DIANA HERZOG 1939-2016

We received notice of the peaceful passing this morning of Diana Herzog, beloved wife of John Herzog. Diana is well known to many of you not only as John’s wife, but also as a longtime and visible player in numismatic circles, as President of auction house and dealer R.M. Smythe, a pivotal organizer of the legendary stock and bond conventions held annually in Strasburg for many years, and an active member of the Manuscript Society, the Professional Autograph Dealers Association, and many other Brooklyn, Manhattan, Madison, and Southport organizations.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday January 20th, 2016 at 3 PM at Trinity Episcopal Church , 651 Pequot Ave, Southport CT, a short walk from the Southport station on the New Haven line of Metro-North. A reception at the church will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Avenue, Southport CT 06890 are requested.

Diana was born on June 23, 1939, in Stoke-on-Trent, England, to Elinor (Ada Allen) and Reginald Rigby. Diana attended the Courtauld Institute, in London, earning a bachelor's degree. She then studied Medieval art in Frieburg, Germany, and later at the Institute of Fine Arts at N.Y.U where she achieved a Master's in Fine Art.

Diana moved to New York City in 1963, and married John E. Herzog, whom she had met on a trip to Mexico two years before. Diana and John lived in Manhattan, where Diana taught English as a second language at the New School, telling her devoted students that the pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Philadelphia! Diana and John moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1972, where they were active in the Heights Casino and Plymouth Church. They summered in Clinton Corners, NY, where visitors could admire large vegetable beds and beehives, and later in Madison, in the beautifully restored "Red Top", with its view of the Long Island Sound.

Diana started her career in collectible financial documents at R.M. Smythe & Co., first researching obsolete and inactive securities and then branching out into the field of autographs as the firm expanded into a leading auction house. Diana was a formidable business woman, securing important consignments and putting collectors together with the items they sought.

Diana personally assembled autographs of British royalty, writers and poets, acquiring the nickname "Lady Di." Diana was active in the Junior League of Brooklyn, Resources for Children with Special Needs, and many industry organizations including as president of the Manuscript Society, and PADA. Diana enjoyed membership in the Cosmopolitan Club and the Grolier Club. Diana edited the magazine "Friends of Financial History" for many years, now published by the Museum of American Finance, which she and John nurtured for over 25 years.

As world travelers, Diana and John explored together, spending time in Europe and Asia, bringing home artifacts and anecdotes as well as cherished contacts. Diana accompanied John on many securities industry trips, supporting John at Herzog, Heine, Geduld.

Diana's love of art and opera, her linguistic talents, and her culinary skills were well known by her friends and family. Her tennis game was graceful, and she loved reading, especially British mysteries. Diana cherished her roots in England, visiting often to maintain close relationships with family and friends "across the pond."

To read the complete obituary, see:
Diana Herzog (www.legacy.com/obituaries/ctpost/obituary.aspx?n=diana-herzog&pid=177320410&fhid=20390)

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