the best part

The best part of having the best Dad is the world is, of course, having the best Dad in the world.

The worst part is losing him.

Dr. Marvin Thalenberg, MD, beloved husband and father, died peacefully aged 84 on March 7th, 2011. 

Born in 1926 to David and Pauline Thalenberg, he had one younger sister, Miriam, a lawyer and judge until her early passing at age 44.

Raised in New York City, Dr. Thalenberg attended Hunter Model School and Townsend Harris, graduating at age 14. A prodigy, he appeared on the popular radio show “Quiz Kids”. He entered City College of New York while working as a printer's devil (copyboy) at The New York Sun, then finished his B.A. degree at the University of Virginia at age 17, and completed his Medical degree there in 1949 at the age of 21. While a senior at UVa, Dr. Thalenberg met Toni Robinson, who was then attending the Professional Children's School in New York City. They were married soon after during his residency at Montefiore Hospital, and recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Serving as a lieutenant in postwar Germany, he returned to practice privately in New City, New York from 1955 until 1989, also serving as Chief of Medicine at both Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern and at Nyack Hospital. 

Appointed to the post of Commissioner of Health for Rockland County, NY, he served until his retirement in 1998. Dr. Thalenberg taught at Columbia for 24 years as Adjunct Professor, as well as teaching at Harvard, Yeshiva, Pace University, and as a Master Tutor at NYU. Dr. Thalenberg and his wife retired to Annapolis in 2000, where they pursued social activism and philanthropy.

Dr. Thalenberg is survived by his wife Toni Robinson Thalenberg, a former actress and Professor at Wellesley, Manhattanville, NYU and Teachers College, Columbia, and his children Toni, David, Mark, Evan and Peri; his grandchildren Noah Hammarlund, Ariana Kaci, Kirby Thalenberg and Morgan Gill, and great-grandchild Charlotte Gill. Daughters-in-law, Margaret Thalenberg, Amanda Thalenberg, and Yvonne Possman. He called himself “the most fortunate of men.”

Dad? A joke's a joke....come back now, okay?
All my love
Your daughter