Father of Port Rowing Founder Mitch Tamkin
Stanley B. Tamkin, 91, died Thursday, August 5th, of congestive heart failure and Covid. He was the beloved husband of Margo Morris Tamkin; loving father of Bradley, Mitch (Alice), Sam (Ilyce), Linda (Simon) Waller; beloved stepfather of Marya (Peter) Frankel and Erika (Noah) Carey; adored grandfather to Marifer and Dany Tamkin; Marcus, Emilia, and Eva Tamkin; Alex and Michael Tamkin; Jamie, Sophie, and Christina Waller; Emily, Katy and Izzy Flood, and Nicholas and Jacob Erhart; Joe, Simon and Annie Frenkel; and Grace, Simon, and Maddy Carey. He was a treasured uncle, friend, confident and mentor to many.
Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Stan obtained his B.A. from Boston University in 1952 and received a Master’s Degree from there in 1953.
He had a successful career in the paper and packaging industry, rising from the factory floor to Group Vice President and member of the board of directors of Container Corporation of America, as well as the boards of all foreign subsidiary corporations. After that, he consulted internationally, became President of Plastofilm Industries, located in Wheaton, Illinois, and later became CEO and part-owner of FSC Paper, located in Alsip, Illinois. He retired in 1997.
Stan loved modern and Latin American art, opera, theater, classical music, and literature, and wove culture into the corporate fabric of the companies and divisions he led. He conceived and directed a unique corporate communication program to enhance the image of Container Corporation’s subsidiary companies. Artes Graficas Panamericanas, a graphic arts program consisting of over 400 commissioned works of Latin American artists, was exhibited in major museums throughout the world and was eventually made into various books. He oversaw documentary Latin American art films which won a silver medal and two bronze medals at the New York International Film Festival. He instituted a historical book publishing program dealing with Mexican and Latin American subjects, and promoted and established educational and cultural activities for his employees and their families.
Stan and his first wife, Marilyn, were married in 1953, moved to Mexico in 1958, and raised their children there. Living in Mexico dramatically influenced Stan, who loved the people and culture, and spoke fluent Spanish. He traveled all over the world for work and pleasure, visiting art galleries and museums. He and Marilyn divorced in 1974.
He moved to Chicago in 1975 and met Margo in 1979. They were together for 42 years. Margo and Stan shared a love of art, and spent countless evenings attending opera, theater and symphonies in Chicago. They also enjoyed winters in Long Boat Key, Florida with a crowd of Stan’s childhood friends and spouses. In the past 26 years, they embraced their role as “Yia Yia and Papou '' to 21 grandchildren who loved learning about and discussing art, movies, current events and politics with them. A perfect night for the grandkids might be spent running up and down their huge sofa, which was lovingly referred to as “the SS Tamkin.”
Stan loved and played sports, most notably golf (he won several Amateur National Golf Championships in Mexico and had a 2 handicap), tennis, rowing (he rowed Varsity Crew at Boston University) and ping pong, and in his later years enjoyed watching his grandchildren play competitively. He supported many nonprofits, including the National Museum of Mexican Art, in Chicago, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago Botanic Garden, and many other cultural institutions. He will be dearly missed by all.
The funeral service will take place on Thursday, August 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m Central Daylight Time. It will be family-only due to Covid, but will be livestreamed. There will be a private burial immediately following the service at Rosehill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Friends of Port Rowing (PortRowing.org)
Donate to the Stanley B. Tamkin Memorial Fund