Freeport Authors: D

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Harold Davidson was a Special Agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Department of Justice for 20 years starting in 1971.  Before that he was a police officer for 12 years.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

In an article in the Leader of April 18, 1963, Dee Day is mentioned as a Freeport author who was involved with the Freeport Historical Society.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Lynda Day is a professor of Africana Studies at Brooklyn, College City University of New York and chair of the department.  She was the curator of the African American Museum of Nassau County.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Dr. Helen De Rosis was born in Freeport and attended Adelphi University, Columbia and received her M.D. from NYU in 1953.  She was an associate professor of clinical psychology at NYU School of Medicine where she treated patients and trained residents.  She also maintained a private practice.  She served at a variety of hospitals and clinics mainly dealing with women’s psychiatric problems.  She wrote a monthly column for Ladies’ Home Journal and appeared on radio and TV.  She served as the medical director for the Family Counseling and Education Center of Long Island.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Tom DeFazio is a freelance writer who specializes in  literature for children as well as for the more mature population.  His work, essays, prose and short stories, appears regularly in the 50 Plus Senior News.  The Long Island Press Club honored him with a first place award for his article “The Liberator is not Liberated.”  He graduated from Needle Trades High School in New York and the Cybic School of Fashion.  He took additional coursework at the Fashion Institute and Nassau Community College.  After a career in the retail clothing business, he retired and has more time to enjoy his passion, writing.

[Biography from Book]

Margaux DelGuidice, MLS, is a school librarian at the Garden City High School, NY, and [was] a children's service librarian at the Freeport Memorial Library, NY.  Additionally, she is adjunct professor of academic writing and research at St. Joseph's College in Patchogue, NY.  DelGuidice earned her master of library science degree from St. John's University, Queens campus.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Born in Freeport, Thomas DeLong grew up in Wantagh but visited his uncle and aunt, the Alfred A. Spragues on Wallace Avenue.  His sister took dancing lessons at Josie Rooney’s (vaudeville performer) at 75 Church Street.  He went to Williams College, Columbia University and NYU.  He pursued a career in press relations for Olin Pfizer and produced a radio series on popular music. 

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Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

John F. DeLorme, a salesman, became known in Freeport as a leader in the Freeport Civic Association and as vice-president of the newly formed Democratic Club.  When Clinton M. Flint ran for Village president in 1927, DeLorme also ran on the Citizens Party ticket for trustee and held that position until 1933.  Some of the projects that he encouraged were the municipal stadium, the organization  of the Police Benevolent Association and the sewer system.  After retiring, he became an unofficial Village historian (unpaid) when he was employed by the local government to file and catalog Village Hall records including many of their photographs.  He was born in Sumter, South Carolina and was a descendant, on his mother’s side, of the last colonial governor of Virginia.  During World War II he was chief clerk of the Freeport Rationing Board of the OPA and later became chief clerk of the Nassau County Price Control Board.

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Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Albert Desetta graduated with the 1972 class of Freeport High School and from SUNY Binghamton with a B.A. in English.  He continued at City College of New York where he earned his M.A. in English literature.  In the 1990-1991 academic year, he was a Charles H. Revson Fellow at Columbia University.  Since 1985, Desetta is an adult adviser and web editor for Foster Care Youth United, a bimonthly magazine written mainly by children in the child welfare system.  He has edited New Youth Connections and Foster Care Youth United, plus a juvenile prison newsletter, Spofford Voices, and an experimental school newspaper, Strange Brew.  He also initiated teacher development workshops.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Elliot Diringer graduated from Freeport High School in 1975 where he was editor in chief of Flashings, the school newspaper.  His bachelor’s degree in environmental studies is from Haverford College.  He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University from 1995-1996 where he studied international law and policy.  As a reporter, from 1983 to 1997, for the San Francisco Chronicle, he specialized in environmental issues and covered the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  At that time, he wrote several award winning environmental series.  In 1997, he was appointed the Communications Director for the White House Environmental Council.  Additionally, he was a Senior Policy Advisor and a Deputy Assistant to President Clinton and Deputy White House Press Secretary.  He is now Vice President of International Studies at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

