Help for a Trailblazer - Marge Curvin

She was an uncommon friend, a mentor to many, with a quick mind, a quicker wit, and a razor-sharp tongue. Many know her from her days on Wall St. where her job was competitive bond underwriter. Underwriters sit in a room, and each decides how much of their Firm's capital to commit and at what price. There is nothing groundbreaking about that - it's gone on for a long time. What was new was that the room now comprised 20-50 mostly portly and most definitely all males + Marge. She was sure she could hear them thinking " what the hell is she doing here?"  After a few of these gatherings it was clear she knew as much or more as anyone in the room and was soon "one of the guys".

In short, she was a pioneer although she was not really comfortable with the title. We thought she was more comfortable to be regarded as a cool, calculating, competitive underwriter that happened to have a Y chromosome- nothing more. But as with all trailblazers, they'll never know how many chose the same path because of her. How many women said if a woman can underwrite, why not trading or sales or running a department. Oh, by the way, Marge went on to run the bond department at Manufacturers Hanover.

When her adventurous spirit tired of Wall St. she went looking for the next Everest. She found a small country store/restaurant in north Jersey and thought "I know nothing about the food business so that seems perfect". She built the business from nothing into quite something. When 7 days a week 12-14 hours a day became too much, she sold it. While none of us are sure how she wound up in real estate next, some of us are convinced a dart board was involved. But don’t take that as impulsiveness or recklessness. It was pure fearlessness in tackling something brand new. After years of the real estate business Marge retired to Tucson and took up with her new love- “contract bridge". She was a reliable and ever learning partner until lymphedema made long sessions impossible. We are sure she was as unafraid to make a 7 NT bid as was in bidding on a 1-billion-dollar bond deal.

• After a seemingly endless string of medical setbacks, we find ourselves here with an accumulated medical tab that was unforeseen and partly unfunded. If you knew Marge, here is a way to say "thank you" for what she meant in your life or the way she lived hers. For those who never knew her we hope we have provided a glimpse of a life well lived, but illness unfairly allocated. Maybe some of you know a trailblazer who you've never properly thanked for clearing a path. Marge is one of those people if you knew you would be anxious to help. For those who never had the privilege of crossing paths she is the friend you never met.