Mark Lelyveld, 89, of Rockland, died on Thursday October 25th at the South Shore Hospital. He was born on August 3, 1918. He grew up at 129 Pacific St in Rockland, the son of Miriam and Abraham Lelyveld. In the late 1920's, he lived through the Scarlett Fever epidemic that weakened and eventually took the life of his younger brother, Abraham Jr. in 1931. He started working at Lelyveld's Shoe Store, a staple of Union Street commerce founded by his father in 1911, when he was in the 5th grade. While a student at Rockland High School ,he played trombone in the band, played varsity football, was an Honor Society member, and was the editor of the school newspaper and yearbook. Mark graduated from RHS in 1936, in the heart of the great depression. His class wore paper caps and gowns to the ceremony. He then went to Bates College. He majored in economics and sociology, but his real interests were writing and journalism. He was business manager of the literary magazine, the Garnet, and the humor magazine, the Buffoon, as well as Editor of the Bates weekly student newspaper. Upon graduation in 1940 with an AB degree, he headed off to Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. It was there, on a double date with another girl, that he met Addie (Adelaide) Katz. Addie was his roommate's date. Late at night, over a cup of coffee at Chock-Full-Of-Nuts, he told his roommate that if the roommate did not marry Addie, he certainly would some day. Mark did not make a play for Addie's affections that night, but he kept track of Addie's personal situation through mutual friends as he completed the Columbia program. Addie, in fact, became engaged to his roommate, but was never serious about it and broke it off. Mark earned his MS degree, but skipped his Columbia graduation ceremony to begin a job as police and city hall reporter for the New Bedford Standard-Times. On February 15, 1942, soon after Pearl Harbor, he was sworn into the Army. He advanced from Corporal to Master Sergeant. Throughout this period he stayed in touch with Addie. On October 1st, 1944 he asked her to marry him. One week later on October 8th, they were married in New York City's Café Loyale, with about 50 family members and friends from both sides looking on. Their first child, Susanne, was born on November 21, 1945. After the war Mark found that journalism could not pay the bills for a growing family, so he went to work full time at Lelyveld's Shoe Store, with his father and his brother Edward. The name Lelyveld became synonymous with feet and foot health to many locals. Aside from regular men's, woman's, and children's shoes, the store was a pioneer in orthopedics. Edward was a trained podiatrist. So were Mark's uncle Joseph and brother Benjamin; who had separate podiatric practices in Rockland. Doctors and podiatrists throughout the area sent their patients to Lelyveld's for fittings, orthopedic shoes, and custom-made prescription footwear. The store was the largest independent retailer of Stride Rite shoes in New England and a retailer of E.T. Wright shoes, a high-end men's shoe manufactured in Rockland. Lelyveld's Shoe Store closed on Wednesday afternoons, in concert with other Union Street retailers. It was an opportunity to travel to Boston to bring out new shoes to restock the shelves. A record was kept for every customer, and cards were mailed three months after every purchase inviting customers to come in for a no-obligation check-up to make sure that their shoes still fit. This was greatly appreciated by busy parents of growing children. Mark was active in the Rockland Merchants Association and the Rockland Chamber of Commerce, which coordinated marketing and community service work among the local merchants, including funding the holiday lights along Union St. In 1946 Mark and Edward took over control of the shoe store from their father, although Abraham continued to work at the business for many years afterwards. Mark handled the finances, and Edward took care of buying. Mark and Addie's son Steven was born on August 25, 1948, and son Philip on September 2, 1952. After living at 46 Exchange St. and then the house they had built at 25 Howard St., Mark and Addie moved the family to 40 Butternut Lane in 1959, where they have lived ever since. Addie started working at the shoe store in 1966, when Philip was in the 7th grade. She soon became the star salesperson, especially for little children who didn't like trying on new shoes. The Lelyveld family was very active in the local community, and Lelyveld's Shoe Store was an unofficial center for discussing local politics and community development. Abraham Lelyveld founded the Rockland Credit Union in 1922, and served as its President for 47 years. Mark served on the Board of Directors from November 1956 until November 1982, and on the Loan Committee from 1955 to 1982. From 1956 to 1982 the assets of the Rockland Credit Union grew from $975K to $138M. Mark was a part of the drive to establish Rockland's Housing Authority in 1964 lead by Town Clerk Ralph Belcher. On March 8, 1966, the town accepted the final plans for a proposed 7 building, 42 unit Housing for the Elderly project on 2 ½ acres "easterly of Spring St. and southerly of Market St." The project was named Studley Court in memory of Ezekial R. Studley, who played a prominent role in establishing the Town or Rockland when it was set apart from Abington in March, 1874 and who also served as Rockland's first Town Clerk. Mark was elected Assistant Treasurer of the Housing Authority, and Studley Court was opened for occupancy on June 1, 1967. In 1972 the Town approved an expansion of the program, including additional construction. Seventeen apartments in Rockland Place became available to elderly citizens in 1973 under the state's low-income program. In Mark's final year of service on the Housing Authority, 1977, Federal funding for 40 additional units for the elderly and handicapped was finally approved. Garden Terrance on Albion St. was dedicated on October 3, 1982. The Rockland Housing Authority paid for all of its projects through state and federal subsidies as well as income from the properties, taking nothing from the Town budget. Lelyveld 's Shoe Store was sold in 1979. It was a highly personal business, and the new owners did not adjust to the expectations of the clientele. The store closed soon afterwards. Mark and Addie have remained active in the local community throughout their retirement. For many years they funded an annual college scholarship given to a student who has demonstrated strong academic achievement. They also developed a new, second circle of friends by spending many winters at the Oakwoods apartments in Marina del Rey, California, near his son Philip and grandson David, Susanne's son.

Mark is survived by his wife of 63 years, Adelaide Katz Lelyveld, his children Susanne, Steven, and Philip, and his grandchildren Michelle, David, and Katie. He is also survived by his brother Edward, and was preceded in death by his brother Benjamin.

Funeral Services were at 12:30 PM on Friday, October 26th at the Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home followed by burial in Vine Hill Cemetery in Plymouth. Memorial donations may be made to the Rockland Fire Department Equipment Donation Fund, P.O. Box 542 Rockland, MA 02370.