Albert Nacson

Albert “Al” Nacson of Port Chester, N.Y., died July 3, 2017. He immigrated to the United States 62 years ago at the age of 15 from Alexandria, Egypt, where he grew up in an enclave of Greek Jews. He lived in Somerset for 31 years, and over the past 20 years had also maintained residences in Mexico City and Tampa, Fla.

Mr. Nacson completed high school in Brooklyn, studied management at Fashion Institute of Technology, and completed his undergraduate studies at Brooklyn College. He completed most of his studies toward a master of education at Rutgers University.

He taught foreign languages at Ditmas Junior High School in Brooklyn and later at Wagner High School in Staten Island. When his teaching position was cut, he began a decades-long career in the garment industry. He managed garment production at Sunshine Factory in Newark with Gene Graff. He then partnered with Fred Goldsmith at Touch of Gold Enterprises in Manhattan, coordinating the production of T-shirts and other garments throughout the 1980s. His career continued at Ge-Ray Fabrics, where he managed the supply chain that resulted in cut and dyed fabrics for manufacturers such as Liz Claiborne. After the passage of NAFTA, Ge-Ray decided to build its own dye house in lieu of continuing with its historical dye house in Ashton, N.C. He built and operated a dye house in Tepeji del Rio, Mexico, maintaining relationships with rural community members who were impacted by the factory’s presence. Retiring from the garment industry in 2005, at the age of 66 he pursued training in corporate coaching and, with his wife, opened a consulting practice.

A member of the All City Chorus while attending Midwood High School, he continued to sing as an adult, with performances in community theater in Franklin Township and as a volunteer cantor at Temple Beth El in Somerset, where he chanted Kol Nidrei each Yom Kippur for over 35 years. 

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He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Angelina; two daughters, Cindy and Shari; a brother, Marc; and grandchildren. 

Services were held July 5 with arrangements by Sinai Chapels, Queens. Memorial contributions may be made to The George Street Playhouse Education Department, PO Box 194, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 or Temple Beth El, 1489 Hamilton St., Somerset, NJ 08873.