Amid the excitement and happiness of Bid Day Fall 2013 on Sunday, members of the UF chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon (ΔΦΕ) remembered a sister lost.
DPhiE women donned black pins in memory of Lauren Marcus, their bubbly sister who loved perfume, tanning and, most of all, her sorority.
Marcus, a recent UF psychology graduate with dreams of practicing corporate law, was in New York for St. John University’s law school orientation when she was hit in a traffic accident one night.
She died Aug. 19, 2013 in New York City. She was 22.
Marcus was from Woodmere, N.Y., where Michelle Vaysman moved when she was 7. The pair were inseparable in their grade school years, playing tennis and celebrating their bat mitzvahs together.
The same would be true for their college years, when their dream of attending a Florida school came true — they found out they were both accepted into UF in their senior year gym class.
“It was fate that both of us got in,” said Vaysman, a 22-year-old UF alumna.
During rush week their freshman year, Marcus and Vaysman were both drawn to Delta Phi Epsilon. Both received bids, and Marcus’ legacy with her sorority blossomed, starting with her “little sister.”
Marissa Bernstein, who Marcus was matched up with through her sorority, remembered how other sisters would complain about Marcus showering her with surprises beyond the gift limit. The two became close during round three of Bernstein’s rush week.
“From that second, we were in love with each other,” the 20-year-old telecommunication senior recalled.
Marcus gave Bernstein a picture frame shadowbox and Bernstein’s favorite snacks.
Bernstein made a paddle modeled after Miss Dior Cherie perfume for Marcus — symbolizing Marcus’ obsession with her perfume collection.
By her sophomore year, Marcus rose to executive positions within the sorority.
She became philanthropy chair and later vice president of programming her junior year.
Her “little sister” followed suit, succeeding her “big sister” in both positions.
Now, the sorority plans to plant a tree in the backyard and install a bench in Marcus’ honor.
Sorority sisters filled UF Chabad Wednesday night to memorialize Marcus.
Sisters took turns sharing stories of how helpful Marcus was and recalling lessons she shared with the sorority Marcus so cherished.
The Marcus family has set up the Lauren Nicole Marcus Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. John’s University School of Law for underprivileged students.
She is survived by her father, Gary, mother and best friend, Darlene, and two brothers, DJ and Jonathan.
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 8/26/2013 under the headline "UF remembers late DPhiE sister"
