Charles I. Williams, of Great Neck, died on Jan. 11, 1999. Arrangements were made by the Doyle B. Shaffer Funeral Home, Little Neck. Interment Evergreen Cemetery. Billie Friedland, of Kings Point, died on Jan. 12, 1999. Renowned watercolor artist. Wife of Louis N. Mother of Joanne Roberts and Eric Friedland. Arrangements were made by the Riverside Nassau North Chapels, Great Neck. Interment Locust Valley Cemetery.

Dr. Lee Demeter, a former director of personnel for the Great Neck Public Schools and a longtime Great Neck resident, died in Chicago on Jan. 28, 1999 after a long illness. He was about 80 years old. According to his only child, Anne Leidner, of Glenview, IL, he will be buried in All Saints Cemetery in Great Neck next to his wife, Mary, who predeceased him.

Dr. Demeter retired from the school district in 1981 after 29 years of distinguished service. His long career in the district, under Superintendents John L. Miller and Mortimer J. Abramowitz, spanned the areas of public relations, parliamentary procedure, personnel and labor relations. He earned national recognition, most notably for his expertise as a parliamentarian. He served as official parliamentarian for the Great Neck Board of Education for many years and, up until about three years ago, traveled throughout the country as parliamentarian to various government bodies and organizations. He was also a statesmanlike spokesperson who was often called upon to write and speak about honorees at celebratory events.

In October 1981, by resolution of the Great Neck Board of Education, Dr. Demeter was presented with a Citation for Distinguished Service, which read in part, "...He has unselfishly served the Great Neck Public Schools since 1952...with rare eloquence, a dignity of language, a highly professional, ethical manner, a keen judgement, a meticulous attention to detail, and a gentle spirit. His infinite wisdom and lofty ideals have...set an example for all of his colleagues to emulate. He has inspired the complete trust of boards of education and of the community. His counsel, guidance, friendship and quiet demeanor are cherished by all who have been fortunate to know and work with him...His unique leadership...and the quality of his performance have contributed significantly to the high morale of staff and to the successful completion of many important educational missions. In his gentlemanly way, Lee Demeter has inspired those who teach here and those who learn here..."

After his retirement, Dr. Demeter continued to maintain close ties with the school district. In April 1989, he was one of several participants in a television program honoring Dr. Miller, his close friend and former colleague, on the occasion of Dr. Miller's 85th birthday. Dr. Miller died in 1997.

Dr. Demeter was often hailed as a Greek and Latin scholar. His own education, much of it in the Boston area where he grew up, reflects the importance he placed on the pursuit of knowledge. He was graduated from the Boston Latin School, Harvard University, Boston University and Teachers College, Columbia University. Regarded as a gifted teacher, Dr. Demeter was an adjunct professor at Hofstra University where, for many years, he taught graduate courses in school public relations.

Eleanor D. Berger, a resident of Great Neck for more than 40 years, died on Sunday after a brief illness. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Alexander Berger, and by two daughters, Elaine Berger and Amy Lesk; three grandchildren, Jennifer, Alec Jr. and Kevin; a son-in-law, Michael Lesk; and a daughter-in-law, Alice Berger. A son, Alec Berger, predeceased her.

Mrs. Berger was a past president of the NC League of Women Voters. During and after her tenure, she spearheaded a more than 10-year campaign, which was ultimately successful, to change the form of Nassau County government from an indirectly-elected board of supervisors to a directly elected, one-person, one-vote county legislature.

Mrs. Berger was also an active volunteer as a master gardener with the NC Agricultural Extension Service. Her lifelong interest in the out-of-doors led her to extensive volunteer service with the Girl Scouts. She and her husband traveled frequently and enjoyed bridge. She was an avid amateur photographer.

Mrs. Berger graduated from CCNY and worked as a NYC policewoman until she retired to raise her family.