Harold “Harry” Phillips ’69, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; May 26, of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was a radiologist who practiced for 50 years. He matriculated at Brown and enjoyed playing shortstop and quarterback for Brown’s baseball and football teams. He was scouted as a shortstop by the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox but chose a career in medicine. While growing up in New Jersey, he was the neighbor of Mickey Mantle and would request a signed baseball, which he would then pawn to his friends for pocket money. He attended medical school at the University of Cincinnati and met his future wife. After marriage and a residency at Boston City Hospital, he moved to California to teach at UC Davis Medical Center, eventually settling in Santa Rosa and joining Redwood Regional Medical Group. He worked hard to provide for his family but always enjoyed his children’s sports games and recitals, family vacations, traveling with his wife in later years, and reading. He is survived by his wife, Carol; three daughters; two sons-in-laws; two grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; and nieces and nephews.
William S. Latham ’69, of Pueblo, Colo.; July 31, of Parkinson’s disease. He served in the U.S. Army stateside in military intelligence from 1970 to 1976. He then graduated from the University of Los Angeles Law School in 1977 and received his JD. He began his federal civil service career in Los Angeles. He was a labor relations manager at several federal agencies during his career. He retired to Pueblo and did labor relations consulting for Indian Health Service in Oklahoma for several years. He was an avid reader and enjoyed playing golf, bowling, and listening to and singing classical music. He performed at Carnegie Hall in New York with the May Festival and sang with the renowned Cincinnati May Festival Society. He traveled with the May Festival to several European countries and performed at numerous churches. His most memorable trip was seeing Poland just after the wall came down. He and his wife enjoyed RVing for more than 25 years and were members of several RV clubs. They traveled independently throughout the U.S. and Mexico. He also enjoyed training and participating in dog shows across the U.S. He is survived by his wife MaryJane; two aunts; an uncle; and several cousins.
Ronald A. DiPrete ’69, of Cranston, R.I.; June 11. He worked at Baychem Corp. and then at American Hoechst Corp. as an analytical chemist. For a short time, he taught science at Bishop Hendricken High School. In Italy from 1988 to 2007, he was a research chemist. Upon returning to the U.S., he worked in the security department of MGM/Foxwoods until his retirement. He enjoyed writing poetry, drawing, astronomy, music, and history. He is survived by many cousins.
Ann Haigler Rittenbaum ’67, of St. Louis, Mo.; June 25. She earned a PhD in classics at Washington University and taught at both Washington University and Ladue Horton Watkins High School. She had an insatiable curiosity for learning, reading newspapers and books, and quoting Latin, and would always correct incorrect grammar. She also enjoyed walking in Queeny Park with her husband and dog. She is survived by her husband, James; three daughters, including Elizabeth Park ’99; six grandchildren; a sister; and two nieces.
Harris R. Sloane ’66, of Boca Raton, Fla., and East Falmouth, Mass., formerly of Virginia Beach, Va.; July 4. He worked in insurance, was an analyst at Chemical Bank in New York City, and for the past 40+ years worked as an independent real estate professional and business mediator. He served many organizations and held roles with Beth Shalom Village culminating as president. He had active roles with Temple Israel, including serving as vice president; was chair of Super Sunday for the United Jewish Federation; a board member for Friends of the Israel Defense Forces; and a committee member at Woodfield Country Club. He was athletic and enjoyed skiing, tennis, and golf. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; a daughter; a son; a brother; three brothers and sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Glenn H. Shell ’65, of New York City; June 5. He pursued a career in banking in New York at the Irving Trust Company, in Pennsylvania at the Dauphin Deposit, and in New Jersey at Citizens First National Bank, Valley National Bank, and the Provident. Later, he ran Shell Advisors from New York City, while on the board of Woori Bank America, and chairing SCORE Westchester. He is survived by his wife, Joan; a daughter; son Doug ’91; and three grandchildren.
Joel J. Lynn ’65, of Washington, D.C.; July 25. After Brown he joined the U.S. Marines and served in Korea, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. He spent several years as a stockbroker before changing careers and learning clockmaking. He opened his own clock repair business and retired in 2016. He was an avid cyclist and enjoyed fly-fishing, bird watching, and sailing. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn; a niece; and two nephews.
Gregory M. Eramian ’64, ’71 PhD, of London, Ontario; June 3. He taught Russian language, literature, and linguistics, and later comparative literature and culture, at the University of Western Ontario. He served as chair of the department of Russian studies (1977-84) and as undergraduate chair of the department of modern languages and literatures (2000-05). In June of 2004, he received the Edward G. Pleva Award for excellence in teaching. In 2006, he took early retirement from UWO after 37 years of service due to poor health and was granted the title of professor emeritus. He was an avid philatelist and map aficionado. He loved all kinds of music, gardening, baking, the outdoors, and traveling, especially long summer family car trips to national parks and recreation areas in Canada and the U.S. and hiking on trails. At the time of his death, he had just completed the compilation of a comprehensive 80,000-entry (1,400-page) English-Western Armenian dictionary, a project he had dreamed of doing since his teen years. This dictionary is intended as a pedagogical aid to students of Western Armenian. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.
Nancy Otto Low ’62, of Chevy Chase, Md.; July 5, of a heart condition. After college she joined the Diplomatic Corps of the Foreign Service with posts in Buenos Aires and Manila. Upon returning to New York, she joined the staff of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and was an integral part of the founding of the Women’s Political Caucus, where she worked closely with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and others. In 1972, she was appointed the director of public information at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She then became the director of public affairs for the Office for Civil Rights for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Post government service she moved to the private sector and founded Nancy Low + Associates, a marketing and communications firm. She was named Ernst & Young’s entrepreneur of the year and twice named to Maryland’s Top 100 Women before retiring in 2002. She served on numerous boards and with several local, national, and international organizations. She was an active member of the Blue Hill Troupe (NYC) and the Washington Savoyards. She enjoyed being a mosaic artist and creating beauty out of brokenness. She is survived by her husband, David; a daughter and son-in-law; a son; and five grandchildren.
John K. Lane ’62, of Chicago; June 20. After Brown, he earned an MBA from the University of Michigan and for the next 50 years had a successful career in the investment and financial services industry, serving as a senior executive at numerous firms. He retired from William Blair & Company in 2015. His professional achievements were numerous and his leadership and mentorship left an impression on many. A fierce competitor, he enjoyed racing sailboats on Lake Michigan and Powers Lake. He traveled to all 50 states and six continents. He was a trustee and president of the University Club of Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; two sons; two granddaughters; and brother William ’58.
Charles A. Banks ’62, of Gloucester, Va.; June 27. He entered Brown’s NROTC program and at graduation was commissioned an ensign. He served three years active duty and then five years in the reserve. Also while at Brown, he was captain of the lacrosse team his senior year, played football, and joined Delta Tau Delta. He worked for Cameron Brown mortgage company and was transferred to Newport News in 1966. He then worked for the Peebles Supply Company, moving to Washington, D.C.; he moved to Atlanta to set up the regional headquarters for Ferguson PLC; then back to Newport News, where he became president of Ferguson. He held that office for 12 years, during which time he also served as president of Southern Wholesalers Association, and then as the board chair of the National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors. He and his wife lived in England from 2001 to 2006. After returning to Gloucester, he was involved with many state and local charities and organizations, including the College of William & Mary, where he was inducted as an honorary alumnus. He was also given an honorary degree from Christopher Newport University and an honorarium from Oxford University. He was instrumental in the founding of the Ferguson Center for the Arts and was honored by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce as citizen of the year, along with his wife. He is survived by his wife, Mari Ann; a daughter and son-in-law; two sons; a daughter-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
Joseph H. Stagg III ’61, of Dennis, Mass., formerly of Bridgeport, Conn. He worked at Hawley Industrial Supply in Bridgeport, a 120-year-old private industrial supply business run by his grandfather and then his father. He became president and CEO in 1977. He served on many boards, including Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, United Way of Bridgeport, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra, the Unquowa School, National Industrial Distributors Association, Lakeview Cemetery, and Cape Cod Museum of Art. He was a longtime legacy member of Brooklawn Country Club and played golf across the U.S. and Europe, including St. Andrews, and he enjoyed researching and planning extensive international trips. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is survived by his wife, Judy; a daughter; a son; a stepdaughter; and three grandchildren.
Linda Stone Kidd ’61, of Roanoke, Va., formerly of Cleveland, June 4, of bile duct cancer. She was an executive secretary at Alcan Aluminum Corp. in Cleveland until retiring in 1993. She is survived by her husband, Robert; two stepdaughters; a brother and sister-in-law; a niece; and a nephew.
Graham N. Raynolds ’60, of Hadlyme, Conn.; June 7. He enrolled at Brown and completed two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army and serving in the Korean War. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Brown to complete his degree. He earned a private pilot’s license and during the 1960s and 1970s made a living working for various lengths of time along the U.S. Gulf Coast flying helicopters to offshore oil rigs and in Alaska flying seaplanes as a bush pilot. It was during his time in Alaska that he crash landed the plane on a glacier and had to survive a week in his street clothes with only a sleeping bag and expired canned goods he found in a hunting cabin. He returned to Hadlyme and became one of the many who contracted and suffered from Lyme disease. He enjoyed singing, joining the Chorus of Westerly in 1994 and remaining an active participant for the next 19 years. He participated in several performances with the chorus over the years, traveling to England and singing at Westminster Abbey and St. Albans Cathedral. He was honored to learn from the legendary Sir David Willcocks. Later, after working for years on website design and management jobs, he started his own business in the ’80s called Prime Time Satellite TV, installing satellite dishes in backyards. He enjoyed sailing on the Connecticut River, hiking, camping, and walking the trails of the Gillette Castle grounds. He is survived by a niece and a nephew.
William P. Suter ’59, of Canaan, Conn.; July 1. Following a 28-year career working on Wall Street—including being named youngest partner at Jesup and Lamont, number one on Institutional Investor’s All American All Star team multiple times, and working 15 years at Merrill Lynch—he transitioned into a second career as a Broadway producer. He applied his financial skills to raise money while having fun enmeshed within the creative theater community. After he moved to Connecticut, he brought his theater skills to his new community as a founding member of TriState Center for the Arts (TriArts), now known as the Sharon Playhouse. He is survived by three children, including daughter Cynthia Suter ’85; and six grandchildren.
Craig A. Harris ’59, of Portsmouth, R.I.; July 13. After Brown, he attended and graduated from Tufts Medical School. Following a residency at Mountainside Hospital (N.J.), he served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. He returned to Rhode Island and enjoyed a successful internal medicine practice for more than 30 years in Cumberland. In 2011, he retired and moved to Portsmouth. He enjoyed gardening, playing his guitar and harmonica, and spending time on Attean Island in Maine with his family teaching his grandchildren to fish and do bird calls. He is survived by his wife, Judith; a daughter; two sons and daughters-in-law; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Kathleen Quinton Flynn ’59, ’67 MAT, of Smithfield, R.I.; June 18. She was a high school English teacher in the Providence School System for more than 60 years. She enjoyed spending time with her family on Cape Cod, reading, shopping, and traveling all over, especially to Europe. She is survived by her husband, Michael; a daughter; two sons and daughters-in-law; and five grandchildren.
Richard “Dick” Carolan ’58, of Barrington, R.I.; June 1. He enrolled at Brown on an ROTC scholarship and quickly distinguished himself on the gridiron as a starting center and as linebacker as a sophomore. During his time at Brown he was introduced to teammate Paul Choquette ’60’s cousin, Mary Louise Gilbane; they married after his graduation and military commission. He began a career in investment banking at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in Boston and in 1969 he formed his own firm, Carolan & Co., Inc., specializing in underwriting Rhode Island tax-exempt bonds. He worked closely with governors John Chafee, Philip Noel, and J. Joseph Garrahy in developing quasi-state agencies such as Rhode Island Health and Education Building Corporation, Rhode Island Housing & Mortgage Finance Corporation, Rhode Island Student Loan Authority, and several other tax-exempt bond issue entities. He remained in the municipal bond business for more than 50 years and merged his firm with Oppenheimer & Co. in 2003. In his earlier years he coached Barrington youth hockey, football, and baseball and rarely missed any opportunity to watch his family perform or compete. He helped to create both the Brown Football Association and the Brown University Sports Foundation. His other accomplishments included officer positions with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Securities Industry Association, trustee emeritus of Brown’s Corporation, president of the Brown Football Association, and former director of Almacs Supermarket, Lee Engineering, Barrington YMCA, and Gilbane Building Corp. After Mary Lou’s death in 1999, he established an endowment fund in her memory at the Warren Alpert Medical School for scleroderma research. He is survived by five children and their spouses, including Catherine Daniel ’84, Amy Tyree ’95, and Richard Jr. ’90; 18 grandchildren, including Heidi Anderson ’18 and John Anderson III ’11; five great-grandchildren; brother Francis ’68 and his wife; and nephew David Cary Jr. ’87.
