Marc Silbert, a longtime public servant in Sands Point, died suddenly of a heart illness June 9 at the age of 68.
He continued to serve the village despite his diagnosis and was running for re-election this spring. His name will remain on next week’s ballot as required by state law.
The impact of Silbert’s numerous contributions to his home village of Sands Point is immeasurable. He was a trustee, former president of the Sands Point Civic Association, chief police commissioner of the Sands Point Police Department and co-founder of the Port Washington/Manhasset Office of Emergency Management to name just a few of the roles he assumed.
“But a resume of his many and varied positions doesn’t tell us what made Marc such a special colleague and friend,” said Sands Point Mayor Edward Adler. “His legendary sense of humor and quick wit had no equal… he made me laugh, and not always at the most opportune times.”
Silbert first joined the Sands Point village government when he was appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals by former Mayor Leonard Wurzel in 1996.
After a village trustee retired in 2001, Wurzel, Adler and Trustee Katherine Ullman readily agreed that Silbert would make a great trustee, Adler said.
“He agreed to join the board and to take over from me the most challenging and time-consuming trustee position — building commissioner,” Adler said.
When Adler became mayor 10 years later, he asked Silbert to fill the role of chief police commissioner.
“As always, he was a quick study and assumed the new position with gusto, learning every imaginable detail about the department,” the mayor said.
Silbert said in a past interview that he was especially proud of the highly professional police force in Sands Point.
“I firmly believe it is the finest village police force on Long Island,” he said.
Adler said Silbert stayed on the best of terms with the entire department, many of whom he had the privilege of swearing in.
“Marc loved the force and the feeling was mutual,” said Adler.
Silbert’s service to others did not end at the village level. It went much further when in 2013 he published a book in collaboration with researcher and author Hal Spielman.
“Suddenly Solo: A Lifestyle Road Map for the Matured, Widowed or Divorce Man” guides older men who are newly single, whether it be widowed or divorced, on how to continue their lives on their own.
“My love is creating things and telling stories,” Silbert said in an interview with FiOS1 in 2013.
“Suddenly Solo” is not only a book, but an organization that continues to provide older men with a variety of tips from dating to finances to housekeeping on its website.
“I think we’ve discovered something that needed to be said and needed to be put out there, and I think we are helping a lot of people,” Silbert said in the interview. “I take great satisfaction in that.”
Silbert was a resident of Sands Point for more than 35 years. He was a graduate of Great Neck North High School and New York University, where he received a degree in history.
He was the owner and director of Robert Half International and served as the director of Long Island Temps since January 2014.
He is survived by his wife Peggy Silbert, two sons Adam and Ryan Silbert, a twin brother Evan and a younger brother Sam.
Services for Silbert were held last Tuesday at the Community Synagogue in Sands Point.
In his eulogy, Adler said: “ It was never about power or authority. It was never about him. Self-importance, self-aggrandizement simply had no place in his view of the appropriate way to serve this community he loved.”
