Martin A. Schell ’74

Martin died in January 2024, in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia, surrounded by family.

He grew up in Jericho, Long Island and was high school valedictorian. At Princeton he studied psychology, religion, and linguistics.

After an early career in tech and teaching, he was drawn to Asia — first Japan, then Thailand, and finally Indonesia, where he settled and raised a large family, returning periodically to the United States to teach at the NYU Stern School. In Indonesia he founded American Services in Asia, with international customers like The Economist. His specialties were improving intercultural understandability of English commercial copy.

Martin’s many online friends were only vaguely aware of his personal accomplishments. To them, he was humbly responsive to their professed needs, to which he devoted his full focus and often solved. Interacting with Martin was deeply rewarding for all parties, and a gift that kept on giving. He would go out of his way to involve those he cherished with other friends of his, with constant patient encouragement borne of a clear verve for life. He embodied a truly innovative form of Princeton in the world’s service and will be sorely missed.