Joyce Knowles Williams ’58, of Smithfield,Va.; June 14. After Brown, she earned a nursing degree from Boston University and worked as a hospital pediatric nurse in Washington, D.C. Later she joined the faculty at George Mason University as a professor of nursing. During her tenure at George Mason she worked closely with the international nursing program and traveled to Saudi Arabia to assist in the establishment of a nursing department and train pediatric nurses for a hospital being built. She enjoyed sailing, skiing, painting, reading, and especially sewing. A gifted seamstress, she sewed American Girl outfits for her granddaughters’ dolls and matching outfits for the girls to wear. She was an active member of the Women’s Club and Red Hat Society, for which she knitted hats for newborns in hospital nurseries. She participated in a book club and enjoyed weekly mahjong games. She also enjoyed taking cruises with her husband Rex before his passing. She is survived by two sons and their spouses, five grandchildren, a sister-in-law, a niece, a nephew, and a cousin.
Anne Guerry Pierce ’58, of Brunswick, Me.; June 20. She was a retired teacher. After Brown, she received her master’s of education from Harvard, married, and started a family. She and her family lived in Connecticut, Missouri, and Ontario, Canada, before settling in Brunswick in 1982. She taught sixth grade middle school and retired from teaching at Brunswick Junior High School in 2000. She was involved in her community and enjoyed art and gatherings with her friends of the Pembroke “G-7.” She is survived by her husband Russell ’53; four children and their spouses, including Russell Jr. ’87; and eight grandchildren.
Constance Lango Fedeli ’58, of East Falmouth, Mass., formerly of Warwick, R.I.; July 10. She worked as a nurse before electing to stay home and raise her daughters. She enjoyed spending time at beaches in R.I. and Cape Cod and, later, vacationing with her husband to beaches in Florida and the Caribbean. She is survived by her husband, Michael ’59; two daughters; and two grandsons.
Anne Browne Easton ’58, of Chester, Conn.; May 23. She was an enthusiastic lifelong learner and went on to earn a master of library science from St. John’s University, where she was class valedictorian. She had worked at the Boston Center for the Arts, at Bronxville Public Library (N.Y.) as a children’s librarian, and at Sarah Lawrence College as a music librarian. She had a 24-year library career at Valley Regional High School Library Media Center (Conn.) and was also a class advisor and chaperone for school trips to Paris, Germany, Spain, and Quebec. She shared her love of opera by chaperoning students to performances. While at Brown, she met her future husband. She supported him as he completed his master of divinity and during his ministry she hosted, sang in the choir, and volunteered in many ways behind the scenes. Part of her lifelong learning included choral music studies and performances for decades in New England, New York, and Europe. Locally, she was a founding member of the board of trustees of the Community Music School and a charter member of New Horizons Band, taking up the clarinet at age 75. She was a board member of the Robbie Collomore Concert Series and traveled with the Berkshire Choral Festival for 18 summers. In Connecticut, she sang with Capella Cantorum. She enjoyed gardening and was creative with textile arts, from sewing clothes and costumes to crewel embroidery, weaving, and knitting. She was passionate about volunteering, serving as a Girl Scout leader and member of the League of Women Voters. She was an advocate for Planned Parenthood, immigrant rights, and social justice. She served in soup kitchens and worked with Habitat for Humanity, among other causes. She is survived by her husband, George ’56; three daughters and sons-in-law; and four grandchildren.
Harold E. Canning ’58, of South Yarmouth, Mass.; June 8, after a brief illness. After Brown, he spent three years in the U.S. Army and then worked as a civil servant for the U.S. Department of State for the remainder of his career. He and his family lived overseas and enjoyed traveling before he retired to Cape Cod in 1992. He also enjoyed gardening and participating in the church choir and church and community activities. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter Allison Davies ’87; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and three grandchildren.
Kay Schuster Baird ’58, ’60 MAT, of Charlton, Mass.; June 15. After Brown, she worked in Hawaii at the Korean consulate. There she met her husband, who was in the Navy, and went on to live in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts. She worked as a secretary and volunteered with the Republican National Committee before moving to Massachusetts in 2010. She is survived by her husband, Ron; two daughters and sons-in-law; and four grandchildren.
Rene P. Supino ’57, of Fort Lee, N.J.; July 27. He had a career in insurance, founding Supino Davies & Company, where he served as president and CEO for more than 50 years. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; a daughter; a son; two grandchildren; and two brothers.
Stephen M. Smithwick ’57, of Falmouth, Me.; June 9. After graduation, he started a career in the insurance industry in Boston. In 1987, he and his business partner opened their own practice, Smithwick & Clarke Insurance, in Portland. His sons joined the business and it evolved into Smithwick & Marines Insurance with an office in Falmouth and locations across New England. He owned more than 30 boats over the years, ranging from small sailboats to large power boats. One of his favorite annual trips was to Roque Island (Me.). He was a skilled racer and in 1950, he and his team won the North American Junior Sailing Championship (SEARS cup). Throughout the years he always had dogs by his side. He is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and a cousin.
Lee S. Nemlich ’57, of Weston, Vt., formerly of New York; July 2. He was a long-time Little League coach; involved with the American Field Service (AFS), a high school foreign student exchange program; and a representative of the office furniture industry to the United Jewish Appeal. He retired at 52 and moved to Vermont, where he became active in the Weston Recreation Club and served on the boards of the Stratton Arts Festival, the Stratton Mountain Trailblazer Ski Club, and the Weston Community Association. For 12 years he was a mountain guide at Stratton Mountain. He was a trustee of the Wilder Library in Weston and volunteered at the Weston Theater Company as an usher. He was also a member of the Israel Congregation in Manchester. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; three children and their spouses; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
George B. Ludlow Jr. ’55, of Venice, Fla., formerly of Kent, Conn.; Aug. 22. He began teaching at St. George’s School in 1955 and was hired in 1962 to teach French at Kent School. While on the faculty at Kent, in addition to being dorm master and head of the modern language department, he coached tennis, diving, and figure skating. As a diving coach at Kent, he used the trampoline to help divers improve their techniques, skills he acquired while volunteering as a trampoline instructor for Sailor Circus. There he also met his future wife, a fellow faculty member, and together they became involved in the world of figure skating, having reached the upper ranks of the sport themselves. They were both national judges for U.S. Figure Skating. They were actively involved in the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980 and many other national and international events, and, in 1992, were team leaders for the U.S. Figure Skating team at the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Both judged World Special Olympics skating competitions in France, Alaska, and Japan. George was honored with a plaque and pin for 50 years as a judge of U.S. Figure Skating in May at the association’s annual meeting in Colorado Springs. They retired to Venice in 1994. They were members of the Skating Club of Boston and honorary members of the Tampa Bay Skating Club. Avid travelers, they enjoyed cruising. He is survived by two nieces and a nephew.
Mattis I. Fern ’55, of New York City; July 7. He was a dentist in Manhattan and Roslyn for more than 50 years. He graduated from NYU College of Dentistry, where he was a clinical professor, and lectured at dental societies in New York and in Israel. At Brown he was on the swim team and a member of the Tower Club. He was honored in 1972 as area chair of Nassau and Suffolk County of the National Alumni Schools Program (NASP) for Brown, which became the Brown Alumni Schools Program (BASC). He was an officer of the Brown Club of Long Island for several years and class president for 10 years. In addition, he was an aide to the Grand Marshal for his 50th reunion. He was the recipient of the Volunteer Leadership Excellence Award from the Brown Alumni Association and the Association of Class Leaders. He attended every Brown reunion in person through his 60th in 2015. He enjoyed golf, traveling, and everything Brown, especially football games, presidential inaugurations, reunions, and concerts. His favorite friends were also loyal and devoted Brunonians and he never missed an opportunity to promote the University. Once while on vacation in Hawaii he met Sidney Frank ’42; they discussed the opportunity for Sidney to return to campus and reconnect with Brown. He is survived by his wife, Susan; daughter Jacqueline Fern ’83; son Steven Fern ’86; and four grandchildren, including Benjamin Winston ’19 and Emily Winston ’20.
David S. Decker ’55, of Bethesda, Md.; May 4. He worked at Chubb Insurance until retiring in 1992. He was a mentor in the Big Brother Program and volunteered with the Montgomery County police for more than 10 years. He was a lifelong dog lover. He is survived by three nieces and six nephews.
Joseph Solimine Jr. ’56, of Somers, N.Y.; June 25. He was a retired professor of English. After Brown, he pursued studies in Victorian literature at URI and at the University of Pennsylvania. He taught primarily at Youngstown State University in Ohio and more recently at Monmouth College in New Jersey and the New School in New York City. He is survived by his wife Ann Hayes Solimine ’59; a son; a daughter; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.
Joseph W. Kinter Jr. ’56, of New Baltimore, Mich.; Nov. 11, 2021. He taught junior high school science and math. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, canoeing, gardening, coaching, refereeing wrestling, and timekeeping for the basketball and football games. He was passionate about his family and took multiple trips back home to Pennsylvania as well as fishing excursions in Canada. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; five children: 13 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister; and two brothers.
W. Philip Gerould ’56, of Arlington Heights, Ill.; June 24. During the course of his career, he and his family moved several times while he worked for SRA (Calif.), Crisp Publications (Ill.) and Rand McNally, where he was a salesman in the textbook publishing division. In retirement he worked as a ranger for Palatine Hills Golf Course (Ill.) At Brown he was a member of the baseball and basketball teams and continued to enjoy sports all of his life. He began running as an adult and competed in marathons in his 40s. He also enjoyed music, reading, and solving crossword puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Toni; four children and their spouses; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two sisters.
James W.G. Watson ’54, of West Lake, Ohio; June 5. He was a retired architect. He worked in several firms and became established in Spahn & Associates, then Dyer Watson & Spieth, and subsequently Dyer & Watson in Forest Hills, working on multiple projects for the City of Cleveland, the City of Wooster, Hathaway Brown School, Western Reserve Academy, and the Church of the Covenant. He spent many hours at work and at home on his drafting board, always interested in providing solutions and drawings for house projects for family and friends. He was a longstanding member of the Church of the Covenant, serving in various roles such as deacon, elder, and architectural advisor, and he was the architect for the columbarium within All Saints Chapel that was completed in 2009. He was a Korean War veteran. He traveled extensively with his wife Jane before her passing in 2009. After remarrying, he spent years in West Lake and Sarasota, Fla. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; four children; six grandchildren; seven nieces and nephews; and Barbara’s three children.
M. Boyce Squires Jr. ’54, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; July 15. He started his own outdoor lighting business, M.B. Squires Co., focused on lighting commercial businesses, colleges, and bridges. He also founded Squires Antiques and became well-known among dealers and collectors. In retirement, he devoted himself to antiques by teaching and volunteering to develop and manage large antique shows to benefit multiple causes. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; two daughters; and three grandchildren.
Henry “Tom” Donaldson ’54, of Falmouth, Me.; June 27. He worked for Champlin Oil in Oklahoma City before moving to Washington, D.C., where he met his future wife and began a career in finance. They moved to Falmouth in 1984, and he enjoyed playing golf and tennis, skiing, painting, and sailing. While attending Brown, he was a member of the track and field team and joined the Naval Reserve. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; a daughter and son-in-law; son Douglas ’85 and his wife; three grandchildren; a sister; and a brother.
Burton H. Priest ’53, of Narragansett, R.I., formerly of Providence; June 18. A certified public accountant, in 1963 he founded Priest, Kortick, Demerchant & Brough, which has now merged into DiSanto, Priest, & Company. He was a veteran of the Korean War and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts and of the Rhode Island Society of CPAs, where for several years he served on an ethics committee. He also served on many committees for Temple Emanu-El, and on the board of directors of the former Attleboro Pawtucket Savings Bank. He is survived by a daughter and son and their spouses, three grandchildren, and a brother and sister-in-law.
Sheila Hart Pallies ’53, of Boxborough, Mass.; July 6. She had a passion for grammar and the English language and worked as an editor at Digital Equipment Corporation for many years. She enjoyed summer vacations in Provincetown, the Boston Red Sox, reading, solving Sudoku puzzles, and singing, especially family sing-alongs. She is survived by four children and their spouses, nine grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two sisters.
