Doris Aiken's long life of activism and civic engagement drew to a close early Wednesday morning at her Nott Street home in Schenectady. She was 90.
Parents: Adam Hastings Crouthamel m. Eva Brown
Her brother, Dale Crouthamel (Gladys) of Telford, PA
A native of Souderton, Pennsylvania and a graduate of UCLA, Aiken moved to the Schenectady area with her husband William Aiken and their three children in 1972. In 1978 she founded Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) after a 22y old intoxicated driver, killed two Schenectady teenagers, Karen and Timothy Morris (17 and 19), were hit by a drunken driver. Timothy was killed instantly. Karen died within 48 hours. 'Without Warning Dec. 4/5 1977'. Under Aiken's leadership, RID grew into a national organization and not only changed public policy, but also altered the American landscape and arguably saved thousands of lives.
"When she started RID, there was no other group out there like it," said her son William. "She was someone who was an optimist, and I can't remember when she was ever discouraged or deterred. The death of Karen and Timothy Morris in December of 1977 was what got her to start RID, but she was always engaged in politics and culture."
Aiken was hosting her own issue-oriented TV show on WRGB when she created RID, and had an opportunity to pursue her broadcasting career in Pittsburgh. Instead, she decided to remain in Schenectady and focus on fostering the growth of RID and changing people's minds about the consequences of drunk driving. At the time, people were rarely prosecuted for driving while drunk.
'She had a good shot at getting a job that ended up going to Sally Jesse Raphael, so we were concerned that she was giving up a career in television for RID,' William Aiken remembered . 'We thought TV was a good fit for her, and RID was something new. It was something of a risk, but she had always been concerned with social issues.'
When current Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney first ran for the post and won in 1990, he remembers Aiken telling him that he had his priorities mixed up.
'She thought I was over-emphasizing the drug problem, and was telling me I was going to be the drug DA, not the DWI DA,' Carney said Wednesday morning. 'But soon after I took office she was very supportive of me, and I did as much as I could to help her. We made a real commitment to her cause by adding a full-time DWI prosecutor instead of part time, and she was grateful that we shared her concerns. Over the years we worked well together, and if she was having some kind of event I would always try to make it. I had a great deal of respect for her. She changed the law and the culture.'
Reached out to RID USA, after her memorial was transferred today, http://www.rid-usa.org/rid-usa-inc/ 16 Aug 2020 in hopes of completing family connections, final resting place and adding Morris' children, that start of it all.
Toll Free Number 888-283-5144
[email protected]
Your responses were successfully submitted. Thank you! no reply to date Jun 2021
The date for a memorial service will be announced in this Spring at the Unitarian Church on Wendell Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice, 2 Computer Dr. W #105, Albany, NY 12205 or RID, PO Box 520, Schenectady, NY 12301.
Obituary was originally published in The Daily Gazette Co.
Middle name Suggested By: Marti Drumheller, 30 Jun 2021
Parents: Adam Hastings Crouthamel m. Eva Brown
Her brother, Dale Crouthamel (Gladys) of Telford, PA
A native of Souderton, Pennsylvania and a graduate of UCLA, Aiken moved to the Schenectady area with her husband William Aiken and their three children in 1972. In 1978 she founded Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) after a 22y old intoxicated driver, killed two Schenectady teenagers, Karen and Timothy Morris (17 and 19), were hit by a drunken driver. Timothy was killed instantly. Karen died within 48 hours. 'Without Warning Dec. 4/5 1977'. Under Aiken's leadership, RID grew into a national organization and not only changed public policy, but also altered the American landscape and arguably saved thousands of lives.
"When she started RID, there was no other group out there like it," said her son William. "She was someone who was an optimist, and I can't remember when she was ever discouraged or deterred. The death of Karen and Timothy Morris in December of 1977 was what got her to start RID, but she was always engaged in politics and culture."
Aiken was hosting her own issue-oriented TV show on WRGB when she created RID, and had an opportunity to pursue her broadcasting career in Pittsburgh. Instead, she decided to remain in Schenectady and focus on fostering the growth of RID and changing people's minds about the consequences of drunk driving. At the time, people were rarely prosecuted for driving while drunk.
'She had a good shot at getting a job that ended up going to Sally Jesse Raphael, so we were concerned that she was giving up a career in television for RID,' William Aiken remembered . 'We thought TV was a good fit for her, and RID was something new. It was something of a risk, but she had always been concerned with social issues.'
When current Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney first ran for the post and won in 1990, he remembers Aiken telling him that he had his priorities mixed up.
'She thought I was over-emphasizing the drug problem, and was telling me I was going to be the drug DA, not the DWI DA,' Carney said Wednesday morning. 'But soon after I took office she was very supportive of me, and I did as much as I could to help her. We made a real commitment to her cause by adding a full-time DWI prosecutor instead of part time, and she was grateful that we shared her concerns. Over the years we worked well together, and if she was having some kind of event I would always try to make it. I had a great deal of respect for her. She changed the law and the culture.'
Reached out to RID USA, after her memorial was transferred today, http://www.rid-usa.org/rid-usa-inc/ 16 Aug 2020 in hopes of completing family connections, final resting place and adding Morris' children, that start of it all.
Toll Free Number 888-283-5144
[email protected]
Your responses were successfully submitted. Thank you! no reply to date Jun 2021
The date for a memorial service will be announced in this Spring at the Unitarian Church on Wendell Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice, 2 Computer Dr. W #105, Albany, NY 12205 or RID, PO Box 520, Schenectady, NY 12301.
Obituary was originally published in The Daily Gazette Co.
