In Memoriam

Eugene Feit
1948-2010
Outstanding attorney, history scholar and
NYMAS' most extraordinary Executive Director, leader,
and author of the NYMAS By-laws

    Eugene Feit, for many years NYMAS Executive Director, passed away after a long illness on August 19, 2010

An outstanding attorney, a excellent historian, the author of the NYMAS By-laws, fine conversationalist, and a wonderful friend, Eugene never let his illness hamper his good humor and he displayed courage and determination, and was an inspiration to everyone who worked with him.

   Eugene had been Dr. Kathleen Williams' student in the history program at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.  She wrote: 

No one has spoken of Eugene's passion or his grace. He attacked history with passion and argued his point of view with grace.  He had strong opinions but expressed them with careful precision. As a student, he was independent in thought, though always eager to learn and ready to listen to everyone.  Perhaps most rare, Eugene had the gift of reading critically without giving offence. He volunteered to read whatever I wrote and was so perceptive, and his suggestions were so diplomatically expressed, that I came to rely happily on his editing.  I shall miss him deeply.

   NYMAS President Prof. David Gordon said of Eugene,

I was both his former teacher, and his friend.  I am so very, very sorry about the passing of one of the most intelligent, balanced, upright, hard working and gentlemanly men I have even known.

On August 25th, a memorial service was held at the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club, in midtown.  At that time it was announced that the NYMAS Civil War award has been renamed The Eugene Feit Award in Civil War Studies

recorded April 25, 2008

click here to listen