Elaine Regan Dray ’53, of East Longmeadow, Mass.; Aug. 2. After graduating, she married and started a family. After the youngest of her five children entered first grade, she enrolled at Western New England College of Law, received her JD in 1979, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar that same year. She enjoyed family vacations to Nantucket and playing duplicate bridge. She achieved the distinction of life master with the American Contract Bridge League. She is survived by her husband, Alfred; daughters Diane Dray ’77 and Jane Katzman ’81; two sons, including Deane ’80; two daughters-in-law; son-in-law Richard Katzman ’78; eight grandchildren, including granddaughter Perri Katzman ’14; and many nieces and nephews.
Louise Anthony Brundage ’53, of Midlothian, Va., formerly of Hamden, Conn.; July 18. While living in Hamden, she worked for 30 years in the Hamden Library. Upon her retirement as director in 2001, the library branch at 91 Circular Avenue was renamed the Louise A. Brundage Community Branch Library in her honor. During her tenure, she was instrumental in converting the card catalog to a digital catalog. She was involved with the Girl Scouts for decades in various positions, including being a troop leader, recruiting troop leaders, and running the Girl Scouts shoreline day camp. She also was a member of the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is survived by a daughter, two sons, two daughters-in-law, four grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and two sisters, including Deborah Smith ’67.
Norman C. Bassett ’53, of Phoenix, formerly of Longmeadow, Mass.; July 2. While at Brown, he was a member of the men’s swim team and met his future wife. Upon graduation he served in the U.S. Army, and once discharged began working for Hayden Wayside Furniture (Conn.). He was promoted to store manager and remained there for 28 years. In 1984, they moved to Rockport, Mass., and he became manager of C.F. Tompkins Furniture in Danvers, Mass. In 1990, he opened his own furniture store. He sold the business, but not ready for retirement, he took a position managing Westwood Furniture’s Gallery Showroom in Middleton, Mass. Later, he embarked on a management and promotional sales career with D.M. Reid and Planned Furniture Promotions. He traveled the country working promotional sales until finally retiring in 2019. He was a long-time scoutmaster and enjoyed sailing. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, children, grandchildren, and a great-grandson.
Patricia C. Whitman ’52, of Moorestown, N.J., formerly of St. Louis, Roanoke, Va., and Okinawa, Japan; Aug. 5. She taught nursing courses at Deaconess Hospital before moving to Okinawa for three years. Upon return to the U.S., she settled in Roanoke. Following the death of her husband, she moved to Moorestown. She is survived by a sister and brother.
Edward Munves Jr. ’52, of New York City; July 25, after a brief illness. He had a 70-year career in arts and antiques in New York City. He was chairman of James Robinson, Inc., past president of the National Antique and Art Dealers Association of America, and a Fifth Avenue Association board member. He is survived by daughters Joan Boening ’80, and Elizabeth Sherman ’77 and her husband David Sherman ’79; four grandchildren, including Benjamin Sherman ’06 and Sarah Flaccaunto ’09; and six great-grandchildren.
Charles W. Maslin ’52, of Williamsburg, Va., formerly of Westfield, N.J.; Aug. 9. He had a successful international manufacturing career with General Electric and the Singer Company. His work for General Electric contributed to the Polaris missile program. He was president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and elected to the Brown Key. Commissioned in the U.S. Navy, he served in the Korean War earning the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. He was a member of the National Eagle Scout Association, the Williamsburg Shrine Club of Khedive Temple and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and he served on the Navy League’s Williamsburg/Yorktown Council board of directors. He was a communicant of Bruton Parish Church, where he served two terms on the outreach grants committee. He held an amateur radio license and was a master gardener in New Jersey. He is survived by his wife, Joann Foster Maslin ’52; a daughter and son-in-law; four sons; three daughters-in-law; and six grandchildren.
Paul J. Grimes Jr. ’52, of Jamestown, R.I.; June 4. He was vice president and investment manager of Rhode Island Textile Company. A lifelong sailor, he enjoyed cruises down the intercoastal waterway to Florida and was past commodore of the Conanicut Yacht Club and a member of the New York Yacht Club. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served as part of the allied occupation of Germany after World War II. He enjoyed skiing and playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Katherine; three children and their spouses, including daughter KatherineCunkelman ’80, ’85 ScM, and son Paul III ’86; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a sister; and many nieces and nephews.
Bradford L. Fort ’52, of Ennis, Mont.; July 6. He worked as a supervisor for various manufacturing companies before retiring to Montana and building his own log home. He especially enjoyed all the outdoors had to offer, including fishing and hunting. He was an advocate for conservation of the land and the importance of protecting wildlife habitat. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and he is survived by many nieces and
nephews and cousins.
Mark D. Batchelder ’52, of Hingham, Mass.; June 22. After Brown, he earned a master’s degree from Northeastern University and had a successful career as a civil engineer. He was a basketball coach for his church teams, a member of the Puritan Bridge Club, and an avid Boston sports fan. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Nancy Fergus McIver Watkins ’51, of St. Louis, Mo.; July 24. She met her future husband, Albert G. Watkins ’51, during freshman week at Brown and they married shortly after graduation. While Al spent his career in advertising sales for Time Magazine, she dedicated her life to raising their family and contributing to various causes. She is survived by five children, including sons James ’78 and Thomas ’80, six grandchildren, and
one great-grandchild.
Janet Rutstein Bangser ’49, of Westport, Conn.; June 4. Travel was always an important part of her life and after her children were grown she worked as a travel agent for Minute Man Travel before founding her own agency, Pathfinder’s Travel. She was active in the business well into her 90s and she and her husband traveled to six continents and visited many countries together. She was also active in the Westport community and served as president of the local chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women. She is survived by four children, including Andrew ’76; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law.
Eleanor Nadler Schwartz ’49, of New York City; June 18. She had been a researcher at Time, Life,Fortune, and Reader’s Digest magazines. She traveled extensively and was a volunteer in the library of the American Museum of Natural History. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, a brother and sister-in-law, and four nieces and nephews, including Julie Nadler ’83, David Nadler ’96, and Saul Nadler ’99.
Ruth Kenworthy Bergeron ’49, ’52 ScM, of Schenectady, N.Y.; July 19. While working on her graduate degree, she met her future husband. After graduating, they married and moved to Long Island. In the mid-1960s, she and her family moved to Schenectady and she taught science at a local high school. She was a long-time member of the League of Women Voters, serving as vice president for a time, and she became the first woman to run city-wide as a Democrat for a seat on the city council in the early 1970s. She lost by a very narrow margin but eventually became the deputy city clerk in the City of Schenectady. She then decided to become a paralegal through the Paralegal Institute of Philadelphia, after which she worked at a law firm in Schenectady for a couple of years and then moved to the law department at City Hall, where she worked until her retirement at the age of 70. She was an active resident of Schenectady and served on numerous boards, committees, and organizations. An avid reader, she also enjoyed gardening and travel. She traveled the world and for nearly 30 years she took an annual week-long sailing trip out of Camden, Me., on a variety of windjammers that sailed all over Penobscot Bay. She is survived by her husband, John ’51; three sons; two granddaughters; and a great-granddaughter.
Roger L. Tiffany ’48, of Medina, Ohio; July 15. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served in military intelligence in Ann Arbor, Mich. He later received a master’s of divinity from Episcopal Theological School and was ordained to the priesthood in 1951. He married and raised a family in Port Clinton, Ohio, where he was the rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. He and his wife retired to Medina in 1992. He is survived by three daughters; two grandchildren; a great-grandson; and a brother-in-law.
Robert H. Reilly ’48, of Bonita Springs, Fla., formerly of Bergen County, N.J.; Aug. 21. He was a licensed professional engineer and retired in 1991 as director of engineering at Hoke, Inc. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is survived by two sons, including James ’73; two granddaughters; and three great-granddaughters.
Robert R. Elsner Jr. ’48, of Milwaukee; Aug. 23.
Royce B. Crimmin Jr. ’48, of Bradford, Mass.; July 6. Well-known throughout New England as a champion runner, he attended UNH, Dartmouth, and MIT, and graduated from Brown. He went on to qualify for the Olympic trials. He spent most of his career as an insurance broker at Fairfield & Ellis, which later merged into Corroon & Black. He retired as senior vice president in 1989. He was a lifelong learner, and after losing his vision in later years, enjoyed listening to audiobooks. During retirement, he and his wife traveled the U.S. and overseas and he played golf in England, Scotland, and Ireland. He was a member of numerous societies, including Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society. He is survived by his wife, AnnaMay; two daughters and sons-in-law; two sons; three daughters-in-law; 14 grandchildren, including Matthew Crimmin ’03; 22 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
John D. Hunt ’47, of Worcester, Mass.; July 6. He joined Worcester County National Bank in 1952 and was named president of the bank in 1978. From 1982 through 1987 he was CEO and was named chairman of the bank’s executive committee from 1982 until his retirement in 1990. He was involved in the Worcester business and civic community, having served on countless boards with leadership responsibilities, including the American Red Cross and the Massachusetts Bankers Association. He was chairman of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Worcester Business Development Corporation. He was instrumental in the strategic development of Worcester Biotech Park. He was a trustee at Assumption College and chaired the United Way annual fund drive in 1972. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War and achieved the rank of lieutenant commander. In addition, he was a lifetime member of Worcester Country Club and a long-time member of Oyster Harbors Club on Cape Cod. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, four grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters.
Robert J. Hay ’47, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., formerly of Portsmouth, R.I.; July 1. His studies were interrupted by service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After he was honorably discharged, he returned to Brown and was a member of the men’s hockey team. He overcame two strokes in his 30s and eventually became CEO and chairman of a manufacturing firm he founded. He retired in 1992. He enjoyed playing sports and board games with his children and granddaughters. He is survived by daughter Margaret Hay ’81; sons Robert Jr. ’75 and Michael ’78; two daughters-in-law; and four granddaughters, including Catherine Callas ’15.
Pauline D. Mullins ’46, of Providence; Aug. 3. She continued her education by earning a master’s degree in education from Rhode Island College and taught in the Providence school system. During summers, she hosted a weekly television program sponsored by the Providence School Department. In addition, she taught elementary education at Providence College and Rhode Island College. Aside from teaching, she enjoyed playing competitive contract bridge and through the American Contract Bridge League she earned the designation of Life Master in 1991. She is survived by many cousins.
Henry D. Sharpe Jr. ’45, of Concord, Mass., and Sorrento, Me.; July 1. He joined Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing in 1946 and in 1951, at the age of 27, succeeded his father as president and CEO. He later served as chairman until retiring in 1996. He was fluent in French and was able to speak German and Italian. He developed a passion for writing and authored numerous stories and poems and was known for his “Hankisms.” He and his wife raised their children between homes, adventures, and travels across the U.S. and internationally. He was involved in conservation efforts and created a conservation grant for an easement on Stave Island, Me., to ensure the ecosystem of the larger Frenchman Bay. Having served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he earned two battle stars. He served on several boards, including the United Way, Providence Journal, R.I. Public Radio, and many civic and philanthropic organizations, and he was an emeritus member of Brown’s Corporation. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; daughter Sarah A. Sharpe ’86 MAT; sons Henry III ’77 and Douglas ’79; and five grandchildren, including Eleanor T. Sharpe ’13, Henry W. Sharpe ’17, Austen E. Sharpe ’18, and Lucien W. Sharpe ’24.
Robin Abraham ’45, of San Antonio, Tex.; July 10. After graduating from Brown and serving in the U.S. Navy he was admitted to the Juilliard School, where he studied cello, violin, double bass, and piano. Subsequently he earned a position in the Gershwin Orchestra and toured throughout the U.S. and Canada. In New Orleans, he auditioned successfully for a position in the San Antonio Symphony, which he held from 1954 to 1957. He also played with a piano trio at the St. Anthony Hotel and played violin in the Austin Symphony for several years. He played numerous recitals on cello with his wife collaborating as pianist. After moving to San Antonio, he and his wife taught music in the San Antonio Independent School District and privately at the Highland Park Music Studio. In 1973, they moved to Northside School of Music, where he also sold string-instrument supplies and sheet music and offered instrument repairs. Together they established the Music Foundation of San Antonio, which has provided funds to hundreds of needy students. They both taught well into their 90s and were active members of the San Antonio Music Teachers Association, with Robin serving as president from 1967 to 1969. San Antonio Music Teachers Association and Musical Bridges Around the World honored them for their years of excellence in teaching. Later, Robin founded the R&P Land Company, through which he bought and sold real estate and contracted building construction and maintenance. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and his partner; and several nieces and nephews.