Middle name Suggested By: Marti Drumheller, 30 Jun 2021
Doris Aiken's long life of activism and civic engagement drew to a close early Wednesday morning at her Nott Street home in Schenectady. She was 90.
Parents: Adam Hastings Crouthamel m. Eva Brown
Her brother, Dale Crouthamel (Gladys) of Telford, PA
A native of Souderton, Pennsylvania and a graduate of UCLA, Aiken moved to the Schenectady area with her husband William Aiken and their three children in 1972. In 1978 she founded Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) after a 22y old intoxicated driver, killed two Schenectady teenagers, Karen and Timothy Morris (17 and 19), were hit by a drunken driver. Timothy was killed instantly. Karen died within 48 hours. 'Without Warning Dec. 4/5 1977'. Under Aiken's leadership, RID grew into a national organization and not only changed public policy, but also altered the American landscape and arguably saved thousands of lives.
"When she started RID, there was no other group out there like it," said her son William. "She was someone who was an optimist, and I can't remember when she was ever discouraged or deterred. The death of Karen and Timothy Morris in December of 1977 was what got her to start RID, but she was always engaged in politics and culture."
Aiken was hosting her own issue-oriented TV show on WRGB when she created RID, and had an opportunity to pursue her broadcasting career in Pittsburgh. Instead, she decided to remain in Schenectady and focus on fostering the growth of RID and changing people's minds about the consequences of drunk driving. At the time, people were rarely prosecuted for driving while drunk.
'She had a good shot at getting a job that ended up going to Sally Jesse Raphael, so we were concerned that she was giving up a career in television for RID,' William Aiken remembered . 'We thought TV was a good fit for her, and RID was something new. It was something of a risk, but she had always been concerned with social issues.'
When current Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney first ran for the post and won in 1990, he remembers Aiken telling him that he had his priorities mixed up.
'She thought I was over-emphasizing the drug problem, and was telling me I was going to be the drug DA, not the DWI DA,' Carney said Wednesday morning. 'But soon after I took office she was very supportive of me, and I did as much as I could to help her. We made a real commitment to her cause by adding a full-time DWI prosecutor instead of part time, and she was grateful that we shared her concerns. Over the years we worked well together, and if she was having some kind of event I would always try to make it. I had a great deal of respect for her. She changed the law and the culture.'
Reached out to RID USA, after her memorial was transferred today, http://www.rid-usa.org/rid-usa-inc/ 16 Aug 2020 in hopes of completing family connections, final resting place and adding Morris' children, that start of it all.
Toll Free Number 888-283-5144
[email protected]
Your responses were successfully submitted. Thank you! no reply to date Jun 2021
The date for a memorial service will be announced in this Spring at the Unitarian Church on Wendell Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice, 2 Computer Dr. W #105, Albany, NY 12205 or RID, PO Box 520, Schenectady, NY 12301.
Obituary was originally published in The Daily Gazette Co.
Middle name Suggested By: Marti Drumheller, 30 Jun 2021
Parents: Adam Hastings Crouthamel m. Eva Brown
Her brother, Dale Crouthamel (Gladys) of Telford, PA
A native of Souderton, Pennsylvania and a graduate of UCLA, Aiken moved to the Schenectady area with her husband William Aiken and their three children in 1972. In 1978 she founded Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) after a 22y old intoxicated driver, killed two Schenectady teenagers, Karen and Timothy Morris (17 and 19), were hit by a drunken driver. Timothy was killed instantly. Karen died within 48 hours. 'Without Warning Dec. 4/5 1977'. Under Aiken's leadership, RID grew into a national organization and not only changed public policy, but also altered the American landscape and arguably saved thousands of lives.
"When she started RID, there was no other group out there like it," said her son William. "She was someone who was an optimist, and I can't remember when she was ever discouraged or deterred. The death of Karen and Timothy Morris in December of 1977 was what got her to start RID, but she was always engaged in politics and culture."
Aiken was hosting her own issue-oriented TV show on WRGB when she created RID, and had an opportunity to pursue her broadcasting career in Pittsburgh. Instead, she decided to remain in Schenectady and focus on fostering the growth of RID and changing people's minds about the consequences of drunk driving. At the time, people were rarely prosecuted for driving while drunk.
'She had a good shot at getting a job that ended up going to Sally Jesse Raphael, so we were concerned that she was giving up a career in television for RID,' William Aiken remembered . 'We thought TV was a good fit for her, and RID was something new. It was something of a risk, but she had always been concerned with social issues.'
When current Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney first ran for the post and won in 1990, he remembers Aiken telling him that he had his priorities mixed up.
'She thought I was over-emphasizing the drug problem, and was telling me I was going to be the drug DA, not the DWI DA,' Carney said Wednesday morning. 'But soon after I took office she was very supportive of me, and I did as much as I could to help her. We made a real commitment to her cause by adding a full-time DWI prosecutor instead of part time, and she was grateful that we shared her concerns. Over the years we worked well together, and if she was having some kind of event I would always try to make it. I had a great deal of respect for her. She changed the law and the culture.'
Reached out to RID USA, after her memorial was transferred today, http://www.rid-usa.org/rid-usa-inc/ 16 Aug 2020 in hopes of completing family connections, final resting place and adding Morris' children, that start of it all.
Toll Free Number 888-283-5144
[email protected]
Your responses were successfully submitted. Thank you! no reply to date Jun 2021
The date for a memorial service will be announced in this Spring at the Unitarian Church on Wendell Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice, 2 Computer Dr. W #105, Albany, NY 12205 or RID, PO Box 520, Schenectady, NY 12301.
Obituary was originally published in The Daily Gazette Co.
Middle name Suggested By: Marti Drumheller, 30 Jun 2021
Family Members
Siblings
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