Kinsley van Rensselaer Dey, Jr., 83, of Chapel Hill, N.C., civic leader, philanthropist and former President and CEO of Liggett & Myers, died March 29. Dey was a longtime summer resident of Christmas Cove, South Bristol.
Born July 24, 1924 in Natick, Mass., Dey grew up in neighboring Wellesley, graduating from Wellesley High in 1942. He completed his freshman year at the University of New Hampshire in 1943 then joined the Marines, serving in the Pacific during WWII on the U.S. Aircraft Carrier Essex manning a Quad 40. Returning to UNH after the war, Dey graduated in 1948, briefly playing in the NFL for the Detroit Lions before moving to a more promising career in business.
In 1949, Dey joined the Minute Maid Corporation, progressing through sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility.
Driven by a lifelong dedication to leaving a situation better than what he found, Dey advanced from his roles at Minute Maid, which was subsequently purchased by the Coca-Cola Company, to brand manager of Hi-C Fruit Drinks, then Coca-Cola USA where he led the charge in advancing the iconic “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” ad campaign.
After Coca-Cola, he joined Liggett Group, moving to the area in 1975 and ultimately becoming president and CEO of Liggett and Myers (L&M), leading it to record breaking successes during his 14 years as its top executive.
A leading corporate citizen of his generation, Dey took his responsibility to his employees and their hometown seriously. Immersing himself in Durham, N.C. civic life, Dey spearheaded a multi-million dollar effort to support the Durham Arts Council and later, the Carolina Theatre. The Greater Durham Chamber of commerce elected him president and he served with distinction on the boards of the Durham Service Corps, the Durham Public Education Network, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Education Foundation and the YMCA. In addition, he served as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Durham High School and was a member of the Executive Committee and Board for the Duke Children’s Classic.
Even after his retirement from the L&M in 1990, Dey continued his community service to Durham as a founding member of the Major Campaign Review Committee, under the auspices of the Greater Triangle Community Foundation, as a board member of the Foundation s Leadership Committee, which he once chaired and as a board member of the Durham Technical Community College Foundation. He is also a long time supporter of University of New Hampshire where he was a founding member of the UNH Foundation which he chaired for 10 years before being named Chairman Emeritus, a position he held at his death.
Dey received the prestigious Governor’s Award in 1990 for Outstanding Volunteer Service, was named Man of the Year by the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce in 1998 and received the Hubbard Award for Philanthropic Leadership at UNH in 2001.
His legacy endures in the arts, education, medicine and a host of charitable works, most recently as a driving force behind helping generate community support for the acclaimed documentary “Durham: A Self-Portrait” which premiered in November at the Carolina Theatre.
Dey is survived by his wife, Patricia; two sons, Kinsley and Ted, daughter, Pam; two daughters-in-law; and four grandchildren.
A memorial at 3 p.m., Thurs., April 3 at Chapel of the Cross, 304 East Franklin St., Chapel Hill, N.C.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of New Hampshire Foundation (the Dey Fund), Elliott Alumni Center, 9 Edgewood Drive, Durham, NH 03824, the Chapel of the Cross, or a charity of your choice.