C. Harrison Meyer ’41, of Washington, D.C.; Aug. 7 at 102 years of age. He joined the U.S. Army Air Force immediately after Pearl Harbor, receiving four battle ribbons, and was discharged with the rank of captain. He joined MassMutual Life Insurance Company and was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table from 1950 until his retirement in 1983. He enjoyed good cigars, pipe tobacco, and dark chocolate until the last full day of his life. He is survived by a sister-in-law, a niece and nephew, and many cousins.
Morton E. Gurtin ’61 PhD, of Pittsburgh, Apr. 20, following a long illness. He was world-renowned in the fields of nonlinear continuum mechanics and thermodynamics, lecturing throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and Japan. Though he rarely attended class or studied in college, preferring instead to race cars, play sports, and cavort with his fraternity brothers, his natural facility for mathematics and science allowed him to receive the highest grade on his physics final; however, his professor gave him a failing grade because he never attended class. After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he worked as a structural engineer at Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles and General Electric in Utica, N.Y., where he excelled and wrote his first academic papers. In 1959, he went back to school to nurture his passion for research and received a National Defense Fellow scholarship to attend the PhD program in applied mathematics at Brown. After completing his PhD, he was awarded a research associateship at Brown and quickly became an assistant professor and then a tenured associate professor. In 1966, he joined the mathematics department at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) as a full professor and was later honored with an endowed chair under the title of Alumni Professor of Mathematics. His list of academic honors is extensive, including a Guggenheim fellowship, a senior Fulbright-Hays research fellowship (1974), and an honorary fellowship at the University of Wisconsin’s Mathematics Research Center (1981-1982). He was Ordway Professor (1990) at the University of Minnesota and won Carnegie Mellon’s Richard Moore Education Award (1999), the Agostinelli Prize (2001) from the Academia Nationale dei Lincei, Italy, and the Timoshenko Medal for distinguished contributions in applied mechanics (2004). He also established the Center for Nonlinear Analysis at CMU and was a founding member of the Society of Natural Philosophy. Outside of academia, he was a fierce competitor and poet and had a deep love for sports, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a competitive sailor, racing in Narragansett during his years at Brown. He was also a rock climber, scaling the Cinque Torri in Cortina, and a competitive road racer and track runner, completing the Boston Marathon in under three hours at age 47 and earning fifth place in the 50-55 age group at the Masters Track and Field Championships at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law; a daughter-in-law and son Bill ’82; and three grandchildren, including Grant Gurtin ’13.
Steven C. Batterman ’61 ScM, ’64 PhD, of Voorhees, N.J.; July 9, 2021. He was a professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He consulted in the areas of accident reconstruction, occupant kinematics, vehicle dynamics, and biomechanics. He was elected to the American Academy of Forensic Science in 1976, promoted to member in 1979, and to fellow in 1985. During his service to the academy, he was elected engineering sciences section chairman in 1986 and to the board of directors and executive committee from 1987 to 1996, and served as AAFS president in 1995, receiving the distinguished fellow award in 2001. He was a reviewer for national and international journals and he joined the Journal of Forensic Sciences editorial board in 1987, work that continued until his death. He is survived by a son and grandson.
Sharon R. Curtis ’87 MD, of N. Scituate, R.I.; Apr. 17. She was a family physician for many years. She enjoyed gardening and tinkering around the house. She personally built two of her own homes. She is survived by her mother, a sister, and a brother.
Rebecca Summerhays ’11 PhD, of Wellesley, Mass.; Apr. 28, of ovarian cancer. She dedicated her career as a teacher and professor to helping young people—especially young women—realize their potential and self-worth. From her early days in Mormon feminism to her work with survivors of domestic abuse to her efforts at Wellesley, her advocacy for women’s value and equality was a constant throughout her adulthood. Her life and spirit were filled with adventure. She practiced yoga in India, descended into the Amazon and scaled the Andes in Peru, solo trekked the Camino de Santiago across Spain, walked the Coast to Coast Walk in England, mushed dog sleds in Quebec, and snorkeled the reefs of St. John and Hawaii. She is survived by her partner, Tad; her dad; three siblings; and nieces and nephews.
David J. Ladouceur ’77 PhD, of Granger, Ind.; May 8. He was a professor at the University of Notre Dame for 39 years. During his tenure he served for nine years as the chairman for the department of classics and published multiple works on Greek, Latin, and biblical literature. He had a love of all things historical, which led to a lifelong passion for collecting antiques and fine art. Inspired by his love for art, he became a self-taught painter and sculptor, entering multiple works in regional art shows and winning many awards. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hamaty Ladouceur ’71; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; and three grandchildren.
Chung K. Ng ’77, of Laconia, N.H., formerly of Cardiff, Wales; May 25, of cancer. He was a software engineer and worked for many prominent software companies, including Digital Corp. and RSA Security, until he founded his own consulting firm and retired. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; a daughter and son-in-law; a son; four grandchildren; three sisters and two brothers-in-law.
Jeng-Eng Lin ’76 PhD, of Los Osos, Calif.; May 20, of complications of lymphoma. He was a professor at George Mason University for 33 years. During those years he spent many hours in community service donating his time to strengthen Chinese American and underprivileged communities. Upon retirement, he continued to do research. He is survived by his wife, Shu-Ping; two children and their spouses; and five grandchildren.
George Dvorak ’69 PhD, of Menands, N.Y., Apr. 23. He was the civil engineering department chair at the University of Utah when he was recruited to be the department chair of civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1984, from which he retired in 2008. He had also served as research/visiting professor at UConn and the University of North Texas. He held many leadership roles, including president of the Society of Engineering Science, and he received numerous awards, including the 1992 ASME Nadai Medal for pioneering research in the mechanics of modern materials; the 1994 SES Prager Medal for outstanding contributions to the mechanics of solids; a 1995 election to the National Academy of Engineering; a 1995 Fulbright fellowship from the Technical University of Denmark; a 1997 doctor honoris causa from the Czech Technical University in Prague; the 1999 Brown Engineering Alumni Medal; and the 2002 ASME Daniel C. Drucker Medal for research achievements in plasticity, material fracture and fatigue, and thermo-mechanics of heterogeneous materials. A special issue of the International Journal of Solids and Structures, Vol. 40, No. 25, was published in his honor in 2003. He is survived by a son, a sister and brother-in-law, a niece, and a nephew.
Paul L. Estes ’67 MAT, of Plymouth, N.H.; Apr. 23. After graduating from Bowdoin College he worked for a year at General Electric in N.Y. He then served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1960 to 1964 and met his wife while stationed in Germany. He was discharged and began graduate work at Brown. After Brown, he taught high school mathematics in North Attleboro, Mass. He later matriculated from the University of New Hampshire with a PhD and began teaching at Plymouth State University (PSU) until his retirement in 2006 with the title of emeritus professor. He was active in the medieval forum and published papers and gave presentations on the role of Arabic philosophers in medieval mathematics history, on mathematics education, and on writing across the curriculum. He spent sabbaticals in Munich and Hamburg, Germany, studying comparative methods of mathematics education and advocating for the adoption of both the metric system and more holistic mathematics pedagogies to help reduce math anxiety and increase mathematics literacy among students in the United States. He and his wife, who taught German at PSU, endowed three scholarships at the university for the study of German and mathematics. He was an athlete and hiked all of New England’s four-thousand-footers, several of Colorado’s “fourteeners,” and the John Muir Trail in California. He canoed the Allagash (Maine) and Buffalo (Arkansas) rivers, rafted the Grand Canyon, played on local basketball and hockey teams, ran road races, skied and snowshoed, and excelled in a regional racquetball league. He is survived by his wife, Gisela; a daughter; a son; a grandson, a brother and sister-in-law; three half-sisters; and nieces and nephews.
Carol Weber Brandi ’65 AM, of White Plains, N.Y.; May 10. In addition to raising a family, she worked as a social worker. For many years she was a social worker with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union in New York City. But after several years working as a social worker she decided to become an educator and taught at Hunter College and Columbia University School of Social Work, from which she retired. A gifted pianist from an early age, she continued to play piano and sing throughout her life in choirs and choral groups. She hosted many parties at her house that were full of music. She was a supporter of Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale. In later life, she
and her husband enjoyed traveling extensively in Europe, Alaska, Mexico, and Australia, and especially visiting grandchildren in England and North Queensland. She is survived by her husband, Fred; two children; and four grandchildren.
Gino Mecarini ’64 ScM, of Scarsdale, N.Y.; May 1, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. After Brown, he continued his graduate studies in oceanography at URI. He then joined what is now known as Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey in 1966, eventually purchasing the company. His son assumed the helm and Gino retired in 2014, but not before he had started a geophysical survey company in Italy. He was an avid traveler and enjoyed skiing, biking, and hiking. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; a son and daughter-in-law; and two grandchildren.
Edward G. Stockwell ’60 PhD, of Bowling Green, Ohio; May 16. He started his career as a population analyst for the U.S. Census Bureau (1960-61) and a professor of rural sociology at University of Connecticut (1961-71) before relocating with his family to Bowling Green in 1971. He was employed by Bowling Green State University (BGSU) as a professor of sociology from 1971 to 1997, where he continued to teach, research, and author/coauthor/edit multiple books and papers on population and society, specializing in infant mortality. He retired in 1997. He enjoyed the beach, a good single malt scotch and cryptic crossword puzzles and was a fan of collegiate level athletics. He enjoyed supporting and cheering the BGSU Falcons on to victory and watching the success of UConn women’s basketball over the years. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, two sons, two grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, a step-great-granddaughter, and several nieces and nephews.
John D. Gavenda ’59 PhD, of Austin, Tex.; Nov. 13, 2021. He was a physicist at the University of Texas whose principal research was concentrated on the study of the interaction of conduction electrons with lattice vibrations in metals. He coauthored Magnetoacoustic Polarization Phenomena in Solids, which summarized his work over four decades. In all, he published more than 50 research papers, plus numerous reports and oral presentations. As a UT professor of physics and education, he was a leader in course and curriculum development in physics. Retired in 1999, he was awarded the title of professor emeritus. He was active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Texas Academy of Science, Sigma Xi, and the Texas Association of College Teachers (TACT). He is survived by his wife, Janie; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a granddaughter; a brother; a niece; and a nephew.
David Moldstad ’49 AM, of Wooster, Ohio; Mar. 31. He began his teaching career at the University of Tulsa, Okla., and in 1959 he and his family moved to Wooster, where he had been offered a teaching position at the College of Wooster. He taught English at the College of Wooster for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1996. In retirement, he and his wife traveled the world. He was a committed civil rights proponent and supported many social justice causes throughout his life. A U.S. Air Force World War II veteran, he is survived by his wife, Mary; three daughters; a son; two sons-in-law; and four grandchildren.
Daniel J. Milstein ’16, ’17 ScM, of Somerville, Mass.; Feb. 23. He was president of Intreeg Inc., a brain interface endeavor developing devices controlled by the brain waves of paralyzed people. He previously worked at BrainGate, which is affiliated with Brown and Stanford universities. He published numerous papers and held a patent for dynamic command remapping for human-computer interface. He enjoyed singing and writing humorous songs. He is survived by his parents, a sister and brother-in-law, and two nephews.
Marlene Cutitar ’83, ’86 MD, of Warwick, R.I.; May 23, from cancer. She did her residency and fellowship at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital. Her areas of expertise were in surgical oncology, breast surgery, and general surgery, as well as gastrointestinal surgery. She was a clinical assistant professor of surgery at Warren Alpert Medical School and a member of the clinical faculty advisory committee. She was also a member of the American Medical Women’s Association and the R.I. chapter of the American College of Surgeons. On April 29, 2022, she was named a “Top Doc” in breast surgery by Rhode Island Monthly, an honor she had also received in 2019. She is survived by her husband, Donald Acevedo.
Martha “Marty” Arthur Nathan ’73, of Northampton, Mass.; Nov. 29, 2021, from complications of heart disease and lung cancer. She continued her education after Brown, graduating from Duke Medical School. It was at Duke that she got involved in worker’s rights and social justice issues, volunteering with her late husband Michael Nathan to screen textile workers for brown lung disease. In November 1979, in Greensboro N.C., her husband Michael Nathan and four others were murdered at an anti-Klan demonstration, an event that later became known as the Greensboro Massacre. Throughout her life, she engaged in anti-war activities and fought for social and racial justice, immigrants’ rights, universal health care, and increasingly for environmental justice, which she felt was inextricably linked to all of these concerns. In 1996, she and her husband Elliot Fratkin moved to Northampton. She worked as a family physician, predominantly with Baystate Brightwood Clinic in Springfield, Mass. She worked determinedly to provide medical care to poor communities, including undocumented immigrants. Her fundraisers to benefit “La Cliniquita” became popular yearly events. In 2009, Marty and her close friend Arky Markham founded the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice (MNF) in honor of their two activist husbands George Markham and Michael Nathan. Since its creation, the MNF has given out grants to activist groups in Western Massachusetts. She was a cofounder of Climate Action Now (CAN) in Western Mass. and participated in marches and demonstrations against oil pipelines transporting fracked gas through the state. She also opposed the creation of a biomass plant in Springfield. As a physician, she spoke often at Northampton and Springfield city council and state house meetings, opposing air and water pollution. In addition to her public speaking, she wrote a monthly column for several years in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on climate change issues. She was the recipient of the 2021 Frances Crowe Award for a lifetime of social justice activism and was a member of the American Board of Family Medicine and Physicians for Social Responsibility. She is survived by her husband, Elliot Fratkin; two daughters; a son and daughter in-law; a son-in-law; and two grandchildren.
