Billionaire and The Home Depot founder, Bernie Marcus, died in his home in Boca Raton, Florida, on November 4 at age 95. His passing was announced on The Home Depot's website as well as through The Arthur M. Blank Foundation's social media.
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"The Home Depot is deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved founder, Bernard Marcus. To us, he was simply 'Bernie.'," reads The Home Depot's statement. "He never lost sight of his humble roots, using his success not for fame or fortune but to generously help others. In business and in charity, Bernie was unparalleled in generosity and goodwill."
Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of both The Home Depot and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation also issues a heartfelt statement on social media. "I am heartbroken at the passing of my dearest friend, Bernie Marcus. Today, I've lost a father-figure, mentor, brother, and business and life partner," reads the statement. "while this loss is profoundly painful, I am grateful for the close to 60 years we spent together, navigating challenges and celebrating successes, and I am honored to have been part of Bernie's remarkable life."
Republican nominee and former President of the United States, Donald Trump, also posted on Truth Social about Bernie's passing. Bernie Marcus has donated to Republicans before, including John McCain, Ron DeSantis, and Trump. "He supported me from the beginning and was always there when I needed help or advice," Trump said.
The Legacy Of Bernie Marcus
Born in 1929 to Russian Jewish immigrant parents, Bernard Marcus wanted to be a doctor at a young age. He was accepted to Harvard Medical School, but couldn't afford the tuition. He ended up graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in pharmacy.
While working as a pharmacist, he began falling in love with retailing and eventually became the CEO of Handy Dan Improvement Centers. There, he met Arthur M. Blank, and after they were both fired from Handy Dan, they founded The Home Depot in 1978, to an outstanding success.
Marcus stayed as CEO and chairman of the board before he retired in 2002. Both Blank and Marcus became billionaires as a result, as well as Ken Langone, The Home Depot co-founder and investment banker at the time.
Bernie Marcus was also a philanthropist. He was a signatory of The Giving Pledge, a signee of the Jewish Future Pledge, and co-founded the Israel Democracy Institute. Throughout his life, he donated millions, and, in 2019, he pledged to donate the majority of his fortune to charity.
