his parents and brother Fred.
An indifferent student, he dropped out of school in 9th grade. He began his working life as a grocery store bagger and went on to become a department store display person, handling newspaper ads for a 14 discount stores, and a shipping receiving clerk assistant.
At 17 years old, he was a featherweight class boxer who posted a 12 and 1 record before New Deal trucking company hired him for administrative duties in its general freight office in New York.
For 60 years his career was in freight sales, management and logistics, which included owning his own company. He and first wife, Linda Goldstein, moved to South Florida in 1976 and adopted two daughters.
Marty led a colorful life, making friends in high and low places and pursuing interests that included a life-long passion for thoroughbred and trotter racing. He ran for state office, earning a respectable number of votes for a first-timer but ultimately losing. At one time he was an assistant to the controversial then-mayor of Sunrise, John Lomelo.
He married his second wife, Mary Ann (Wise) Sacks in 1988, who helped him raise his two daughters. The union ended in 1994. He then met Joan Durbin, his life partner for 28 years until his death. The couple moved to metro Atlanta in 2002, where he closed out his career in logistics sales and became a consultant.
In addition to Joan, Marty is survived by daughter Kimberly Sacks Campos of Crossville, TN and grandson Anthony Beck; daughter Rebecca Sacks Seunarine, her husband Santos and twin granddaughters Amaya and Isabella of Hollywood, FL, and his brother Frederick Sacks of Frisco, TX.
Cremation was by Marietta Funeral Home & Crematory. A Celebration of Life is being planned.