May 15, 2000

Services were held on May 2 at the Hillel Foundation in Storrs for David Ivry, 75, an emeritus professor of insurance and finance who died suddenly on April 30.

A resident of Storrs, he had a long and distinguished career at the University from 1947 until 1976, having also served as director of academic planning during the presidency of the late Homer Babbidge. Ivry was an active member of the University Senate and spearheaded plans in the 1970s to develop the UConn Co-op.

"The more I came to know him, the more wonderful things I learned about him as a humanist," says Anthony Romano, professor emeritus of molecular and cell biology and former dean of liberal arts and sciences. "He had great loyalty to students and at a personal level always had great concern for his many friends."

He received his bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University and a master's from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

After his retirement from UConn, Ivry joined the faculty at the University of Hartford to start its insurance-studies program. For a number of years, he was director of the F.C. Knox Center for Insurance and Risk Management Studies at the University of Hartford's Barney School of Business and Public Administration.

As founding director of the summer insurance internship program at the University of Hartford, he helped minority college students gain access to careers in the insurance industry. And, as founding director of CONNPEP, a summer enrichment program, he helped hundreds of urban high school students in Connecticut prepare for college.

Ivry is also warmly remembered by Julius Elias, an emeritus professor of philosophy, former provost and also a former dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

"David was deeply committed to the University," says Elias. "He was an extremely generous philanthropist and hundreds of young men and women have been beneficiaries of his programs."

Ivry was active in the Storrs community, including the Democratic Town Committee.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, and their three sons, daughter and seven grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to the David Ivry Memorial Fund, c/o Sam Schrager, Box 534, Storrs, CT 06268.