Marvin Eugene Azorsky Obituary (2008)

Marvin Eugene Azorsky, 72, of Overland Park, Kansas passed away Friday, December 26, 2008, at Saint Luke’s South Hospital after a long and courageous fight with cancer. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri to Harry and Evelyn Azorsky on April 3, 1936 and lived almost his entire life in the greater Kansas City area. Marvin’s future sister-in-law, Harriet, introduced him to his wife Gitta Cahn. Marvin and Gitta were married soon after and enjoyed forty-nine years of love, caring and affection for each other. Together they provided a wonderful home for their children, Deborah Kalmeyer and Steven Azorsky. Debbie and her husband, David Kalmeyer, and their son, Jonathon, live in Plano, Texas. Steve and his wife, Diane, and their children, Joshua and Rose, live in Leawood, Kansas. Marvin is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Gloria Azorsky of Leawood and his sister-in-law, Helen Apple of Chicago and many nephews, nieces and great nephews and great nieces. Marvin attended Paseo High School and graduated from Southwest High School. Soon after graduation, Marvin began treatment for thyroid cancer. After recovery, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where he was an AEPi. He soon opted to return home to manage the family’s Factory Outlet retail store on Minnesota Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. In 1960, Marvin closed that store to work side by side with his father in their other store, Harry’s Factory Outlet, in Riverside, Missouri. Marvin continued operating that store until his retirement in 1998. Marvin was anxious to retire after working six days per week for forty years but during those ten years of retirement, he couldn’t have kept any busier. He relished filling his days and evenings with his family by attending, along with Gitta, the sporting events, band, dance and theater performances of their three grandchildren. He was careful to arrange his schedule so that he could work with his son, Steve, in his business two days each week. He so much enjoyed their friends and constantly wanted to be around people. He and Gitta traveled in those retirement years as much as his health would allow and he was planning several trips for when he recovered. He always had something that he was looking forward to whether it was a trip to Dallas, an event with Josh, Rose or Jonny or his poker games which took place rain or shine twice a month with the same group of friends for over thirty years. Marvin was predeceased by his parents, Harry and Evelyn Azorsky, his sister-in-law, Harriet Azorsky, his brother-in-law, Donald Apple and his in-laws, Herman and Elisabeth Cahn. He was an active member and former board member of Beth Shalom Synagogue, B’nai B’rith and the Jewish Community Center. He served as an adult leader in Boy Scouts and was an honorary Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Funeral services will be held at Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost, Kansas City, Missouri at 10:30AM Sunday, December 28, 2008. Interment at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Marvin’s memory to Beth Shalom Synagogue, 14200 Lamar, Overland Park, KS 66223 or The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, 5801 W. 115th St., Suite 101, Overland Park, KS 66211.