Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Donald Richard Neiman of Oreland died Sept., 14, 2009. He was 83.

Born in the Logan section of North Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Samuel Buell and Elizabeth (Thorne) Neiman. He was the husband for 63 years of Myrtle M. (Butler) Neiman.

Mr. Neiman graduated from Abington High School in 1944, 13th in a class of 139. He graduated in 1949 from the University of Pennsylvania in three years and served there as managing editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian, 1948-49, was co-editor and co-founder of Penn Pics campus magazine, and was involved in drama and several honor societies and fraternities.

He served in the Army Air Corps for one year as a pre-aviation cadet.

Mr. Neiman spent his working career in the newspaper business, starting as sports editor and later associate editor and finally advertising manger of the Easton Road Guide, which merged with the Glenside News. In 1950 he began working for the Times Chronicle and later became advertising director of the Times Chronicle group of four papers and then vice president of Montgomery Publishing, retiring in 1991.

He was involved in many service organizations including: executive secretary of the Greater Glenside Chamber of Commerce; vice chair of the Abington School District Educational Foundation; a board member and PR chair for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Montgomery County; a director emeritus and past president of the Greater Jenkintown Chamber of Commerce, now the Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; A 59-year member of the Glenside Kiwanis Club; and founder and mentor of the Abington High School Key Club as well as advisor to the Builders Club at Abington Junior High, which he founded.

He was also a 42-year member and past president of the Abington Choral Club; a founder, past president and performer with the now defunct Musical Theater of Abington; vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Eastern Montco Alumni Club; and a volunteer with Boy Scouts of America. He was elected to the Abington High School "Hall of Fame" in 1992, received Glenside's Distinguished Community Service award and was Glenside's Man of the Year in 1982.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Christine Ciccone of Lower Moreland; a son, Leigh R. Neiman of Bensalem; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, M. Scott Neiman.