Above all else, kind

In her last days of life, 72-year-old Marcie Hemmelstein was asked how she wanted to be remembered. Her answer: “kind.” Through her interactions with family, friends, and local organizations, she made it her life’s mission to spread kindness as far as possible.

She died on August 20 after a battle with cancer.

Hemmelstein was the only child of Julius and Carylon Hemmelstein. Born in Rogers Park in 1949, she later earned a degree in East Asian Studies at UC Berkeley. Following graduation, she went to law school in Chicago and married Richard Mervis. The pair were married for 30 years and had three children, Ari, Rebecca, and Yoni. After moving to Boston, where she got a Master’s in Public Health at Harvard University, the family moved to Barrington, Illinois.

In 1985, Hemmelstein started working at the Carylon Corporation, which her parents founded. She later became the CEO and married David Drew, who she knew from high school.

She oversaw her family foundation’s charitable contributions for over 15 years, forming personal relationships with each organization she supported. Adina Torchman, JUF’s Associate Vice President of Financial Resource Development, described her charitable work as the product of a “pure heart [that] was felt by all who came in contact with her.”

A voracious reader, Hemmelstein loved recommending books to her children and five grandchildren — Adam, Yael, Danny, Eli, and Julian — as well as shopping and traveling.

She made many trips to visit Kiryat Gat/Lachich/Shafir, JUF’s Partnership region in Israel. “She was truly a woman of valor, an Eshet Hayil ,” said Elissa Polan, JUF’s Associate VP of Israel & Overseas Projects and Programs. Hemmelstein also participated in several Prime Minister’s Missions in different countries.

Back at home, Hemmelstein supported JUF’s initiatives by serving on the JUF/JF Board from 2011-2019. Her positions included Co-Chair of the Health & Human Services Commission and Chair of the Israel & Overseas Commission, as well as Assistant Secretary, Secretary, and Vice Chair of the Board. She and David were Silver Circle donors to JUF’s Annual Campaign.