Herbert William Morreall Jr.

Herbert William Morreall Jr. of West Caldwell, N.J., died Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, at Crane's Mill Retirement Community, West Caldwell, N.J., where he had lived for 13 years. He was 97. A memorial service was held on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at Crane's Mill in West Caldwell. Herb was born in Utica, N.Y., in 1915, the son of Herbert W. and Minnie H. Morreall. He graduated from high school in Mount Carmel, Pa., and from Bucknell University in 1937, with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. Herb belonged to Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. During World War II, he was assigned to work on the development of military intelligence film at Ansco, a photographic film and camera manufacturer in Binghamton, N.Y. Herb continued his employment at Ansco, later known as General Aniline & Film Corporation (GAF), for 31 years. During early U.S. space flights, he worked with astronauts Cooper, Schirra, Slayton and Stafford to develop technology for photography from outer space. From 1968 to 1971, he was vice president of operations, electronic video recording division, for CBS in Manhattan. Herb worked with renowned engineer, Peter C. Goldmark, National Medal of Science winner, to bring to market the first video playback device for TVs, the electronic video recorder. From 1972 to 1982, Herb was employed at Engelhard Industries, Newark, N.J., as director of operations, in charge of the construction and operation of the first facility to manufacture automotive catalytic converters for pollution control. An active Rotarian for 54 years, he was the president of the Rotary Club of Newark, N.J., from 1991 to 1992. For more than 57 years, Herb was also a member of the Vestal-Otsiningo, N.Y., lodge of the Masonic Order. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Quality Control. While living in Binghamton, N.Y., Herb served as president of the Family and Children Service Society and was an elder at West Presbyterian Church. In New Jersey, he was a trustee of Sharing, a publication for the handicapped, for many years. Herb designed and built a small cottage on a lake in upstate New York and was president of the Genegantslet Lake Association three times. Sailing his small boat in Sunday afternoon races was a great joy in his life. Herb enjoyed bowling on a Rotary league well into his 90s, and loved playing bridge in later life. He was predeceased by Betty, his beloved wife of 59 years who was his childhood sweetheart. Herb is survived by two daughers, Gail Crider, and Joan Henricks and her husband, Alan Henricks; three grandchildren, Scott Crider and his wife, Krista Crider; Jessica Henricks, and Taylor Henricks and his wife, Lisa Henricks, and four great-grandchildren, Samuel Crider, Kara Crider, Brady Henricks, and Reese Henricks. His elder sister, Helen Morreall Ruths, predeceased him. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Cancer Society, or the charity of your choice.