Remembering a Legend
“Dave stories” was the theme of the day. Hundreds
of friends, colleagues, family members and students came together
Thursday, October 18, to celebrate the life of Dr. David P. Rebovich
who died suddenly on October 12.
New Jersey’s most prolific and respected political commentator
was remembered as a dedicated teacher, a valued colleague and
a beloved mentor.
“David was one of a kind, he was one of us, and we will
miss him terribly,” said Rider President Mordechai Rozanski.
“Among his greatest contributions, a contribution that will
endure as a self-perpetuating legacy, was his role as advisor,
mentor and inspiring teacher to generations of Rider students.
They loved, respected and flocked to him because his intellectual
enthusiasm was magnetic. He engaged his students through observation
and participation and fired their passion for academic success
and politics. And in all his endeavors he was a champion of fearless
integrity.”
During his 28-year career at Rider, Rebovich served with great
distinction as a faculty member, chair of the Department of Political
Science, assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
and as managing director of the Institute for New Jersey Politics.
Beyond Rider, Rebovich was easily the most frequently quoted academician
in the state on the topics of politics, campaigns and political
ethics.
According to Joseph Nadeau, dean of the College of Liberal Arts,
Education, and Sciences – Rebovich’s boss and friend
– Reb spoke to nearly every community organization in the
state, made more than 1,000 appearances on radio and television,
and he provided political commentary and analysis for the media
more than 10,000 times.
“And this is just a sampling of his contributions to Rider
and the state,” said Nadeau during the memorial service.
If you talk to just about anyone who knew Rebovich, they have
a story to tell about something outrageous he said or did.
“Dave had a very unusual personality in which his own brand
of humor was always evident,” said Nadeau, drawing smiles
and chuckles from the mourners. Nadeau shared his own “Dave
Story:” “I was chatting with Dave because we had both
arrived relatively early on campus. We were sitting in Dave’s
office when the phone rang. It was the governor. Dave told the
governor that he was in conference with his dean and would call
him back later and hung up. Dave then cracked up and said: ‘You
just can’t be at their beck and call.’”
In the week following his untimely death, tributes for Rebovich
poured in.
“David Rebovich was a widely respected presence in New Jersey's
political scene, offering insight that was universally acknowledged
as nonpartisan, fair and vital to the public discourse. During
a lifetime in politics, David Rebovich's enthusiasm and idealism
never waned,” said Gov. Jon S. Corzine.
Rebovich was a featured blogger on PoliticsNJ.com. As news of
his passing spread quickly through cyberspace, the Web site received
tributes from politicians who were often at the heart of Rebovich’s
political commentary. The following comments posted on the Web
site represent just some of their thoughts:
• “He was respected by so many of us for his outstanding
grasp of the unique issues and challenges we face in New Jersey.
As someone unafraid to give his unvarnished opinion, his intellect
and his voice will truly be missed.” – Sen. Frank
R. Lautenberg
• “David Rebovich was a consummate gentleman and true
student of government and politics. His love for the subject was
evident in his writings and in his interactions with countless
students and elected officials across the states. I am certain
all New Jerseyans will miss his wit and analysis.” Senator
Robert Menendez.
• “Dr. Rebovich had a profound impact on politics
and public policy in New Jersey. He spoke passionately about the
political environment in our state and how it could be improved.
We may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but I always respected
his opinions because they were expressed with crystal clarity
and only after thoughtful consideration. His is one New Jersey
voice that will be sorely missed.” – Minority Leader
Alex DeCroce
• “In a place that gets too adversarial at times,
he always stressed the balance. He was just a great man. Integrity
and Dr. Rebovich go hand in glove.” – U.S. Rep. Chris
Smith.
• Rebovich's legacy will live on if his former students
"keep him alive in spirit. As long as we take it upon ourselves
to ask challenging questions and be forthcoming with our opinions,
Dr. Rebovich will remain a powerful presence in Mercer County
and New Jersey." – Mercer County Executive Brian M.
Hughes
One of Rebovich’s students launched the Facebook group “In
Loving Memory of Dr. David P. Rebovich.” To date, there
are more than 350 members in the group and many current and former
students, colleagues, family members and friends have posted their
memories of Rebovich.
A former student of Rebovich’s, Mike Hennessy ’82,
posted on his company Web site his message of sadness and gratitude.
“It was my great fortune to be a student of David's, and
an even greater privilege to become his friend over the years.
I was fortunate to be able to work with him on a variety of projects,
through the Rider University Institute for New Jersey Politics
and other venues, and I hope to continue many of the initiatives
he championed,” wrote Hennessy, CEO/chairman of MJH &
Associates and Political World Communications, the parent company
of Campaigns & Elections magazine.
“He will be remembered best as a teacher, adviser, and mentor
who inspired generations of students to view politics and political
science not as abstract subjects to be studied in the academy,
but as an ongoing and dynamic dialog between citizens for whom
participation was both a birthright and a privilege,” said
Hennessy. “If a professor's stature is in part determined
by how many minds he opened and the number of young men and women
who aspired to do greater things due to his influence, then David
Rebovich was a giant.”
Rebovich often ended his classes by saying, “I’ll
miss you and I love you all.” The sentiment from those he
left behind seems to be ‘Right back at you Reb.’
