Henry Thompson Reath ’42

Henry, a prominent lawyer and social activist, died Jan. 31, 2005, in Philadelphia.

Entering Princeton from St. Paul's School, Henry earned honors in history and was a member of Ivy Club.

An artillery officer in the 99th Division of the Army during World War II, Capt. Reath was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism in action during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war Henry stayed in the reserves and retired as a major.

Upon graduation from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1948, Henry began a distinguished 53-year career with the Philadelphia firm of Duane, Morris and Heckscher in corporate, commercial, and antitrust law.

It was, however, his pro bono contributions — leadership in low-income housing, education of the handicapped, judicial reform, and especially representation of several "lifers" at Pennsylvania's maximum-security Graterford Prison — for which he'll be long remembered. Of all his contributions, he found the prison work most fulfilling and would even visit his clients en route to the Pocono mountains for family ski trips. Dei sub numine viget.

Henry leaves a devoted family to whom the class extends its deepest condolences: his wife of 62 years, Nell; his children, Henry '69, Robin, Ellen, Virginia, and Anne; brother Thomas; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

The Class of 1942