It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our beloved wife and mother, Melissa Marks. She passed at home on April 3, 2025, at the age of 68, surrounded by family. We will remember her tremendous heart and caring for others, creativity, love of music, and passion for all things cooking.
Melissa was born on October 14, 1956 in New York City, to Bernard and Estelle Marks. When Melissa was a baby, their family emigrated to London, England, where she predominantly grew up. A child of the 1960’s, Melissa listened to artists from the “British Invasion” and Motown. Melissa loved to dance and sing, even if off-tune (which she acknowledged).
At the age of 19, Melissa returned to New York, where she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology to pursue a degree in textile design. Melissa then worked at The Cloth Company, selling fabrics to commercial businesses. Melissa later met her husband Harry, while living in the Morningside Heights neighborhood adjacent to Columbia University. After 7 years together, the two married and eventually their children, Natalie and Paris were born.
While pregnant with her daughter, Melissa graduated from CUNY Hunter College, where she studied Anthropology. Her pursuit of learning would not end there. Even while juggling the care of two young kids and a household, Melissa put herself through night classes at the Institute for Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School). She diligently earned a culinary certification and honed her skills to become and wonderful cook and baker.
She is survived by her husband, Harry, and children, Natalie and Paris.
Melissa is predeceased by her father, Bernard Marks, mother, Estelle Marks, and sister, Adrienne Marks.
Melissa’s family will have visitation on Monday, April 7, 2025 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Ave, Northvale, NJ. A Funeral Service will be held at 12:30 PM at the funeral home with a burial service to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery, Nyack, NY.
The family will sit Shiva that evening, at their home, and invite you to celebrate Melissa’s life.
In lieu of flowers, please mail donations to the Humane Society of Bergen County (221-223 Stuyvesant Ave, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071) with a memo of, “in memory of Melissa Marks.”
2 Corinthians 5: 7,8 remind the believer
v.7 “Seeing that we walk by faith not by
sight.”
v.8 “We are of confident hope and prefer
rather to be absent from the body
and to be at home with the LORD.
Let us rejoice therefore, that today Melissa is spiritually in Paradise, in the presence of her LORD, Savior, and Redeemer.
Love and deep condolences to you cousin and Natalie and Paris. May the memory of Melissa bring smiles EVERYTIME you think of her. We pray that the God of all comfort will send peace and comfort in the upcoming weeks, months and years.
The Roberts Family
Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain shall be any more, for the former things have passed away.” You are in God’s hands now, and may you rest in peace Melissa.
Dear Sir Harry & our nephew & niece: I wish I could be with you all for the service & following remembrance of her life. I understood that Ma’am Melissa was a very talented personality. I am sure a day will come when sir Harry could vividly elaborate her short lived life.
However, I may not be physically there in USA but my mind is with you, Natalie & Paris. God bless, Anartya, Sumita & Aveer.
My deepest sympathy to Harry and family for the loss of their beloved Melissa.
Even though I did not get a chance to meet and know Melissa, the way her husband Harry Saint-Preux talked about their fight and struggle together against her ailment gave me a glimpse about her being a valiant, loving and caring woman as a mother, spouse, and friends to people. One more thing I can say is that from where she was in sickness, she reached out and blessed people in Haiti, especially kids through donations to the mission of COFHED. Melissa’s suffering is over, and she’s resting joyfully and peacefully now in the arms of the Lord, her Maker.
My dear friend, may your body be at rest. Your spirit will stay in my heart always and fill me the thoughts of you that make me smile.
Melissa was a fun cousin who opened my eyes to the world of genealogy and our common Sephardic roots. May her memory be a blessing to Harry, Natalie and Paris.