Marcia Worthing
January 8, 1943- November 29, 2021
Marcia Worthing passed away peacefully in her home in Manhattan on November 29, 2021 surrounded by loved ones. She is survived by her two sons, Chris (Lindsay) and Geoff (Meg) Foster, and her two grandchildren Quinlan and Violet Foster. Born in Columbus, Ohio, on January 8, 1943 to Ford Worthing and Dorothy Leonard, Marcia spent her youth in Chicago before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in high school. She attended Acalanes High School in Lafayette where she made many valuable friendships and most particularly lifelong friends with Penny (Place) Black and Joan (McNulty) Evans. She went on to San Francisco State University where she earned a degree in Political Science. Following graduation, she earned her teaching credential and taught second grade at Alamo School in San Francisco. A $5 a day whirlwind trip to Europe followed her first year of teaching. Her final stop was New York City, a stop that would forever change her life. It was an instant love affair with NYC and she never boarded the plane back to SF. She found a new home and never looked back. It was there she met her husband Ron Foster, whom she was married to for 33 years before his passing in 2006.

Marcia would go on to a very successful, 27-year career at the international cosmetic company, Avon Products. Marcia rose to the title of Senior Vice President of Human Resources, a trailblazing position for a working mom in corporate America in the 1980s. In this role, she was deeply involved in Avon's effort to move women into leadership positions around the world. After leaving Avon in 1999, Marcia would later put her human resources skills to work for Mullin & Associates, an outplacement firm in New York where she would work until 2007. She also sat on the boards of several companies and many nonprofits. Her energy was always enthusiastic and deeply caring. All this while never missing any of her boy's activities.

Marcia was an avid supporter of the NYC arts scene, regularly attending the theater, opera and ballet and later became a benefactor and board member of the Gina Gibney Dance Company. Marcia and Ron shared an unquenchable thirst for travel, making trips to every continent, including Antarctica and more than 60 countries. Her unending curiosity propelled her to continue her education in retirement, graduating with a degree in Social Work from Columbia University in 2009. Even in the final year of her life, she was taking regular classes in literature and film. She finished a Sondheim class days before his recent death.

Marcia was also a sports fanatic as well as diehard supporter of the New York Jets: As a longtime season ticket holder, she would brave all levels of bad weather and game mediocrity to watch her beloved team. She also enthusiastically pulled for Chris and Geoff's alma maters Georgetown and Michigan.

Marcia was an inspirational leader to her family and sadly leaves behind her siblings and their spouses: John/Peggy (Atherton), DeeDee (Walnut Creek), Kay/Jeff Phelan (Lake Oswego, OR) and Buck/Elizabeth (Lafayette). Up until her final days, Marcia was unwavering in her generosity, optimism, kindness and enthusiasm for life — and because of that, she inspired and touched many and will be deeply missed.

The family asks that any donations may be sent in Marcia's name to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. www.michaeljfox.org