Eugene Marcus Friedman ’48

Gene died Aug. 30, 2004, of melanoma. He was 80.

He graduated from Dover [N.J.] High School at 16. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a captain of a B-24 bomber. In due course he was shot down over Germany, was interned by Switzerland, escaped in disguise, and was returned to US forces by the French underground. In 1953 Gene returned to Europe to visit friends who had helped in his escape.

At Princeton, Gene was a wrestler and graduated with honors in economics. His earned a law degree from Columbia and his legal career centered around his hometown of Dover. He served as assistant US Attorney from 1955-57. Twice an unsuccessful candidate for the House of Representatives, he retired from politics "with a perfect record." For 3 1/2 years he served as the first public defender in northwest New Jersey. He also was involved in civic affairs such as the war on poverty and economic opportunity on the local level.

Gene entered a matrimonial state a tad late in life, at age 38. To his children, Emily, Charlotte, Ethan, Andrew, Matthew, Myra, Christopher, and Marcus, as well as six grandchildren, the class offers its condolences at the death of a loyal Princetonian and steadfast friend.

The Class of 1948