October 31, 2003 Donald Weitzman

After an unusual and tragic disease of seven years, our classmate Donald M. Weitzman died on Oct. 31, 2003 in Stamford, Ct., of the complications of Dementia with Lewi Bodies. This has aspects of both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and although it may not even be known to many of us, it is considered by scientists to be the second most frequent cause of dementia in elderly adults.

And not so elderly. At 58, a talented lawyer mainly in matrimonial cases from his two-man law firm in Morristown, N.J., Don began to lose his power to speak words and eventually could only speak in numbers. His wonderful wife of 42 years, Harriet, told us in a classnote two years ago how difficult Don's condition had become, although she said there were moments where the old Don was present. The last 10 months of his life, however, he could not communicate at all.

Don wrote memorably in our class publication Musings in 1985, remarking, "A law practice dominated by matrimonial law has taught me to try to work at my marriage, and as a result, and with the help and similar attitude of a good wife, I've maintained a comfortable stability in a world of chaos and broken relationships. It is a world largely centered on three good children who have given us no heartache and much joy."

Don, who got his law degree at Columbia University and who in Morristown was also president of his synagogue, had come to Hanover from Newark. At Dartmouth, he was an enthusiastic participant in Crew, a producer for the campus radio station, WDCR, and a member of the TEP fraternity.

His friend, Alan Friedman, remembered that he was very fond of skiing, and his Sophomore and Junior roommate in Hitchcock, Richard Ossen, remembered in a recent tribute that he had many enthusiasms.

"Donnie was a great guy and had a marvelous sense of humor," he wrote. "He was always upbeat, looked on the bright side of things and was really up on most subjects, particularly sports. Anyone who sat next to him at a football or basketball game knows what I mean. He was one of the few people who could out-talk me, according to another classmate."

Two of Don's children, his son, Jeff, and his daughter, Deborah, graduated from Dartmouth in the classes of '85 and '86. His son recalled of his father, "He loved Dartmouth. He was overwhelmed with pride when we went there. He loved to sing the songs and tell the stories of the games. He and Mom even brought a condo at Quechee while we were up there."

Jeff remembered Don as "a gentle man in a tough practice," which lasted decades after he founded his firm in 1968. He needed many psychological skills, he recalled, in dealing with so many clients in distress.

In addition to Harriet, Jeff and Deborah, Don is survived by a second daughter, Lisa, and six grandchildren, one born very recently.

Ken Reich