Nanci Battles Mathison ’75, of Sonoma, Calif.; May 28, from cancer. She moved to Sonoma after graduation and began working in the Sonoma school district. She worked as a special education teacher at Sonoma Valley High School for years before eventually becoming the vice principal. She then obtained a master’s in organizational management and became a district director for the Sonoma Valley School District. She is survived by her husband, Robert; two sons; and four nieces and nephews.
Kathleen M. Cotter ’75, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Feb. 22. She was a librarian in the New York public library system. In addition to books, she enjoyed the theater, music, travel, and baseball, especially the Red Sox and the Mets. She is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, and two brothers.
Paul S. Bunten ’75, ’86 AM, of New York City; Nov. 30, 2021. Following the completion of his MLS in 1993 from Columbia, he served as the curator for Cornell’s Oskar Diethelm library, where he cared for a world-renowned collection in the history of psychiatry. At that time, the collection was temporarily housed at the New York Academy of Medicine, which offered him an opportunity to curate an exhibition entitled “By Reason of Insanity: American Psychiatry and the Trial of Charles Guiteau.” Shortly after leaving the library, he turned his attention to community advocacy. A recipient of a 2009 Westy Award, he strongly believed in the value of public participation in community planning. To further encourage and facilitate that work he founded Westsiders for Public Participation, Inc. He was also passionate about cooking and baking. He is survived by his spouse Gerard Corrigan.
Jeffrey “Oz” M. Suerth ’71, of Petaluma, Calif.; May 5. He was a journalist at the Newaygo County Sun then moved into public relations at both Gerber and the Guardsmen. He enjoyed golfing, sailing, reading, and relaxing. He is survived by two children, two granddaughters, three stepdaughters, two sisters, a brother-in-law, seven nieces and nephews, and his former wife, Pat Suerth.
Milton “Con” Schmidt Jr. ’71, of Medfield, Mass.; May 10. At Brown he was a star hockey player. After Brown, he continued playing in the semi-professional league for two years with the Dayton Gems in Ohio and one year with the Oklahoma City Blazers in Oklahoma. Following his playing days, he went on to coach hockey for two years as the assistant coach at West Point in New York, two years at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and one year at Princeton University in New Jersey. After marrying and settling in Medfield in 1979, he became the assistant athletic director at Babson College for two years. He later was an independent sales representative for O’Brien and Johnson in Braintree, Mass. (representing Balfour), and then spent the next 35 years in the yearbook industry representing Taylor Publishing Company of Dallas, covering Massachusetts until his retirement in 2017. He is survived by his wife, Marguerite, two daughters; a sister and brother-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.
Diane Lafazanis Dulude McKenzie ’69, ’70 MAT, of North Bend, Wash.; Mar. 4, of multiple myeloma. After receiving her master’s degree from Brown, she joined the U.S. Air Force. She retired in 1998 as a lieutenant colonel. Ever strong in her faith, she read the Bible from cover to cover almost on an annual basis. She is survived by her husband, Rick.
Charles J. Ritter ’72, of Port Charlotte, Fla., formerly of Jamestown, R.I.; May 12, of complications following open heart surgery. He worked as a customer support engineer at Marc Analysis Research Corp. in Providence. He left MARC in 1977 and founded Jordan, Apostal, Ritter Associates (JAR) in North Kingstown, a high technology research development and design support firm specializing in providing expertise in advanced computer methods for structural and interdisciplinary engineering analysis. JAR had undertaken many notable projects that Charles contributed to, including collaboration with Morton Thiokol in the redesign of NASA’s Space Shuttle solid rocket booster after the Challenger accident and structural analysis of the Hubble Space Telescope for PerkinElmer Corp. In addition, he was JAR’s sole investigator for other notable projects including ABIOMED’s artificial heart flexible diaphragm simulation and finite element analysis of the rotary joints that orient and rotate the antennas on the James Webb Space Telescope. For the last two decades his focus was on the structural and thermal finite element analysis of complex lithium-ion battery designs and the structural analysis of autonomous and unmanned underwater vehicles. In his younger days he was athletic and enjoyed skiing and bicycling, including 50-mile bicycle rides with the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen. He owned two Italian racing bicycles and also had a weakness for Porsche vehicles. He enjoyed sailing with his son and participating in races around Conanicut Island. He was an avid collector of antique oriental textiles. Because he often traveled to Japan for work in the 1980s, he and his family built a pole house, like those they’d seen in Japan, from a kit. The house, in Jamestown, R.I., where they lived for 29 years, was cited in Historic and Architectural Resources in Jamestown, Rhode Island, a publication of the Rhode Island Historic Preservation & Heritage Commission. It was also featured in a 2016 article published in the Providence Journal. His demanding professional life and frequent business trips did not leave much time for community activities but he did serve for several years on the board of the East Passage Neighborhood Association, and he was part of a team of volunteers who built a community playground for Jamestown children. He regularly donated money to support the Jamestown Philomenian Library and the Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and served a term as president of ASME’s Providence chapter. He is survived by his wife, Teresa; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; a granddaughter; a sister; two brothers; and extended family.
Paul Rosenberg ’72, of Shelburne, Vt., formerly of Cincinnati; July 10, 2020, of cancer. After Brown, he earned a law degree from the University of Cincinnati and began a career as counsel to academic medical centers. He led legal departments and mentored colleagues at research hospitals, including the University of Rochester, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and the University of Florida. His final professional engagement was as counsel to ValueOptions in Norfolk, Va. He retired to Vermont in 2013 and became active in Everybody Wins! Vermont, a program that pairs adult reading mentors with students throughout the state. He is survived by his wife, Megs; two daughters; a brother and sister-in-law; and six nieces and nephews.
Mark W. Detora ’68, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; Apr. 7, from a sudden cardiac event. During his time at Brown, he excelled at both academics and soccer. He was inducted into the Brown Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of the 1967 soccer team and again as an individual. The Brown Athletic site states that as a prolific striker, he ranks seventh on Brown’s all-time career scoring list with 26 goals and 19 assists for 73 points. His 26 goals ranks him eighth all-time on the goal-scoring list and his 19 assists places him seventh in the all-time assist table. Mark relished the Brown-Harvard rivalry when he played against his brother. His love of the game would lead him to play for various men’s leagues after college, coach his children in soccer, and encourage his grandchildren to play. He was also an enthusiastic Yankees fan who could be seen dancing his own special dance to the opening theme song during each game. He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and served in the Vietnam War. He had a 25-year career in the insurance industry, including 15 years at Sun Life Financial, from which he retired in 2007 as the senior vice president of individual insurance and investments. In retirement he enjoyed playing golf, attending sporting events, swimming, reading, and learning to cook and to speak Italian. He is survived by four children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, a sister, and several
nieces and nephews.
Steven A. Behrens ’68, of Winter Garden, Fla., formerly of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts; Apr. 11. He spent time working at Polaroid Corporation and Digital Equipment Corporation. While working at Digital Equipment, he moved to Germany for two years before returning to the United States and settling in Florida. He enjoyed traveling and sampling the local cuisine. He also enjoyed sports and throughout his life he played football, rugby, ran track, raced boats, and participated in triathlons into his 70s. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; a daughter; a son; three grandchildren; and a brother.
Joyce Widland Weinberg ’67, of Asheville, N.C., formerly of Northfield, Ill.; June 7. She was a certified public accountant and volunteered with several organizations in the education, arts, and gardening communities. After moving to Asheville in 2003, she was an active volunteer with the Buncombe County Master Gardeners and the North Carolina Arboretum. Together with her husband, they enjoyed traveling the world and sharing numerous adventures. She is survived by her husband, Bob; a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; and brother James Widland ’74.
Peter M. Taft ’67, of La Mesa, Calif.; Apr. 16, of pancreatic cancer. After completion of his internship at UC San Diego University Hospital, he served two years as a general medical officer at the Naval Communication Station in Sidi Yahia, Morocco. Upon returning to San Diego, he completed his surgical residency then joined the department of surgery at Kaiser Permanente. He had a nearly 30-year general and vascular surgical practice in addition to serving three terms as chief of the department. He was instrumental in the establishment of a vascular lab at Kaiser, and he worked with various committee members to create and implement HealthConnect, Kaiser’s electronic medical record. He was also a member of Kaiser’s ethics committee. He enjoyed traveling, music, sports, and art, especially photography and taking photo workshops throughout the country. He is survived by his wife, Thayer, two sons, two granddaughters, and two brothers.
Pamela Badger Rockwell ’65, of Newburyport, Mass.; Feb. 2. She was a self-employed editor and owner of Rockwell Production Services of Newburyport. She is survived by two sisters and brothers-in-law, a brother and sister-in-law, and several nieces and nephews.
Daniel R. McWethy ’65, of Harrisville, N.H.; Apr. 1. He owned and operated National Car Rental locations in Brattleboro, Vt., and Keene, N.H., for many years with his brother. He enjoyed traveling and visited 50 countries. Later in life he lived on the road in his RV traveling coast to coast. He is survived by a son, four grandchildren, two stepchildren, three sisters, two brothers.
Rebecca H. Knox ’65, of Chelsea, Mass.; Apr. 29, after a long illness. She was an occupational therapist and an avid writer of stories and poetry. Additionally, she was a Nichiren Buddhist who practiced for more than 45 years with the Soka Gakkai. She is survived by a sister, two brothers, and nieces and nephews.
John A. Kern ’65, of Burlington, Vt.; May 8, from complications of an abdominal fistula. After Brown, he earned an MBA at Columbia and studied writing at the New School, where he met his wife. In 1989, he and his family moved to Charlotte, Vt. He was a master at managing finances, an avid sailor, and a gifted musician and playwright. His plays, which were short and funny, were produced in Boston, Cape Cod, New Hampshire, and Vermont. For many years he volunteered as a hospice visitor. He cared deeply about protecting this country’s cherished democracy and enjoyed discussing politics and writing letters to the editor. He is survived by his wife, Valerie; a daughter; a daughter-in-law; two grandsons; two brothers; a sister-in-law; and a cousin.
Carson L. Fifer Jr. ’65, of Alexandria, Va.; Apr. 21. He was a retired partner of McGuire Woods, formerly Boothe, Pritchard & Dudley. In addition to Brown, he graduated from Virginia Law School and received an MBA from George Washington University. He was a guitar and banjo player and enjoyed playing in bands throughout his life. He also enjoyed playing tennis and golf, fishing, and boating.
Lawrence D. Ackman ’60, of New York City; May 31. He joined his father’s finance brokerage firm Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group in the 1960s, then became president of the company in 1968 and CEO in 1977. In 1995, Simon Ziff became president of the firm and Lawrence moved to work on real estate deals with his son at Pershing Square Capital. During his tenure at Ackman-Ziff he helped develop the mortgage brokerage industry: the business of helping developers borrow money to finance real estate projects. He was instrumental in putting together the land and financing for deals struck by some of New York’s leading developers. Among his many clients were the Friedland family, with its Friedland Properties development firm, which he represented on most of its acquisitions that reshaped Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side. He also helped arrange a $100 million construction loan for developer Harry Helmsley to build One Penn Plaza, a 57-floor skyscraper on Seventh Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets. At the time, the loan was one of the largest ever made. In the 1990s, he helped developer Irwin Cohen finance the acquisition of an old Nabisco factory complex on Ninth Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, which was turned into Chelsea Market, a food hall and retail complex that helped revitalize the neighborhood. He was on the board of the New York Philharmonic, for which his firm helped arrange, pro bono, the financing for the $550 million renovation of the music hall at Lincoln Center now called David Geffen Hall. He also funded the purchase of the hall’s new digital organ. He enjoyed traveling with his wife to more than 70 countries and singing while his wife played piano. He is survived by his wife, Ronnie; a daughter; a son; son-in-law Max Rosen ’81; and seven grandchildren, including Samuel Rosen ’14.
