LeRoy Dunn, PhD. age 90, of Wilmington, passed away August 4, 2015 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
He was born on March 25, 1925 in Brooklyn, NY, to Goodman and Rose Dunn. The 8th child of 10, he attended Erasmus Hall High School and at 17 joined the United States Marine Corps, serving in the Pacific during WWII.
After the Marines he attended American University in Washington, DC, completing his degree in less than 3 years. He worked at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC.
Before taking up a fellowship to study economics in London, Dr. Dunn went to Paris to pursue his life-long passion for opera and singing, studying as a tenor.
In 1952 he attended the London School of Economics. In London he met his wife Gaby and his daughters were born. After completing his PhD with a dissertation on estate taxation Dr. Dunn initially taught at Brown University. The family then moved to Hartford, CT, where his sons were born.
Dr. Dunn taught economics at Trinity College for over 30 years, riding his bicycle to and from work each day for most of his career (a practice still carried out by his son David and grandson Anson). Dr. Dunn did insightful research in the 70’s working with the U.S. Senate on energy issues during the oil embargo. In 1996 LeRoy and Gaby moved to Washington, DC, and in 2013 to Wilmington, NC.
His surviving family includes his wife Gabriele Weissrock Dunn; four children Rebecca Dunn Reinmann (and husband Paul) of Wilmington, Louise Dunn Gendelman (and husband Joel) of Pfafftown, David (and wife Tamara Dunietz) of Bethesda, MD, and Jonathan of Wellington, New Zealand; seven grandchildren Anson (and wife Audrey), Owen (and wife Anne), Renee, Michael, Eitan, Benjamin, and Simone; and a great grandson Roland.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday August 6th at 10 AM at the Temple of Israel new Jewish cemetery located at N.18th Street and Princess Place Drive, Wilmington, NC.
Donations can be made in his honor to the Temple of Israel, 1 S.4th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401.
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Wilmington Funeral & Cremation, 1535 S.41st Street, Wilmington, NC 28403. 910.791.9099.
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