Kenneth Marantz, age 87, Professor Emeritus of The Ohio State University died Saturday, January 3rd at Zusman House, following a year of declining health. Dr. Marantz was born in Passaic, New Jersey and grew up in New York City, attending the Fieldston School. He was a purser pharmacist mate in the Merchant Marine during WWII, serving on carriers in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. His BA and MFA in sculpture are from Cornell University. He received a EdD from NYU. His teaching career began as an elementary school art teacher on Long Island. Two years as a professor at Pratt Institute were followed by teaching at the University of Chicago for eight years before joining the Ohio State University as the chairman of the Art Education Department in 1971. During his years at Ohio State, Dr. Marantz was a mentor, a teacher, a leader and a friend to art education students from Ohio as well as those from out of state and from countries around the world. He was an active member of NAEA (National Art Education Society), INSEA (International Society for Education Through the Arts) and founder of USSEA (United States Society for Education Through the Arts). Along with his wife, educator and librarian Sylvia Marantz, Dr. Marantz wrote thousands of reviews and articles, and lectured to thousands of educators, as well as authoring a number of books about picturebooks and their illustrators. In his retirement, Dr. Marantz established the Marantz Distinguished Alumni Educator Award, an annual award given by the Art Education Department to honor an exceptional OSU graduate in art education. He and his wife have also donated their extensive picturebook collection to Kent State University Library. In 2009 the Marantz Picturebook Collection was created in Reinburger Children’s Library Center as a resource for the study the art of the picturebook. Dr. Marantz is survived by his wife of nearly 65 years, Sylvia Marantz, and his three children Susan Marantz (Roger Carroll), of Bexley, Ohio, Janet Marantz of Essex Junction, Vermont, and Alec Marantz (Liina Pylkkanen) of New York, New York. He also was the proud and beloved grandfather of Daniel, Jonathan and Rebecca Carroll, Stefan Tekel, and Nooa Marantz-Pylkkanen. A memorial service will be held later in the spring. Donations in his honor can be made to either Wexner Heritage House or Marantz Picturebook Collection at Kent State University.