Marilyn DeYoung Hertzberg

Marilyn Hertzberg, 97, died Thursday afternoon, Aug 14, 2025 at her home of 24 years in Durham, NC.

Born on December 6, 1927 in Detroit Michigan, Marilyn was the daughter of the late Sylvia Maxine Cohen and Wilbur DeYoung. She attended school in Cleveland, Ohio, graduating from Cleveland Heights High School in 1945, after which she married the late Garson Hertzberg on Dec 21, 1947. Marilyn and Garson were married for 61years until Garson died in 2009. Marilyn and her family moved to Thousand Oaks, California, residing there about 35 years before they moved to North Carolina.

After her children were grown, she was employed as a credit manager for the Broadway Department store on Woodland Hills CA. Marilyn and Garson were avid eclectic collectors. It is a testament to her toughness and resilience that she was able to live independently into her late 90s.

Marilyn held various leadership positions at Fairmont Temple in Cleveland and Temple Solael in Los Angeles, and as President of the Rowland Elementary school PTA while her children attended. She moved to Durham, NC in 2000, and was a member of Judea Reform Congregation. Her family was the most important thing in her life, and she was a loving wife, mother grandmother, and great-grandmother.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Hertzberg was preceded in death by her husband Garson Hertzberg; sister, Terry Stern; sisters-in-law, Renee Hertzberg and Thelma Goldberg and her husband Fred Goldberg.

Surviving are her daughter, Wendy Vanik and husband John Vanik of Henderson, Nevada, her son, Dr. Michael Hertzberg and wife Dr. Barbara Hertzberg of Durham, NC; six grandchildren, Dr. David Vanik and wife, Noha Vanik of Washington, DC, Jill Sweeney and husband Dr. Greg Sweeney of Long Island, NY, Scott Vanik and wife Amy Vanik of Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Brian Hertzberg and wife Erica Hertzberg of Cary, NC, Jeffrey Hertzberg of Durham, NC and Andrew Hertzberg of Philadelphia, PA; nine great-grandchildren, Alia Vanik, Kate Sweeney, Jack Sweeney Jena Sweeney, Lauren Vanik, Gwen Vanik, Malcolm Hertzberg, Charlotte Hertzberg and Madeleine Hertzberg.

Memorial Service will be Sunday, September 14, 2025 at 2:00 pm at Judea Reform Congregation.

Memorials may be made to Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Road, Durham, NC 27705, Caring Community Fund.         Philanthropic Funds - Judea Reform Congregation; Caring Community - Judea Reform Congregation