NAFA President 1970-1972

DONORS:

North American Falconers Association, Alan and Venice Beske, Bob Collins

tan was fun, conservative,

a great administrator, and

loved NAFA and falconry.

Stan was with NAFA from the

start and quickly stepped up to

do his part. He was appointed

secretary in 1967 and became

president in 1970. His two year

term was eventful. During his

tenure, the Migratory Bird Treaty

was amended resulting in raptors

gaining federal protection. The

USFWS acquired jurisdiction.

Falconry legislation was moving

across the country. Even before

that, Stan played a signiﬁcant role

in gaining federal recognition of falconry as a legal means of

take for migratory birds, principally ducks.

Stan was a “doer”. In addition to his extraordinary

organizational skills, he knew how to delegate. After his term

as president, he continued to assist his good falconry friends

Ed Freienmuth and Roger Thacker, who was his successor

as president. Together the three of them formed the North

American Peregrine Foundation. This group was dedicated

to getting captive bred falcons to falconers – something that

was not happening at the time. The Endangered Species

Act was in full swing and wild take

of peregrines was non-existent. Over

time as captive propagation became

commonplace, the NAPF was no longer

necessary. The three men then donated

the remaining funds to the Peregrine

Fund. These funds were used by the

Peregrine Fund to purchase the land on

which the World Center for Birds of Prey

and the Archives of Falconry are located.

Stan loved to trap and band raptors

during the spring and fall migrations.

He was a welcome addition to the

trapping blinds – always good for comic

relief during the slow periods. A little

known fact is that Stan is indirectly

responsible for the naming of the

Great Lakes Falconers Association.

When his good friend, and fellow

former NAFA president, George

Kotsiopoulos founded GLFA in 1961,

Stan attended the meetings in Illinois.

They decided that the association’s

name should reﬂect a regional

membership so that Stan, from

Michigan, would be included.

On a local level, Stan played a major

role in securing wild take of raptors

for falconers in Michigan – something

that had been a long, difﬁcult

struggle due to intense opposition by politically connected

protectionists. Stan persevered!

Stan was born December 13. 1931 in Chicago, Illinois.

His parents were Joseph and Ruth Marcus. He earned his

Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University and his MBA

from Central Michigan University. He retired as a chemical

engineer with Dow Chemical. He is survived by his two

children Jeffrey (Peggy) Marcus of Santee, California and

daughter Dr. Jennifer Jo (Dr. Rajnik Raab) Marcus of

Franklin Lakes, N.J., and grandsons Galen W. Raab and

Benjamin Marcus.

Stan continued to be a resource for falconers long after

his term as NAFA president. He would assist with drafting

model state regulations across the country as well as help

out individuals who had problems with zoning ordinances

and the like. He did so quietly, effectively and without

compensation for decades. When he was “introduced” at

a NAFA meet banquet in Vernal,Utah in 2011, the crowd

erupted into a sustained, spontaneous standing ovation.

He is remembered with great affection. His name always brings

a smile to the faces of his friends.

STANLEY ALLEN MARCUS

by his falconry friends

Stan with good friends and fellow former

NAFA presidents George Kotsiopoulos (left)

and Roger Thacker (right)