Martin A. Sussman's Obituary
Martin Sussman was born on June 1st, 1934 to Harry and Ida Sussman in Montreal, Quebec, where he was raised with his younger sister Marilyn. Known as “Marty” to all, he led a life of geographic and professional variety, bringing his curiosity, energy, and compassion to many different institutions and contexts. In Montreal he embarked upon a career as a pharmacist and then, after a brief sojourn in California, switched tracks to pursue a Master’s Degree in Education. Marty then taught at the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf; he is fondly remembered as a charismatic and charming, if no-nonsense, instructor in English literature. Marty met and fell in love with his colleague and wife-to-be, Kathy Daniel. Transitioning out of education, he opened a successful chain of plant stores in the Montreal area named Plantasia, attracting publicity through spectacles such as inviting symphony musicians to play for the plants. When Kathy moved to Louisville, Kentucky to become the Executive Director of the Louisville Deaf Oral School, Marty followed. Soon after he acquired The Vogue, an Art Deco movie theater that he quickly turned into a successful and much beloved local cultural institution, hosting a wide range of repertory and independent programming. In Louisville, Marty and Kathy were married and raised Drew; their son Matthew was born the next year. As the Vogue prospered, Marty expanded his business dealings, branching into real estate development. In the wake of the opening of a second neighborhood movie theater, The Baxter, Marty moved to California to join Kathy, who had become the Executive Director of Weingarten Children’s Center in Redwood City. Marty’s move to join his family occasioned a return to his work in deaf education, consulting for the Oberkotter Foundation on three documentary advocacy films, including Dreams Spoken Here, which he created with Mildred Oberkotter and Kathy. Over three million copies of the film were distributed worldwide. Marty’s professional accomplishments reflected the curiosity and generosity which were his calling cards, as did his love of travel, sharing meals with friends, and occasionally playing the horses. He chafed at pretension, inviting others in with his sly wit and worldliness while knowing when to laugh along at his own fastidious tastes. He was a loving partner, an engaged father, and a tireless explorer. He was a true mensch.Donations in his name can be made to the Weingarten Children’s Center.
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