Noel Hemmendinger ’34

Noel died Jan. 3, 2017, peacefully in his home in Alexandria, Va. He was 103, and the last living member of the Class of 1934.

He came to Princeton from Bernards (N.J.) High School, where he was on the debating panel and publications board. At Princeton he was a member of The Daily Princetonian editorial board. After graduate work at Harvard Law School, he worked at the Justice and State departments of the United States government, and for 32 years in private law practice as a prominent member of the Washington international trade bar.

During World War II, Noel served as a captain in the Army. He was an occupational government officer in Italy, and served as a United States liaison for the French Army in Germany. He received the Bronze Star.

In 1959, Noel founded Stitt, Hemmendinger & Kennedy, one of the first law firms to specialize in international trade law. That practice ultimately became the trade practice group of Wilkie, Farr & Gallagher, from which he retired in 1991. He also founded the United States-Japan Trade Council.

Noel is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marjorie, the daughter of Morris Knebelman *28; children Eric, Lucy, and John; and two grandchildren, Sarah ’10 and Julia.