Name/Title
Laguna Honda - Ida Marksman - Seated Woman with Striped ShirtDescription
Ida’s easygoing charm, sunny smile and vibrant spirit make clear why her nickname is “Beautiful,” as she blushingly confides. Born in San Francisco in 1940, a stroke paralyzed her right side when she was two years old. However, Ida declares, “I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. I did everything a normal person would do.” Her parents immigrated from Northern Italy, and she grew up in North Beach “when it was special.” She cherishes memories of summer evenings when children would play kickball on Telegraph Hill as parents chatted on their front steps and of leisurely Sunday strolls with her family to Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square.
One of life’s high points occurred when Ida was asked to sing for a benefit at the Fairmont Hotel. A fan of Doris Day and Al Martino, she still sings in the shows at Laguna Honda. Ida always liked art and loves to color. Even her wheelchair is decorated with a pink butterfly and violet flowers. “I can stay here in the studio all day and draw,” she laughs. “I always wanted to and never got the chance. Now I have that chance.” Her advice: “Don’t quit. I never quit when I felt I wanted something.”
