Henry (Hank) L. Friedman

Dr. Henry L. Friedman, (“Hank”) of Bryn Mawr, PA, 94, passed away of natural causes on May 30, 2023 at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Bryn Mawr, PA. Hank was born in 1929 to his parents Solomon and Frieda Friedman of Coney Island, NY. Hank was the proud older brother of the late Shelley Singer, who he liked to recount how he asked his mother for her. Hank earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the City College of New York in 1950; his M.S. from Clarkson University and his PhD in Chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He had a wonderful career as a chemist, spanning over 60 years and in 2013, received an award from the American Chemical Society for his life-long contribution.  Hank’s career began as aerothermodynamics engineer for General Electric and ended as a Senior textile research scientist at the Textile Research Institute in Princeton, NJ from which he retired at the age of 70.  Hank was married in 1952 to Toby Kranzler Friedman and lived in West Mount Airy on Arbutus Street. They had three daughters; Sari, Judy and Debbie. Toby passed away and in 1979 Hank reconnected with a fellow Arbutus Street neighbor, Linda Levy. They were married in 1984 and were happily together for 42 years. Hank adored Linda and let everyone know it. Hank and Linda discovered their love for Italy, referring to themselves as “Italophiles” and travelled there 28 times. They had season subscriptions to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera in New York for many years, the Opera Philadelphia and were members of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Hank and Linda were very charitable when it came to the arts and other important causes. Hank was a classical music aficionado. His daughter, Debbie, bragged that he could recognize any classical music piece within three notes and she is pretty sure that this was completely true. Hank shared this life-long love of music with anyone who was open to it. He loved classical music more than any other genre.  Linda passed away from natural causes in 2021. Hank is survived by his children, Sari Marsilio, Judith Wiseman and Debbie Sellitto and Debbie’s spouse, Joseph Vidich, and his step-children, Karen Levy, Jan Durlacher and Matthew Levy and Matthew’s spouse, Heidi; and his grandchildren, Phillip Wiseman and his spouse, Ash; Benjamin and Jessica Sellitto; Caroline and Peter Durlacher; Kate and Kyle Levy  and the late Joshua Marsilio; and his nieces Dawn Gertler and Leisa Kateb. Graveside Services will take place on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at Roosevelt Memorial Park, Trevose, PA at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Philadelphia Orchestra in Henry’s honor. 1 South Broad Street, 14^th Floor, Phila., PA 19107. www.philorch.org