Fred Hertz

Fred Hertz, 86, died Wednesday morning at Duke University Hospital. Born in Coesfeld, Germany, Mr. Hertz was the son of the late Albert and Paula Hildesheimer Hertz. A music lover who played the violin, he left Germany in 1936 when the Nazis forbade Jews from attending German schools, at which time he went to Holland to attend engineering school. In 1939, he escaped to Israel. He came to the United States from Israel in 1956 and moved to New York. He founded Select-O-Dent, Inc. in Whitestone, NY in 1958, and in 1964 received a patent for a dental treatment appliance. Mr. Hertz moved to Durham in August of 1990. He was a member of Judea Reform Congregation.
In later years, he took great interest in geneology and documenting his personal family history and the effect the Holocaust had on the Hertz family, publishing the book "446 Years and Ten Days'. Mr. Hertzspoke to numerous groups about his family's experiences, including at Duke University and in Germany.
Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Mrs. Ingrid Karseboom Hertz; two daughters, Dorit Hertz Laxer and husband, Teven of Sacremento, CA, Caryn Hertz Marks and husband, Larry of Chapel Hill; his son, Ethan Hertz and wife, Victoria of Durham; one sister, Liselotte Wertheimer of Germany; six grandchildren, Aaron, Joshua, Noah, Sam, Ben and Gabi.
Mr. Hertz was preceded in death by a brother, Gerd Hertz.
Mr. Hertz was much loved and will be sorely missed by all of his family and friends.
Graveside funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday at Judea Reform Congregation Reform Cemetery with Rabbi John Friedman officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, P.O. Box 90988, Washington, D.C., 20090-0988.
Howerton & Bryan Funeral Home is assisting the Hertz family.