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Official Obituary of

Francis H. Duehay

November 20, 2020

Francis Duehay Obituary

DUEHAY—Francis Harvey

Francis H. Duehay, age 87, died peacefully on November 20, 2020, after a sudden onset of acute leukemia. He is survived by his spouse of 29 years, Jane Kenworthy Lewis. Born in Washington, D.C., on July 31, 1933, and moving to Cambridge MA at an early age, he was raised there by his mother Olive (Dennett), and step-father, Moncure Burke Berg. He attended Cambridge public schools and graduated from Harvard College in 1955. After two years of active duty in the U.S Navy, he earned a M.A.T. (’58) and Ed.D. (’68) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His early career was in education, at Harvard and at Tufts. In 1963 he was elected to the Cambridge School Committee for 4 terms, followed by 14 terms on the Cambridge City Council, including three terms as Mayor; he retired in 2000. While an elected official and in retirement, Frank served on community non-profit boards, and was chair of many, including First Parish in Cambridge, The Cambridge Homes, the Cambridge Health Alliance, The Cambridge Foundation, and Tutoring Plus, among others. He was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School, chair of three committees of the National League of Cities, and rose to Vice-President of the Massachusetts Municipal League. At his 50th college reunion, Phi Beta Kappa made him an honorary member in recognition of his lifelong civic engagement. Leading up to that reunion, Frank spearheaded a successful national endowment campaign for the Executive Directorship of the Phillips Brooks House Association at Harvard, which was then named in honor of the Class of ’55. Frank Duehay exemplified leadership, service and commitment to his community. He was admired not only for his sound ideas and accomplishments, but also for his civility of manner. A motivator and mentor, he inspired and guided many to becoming more knowledgeable, committed and productive in their endeavors. A person of great integrity, he always improved everything he touched. Frank is greatly missed.

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