Obituary of Audrey Friedman Marcus

Audrey Friedman Marcus, a noted educator and activist, died peacefully on August 22, 2026, in Bala Cynwyd, PA.

Raised in Trenton, New Jersey, she attended Westtown School and Smith College. She completed her BA at age 39 at University of Denver; she later earned an M.A. in Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College. A brilliant political organizer, she led the successful campaign for Colorado’s ratification of the U.S. Equal Rights Amendment. She was a founding member of the National Organization for Women and served on the Colorado Commission on the Status of Women.

As co-founder of Alternatives in Religious Education (ARE), she wrote, edited, and published pioneering Jewish educational materials. She and her beloved second husband, Fred Marcus, shared a passion for Holocaust education and world travel. She established the Audrey and Fred Marcus Holocaust Lecture.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Julius and Anne Ritter; her siblings, Lloyd Ritter and Marilyn Klein; her former husband, Don Friedman; and her daughter, Jill Friedman Fixler (Peter). She is survived by her children, Rabbi Dayle Friedman (David Ferleger) and Glen Friedman (Elizabeth); stepchildren David (Diane) and Vivian Marcus; grandchildren Josh Fixler (Annie), Gabe Marcus (Leah), Andrew Friedman, Jonathan Friedman (Jane), Anya Friedman-Hutter, Anat Friedman Ferleger, Avram (Chana) Friedman Ferleger, and great-granddaughters Ella, Dani, and Fredi Fixler.

Service, Monday, 8/24, 1:00pm, Temple Emanuel; livestream available on Feldman Mortuary's YouTube channel; interment Emanuel Cemetery. 

Donations may be made to Audrey and Fred Marcus Holocaust Lecture, Holocaust Awareness Institute of University of Denver, or to the charity of your choice.