October 16, 1939 – July 28, 2022 Marissa Rubin has spread her butterfly wings and transitioned peacefully to the ‘other side’ after struggling with the devastating effects of terminal stage-4 pancreatic cancer.
Marissa was truly a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, artist, poet and creative activist working on behalf of Mother Nature and Mother Earth.
Marissa was born Maxine Goldgraben to her parents Lawrence and Ann Goldgraben in the Bronx, New York on October 16, 1939 and passed late at night on July 28, 2022 in a hospice bed at her home in Santa Monica surrounded by her peace activist husband Jerry Rubin and their two kitty cat kids Sunny and Polly.
Marissa attended the High School of Music and Art in New York City and, after moving to Los Angeles with her family, attended UCLA, changed her name to Marissa and received her Masters in Art.
Marissa became a dedicated art therapist and worked at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute located in LA’s Westwood Village for 25 years helping the emotionally disturbed adolescent patients.
Marissa’s first marriage was to Norman Rothberg and they had two beautiful daughters Pamela and Michele. Marissa is the loving grandmother of Pamela’s daughter Amelia. Michele is married to Matt Trosper and Pamela is married to Eric Ruehr.
Marissa was the oldest of 3 sisters, the youngest sister Sandra who lives in the LA area and Judy who passed after also suffering from cancer. Judy’s daughter Alana bonded closely with Marissa and, of course, became Marissa’s favorite niece. Alana Wagner Peralez is married to Jon Peralez.
Marissa was an avid tree lover and helped found Tree Hugging Friends. She also was a caring activist who helped found the Activist Support Circle, the first emotional support group for progressive activists that was helping to guard against activist burnout.
Marissa’s artistic talent somehow always made her the choice to design and create scores of event and project posters (large and small) for so many causes she was involved with, including all the Tree Hugging Day posters, the annual John Lennon and George Harrison birthday and memorial cards for their remembrances at their Hollywood Walk of Fame stars in front of Capitol Records, inscribing with her beautiful calligraphy all the ‘Young Peacemaker’ merit awards for the No Toy Guns campaign, the artwork to successfully save the late Paul Conrad’s massive Chain Reaction public art peace sculpture in Santa Monica,… and Marissa was still hoping her efforts along with other community artists and environmentalists will hopefully save the creative Muir Woods mural also located in Santa Monica.
Marissa self-published her creative poetry book ‘Word Honey’ with all the proceeds going to a local no-kill animal shelter.
She also began a rather unique and creative endeavor combining dance and sculpture in LA called ClayDance Studio.
Marissa was also an avid meditator and practitioner of yoga.
Marissa was recently awarded a California Legislative Assembly Certificate of Recognition by Assembly Member and former Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom.
Marissa was also recently honored by Julie Weiss, the Marathon Goddess and noted author, when Julie dedicated a recent marathon to Marissa to help raise funds for pancreatic cancer research. Julie personally presented her medal to Marissa while Marissa was at home in hospice just before her passing.
Much gratitude to the good doctors, nurses and staff at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center as well as the good folks at VITAS Hospice, AccentCare Hospice and Salus Home Care for taking such good care of Marissa during a devastatingly difficult time.
Marissa, along with her husband Jerry Rubin, planted the Children’s Tree of Life in the Santa Monica Palisades Park on Earth Day, 1983 and were married there as Peace Partners a few months later.
Donations to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research would be lovingly appreciated.
A memorial life celebration public event honoring and remembering Marissa will take place 2pm Sunday, October 16 on her 83rd birthday at the Children’s Tree of Life located in the Santa Monica Palisades Park just north of the Pier at Ocean Ave. and Colorado.
Published by Los Angeles Times on Jul. 31, 2022.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315ATo plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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