Emanuel Solomon Balkin ’52
Emanuel Solomon Balkin ’52 of York Harbor, Maine, died on August 12. “Mendy” was born on February 4, 1930, and raised in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of the Boston Latin School, Dartmouth, and the Tuck School of Business, completing his M.B.A. in 1953. He was an active undergraduate and a member of Pi Lambda Phi and the varsity tennis team. Tennis was a big part of his life. Mendy was an accomplished player, was selected for the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team, and continued to enjoy playing tennis into his advanced years. In college he participated in the Navy ROTC program and then served on active duty. He was honorably discharged in 1956 at the rank of lieutenant, j.g., and remained in the Navy Reserves until 1972. In 1962 he and his wife, Laney, founded Décor International, which had a long history as a unique boutique on Newbury Street in Boston, where they sold rugs, textile arts, and folk art from around the world, much of which they sourced on trips they made to numerous countries. Pieces from Laney and Mendy’s personal collection were donated to the collection of The Museum of Fine Arts Boston. He was predeceased in 2017 by Laney, his wife of 65 years. He is survived by sons Peter ’78 and Daniel ’84 and their spouses, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
