Herbert Reichlin

RALEIGH - Herbert Reichlin, 98, died at home on April 18, 2024. A proud WWII vet and recipient of a Purple Heart, Herb served in Patton's Third Army, 90th Infantry Division, 359th Regiment Company. He enlisted at 18 and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, sustaining grievous injuries, from which he recovered after years of hospitalization in Belgium and at the Valley Forge Army Hospital in PA. He celebrated the day of his injury every year as a way of remaining grateful for his own survival.

While hospitalized in NYC, Herb fell in love at first sight with a nurse on his floor. Much to the horror of their respective families, who wished their children had each married within their faiths, he and Ellin (née McCabe) married in 1951. Their marriage, his career and their interest in living differently than their families, resulted in a dozen moves in their 49 years of marriage, from San Francisco to Taxco Mexico, MA, GA, NJ, NH, PA and NC.

Graduating from Antioch College in 1953, which he attended on the GI Bill, Herb entered the field of system analysis at its vanguard. In 1971, after many years of corporate work, he designed and implemented Pennsylvania’s Drug and Alcohol Client Information System. A federal review called it a model for other states. As a result, he was recruited by a federal agency which required top secret clearance, then became a consultant primarily on military projects. He retired in 1992 and he and Ellin relocated to Raleigh, NC. Following her death in 2001 from glioblastoma, he authored a book on patient advocacy and advance planning. More recently, at the age of 98, he authored and self-published "Command Blunders: the XYZs That Caused France and Germany to Lose WWII".

A proud Mensa member, dedicated Democrat who celebrated his appearance on Nixon's enemies list and a Unitarian-practicing Jew, Herb is survived by his six children, Elizabeth of State College, PA; Evan (Mark) Skinner of Chatham, NJ; Andrew (Lisa) of Scottsdale, AZ; Siobhan (Glenn) Bowler of Arlington, VA; Lucy Reagan and James (Yvonne), both of Catonsville, MD as well as 14 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, his brother, Seymour, age 99, his sister-in-law, Kathleen McCabe and 7 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Natalie.

A memorial service will be held at the Springmoor Retirement Center at 10:30 am on May 26; burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Those interested in making memorial gifts should consider donating to Urban Ministries of Wake County c/o Development 1390 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27603 (online at www.urbanmin.org ) or to any political candidate who does not support #45.

Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com