ORONO – Dr. David Felix, 91, died June 13, 2009, at a Bangor hospital. He was born June 10, 1918, in New York City, the son of Oscar and Jenny (Rosen) Felix. In 1942 he graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California, Berkeley, with honors in history. He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a lieutenant on LCI(g)s in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946 he returned to the University of California, Berkeley, on the GI Bill and earned a Master of Arts degree in history and a doctorate in economics. Academic appointments included professor of economics both at Wayne State University, Detroit, 1954-1964, and Washington University, St. Louis, 1964-1988, retiring as professor emeritus in 1988. His research interests included economic development, history and international trade and finance. Dr. Felix served as an economic consultant to the United Nations and International Monetary Fund. He had research appointments at Harvard University, the University of Sussex, England, and London School of Economics. He received fellowships from Fulbright, Rockefeller, Ford and other foundations for research in Latin America. David was an avid tennis player into his 80s and had a lifelong appreciation of opera, the symphony and more recently, the chamber music series at the University of Maine. He cared deeply about social justice and followed political issues closely. David and Gretchen traveled widely throughout the U.S. and abroad. Survivors include his wife of 63 years. Gretchen (Schafer) Felix of Orono; two daughters, Tonia Bloom and her husband, Dr. Marshall E. Bloom, of Hamilton, Mont., and Gianna Marrs and her husband, Dr. Stuart Marrs, of Bangor; two grandsons, Dr. Jesse D. Bloom, a post-doctorate fellow at Caltech, and his wife, Sarah, of Pasadena, Calif., and Seth M. Bloom, a M.D./Ph.D. student at Washington University and his fiancee, Dr. Akwi Asombang, of St. Louis; two nephews, Elliot Wagner and his wife, Patricia, of San Leandro, Calif., and Joshua Wagner of Santa Cruz, Calif.; niece, Elissa Wagner and her husband, Robert Bilek, of Aptos, Calif.; and great-nephew, Soren Wagner of Santa Cruz, Calif. He was predeceased by his sister, Clara Felix. A gathering to remember David will take place 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the Inn at Dirigo Pines. Gifts in his memory may be sent to the ACLU, 125 Broad St., 18th Floor, NY, NY 10004 and/or The Chamber Music Society, University of Maine, 5746 Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME 04469. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
DAVID FELIX, PH.D.
