Martin Richard Ganzglass of Washington, D.C., passed away on Sept. 29 at the age of 82. Marty was born in the Bronx, NY, to Henry and Lillian Ganzglass, and was raised there along with his older sister Barbara.
He attended Dewitt-Clinton Highschool and City College of New York before going on to study law at Harvard University. As a teenager, Marty was a counselor at Bucks Rock Work Camp, and it was there that he met Evelyn, his wife of 59 years. After marrying in 1964, Marty and Evelyn moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.
In 1966, Marty and Evelyn joined the Peace Corps, where Marty worked with the Somali National Police Force and drafted the Somali Penal Code, which is still in use today. After the Peace Corps, Marty resumed practicing labor law, first at Delson and Gordon, where he headed the Washington D.C. office, and later as a principal partner at O’Donnell, Schwartz and Anderson.
For over 30 years, Marty worked on behalf of organized labor as in-house counsel for the Graphic Communication International Union and its predecessors. Throughout this time, Marty also represented the embassies of Indonesia, Somalia and the newly independent country of Eritrea.
After retiring, Marty launched a second career as a prolific author, publishing a suite of historical novels about the American Revolution as well as numerous collections of short stories and other books.
Marty continued to focus on public service, working on refugee relief, organizing anti-genocide campaigns on Darfur and advocating for the rights of the Uyghur people. For over a decade, Marty volunteered weekly at the Friends Club, a program that serves and supports men with Alzheimer’s Disease and their families.
Martin’s love and friendship persists in the hearts of his wife Evelyn, his son Marc (Mette), daughter Cora (Matthew) and two grandsons, Arleigh and Asa, as well as his extended Somali family and dear friends.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to the International Rescue Committee (https://help.rescue.org/donate) or the Friends Club 6601 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda, Md., 20817.
