Sanford Calvin Marble

Sanford Calvin Marble passed away March 31. Born in Galveston to Eugene and Carolyn Marble, the family moved to Cambodia when Sandy was nine and lived in Indonesia, Egypt, France, Turkey and Pakistan. He played hide and seek with a tiger, had a monkey for a pet, and sailed the Nile. Sandy graduated high school in Lahore, Pakistan and moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas.

His adventurous spirit led him to drop out of school and hitch-hike around the country where he worked in restaurants, construction sites, shrimp boats, and as a research assistant on a ship for the Texas Marine Science Institute. He went trekking in the Himalayas, attended the American University of Beirut and then returned to UT where he received a BA in History and a BS in Civil Engineering. He worked as a civil engineer in the US and Saudi Arabia. While overseas, he realized that economics was his true calling.

1995 was a good year - he received his Ph.D. in Economics and married the love of his life, Melinda Ruth Smith. They moved to Morristown, NJ where he worked at Bellcore/Telcordia for the next six years. They returned to Austin shortly before the birth of their daughter, Novella Grace, in 2002. He taught economics at UT for many years before accepting a faculty position at Austin Community College, where he became Chair of the Social Sciences Department.

Sandy was preceded in death by his father, Eugene, and brother, Stuart. He is survived by his wife, Melinda and daughter, Novella; mother, Carolyn; brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Sasha; nephew Noah and wife Lauren and great-niece Claire; niece Susannah and husband Keith; nephews Max and Daniel; and many wonderful cousins and friends.

Thank you so much to Hospice Austin for taking such gentle care of Sandy in his last weeks. You brought us comfort and made such a difference in all our lives.

Sandy's heart was huge. He hated bullies, he loved history, politics, the stars, and Barack Obama. We will never forget his kind and generous nature, his intelligence and curiosity about all things, and the love and joy he shared with all those around him. His love and pride in his precious daughter was immense. He will be missed beyond measure.