Peter L.V. Spencer ’60, of Wakefield, R.I; Apr. 7, after a long illness. For 31 years he served as rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wickford. Previously he served as curate at St. Paul’s in Pawtucket after completing his studies at General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1965. He strove to build a “community not dependent on clergy,” allowing him more time to focus on pastoral care and support a range of local ministries dedicated to helping people in need in the community. While at Brown, he joined the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps and served two years active duty before entering General Theological Seminary. In retirement, he served on the board of trustees of St. Elizabeth Community and assisted various parishes in the diocese. He enjoyed gardening, nature, and trips to New York City and Italy. He is survived by his wife, Eugenia Bruno Spencer ’60; two daughters; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; four grandchildren; and a sister.
Robert A. Courtemanche ’60, of Hagerstown, Md.; May 7. After graduating from Brown, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps. He had a 21-year career with the Marines serving in Vietnam and on various bases across the U.S. To maintain his fitness during his service he ran marathons and played baseball and golf. He retired as a lieutenant colonel. While still in the Marine Corps, he continued his education and earned a master’s degree from the University of Maryland. After his retirement from the Marine Corps, he worked in human services as a director of the Prince Georges County Mental Health Association and an executive member of Volunteers of America, where he served as commissioner minister. He volunteered at a variety of organizations and made donations to local, national, and international organizations supporting health and wellness. He enjoyed gardening, cooking, and woodworking and was an avid football and baseball fan. He is survived by his wife, Anne; four children and their spouses; eight grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Lloyd G. Sharples ’64, of North Stonington, Conn.; Sept. 29, 2021. He enjoyed antiquing and was a beloved patron of many local restaurants. He is survived by his wife, Elinor; three children; and five grandchildren.
Robert D. Maslanka ’63, of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., formerly of Williamsville, N.Y.; May 23. He taught science at Williamsville South High School and was the faculty sponsor of the chess and science clubs. He enjoyed volunteering and donating to charities. He is survived by his companion Andrea Ehmann; two daughters and sons-in-law; and five grandchildren.
Jeffrey S. Johnston ’63, of Cotuit, Mass.; May 9, after a brief illness. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1968 and earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. His professional life was spent in airline catering services with Marriott Inflight Services, Gate Gourmet, and LSG Sky Chefs. He enjoyed sailing in Nantucket Sound and skiing every winter with the Cape Cod Ski Club. He is survived by his wife, Martha; two children; and
four grandchildren.
Alan S. Geller ’63, of Scottsdale, Ariz., Dartmouth and West Newbury, Mass.; Apr. 2, after a long illness. He graduated from Hahnemann University School of Medicine and completed a residency in ophthalmology at Boston University. He served in the U.S. Public Health Service during the Vietnam War. Later, he cofounded Eye Health Vision Centers in Dartmouth, which operated for many years before he retired. He was a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American College of Surgeons. He was a lifelong New England sports fan, animal lover, and devotee of spicy food. He enjoyed traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. The mountains and deserts inspired him and encouraged outdoor explorations. He is survived by his wife, Rosalyn; daughter Michele C. Geller ’92 and her husband; a son and daughter-in-law; five grandchildren; a sister; a sister-in-law; two brothers-in-law; a niece and a nephew.
Winslow “Win” Tweed ’62, of Schnecksville, Pa.; Apr. 8, after a lengthy illness. He taught sociology and social psychology at Penn State’s Allentown campus in the 1970s and early 1980s. In his spare time he enjoyed bird watching, following the Boston Red Sox and visiting major and minor league baseball stadiums, watching classic films, and growing butternut squash. An active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley for 36 years, he served on the board of trustees and was chair of the social action committee. He is survived by his wife, Marie; two daughters; a son-in-law; two grandsons; a sister; and several nieces and nephews.
Walter O. Dow ’62, of Green Valley, Ariz.; Feb. 7, of kidney cancer and after a brief illness. He was in the NROTC program and after graduation he completed Naval aviator training and was assigned to Florida, followed by Vietnam combat carrier deployment in 1966, then transferred to NAS Lemoore, Calif., in 1968 as an instructor pilot. After his military service, he started a nearly 40-year career with Continental Can Co. in the Chicago area and its successors, surviving mergers and takeovers until retiring in 2002. He and his wife then enjoyed the snowbird life between Green Valley winters and summers in Winter, Wisc. They enjoyed social life in Green Valley with choral and other groups and summer solitude in Wisconsin. He was a member of Kappa Sigma and is survived by his wife, Jackie; a daughter; a son; four grandchildren; and a sister.
Daniel H. Warner ’61, of Indianapolis; May 8. He had an engineering career that included positions at Grumman Aircraft Corp., Travelers Insurance Co., Ball Corp., and Eli Lilly and Company. He served in the National Army Guard for six years. He volunteered as a small business consultant and enjoyed tutoring, gardening, and being an amateur photographer. He was a member of the National and the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers and Pi Tau Sigma. He is survived by his wife, Laura.
Joseph J. Kelly Jr. ’61, of Wall Township, N.J.; May 27. He worked as the vice president of ShopRite’s bakery and frozen food divisions, retiring as the logistics manager for general merchandise from Wakefern Food Corporation after 39 years of service. In 1990, he received the ShopRite Fellowship Man of the Year Award. He spent many years organizing the food tent for the Special Olympics of New Jersey. While at Brown, he lettered in basketball and baseball and later enjoyed coaching his children’s baseball and softball Little League teams. He also enjoyed watching college football. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; six children and their spouses; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two brothers and sisters-in-law.
Susan Haydock Lang ’59, of Northport Highlands, Mich., formerly of Kalamazoo, Mich.; May 19, as a result of having had dementia and contracting COVID. After Susan’s graduation, she and her husband, whom she met at Brown, moved to Lexington, Va., where she taught multiple grades in a one-room rural school for three years. When her husband graduated from law school in 1962, they moved to Kalamazoo and started their family. She had been adopted and took the time to research her biological family and, as a result, was able to welcome many new family members on both her biological father’s and biological mother’s sides. She was creative with fiber arts and painting. She liked to weave, quilt, create wall hangings, make dolls, knit, and sew. She donated handmade quilts to local police departments, who then distributed them to children in need of some extra love. She was an active member of the Weaver’s Guild of Kalamazoo, serving as both their treasurer and president during her tenure. She volunteered regularly at the Kalamazoo Art Center and graded papers for teachers as a part-time job. In 1987, she moved to Northport, where she enjoyed gardening—both flowers and vegetables. She is survived by her husband Richard ’58; three children and their spouses; and six grandchildren.
Stephen A. Cohen ’59, of New York City; Apr. 28. He was a lifelong attorney, practicing uninterrupted from 1962 until his retirement in 2012, first as a partner at Friedlander, Gaines, Cohen, Rosenthal & Rosenberg, and then at Morrison Cohen. He had a strong Jewish identity and spent many years as the general counsel of the Anne Frank Center USA, as he was committed to educating young adults about what happens when hatred and prejudice are allowed to flourish. After his 1981 purchase of a house in Vermont, he learned to ski in his 40s and enjoyed family times together there. He is survived by three sons, including Peter ’90 and his partner; two daughters-in-law; five grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.
Robert K. Margeson ’58, of Columbus, N.C.; Aug. 27. He served in the United States Navy and was a volunteer in the United States Air Force Ground Observer Corps. He was an avid ham radio enthusiast and a member of the local ham radio club. He is survived by his wife, Robin, and two daughters.
William H. Herrman ’58, of New York City; May 2. He was a professional investor for more than 60 years and had only recently retired from Cannell & Co. A lifelong New Yorker, he enjoyed summers at the Jersey Shore and the time he spent at the Ocean Beach Club. He gave his time and support to many institutions, including the Collegiate School, the Church of the Heavenly Rest, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, General Theological Seminary, and Episcopal charities. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law; his son William II ’89 and his wife; four grandchildren; and a sister.
Robert A. Feldman ’58, of Portland, Ore., formerly of Scarsdale, N.Y.; May 22. He attended Yale Law School after Brown and upon graduation, he worked as an enforcement attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission. After a brief time, he joined his father in the book publishing business and in 1970 he founded Parasol Press, a publisher of fine art limited edition prints and photographs. Parasol published the works of renowned writers and photographers. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he volunteered as a youth soccer coach. He eventually moved to Portland, where a 40-year idea came to fruition when he published Concinnitas. It is a collection of ten aquatints produced from the contributions of ten mathematicians and physicists in response to the prompt to transcribe their most beautiful mathematical expression. It was in collaboration with Dartmouth College professor Dan Rockmore. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Julia; four children, including daughter Andrea Feldman Falcione ’87 and son Stephen ’89; and five grandchildren.
Stephen D. Barkin ’58, of New York City; Apr. 23. He was active in New York real estate and served as president of the National Realty Club. He was a board member of Temple Israel, Lenox School, and the Glaucoma Foundation. He was an amateur photographer and enjoyed classical music. He is survived by his wife, Madeline; daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; and six grandchildren.
Judith Wilcox Martin ’57, of Swanzey, N.H.; May 15. She married and raised a family while working at her father’s car dealership in New Britain, Conn. After relocating to New Hampshire, she worked for many years at Peerless Insurance Company. She sang in church choirs in both Connecticut and New Hampshire. She enjoyed gardening, traveling, genealogical research, and reading. She is survived by her husband, Richard; two daughters; a son; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
John L. Marshall III ’57, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Pawtucket, R.I.; Apr. 11. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he learned the construction business working at J.L. Marshall & Sons. In 1963, he and his wife founded Marshall Contractors, Inc. (MCI), and became a leading builder of microelectronics fabrication plants and biotechnology labs. They sold the business in 1996 to Fluor Daniel. He served on the board of trustees at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket. He was involved with Meeting Street School and the R.I. Philharmonic before relocating to Florida. He enjoyed playing golf, fishing, and watching sports. He is survived by two children, five grandchildren, and a sister.
William D. King ’57, of Hingham, Mass.; Apr. 27. He left Brown to join the Army. After his military service, he worked in the investment business and retired from Smith Barney. He played hockey until he was 65 years old and enjoyed skiing and playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Cindy; four children and their spouses; nine grandchildren; and a brother and sister-in-law.
Richard Andersen ’57, of Washington Grove, Md.; Feb. 20. After Brown, he served in the U.S. Navy for five years as a commissioned officer, spending two years at sea aboard a destroyer escort and three years in communications intelligence with the Naval Security Group. Building upon experience and knowledge gained while with the Naval Security Group, he worked in technical and management positions at IBM, Honeywell, and General Electric. He later entered into federal government work and served with the Air Force and the U.S. Customs Service in an information technology management post until his retirement in 2009. He is survived by three daughters and their spouses, two stepsons and their spouses, 11 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a niece and
nephew James H. Herzog Jr. ’74.
Eugene “Nick” Tower ’56, of South Weymouth, Mass.; May 25. He was employed as a project manager in the information technology industry and had worked with the Honeywell company in Billerica for many years. He served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant during the late 1950s and he enjoyed military history, stamp collecting, painting, and bird-watching. He is survived by two sons; a daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Paul H. McKay ’56, of Simsbury, Conn.; Apr. 10. He had a career in investment banking for more than 40 years, moving from Greenwich to Hartford and surviving many bank mergers along the way. He enjoyed reading and was a fan of the Dodgers, New York Giants, and UConn basketball teams. He was involved in town organizations, including serving as president of the ABC House, treasurer of the Simsbury Rotary, and treasurer of the Powder Forest Homes. He enjoyed gardening, classical music, playing bridge, tennis and spending as much time as he could with his family. He is survived by his wife, Linda; three sons; a daughter-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Clifford “Kip” J. Luther ’56, of East Windsor, N.J., formerly of Plainsboro, N.J.; Feb. 14, after a short illness. He was civic minded and was a member of the Plainsboro Planning Board and served as chairman of the board for 11 years. He was also the chairman of the Plainsboro Republican Club for many years. A lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Plainsboro, he served as Elder for six years. He was an avid outdoorsman and took pride in training his hunting dogs. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Richard E. Harris ’56, of Trumbull, Conn.; Apr. 26. He was a teacher for 37 years, a musician, and a photographer. In 1958, he got married and was conscripted into the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Würzburg, Germany, where he served for two years. Among other roles, he served as director of the education center, where he helped service members complete their high school degrees. He also sang in the glee club and entertained his compatriots. Upon discharge from the Army, he resumed his teaching career in Old Saybrook, Conn. For a decade following, he taught math at Roslyn Junior High School on Long Island while earning a master’s degree and developing side careers in entertainment, portrait art, and photography. In the early 1970s, he ran and entertained at the Olde Inn (once the Southward Inn) on Cape Cod. Following this venture and returning to Connecticut, he was a math teacher for 20 years at Branford High School. He was a gifted musician and would visit nursing homes to sing. He is survived by four daughters and their spouses, including daughters Susan Harris ’82 and E. Harris Sagaser ’83; son-in-law John Sagaser ’83; and seven grandchildren.
