Marty was born on July 16, 1941, in Middletown, Connecticut, to Samuel and Bertha (Dworski) Pear. He received his bachelor’s from Bethany College in West Virginia and worked in social services in the Jewish community for three decades. On Oct. 4, 1964, he married Beverly Krimsky and they remained true partners in life for 54 years. They raised, inspired and earned the everlasting devotion of two boys, Jonathan and Ian, and two girls, Rachel and Sara.
Among some of his favorite activities as a child and young man were sports. His excellence in this field afforded him a scholarship to the Wooster Prep School in Danbury, Connecticut, where in turn he was the captain of the baseball, football and basketball teams (he continued playing baseball for his college team as well). This love, which continued to manifest itself as a coach and mentor for children in an array of sporting activities, provided an initial entry into Jewish communal work where he began in the physical and health department of the Jewish Community Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and then in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Subsequently, his love for and talent in strengthening community led him to rise through the ranks and eventually take the helm and lead as executive director for Jewish Community Centers in Binghamton, New York, Tampa, Florida, and ultimately Phoenix, Arizona. When asked what he loved most about his service to the Jewish community, he proudly recalled his various accomplishments in programming, membership and financial growth of the various JCCs, but insisted the most important and enjoyable aspect of every position he ever held were the people and the relationships he forged (and maintained for decades) with staff, community members and even perfect strangers.
He reserved his greatest love for his wife, Beverly, who he first met at age 14, his family and friends. He absolutely loved people and they, in turn, loved him.
He also reserved a special love for Jerusalem in general and for Shir Hadash in particular, especially its building project. He personally donated a significant amount of funds towards its successful completion, and raised hundreds of thousands more through his constant championing of the cause. Indeed, even just a couple of weeks before his death, despite being severely ill, he made fundraising calls and meetings on behalf of Shir Hadash.
Marty was preceded in death by his father, Sam, and his mother, Bertha. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; their four children, Jonathan (Jamie), Ian (Rachel), Rachel (Jonathan) and Sara (Evan); their 14 grandchildren, Samantha, Gavriella, Ilana, Tyler, Michaella, Talia, Darya, Alexis, Cobey, Eliyahu, Noa, Zoey, Zev and Benjamin; his brother, sisters-in-law, several cousins, nieces and nephews.
