David Palmer Close Papers

David Palmer Close was born in New York City on March 16, 1915. He was a cousin to Marjorie Post's first husband, Edward Bennett Close. He graduated from Williams College in 1938 and from Columbia Law School in 1942. In 1946 he co-founded the Washington, D.C. legal firm of Dahlgren and Close with three friends who had served with during the Second World War. He remained active in practice for the rest of his life.

He was involved with numerous other charitable activities, including as director of International Humanities, Inc.; as a founding member of the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness; and as president and director emeritus of the International Eye Foundation. He also served as a trustee for several educational institutions, including Mount Vernon College, Williams College and the Hill School.

Close was one of Marjorie Merriweather Post's attorneys for many years, and handled a wide variety of legal issues for her, including the purchase of Arbremont (later Hillwood) in 1955. He was also secretary-treasurer of the Marjorie Merriweather Post Foundation and represented the foundation during the settlement of Post's estate. He remained a member of the foundation's board for the remainder of his life.

In 1954 he married Margaret Howell Gordon, and they had four children: Louise, Katharine, Barbara and Peter. Margaret Howell Gordon Close died in 1992. David Palmer Close died on July 4, 2004, at the age of 89.