“Dr. Marcus was a staunch advocate for all of his patients and took special care of those with COPD,” says John Walsh, president and co-founder of the COPD Foundation. “He truly set an example for all clinicians through his compassion and attention to detail and will be sorely missed by his patients and the Foundation.”

Prominent, well-liked, honored and respected throughout New York State and beyond, Dr. Marcus had been recently recognized by the American Lung Association of New York with the Life & Breath Award. He was the founding physician of Nassau Chest Physicians, P.C., an eleven physician and two nurse practitioner private practice specializing in Adult and Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. He was also Clinical Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and served as associate Dean of Curriculum Development and t Course Director for the Respiratory System Curriculum for second year medical students.

Dr. Marcus received his undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Columbia University (1969) and his medical degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, summa cum laude (1973). He completed further studies at Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Remembering a Top COPD Clinician and Expert Hopkins University and received the a masters in public health degree in 2001. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (1976) and then pulmonary training at Queens Hospital Center and the Northport V.A. Hospital. He was certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Diseases.

Dr. Marcus lectured regionally, nationally and internationally on asthma and COPD, and conducted clinical trials in the areas of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was chair of the American Association of Respiratory Care’s Board of Medical Advisors (BOMA), and served as President of the American Lung Association of Nassau-Suffolk. He was also past-President of the Long Island Pulmonary Society and attained Fellowship in the American College of Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Marcus was also actively involved in the teaching of medical students as well as residents in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine.

His interests were largely in the fields of asthma and other obstructive lung disease. In addition, he was also very interested in pediatric pulmonary problems, particularly asthma, and treated a large number of children in his practice. Sarcoidosis and the diagnosis and early treatment of lung cancer were also areas of interest.

In addition to being survived by his wife Rovena of Jericho; Dr. Marcus is also survived by his in-laws and surrogate parents Morton and Harriet Shreck; sons: Mitch, husband of Sarah Marcus of Forest Hills, Brian, husband of Faith Marcus of New York City, a daughter Alyssa, wife of Gary Klein of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and grandchildren, Max Marcus, Luke Marcus, Julia Klein, Jake Marcus, Jenna Klein and Liam Philip Marcus.