Obituary of Doris Jean Bacon

"Flowers are welcome; Contributions may be sent to 
The United Negro College Fund in memory of Doris J. Bacon"

-Family of Doris J. Bacon

On Sunday, January 27, 2019, Doris Jean (Berry) Bacon, beloved mother, sister, grandmother,
aunt, friend, teacher, and mentor, departed this life and entered her eternal rest. She was born
on September 2, 1942 to the late Earline Vivian and Elie Bert Berry in the city of Newark, New
Jersey. She was the second girl to be born into the family. Doris grew up in the city of Newark
and attended Barringer High School. As a youngster, Doris was a mischievous prankster, and
exceptionally inquisitive. She was raised in a close-knit Christian family and was baptized at
Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark. She went to Virginia State College where she received
her Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Years later, she developed an interest in the legal
system, and attended Seton Hall Law School.

After graduating from college, Doris taught for the Newark School system for several years
before accepting a position at William Paterson College. She later assumed a position with the
Girl Scouts of the USA Midwestern Region and relocated to Chicago, Illinois. In this position,
she traveled extensively and enjoyed making sure that the programming for Girl Scout troops
fulfilled their mission. Doris then went back into education and became a librarian in the
Chicago public school system. While living in Chicago, she married Robert Lewis Bacon Sr. and they eventually returned to
New Jersey.

Doris was employed at Stern’s Department Store, and later Abraham and Strauss, as a Vice
President of Human Resources. Her union with Robert Sr. bore two sons, Robert Lewis Jr., and
Richard Earl. After having her second child, Doris ended her career in retail and decided to seek
an occupation that was more conducive to raising a family. She became an English teacher in
the South Brunswick School system, where she was also an SAT coordinator for the school
district. She also created a Book Club for students, a Literary Club, and led many debate teams
to competitions in Washington, DC. She retired from South Brunswick High School after 19
years of service. Over the years, Doris also worked for Cittone Institute in Edison, NJ, and
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, NJ. Her entrepreneurial spirit fostered the
creation of her own tutorial service, which she expanded after her retirement. More recently,
Doris’ tutorial business specialized in test preparation, and assisted students in improving their
academic performance. She successfully prepared hundreds of students for the SAT, GRE, LSAT,
and MCAT.

Doris was an intelligent, fun-loving woman, who loved to decorate and had a great sense of
style. She had an outgoing personality, was a great conversationalist, avid reader, and music
lover. Her passion was cooking, entertaining guests, and making people laugh with her quick
wit. She treasured her sons as well as their spouses, adored her grandchildren, and had strong
bonds with her siblings, and other family members. Doris lovingly embraced her students and
others who had the opportunity to spend time with her. Her gift was how she made everyone feel valued and cared for. Doris’ mission included teaching, kindness, joy, love, and making you smile from eating lots of great food!

She made an indelible mark in this world, and her passing leaves a void for all of us who are
here to celebrate her life. Let’s pay homage to her by continuing her legacy of love, joy, and
generosity. She is survived by her husband Robert Lewis Bacon Sr., her sons - Robert Lewis
Bacon Jr. (LeToya) and Richard Earl Bacon (Pavitra), 4 grandchildren - Benjamin, Robert III,
River, and Maya, sisters - Beverly Berry Baker and Marilyn Berry Schenck, brother – Bert Berry,
niece – Christy Marisa Campbell, nephews- Anquae Freeland, Devontae Freeland, and Joran
Battles, sister in law – Ruth Berry, brothers in law – Bailey Bell Baker, William (Pookie) Bacon,
and Sidney Schenck, and a host of extended family and friends.