Henry Leon De Give Jr. ’29

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Henry died Jan. 12, 2001. He prepared for Princeton at St. Paul's. At Princeton he was a member of the Daily Princetonian board, manager of the band, and a member of Colonial Club.

He graduated from Harvard law school in 1932 and attended the U. of Paris law school the following year. He became associated with a New York law firm until he entered the Navy in Dec. 1941, retiring in Dec. 1945 with the rank of lieutenant commander. He was severely injured during an explosion at Noumea, New Caledonia, while he was attached to the staff of the commander of the South Pacific. After WWII he married Elena Ferreyros, and they raised seven children, three boys and four girls.

He practiced law in Atlanta. He was president of the Particular Council of St. Vincent de Paul Society and was vice president of the national body. He was regional director of the Natl. Conference of Christians and Jews, chair of the advisory board of the Community Relations Committee and American Friends Service Committee for equal employment and housing. He was honorary consul of Belgiam and an honorary colonel to the governors of Georgia. He received a commemorative medal for 100 years of service to the Belgium government by the de Give family and the Chevalier de L'Ordre de la Couronne from Belgium.

To Elena and all his children and grandchildren, the class offers its deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1929

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Elena de Give Allison

1 Month Ago

Proud of His Work at EEOC

I enjoyed reading your death announcement of my late father, Henry Leon de Give Jr. He was last employed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a job he was so very proud of as he championed for Civil Rights and against Segregation starting in 1948 when he moved back to his hometown, Atlanta, Georgia.

Coincidentally, my son, Richard de Give Allison, a lawyer in New York, married a Princeton alum, Meredythe Ryan (Class of 2005), who is practicing law in New York.

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