Doris Cordts Brunschwig-Peake ’56, of Essex, Conn.; Jan. 20. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Old Saybrook (Conn.) school system for many years and was a store clerk at Silk Worm, a women’s clothing boutique in Essex. She was known for her laughter and generous spirit, good friends, and strong family ties. She is survived by three children and their spouses and five grandchildren.
Frank Mangione ’55, of Barrington, Ill., formerly of Duxbury, Mass.; Mar. 23, after a period of declining health. He had a career as a pension and benefit plan consultant working for John Hancock, William Mercer, and Marsh McLennan before retiring in 1998. He volunteered and served on numerous committees in Duxbury for more than 25 years, including the Duxbury Fiscal Advisory Committee, the Duxbury Insurance Advisory Committee, the Land Acquisition Task Force and the Public Building Feasibility Study. He volunteered as a docent for Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. In recognition of his advocacy and years of dedicated service to Duxbury, he received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his community service in 2019. He is survived by two sons, a daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Richard S. DeCamp ’55, of Lexington, Ky.; May 30. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957. After his service, he worked for Central Trust Company in Cincinnati from 1957 to 1960 and then went on to work in sales and as the sales manager for WKYT-TV in Lexington. He was the executive director for the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation from 1969 to 1973 and for the Lexington-Fayette County Historic Preservation Commission from 1974 to 1988. He continued his work as the director and preservation officer from 1988 to 1991 for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Office of Historic Preservation; preservation advisor to the renovation of Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, from 1991 to 1992; and administrative assistant working on special preservation and housing-related projects for Community Development from 1993 to 1994. He retired from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government on July 1, 1994, then served on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council representing the 3rd District from 1997 to 2009. He also served as a board member for the Lexington Public Library, Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kentucky Humanities Council, Bluegrass Airport, LexArts, Downtown Lexington Corporation, the Town & Gown Commission, and the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation, where he served as president from 2009 to 2011 and then remained an emeritus member. He was a supporter of historic preservation in Lexington and served on the boards of the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Kentucky Heritage Council, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Victorian Society in America. He was a board member emeritus for Preservation Kentucky, the executive director emeritus for the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, and the past president of the Commonwealth Preservation Council. He published an article entitled “Historic Preservation—Gratz Park, Lexington, KY” in Antiques Magazine in 1974 and was the author of The Bluegrass of Kentucky: A Glimpse of the Charm of Central Kentucky Architecture, published in 1986. Photographs for the book were done by his wife, Patricia. He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and a sister.
Richard E. Woodsum ’54, of Winterport, Me.; Apr. 30. He began teaching in Duxbury, Mass., before continuing his education at the University of Maine at Orono to obtain a master’s in counseling and guidance. He then went on to work for the Bangor School system as a guidance counselor at Garland Street Junior High School. He enjoyed singing, which began when he joined the Brown Chorus. He also enjoyed mountain climbing and restoring old homes, camping, and antiquing. He is survived by his wife, Molly; three daughters; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and three siblings.
Robert P. Watelet ’54, of West Hatfield, Mass.; Apr. 13, after a brief illness. After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, he worked in various space agency programs. He worked with Rocketdyne during the height of the space-race era developing rocket propulsion systems of various types before returning to the East Coast to continue with the Apollo program developing heat shield technology for re-entry. He later worked as an engineer for Kontro, Inc. (Mass.) before retiring. He was an auto racing enthusiast. After having raced a variety of sports cars with the SCCA, he built his own race car and competed successfully in both California and various tracks in New England. In retirement, he worked at the Yankee Candle Car Museum and worked as an orientation specialist at Northampton Senior Fitness Center. He was an active member of College Church for more than 36 years, where he served as an elder and hosted weekly Bible studies in his home. He also enjoyed skiing, playing tennis, and piloting smaller recreational aircraft. He is survived by his wife, Carol; three children; four grandchildren; two stepdaughters and their families of seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Phyllis Clarke Perrin ’54, of New London, Conn.; Apr. 3. After college, she lived in New York, where she served on the junior council of the Museum of Modern Art. In 1956, she moved to Furth, Germany, started a family, and volunteered at the German-American thrift store, the Base Community Center children’s program, and the Little Theater Group. She and her family moved back to New York City and in 1969 moved to Connecticut. In 1979, wanting to be closer to the water, she moved to New London, where she served as president of the New London County Historical Society and volunteered for the Trolley Station, Shain Library, and Connecticut College Book Sale. She taught embroidery and, through rigorous examinations, became a canvas embroidery master craftsman. According to her family, she subsequently designed and embroidered a Christmas stocking for the Blue Room which is now part of the White House Collection of American Crafts. She was also an avid quilter, and her large quilts are of her own design. She received certification as a Library Technical Assistant from Mohegan Community College (now Three Rivers College). She enjoyed literature and belonged to book clubs in New London and St. Simons Island, Ga., where she wintered for 35 years. She was also affiliated with the local Religious Society of Friends. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, two grandsons, a sister, and a niece.
Joanne Garberg Bolton ’54, of Johnston, R.I.; Apr. 27. She was a retired phlebotomist with East Side Laboratory. A bingo fanatic, she enjoyed playing anywhere she could. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-laws and a grandson.
Robert C. Arruda ’54, ’58 MAT, of Bristol, R.I.; Apr. 14. He earned advanced degrees from Georgetown University and University of Coimbra (Portugal), and a doctorate of modern languages from Middlebury College in 1977. He was a professor of modern languages in French, Portuguese, and Spanish at State University of Bridgewater (Mass.) for 37 years, retiring in 1997. Following his retirement he taught classes at several local and international colleges and universities. Well-versed in French, Portuguese, and Spanish, he spent many years working and studying in Europe, bringing his experiences back to southern New England. Much of his career was spent teaching languages at Rhode Island universities, including Brown, Providence College, Rhode Island College, and Salve Regina. One of the original founding members of the Bristol Art Museum, he also served several local organizations, including the Coimbra Club, Alliance Française of Providence, and Mosaico Community Development Corp., and he was a 20-year trustee of the Rogers Free Library. He was an active communicant of St. Mary’s Church and served as a eucharistic minister, lector, and on the St. Vincent de Paul Society committee, and he enjoyed giving guided tours of the stained glass windows and the stations of the cross of St. Mary’s. Later in life, his favorite activities included traveling the world with his wife, weekly breakfasts with his “Romeo” group, and working in his garden. He is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter; a son and daughter-in-law; four grandchildren; a sister; and several nieces and nephews.
Esther Doolittle Ames ’54, of North Easton, Mass.; Apr. 21, after a long illness. She worked for Harvard University and also spent several years organizing and leading youth travel programs in Europe. She was a former director/trustee of Historic New England, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and Furnace Village Cemetery Corporation. She volunteered with the Park School, the Fragment Society and many other organizations, and was a member of the Chilton Club in Boston and the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. She enjoyed traveling, hosting, and cooking. She is survived by four children, including daughter Minnie Ames ’93, and eight grandchildren.
John J. Schlenk Jr. ’53, of Altamonte Springs, Fla.; Mar. 11. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 in Germany. In 1964, he married his wife in Barbados and they settled in Florida. He worked in the travel industry and started Caribbean Cruises in Central Florida. In addition to enjoying traveling, he also enjoyed classical music and the opera, astronomy, and science. He is survived by two daughters, two grandchildren, and a sister.
James M. Vreeland ’53, of San Jose, Calif.; Dec. 21, 2021. A 28-year Navy veteran, he graduated from Brown and started naval flight training as a NAVCAD in 1953. An exceptional pilot, he served multiple tours as a flight instructor and standardization pilot. His operational tours included fleet tours in F2P Photo Banshee and RF-8 Crusader detachments onboard multiple aircraft carriers in both the Mediterranean and Pacific. With close to 5000 pilot hours behind him, he spent the second half of his Navy career as an aircraft investigator with the Navy Safety Center leading investigations of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft mishaps. After retiring from active duty, he returned to his aviation roots as a civilian simulator instructor training naval flight students. He enjoyed traveling the world. He is survived by his partner Marty Reynolds; two daughters; a daughter-in-law; and five grandchildren.
Margaret-Ann Kohlhepp Gardner ’53, of Providence; Apr. 30. She is survived by daughter Stephanie E. Reid ’81; son Ross Gardner III ’83; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and four grandchildren.
Sara Devine Townsend ’52, of Topsham, Me., formerly of Syracuse, N.Y.; May 8. While in New York, she served as treasurer for 10 years at St. David’s Church in DeWitt and was an active board member of the Syracuse Stage and the Corinthian Foundation and member of the Junior League. After moving to Maine, she was active with St. Paul’s Church. She enjoyed winter skiing and together with her husband enjoyed hiking in France, Italy, Switzerland, the Galapagos, and Machu Picchu. In 2010, they moved to The Highlands, where she joined three committees and remained active. She is survived by four children and their spouses, including son Craig ’78 and his wife, Cathy Fuerst ’79; nine grandchildren, including Caleb Townsend ’12; and a great-granddaughter.
Mary Ann Young Simpson ’52, of Pittsford, N.Y.; Apr. 25. She is survived by her husband, Alex ’52; three children and their spouses; seven grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren.
Malcolm L. Searle ’52, ’58 AM, of Springfield, Va.; Dec. 19, 2020. He taught social studies and history in Sykesville, Md. before teaching social studies in Rhode Island public schools. In 1963, he and his wife moved to Virginia, where he served as the assistant executive secretary of the National Council for the Social Studies. He also briefly served as the curriculum director of the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans. He later entered the real estate and insurance fields as agent and manager for Mount Vernon Realty. He also taught classes at Northern Virginia Community College. He volunteered in his community and was involved in theater as one of the founders of the Greenspring Players, where he was active for many years as a player and set designer. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, three granddaughters, and three great-grandsons.
Gerald B. Riker ’52, of North Kingstown R.I.; Apr. 20. He owned and operated JW Riker Real Estate. Together with his wife, they grew the business into a large independently owned real estate agency in Rhode Island. He served as a chaplain’s assistant in Korea with the U.S. Army. He enjoyed music and collected an assortment of CDs, as well as traveling to exotic places, hosting parties, and following sports, especially the Brown teams, Boston Bruins, Red Sox, and Patriots. He is survived by his wife, Joanne; six children and their spouses; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Charles L. Mack ’51, of Stamford,Conn.; May 1. After graduation he joined the Navy and attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. He later had a successful career as a management consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton and for many years was a bank executive for Citibank. He volunteered with SCORE in retirement. He was an avid sailor and raced with the Stamford Yacht Club. He was also passionate about the sport of curling and was a member of the Nutmeg Curling Club. He is survived by a son, two stepchildren, and three grandsons.
Nancy Haight Lundgren ’51, of Waterford, N.Y.; Mar. 15. She taught for many years at Pine Plains Elementary School (N.Y.). She was a member of Vanderbilt Gardens and enjoyed taking elder hostel trips. She is survived by four children and their spouses and many grandchildren.
Loring E. Hawes ’51, of Centreville, Md.; May 20, of COVID-19 complications. He was a retired Baltimore attorney who was part of a 1964 public accommodations civil rights case and who was later a leader in Eastern Shore conservation efforts. He began his legal career in Baltimore as an associate practicing general law at Pierson & Pierson from 1957 to 1960 and at Constable, Alexander & Daneker. He was assistant attorney general for the State of Maryland from 1962 to 1968. He argued criminal and civil appellate cases in the Maryland Court of Appeals. He developed regulations and procedures for the water resources agency and Department of Agriculture and drafted legislation for revenue bonds, water and air pollution, strip mining, and public authority for cost-sharing dam construction projects. In 1964, he briefed and argued Bell v. Maryland, a textbook civil rights case in the U.S. Supreme Court. It involved the arrest of sit-in protesters at a restaurant in Baltimore City. It was among several important cases of reference that contributed to the drafting of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He also served as Special Assistant Attorney General to the University of Maryland from 1964 to 1968, where he negotiated contracts for an advanced cyclotron on the College Park campus and handled other legal affairs. In 1968 he joined Commercial Credit Company in Baltimore as an associate and was eventually promoted to deputy general counsel and assistant secretary. During his 20-year tenure, he gained strong expertise in corporate finance, securities, and banking law, and managed the international legal staff. His company became part of Citigroup after a series of acquisitions. From 1988 to 2000, he finished out his career as a corporate lawyer with Gordon, Feinblatt, Hoffberger & Hollander LLC in Baltimore. He was a board member of the Mt. Royal Democratic Club and the Mt. Royal Improvement Association and headed the PTA of Public School No. 66. He was a charter member of the Bolton Hill Swim & Tennis Club and a regular patron of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Centre Stage. He is survived
Lloyd H. Hill ’51, of Milton, Mass.; Apr. 15. After Brown, where he was captain of the football team, an All-American football tackle, and member of the Athletic Hall of Fame, he was an adjunct professor at Northeastern University and Quincy College. He served the Quincy community through a career spanning 35 years as an administrator and coach with his final 20 years as the principal of Quincy High School. The City of Quincy and its education leaders honored him by naming the Lloyd Hill Center for Performing Arts at Quincy High School. He was a veteran of the Korean War and he completed 37 Boston Marathons. He is survived by his wife, Marguerite; five children and their spouses; and eight grandchildren.
