Howard K. Clery, Jr. (1930 – 2008)
Security On Campus, Inc. co -founder and former CEO of Rapidforms, Inc.
died peacefully at his Florida home Jan. 1st , age 77. He was the
loving husband of Constance B. Clery for 51 years and the father of
three adoring children: Howard III, Benjamin, and Jeanne.
A man of great character, Howard never allowed adversity to defeat him:
his many accomplishments, family and friends who love him dearly are
testament to the life of a good man. May all who love him find comfort
in their memories of Howard.
In 1991, Dartmouth Alumni awarded Howard Clery the ³Class of 1953
Award² commenting: ³… our brightest young people, our best hope for
the future of this great nation are safer and more secure because of
him.²
Howard and Connie co-founded Security On Campus, Inc. following the
brutal murder of their daughter on Lehigh University¹s campus in 1986.
After the 1987 conviction of their daughter¹s murderer, Howard & Connie
devoted their lives to making college and university campuses safer
places for students. They secured passage of more than 30 State and
Federal Laws requiring colleges to disclose crime information and
guarantee victims¹ rights, including the Federal Jeanne Clery Act which
is named in memory of their daughter. President George H. W. Bush
honored the Clerys for their crime victims¹ rights work in a 1990 Rose
Garden ceremony, noting: ³their campaign to build an America where
every victim of every crime is treated with the dignity and the
compassion they deserve.²
As CEO of Rapidforms, Howard successfully built a regional printer of
labels, business forms and stationery into a national direct mail
company, growing the business from 25 employees and $2 million in sales
(1971) to 280 employees and $40 million in sales (1987). Howard was
always quick to credit his association with CSS Industries, executive
colleagues and the employees of Rapidforms for the company¹s
accomplishments.
Prior to his business success at Rapidforms, Howard held executive
positions at Safeguard Industries, Raytheon, and Royal McBee, beginning
his career as Gillette Company¹s first management trainee.
Howard was educated at Dartmouth College, earning a BA Degree in 1953
and an MBA in 1954 from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business
Administration. He was elected Vice President of his freshman class,
President of his sophomore class, and Vice President of the Student
Council during his senior year. Howard¹s years at Dartmouth not only
provided an excellent education, it was the formative place where he
made life-long friendships which he cherished throughout his life.
Life presented many difficult challenges for Howard Clery. Born in
Boston, Howard¹s father died in 1941 when he was 11 years old. He
became a very competitive athlete at Arlington High School playing
varsity football when he was stricken with polio during practice in
1945. Despite a year of rehabilitation at Warm Springs, GA. he would
wear a heavy steel leg brace and walk on canes for the remainder of his
life.
The family will receive visitors from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday,
January 7th at McConaghy Funeral Home, 328 W. Lancaster Avenue,
Ardmore, PA.
A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8th in the
Villanova University Chapel, Villanova, PA. Interment will follow at
Calvary Cemetery, Old Gulph Rd., Conshohocken, PA.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to Security on Campus, Inc., 133 Ivy
Lane, Suite 200, King of Prussia, PAÂ 19406-2101 will be most
gratefully received.
