Hal Marcus, an artist, musician and promoter of the beauty of El Paso, died Sunday morning after a battle with cancer. He was 74.
“Our beloved Hal Marcus passed into the next realm this morning at 4:39 a.m.,” his family said in a statement. “He will live in the hearts of everyone he met for eternity.”
Marcus was best known for his pop-surrealist paintings that captured life in the El Paso-Juárez border area. He also was a book illustrator, and in recent years had collaborated with author Luke Lowenfield on a series of children’s books.
For the past 30 years he operated the Hal Marcus Gallery. The gallery sold works by Marcus and other El Paso artists, many of whom he mentored.
He also was a drummer for the bands Jitano and the Desert Prophets and Nuevo Huevo.
Marcus was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2025, and spoke freely about preparing for his death.
“Of course I’m thinking about the other side, you know. I think I’ve done it pretty good on this side of being amongst the material living world,” he said in a video his daughter and business partner Leilainia posted on social media April 3. “And I don’t plan on stopping it, but I’m just going to be on the immaterial world.”
Marcus’ longtime friend and fellow artist, Jon Gore, said he was “just thinking about how he talked about and painted angels during his illness. Now he’s our angel.”
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, April 13, at B’nai Zion Cemetery, 3915 Gateway Blvd. West. Following the interment, family and friends are invited to a reception and ceremony to express condolences at the Sunset Parlor, 1307 N. Oregon St., El Paso, Texas 79902.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made toward the establishment of the Hal Marcus Art Museum at 1319 N. Oregon, scheduled to open in late 2027. To donate, go to SunsetParlor.com.
Survivors include his sisters, Shirleen Askenazi and Lillian Slovik, and brothers, Meyer Marcus and Clement Marcus; his first wife Judith Ann Marcus; his daughters; Leilainia and Nicole Adelaide; his son, Marco; and his wife of 25 years, Patricia Medici.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The post Hal Marcus, celebrated El Paso artist and musician, dies at 74 appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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