Obituary of Ernestine Friedl Harmel PhD

Ernestine Friedl Harmel, Ph. D., eminent cultural anthropologist and former Dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences at Duke University, died Monday, October 12, at The Cedars in Chapel Hill. She was born in Cegled, Hungary in 1920 and emigrated to the United States two years later with her parents, Nicholas and Ethel Friedl. She was a graduate of Hunter College, received a doctorate from Columbia University, taught in and chaired the Anthropology Department at Queen's College and at the the graduate Center of the City University of New York. Coming to Durham in 1973 to chair Duke's Anthropology Department, she was later appointed Dean. She was the author of Vasilika: A Village in Modern Greece and Women and Men as well as numerous articles. Dr. Friedl is survived by stepdaughters Ann Levy Lathrop, Nancy Harmel Henze; Priscilla, Courtney, and Mary Louise Harmel; her stepdaughter-in-law, Andree Grandjean Levy; stepgranddaughters Marian Levy Wilson, Claudia Grandjean, Dr. Deborah Lathrop, Kimberley Lathrop Kredich; Samara, Michal, and Ava Shapiro; and 11 stepgreatgrandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all. She was pre-deceased by her husband of 38 years, classicist Dr. Harry L. Levy; her stepson, Dr. Charles S. Levy; and her husband of 24 years, Dr. Merel H. Harmel, who died earlier this year. A Duke memorial gathering will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in with a reception to follow in the Friedl Building. Donations may be made to the Ernestine Friedl Endowment Fund, c/o Colleen Fitzpatrick, Box 90429, Duke University; Durham, NC 27708