[Biography found on Amazon.com]

Helias “Louis” Doundoulakis (1923-2016) was born in Canton, Ohio, grew up in Crete, Greece, and returned to America in 1945 after serving in the United States Army and as a spy for the OSS — the Office of Strategic Services. He joined the Cretan resistance after the German invasion of the island, working directly under English Intelligence with the legendary saboteur and author Patrick Leigh Fermor. His friendship with Leigh Fermor would serve as a catalyst for his future role in the OSS. Armed with only a .32 cal. pistol and 150 gold sovereigns in a nylon belt, he landed on Greece's northern shores. After arriving in Thessaloniki (Salonica), he set up a phony business from a factory once owned by Greek Jews, sending messages to Cairo by a wireless radio he smuggled into Greece. Continuously hunted by the Germans, he fabricated stories and remained cool-headed, fooling the Germans and even the Greeks. "I was Trained to be a Spy," books I and II, "Trained to be an OSS Spy," and "My Unique Lifetime Association with Patrick Leigh Fermor" are his books chronicling the war years.

In his final book, the author shares the unknown story behind the inception of "The Arecibo Antenna" in his posthumously released memoir. The story behind the iconic radio telescope’s creation is unknown, a secret for all these years until now. First, follow the author as he demystifies the antenna from dreams to drawings and the timeline of its development. Then, read how his brother, George Doundoulakis, undertook its conception and fielding, from its fledgling beginnings to ultimate patent rights for his brother Helias, CIA director William J. Casey, and Gus Michalos. Finally, see the paths the inseparable Doundoulakis brothers took on their journey of courage, inspiration, and brilliance that advanced the science of radio astronomy and inspired generations of scientists for years to come.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

Gifford B. Doxsee attended public schools in Freeport and graduated from Freeport High School in 1942.  His father, Bob Doxsee, was mayor of Freeport from 1949-1953.  When he was a freshmen at Hobart College, Geneva, New York, he enlisted in the Army Reserve.  He was called up to active service in 1943.  After the war, he returned to college at Cornell and graduated in 1948.  He did graduate study at Harvard majoring in modern European history and earned his M.A. (1949) and Ph.D. (1966).  He was a prisoner of war during World War II in Dresden and Kurt Vonnegut was in his workgroup.  He was a professor of history at Ohio University until his retirement in 1994.  Presently, he gives speeches about his experience as a POW.

Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

A native Freeporter, Isabelle Drach graduated from Freeport High School in 1940 where she was a senior class officer. She continued her education at Mary Hardin-Baylor University in Texas.  She is an active member of the New York Telephone Company Pioneers, after 39 years of service with the Telephone Company.  She is a past president of the Freeport Historical Society and a former member of the Salvation Army Advisory Council.

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Biography by Cynthia J Krieg, Village Historian

A graduate of Freeport High School in 1958, James W. Dufty received a B.S. in physics from Williams College in 1962.  He continued his education at Lehigh University where he earned an M.S. and PhD in physics in 1964 and 1967.  He has been a professor of physics at the University of Florida since 1978, and served as an Associate Dean there from 1994 – 2000.  He has been a visiting professor at many institutions throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.  He has published more than 200 articles in various journals on topics of theoretical non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, spanning a broad spectrum of fields in condensed matter physics, chemistry, and materials sciences.

[Biography found in Nassau Daily Review - Star, 22 March 1949]

For many years, Ed Durlacher has been regarded as one of the country's leading authorities on the square dance, as well as one of its best callers. In addition to calling them from Texas to Vermont, he has presided over the square dances held in the city parks in New York. There he has called for as many as 4,800 people -- 600 sets -- a record-breaking performance in square dancing history.