Lydia Dabcovich

Belmont – Mrs. Lydia (Duenias) Dabcovich, an award-winning author and illustrator, died Tuesday, March 20th after a long period of declining health from complications of Lewy Body disease. Mrs. Dabcovich, a resident of Brookline, was 76.

A graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Lydia taught at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, before beginning her career in illustration. Later she served on the faculty of the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University for many years. Lydia authored/illustrated more than 30 books, including; Keys to My Kingdom; The Polar Bear Son; Sleepy Bear; Ducks Fly; The Night Ones, and Annushka's Voyage. She collaborated with notable poets such as Norma Farber, wife of Dana-Farber founder, Sidney Farber, on There Once was a Woman who Married a Man. Lydia underwent breast cancer treatment at Dana-Farber a decade ago. First known for her work in wood and linoleum cuts, Lydia continued her work in a variety of styles as a children's book illustrator and freelance illustrator for Cricket and Yankee magazines as well as other publications.

Lydia was born in Sofia, Bulgaria on October 23, 1935, the eldest daughter of the late Abraham and Ella (Cappon) Duenias. As a child she emigrated to what was then Palestine with her family to escape the Jewish persecution sweeping Europe. Raised and educated in her adopted country of Israel and also in France, she was fluent in German, Hebrew, English, and French and served in the Israeli Army in the early 1950's, as a Sergeant. She met her future husband, Milan R. Dabcovich, a native of Istanbul, Turkey, while on leave from the Army to visit her parents who had moved to Istanbul for work. Their fathers were business acquaintances. Milan nicknamed her "Pingo", and she would call Milan "Tutti" from then on.

Milan later came to the United States to study Naval Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while Lydia spent a year studying in London. Milan would measure the streets of Boston to make enough money to go visit her in London. She then followed him to the U.S. and began studying at the Museum School of Boston. They were married soon after and settled in Brookline where they had two daughters and three important cats. 



Lydia's career as an author and illustrator spanned four decades, in which she found inspiration from the world around her. A voracious reader, she had a deep appreciation for literature. She had humor, rhythm, style, and wit. Seemingly absent-minded, she was in fact busy thinking deeply and visualizing unique thoughts and ideas. She was interested in everything except math, which she disliked very much. Some of her interests included: art, history, costume design, music, movies, theater, the symphony, opera, ballet, travel, museums, playing the piano and recorders, dancing, and landscapes. Many of her interests are reflected in her work.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Dabcovich leaves her children, Meral G. 'Pongi' Dabcovich of Wellesley and E. Wendy Dabcovich and her husband, Eric Nordberg, of Ipswich; her grandchildren, Casey E. Nordberg and Lani R. Schilling; her sister, Anita Frank and her husband, Dan, of Afula, Israel and her sister-in-law, Karin Pollak of Vernouillet, France.

Family and friends will honor and remember Lydia by gathering for her Life Celebration at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 1st, in the Dewey Gallery of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln where a reception will follow until 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that donations be made to "The Milan and Lydia Dabcovich fund" at the Alzheimers Association: http://act.alz.org/goto/dabcovichfund, or call 1-800-272-3900