Who Is Franz Marx Wife Hildegard Marx? Children and Family Life – South African writer and director Franz Marx has died. He was 78. Hildegard Wils Marx passed away peacefully at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, on August 30, 2019, surrounded by family and friends.

She was born in Chestnut Hill, PA, but had lived most of her life in Little Silver, N.J. Hildy was a graduate of PennState and worked as a Journalist for many years for both the Red Bank Register and the Two River Times.

She is predeceased by both her first husband, Richard S. Fontaine and her second husband, Bernard J Marx.

Surviving is her son, Peter E. Fontaine and his wife Tessa of Nottingham, PA, her daughter Jessica C. Fontaine Slattery and her husband Patrick of Red Bank, her 5 Grandchildren Juliet, Robert, Fiona, Peter, and Cameron, and all of the very hungry birds and squirrels that will miss her daily feedings.

Hildy had many interests, including antiques, house plants, gardening (she was a member of the Shrewsbury Garden Club) and was a lover of Siamese cats. She also loved a cold glass of Chardonnay each night before dinner. Above all else, she loved her family, and spent many happy afternoons in the company of her grandchildren.

A Memorial Gathering will take place at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 from 3 PM to 7 PM with a Memorial Service to begin at 6:15 PM.

In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to:

The Associated Humane Society, 2960 Shafto Road, Tinton Falls, N.J.

Speaking to Channel24, author Leon van Nierop said that Franz died of Covid-19 complications on Sunday at 9:45 in Pretoria.

Starting his career in TV as a full-time actor in 1968 and later director, Franz went on to write numerous TV series, and mini-series between 1980 and 2000.

Franz adapted the soap opera format for the South African audience with the record-breaking Agter Elke Man (Behind Each Man), which dominated TV for four years, between 1985 and 1988.

He is most well-known for creating M-Net’s Egoli – Plek van Goud (Egoli – Place of Gold), which ran for 19 seasons from 1992 to 2010.

In a tribute to Franz, Leon wrote on Facebook: “He taught all of us who tried to write soap operas (with an emphasis on trying) how to construct soap operas and write summaries of each episode. Also what to do and what not to do.”

He went on to say: “I still remember working with him on Christmas Day on some of the first episodes of Egoli. He was a workaholic (‘I always work in the mornings, do not bother me in the mornings Leon,’) who gave his life for the soap opera, especially at the beginning.”

“What a loss. One could have written books about him. But first, this tribute to Franz as the undisputed and highly-respected king of soap operas. Many people who still write soap operas today have learned from him. A big one is gone,” said Leon.