Richard Ira Lidz

Richard Ira Lidz passed away quietly at his home in Princeton Junction on November 17, 2014, surrounded by his family. He was 81 years old.

Born August 22, 1933, the son of the late Samuel Lidz and Adelaide Baruth Lidz, and the younger brother of the late Dr. Doris Lidz Hirsch, Richard grew up in the town of Lawrence, Long Island.

He was a graduate of The Darrow School in New Lebanon, New York, where he developed a passion for lacrosse, which remained with him all his life. Richard was also a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. While at Hopkins, he became an editor of various publications including the school paper, setting the stage for a life in books and publishing. He also formed a “Gourmet Club” with a group of college peers that continues to meet regularly for fine food and conversation, and whose table will be a bit less animated in his absence.

In Baltimore he met and married Clara Gray, then a nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital where his sister Doris was in school. The marriage ended in divorce some years later, but brought three wonderful children into the world.

Following college, Richard joined the Maryland Plastics division of the family business, Lidz Brothers, on the eastern shore of Maryland. He then joined the Swiss firm, Mettler Instruments and relocated to Princeton. In time, he felt the need to strike out on his own and pursue his passion for work in books and publishing and formed the Visual Education Corporation. Vis-Ed, as it came to be called, created multi-media education materials and textbooks, and over the years grew from a small store-front operation on Nassau Street to a multi-million dollar firm with over 100 employees. After more than 30 years in operation, he sold the business to McGraw-Hill.

Richard also had a great passion for history. His own book, Many Kinds Of Courage: An Oral History of World War II, was published by Putnam in 1980.

At age 52 he married Celia Ussak and began to enjoy a life of travel, art collecting, and increasing engagement in philanthropic causes for which he had a unique passion. He served on the Board of the Darrow School, as well as the Friends of the Johns Hopkins University Library. His interest in opera led him to a Board position with the Princeton Opera Festival. In all his philanthropic efforts he was well served by his experience as a successful entrepreneur, often serving as treasurer and a voice for responsible management in the face of difficult decisions.

Richard and Celia travelled extensively throughout the world, enjoying unique experiences and dining in every country and continent they visited. Much of his retirement was spent planning trips, taking trips, and cataloging photos taken on their trips. They also developed an extensive and unique collection of art of the American Indians, enjoying visits to working artisans from New Mexico to Alaska.

Survived by his wife Celia, his sons Douglas Lidz (Jane Brown); David Gray (Kyra Gray); and Stephen Lidz (Christine Anderson). Adoring grandfather of Anderson, Samantha, Joseph, Ariadne, and Cameron. In keeping with Jewish tradition services were held shortly after his passing. Plans for an unveiling and memorial service are being prepared for the spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Richard’s name to the Lidz Family Fund of the Johns Hopkins University Library, or to the local food-bank of your choice.

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Merrye Hudis-Shavel

Merrye Hudis-Shavel passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 27, 2014 after a long battle against cancer, at her residence, with her family at her side. Born May 21, 1957 in Rockville Center, N.Y. Daughter of the late Gloria Shavel. Beloved wife of Stephen. Devoted mother of Loel and Suzanne. Cherished daughter of Matthew and Hedy Shavel. Dear sister of Jon and wife Ruth Shavel, Doug and wife Marcie Shavel. Stepsister of Ronnie Shepard, Michael and wife Lauren Shepard. Also survived by sisters-in-law Iris Hudis, Penny Hudis, and husband Ira Fink; nieces and nephews Joseph, Gabriella, Aaron, Jacob, Marissa, Julia, Julianne, and Devon.

Graduated George Washington University with a degree in Urban Planning, and a graduate degree in landscape design. Her passion in life was her family, but she loved her friends, book club, travelling, food, and clothes.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, November 30 at The Jewish Center, 435 Nassau Street in Princeton. The family respectfully requests memorial contributions to the FIDF (Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces) or the United Jewish Federation of Mercer-Bucks Women’s Division.

Arrangements by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, 1534 Pennington Road in Ewing Township.

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Henry N. Drewry

Henry N. Drewry, 90, died peacefully at his home at Stonebridge at Montgomery, Skillman, New Jersey, on November 21, 2014 with his wife at his side.

A pioneering black educator and long-time Princeton resident, Henry Drewry taught history at Princeton High School for 14 years, becoming the social studies department chair for the last six years. At the time he was hired, Drewry was the high school’s only black teacher. In 1968, he was appointed Princeton University’s first director of the newly-established Teacher Preparation Program, serving in that position and on the faculty as lecturer in history for the next 20 years. Upon his retirement from Princeton University in 1988, Drewry became associate program officer and senior advisor at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation where he co-founded the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program (MMUF) with Mellon Foundation President, William G. Bowen. Through this program, the foundation sought to promote greater diversity on the faculties of U.S. colleges and universities and in 2005, celebrated the first 100 program participants to complete their PhDs. A garden in the foundation’s headquarters at 140 East 62nd Street is designated “The Drewry Garden” in honor of MMUF and Drewry as founding director.

During Drewry’s time at Princeton High School, he received a John Hay Fellowship for a year of study at Yale University, and a Distinguished Secondary School Teaching Award from Harvard University in 1964. He was an active participant in the Princeton Association for Human Rights (PAHR), Chair of the College Entrance Exam Board’s U.S. History and Social Studies Test Committee, and Chair of the New Jersey Historical Commission for five years. He served as trustee on numerous school and college boards, including on the board of the Groton School in Groton, Massachusetts; The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York; and Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama. He was a founding trustee of Mercer County Community College in Mercer County, New Jersey.

Drewry co-authored seven books concerned with history, education, and race, among them: America Is: A Modern History of the United States (with Frank Freidel), D. C. Heath and Co., 1970, a best-selling high school textbook; and Stand and Prosper: Private Black Colleges and Their Students (with Humphrey Doermann), Princeton University Press, 2001.

Drewry was born in Topeka, Kansas on February 8, 1924 to Bessie Boyd Drewry, an elementary school teacher, and Leonard Emmett Drewry, professor of education at Talladega College, in Talladega, Alabama. His parents met while students at Oberlin College in Ohio. After Henry’s father died in 1928, his mother moved her two sons and two daughters to her family home in Selma, Alabama, where Henry spent his childhood years, and in 1940 entered Talladega College. Drafted into the military in 1943, Drewry served three years in the U.S. and the China, Burma, India Theater, returning to Talladega on the GI Bill to complete his degree, graduating in 1948. After receiving an MA degree in history from Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1949, Drewry taught at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, then moved to New Jersey to seek a secondary school position teaching history, which he found at Princeton High School in 1954.

He is survived by his wife, Annette Liberson-Drewry; nephew Leonard Drewry, of Trenton, New Jersey; grandnephews Tyler Drewry, also of Trenton, and Leonard Harmon, of Bothell, Washington; and great-grandnephew Katrell Harmon, also of Bothell.

A memorial gathering will be held in the new year, date to be announced.

Donations in Henry Drewry’s memory can be made to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) at 1805 7th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 2001; the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) at 40 Rector Street, 5th floor, N.Y., N.Y. 10006; and Talladega College, 627 West Battle Street, Talladega, AL 35160.