Carl E. Anderson ’51, of Cranston, R.I.; May 24, 2020. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and worked for a variety of manufacturing companies in the shipping and receiving departments. In retirement, he enjoyed playing cribbage and was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; a daughter; a son and daughter-in-law; three granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.
Richard H. Rish ’50, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Northbrook, Ill.; May 24. He graduated and was commissioned an ensign USNR. His active duty was spent in the Persian Gulf in hydrographic and oceanographic assignments. He retired from the U.S. Navy having served 20 years active and reserve duty. He worked at Merrill Lynch for 45 years as a vice president in the Chicago Board of Trade office. He retired to Florida. He enjoyed classical music, playing cards, and solving puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; five children, 11 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.
Genelle Dolan McMahon ’50, of Hopatcong, N.J., formerly of Cranford, N.J.; May 19. She worked as a casting agent for Young & Rubicam in New York City before marrying and raising her family in Cranford. In later years, she worked as an executive secretary in the banking industry. She is survived by a daughter, a son, a daughter-in-law, and
two grandchildren.
Alexander T. Hindmarsh Jr. ’50, of W. Springfield, Mass.; Feb. 27. He retired from Mass Mutual in 1997, where he served his clients for 36 years. The crowning accomplishment from his near four-decade tenure was the 24 collective years spent as a member of Mass Mutual’s prestigious Million Dollar Round Table. He enjoyed fly-fishing and golf and scored three holes-in-one. He is survived by his wife, Priscilla; a son and daughter-in-law; two stepsons; two grandchildren; a sister-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Walter N. Kaufman ’49, of La Jolla, Calif.; Mar. 20. He graduated from Harvard Law School and was a legal assistant to a member of the National Labor Relations Board. For many years he was a member of the New York and Chicago bar associations, and he became self-employed as a labor arbitrator in Southern California and Las Vegas. He was a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators, Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by a daughter, a son, and two grandchildren.
Vivian Bergquist Clarke ’49, of Paxton, Mass.; Apr. 22. While at Brown, she met her husband on a blind date and they were married after graduation. They moved to Paxton in 1965, where they raised a family and Vivian worked as a teacher’s aide at Paxton Center School and as an assistant librarian at Richards Memorial Library. She was a quilter and enjoyed sharing her creations among her family. She is survived by her husband, Edward ’46; a daughter; three sons; many children and grandchildren; and a sister.
John W. Foley ’48, of New Rochelle, N.Y.; May 27. He enlisted in the V-12 Navy College training program at the age of 17 to train as a Navy pilot during World War II. He then attended Middlebury College, graduated from Brown, and enrolled at Brooklyn Law School, earning his law degree at night while working full-time. He worked at Allstate for 26 years and then switched jobs three times in his 50s. The highlight of his career was being head of global claims for insurance broker Marsh McLennan, which he joined in 1977. His retirement from Marsh occurred in stages. He retired from his full-time position in 1996 and continued consulting for the firm for an additional six years. Marsh tapped him again during the Spitzer investigation to review more than 10,000 claim files related to the lawsuit. He traveled the world extensively. He is survived by six children, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, three nieces, and a nephew.
Robert F. Gartner ’47, of Eden Prairie, Minn.; Apr. 26. He was an engineer at Honeywell and served a term on the Eden Prairie school board. He enjoyed playing bridge and ice-out Boundary Waters fishing. He is survived by his wife, Bette; six children; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
John F. Larsen ’46, of Silver Spring, Md.; Jan. 8. He was an entrepreneur and a Purple Heart recipient. He believed every day was a gift. He enjoyed reading, writing plays, poetry, songs, and playing golf. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
William A. Stoops Jr. ’45, of Falmouth, Me., formerly of Needham, Mass. and Freedom, N.H.; Apr. 1. After Brown and service in the U.S. Navy, where he attained the rank of lieutenant, he attended Harvard Business School. He worked at Sylvania Electric for many years. In 1982, he and his family moved to homes in Maine and New Hampshire and he continued his career in the defense business as a manager at Bath Iron Works. In retirement, finally able to pursue his sailing passion full-time, he and his son purchased a 36-foot Swan sloop and cruised the coastal waters. He participated in several Marion-Bermuda races and stood behind the helm well into his 90s, including a sail from South Bristol, Me., to Falmouth at the age of 95. Equally remarkable was his piloting a Cessna 172 Skyhawk at the age of 97. He served as treasurer of the Freedom local library before moving to Falmouth in 2018. He is survived by his wife, Sally; a daughter and son-in-law; two sons, including William III ’78; two daughters-in-law; three grandchildren; a great-grandson; and many nieces and nephews.
Irma Rosengard Hyman ’45, of Henderson, Nev., formerly of Providence; Sept. 27, 2021, just two weeks after her 97th birthday. After Brown, she received her master’s from Boston University, married, started a family, and worked as a social worker. Her commitment to social work spanned a long career, beginning in Colorado at Denver’s Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers. Back in Rhode Island, she worked for the Traveler’s Aid Society of R.I. before joining the Meeting Street School team, becoming the director of the early intervention program and serving in that role for 20 years. She retired in 1989. In retirement she volunteered as a docent for RISD and she and her husband enjoyed attending Brown’s Community for Learning in Retirement classes, sailing, and traveling. They moved to Nevada in 1998 and continued to seek out academic and service opportunities. She is survived by two children, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Eliot Bliss ’44, of Tarzana, Calif.; Apr. 29. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he joined CBS in 1951. He began his career in New York and in 1952 was offered the opportunity to move to California to open CBS Television City. During his 60-year career with CBS he supervised crews, helped with CBS’s transition to videotape, and later supervised dubbing, scoring, and production and post-production sound operations at CBS Studio Center, completing his career supervising post-production of CBS movies and long-form television. He was a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which honored him with an Academy Award nomination for his groundbreaking work on live remote broadcasting. In 1970, with the purchase of a second home in Colorado, he enjoyed skiing in the winters and the music festival in the summers. He was an avid scuba diver. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Reade Y. Tompson ’40, of Hockessin, Del.; Apr. 3, at 103 years of age. After Brown, he received a PhD in organic chemistry from Duke University. He was employed by the DuPont Company from 1948 to 1980 and spent most of his career in personnel work with the textile fibers department. He was active in the Wilmington Power Squadron for more than 60 years as an educational officer, a commander (1957-1958), and as instructor in the squadron’s member and public education programs. He was a trustee, usher, and a member of the Fixit Corps, and as a member of the Brandywiners, Ltd., he was on the makeup committee for 55 shows. Other avocations included square dance—calling and dancing with the Pi-R Squares Dance Club from 1948 to 1973—sailing, RVing, and gardening. He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church from 1950 to his passing in 2022. He is survived by three daughters, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Geoffrey Ribbans, of Providence; Mar. 29. Before coming to Brown in 1978 as the newly appointed William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Hispanic Studies, he taught at Belfast, St. Andrews, and Sheffield universities and was the Gilmour Professor of Spanish at Liverpool University for 15 years. He was a noted author of several books and numerous articles and taught and promoted Catalan language and culture. He was named to emeritus status in 1999. He is survived by a daughter, a son and daughter-in-law, a stepdaughter, and two grandsons.
Henry G. Magendantz, of Providence; Jan. 27. He was an obstetrician-gynecologist for Rhode Island Group Health Association and Harvard Pilgrim Health and later worked at OB/GYN Associates in Providence before entering private practice. He was a fertility specialist and an attending at Miriam Hospital and Women and Infants Hospital. He was also an emeritus clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School. He was a deacon at Central Congregational Church and a member of several organizations. He is survived by his wife, Kathy; four children and their spouses; nine grandchildren; and a sister.
Laura Durand, of Providence; Sept. 4, 2021, after a short illness. She was a professor emerita of French Literature. She was a graduate of Miami University (Ohio) and won a Fulbright grant to spend a year in Grenoble, France, studying French literature and earning a certificate in phonetics. She then attended Northwestern University for her master’s degree and met her future husband. Together they spent a year in Japan during his military service before going together to the University of Michigan for their PhD studies. They moved to Providence in 1960 when her husband became a professor at Brown. She, too, became a professor at Brown despite pre-existing policies prohibiting spouses from being on the faculty. She was very active in protesting unfair treatment of women at the University and chaired a committee of the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors on the hiring of women at Brown. In addition to teaching, she served as an associate dean of the graduate school, department chair, and dean of special studies. She was a member of the Wednesday Club detailing group, enjoyed music, and was an avid reader. In retirement she played golf, learned to paint, sang in choirs, and traveled. Phi Beta Kappa. She is survived by her husband, Frank; sons David ’83 and John ’87; two daughters-in-law, including Kate
Hanley Durand ’87; and three grandchildren, including Laura Durand ’16.
Albert E. Dahlberg, of Providence; Mar. 1, of cerebrovascular disease. He devoted himself to scientific research, helping others, and enjoying his family. With a quick wit and a distinctively kind and quirky sense of humor, he enjoyed being with friends and colleagues from around the world. He particularly loved puns and spinning fanciful tales of his fictional collaborator George Q. Pennable, who was noteworthy for his “useless suggestions and pointless comments” but credited nonetheless in many of his publications. An avid Brown Bears football fan, he enjoyed attending their games and serving as a football recruiter and faculty advisor to the team for many years. A graduate of Haverford College, he received his MD and PhD from the University of Chicago. After completing a pediatric internship at the University of Chicago hospitals, he served during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1970 in the Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda. While living in the Washington D.C. area, he and his wife marched in the White House vigil to protest the Vietnam War. They also joined the Society of Friends meeting and became lifelong Quakers. In 1970 they moved to Aarhus, Denmark, for two years while Al continued his research in biochemistry. In 1972 he received an appointment as an assistant professor of medical science at Brown. He became a full professor in 1982. During his academic career he was a visiting professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison; University of Copenhagen, Denmark; and University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He received 43 years of uninterrupted funding from the NIH for his research, mostly focused on the structure and function of the prokaryotic ribosome. He coauthored two books, wrote chapters in 14 books, and published more than 120 academic journal articles on the topic of ribosomes. He served on several national and international scientific boards, the faculty executive committee at Brown, and with several local nonprofits. He was also the medical director of Beech Tree Laboratory, a founder of Milkhaus Laboratory, and on the board of directors at the Monroe Institute in Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Pamela; three children; two daughters-in-law; six grandchildren; a sister; and a brother.
AnnaMaria Abrams ’16 AM, of Cumberland, R.I.; Mar. 15. For 13 years she taught in the Woonsocket School District. She was a member of the American Federation of Teachers and Woonsocket Teachers Guild. She was an active member of Arnold Mills Methodist Church and enjoyed gardening. She is survived by her companion, Bruce Berman; two children; two brothers and sisters-in-law; five nieces and nephews.
Kelley A. Smith ’06 MPH, of Lincoln, R.I.; Apr. 1, of a brain tumor. Prior to Brown, she graduated from Smith College and became committed to causes that promoted feminism, social justice, and civil rights for the LGBTQ community. In 1990, she met her future wife and in 2005 testified before the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee in favor of a bill supporting same-sex civil marriage. She worked for several years at Brown’s Population Studies and Training Center before receiving her degree. She put her public health degree to work conducting research on sexual and reproductive health and traveled to South Africa, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. In 2010, she and her wife and daughter moved to American Samoa, where she worked as field director on a project conducting diabetes research. That fall, after a seizure, she was evacuated to New Zealand, diagnosed with a brain tumor, and underwent her first craniotomy. In 2011, she returned to Rhode Island and resumed an active life working back at Brown’s Population Studies and Training Center. She was a backstage manager and emcee at the Harbor Stage of the Newport Folk Festival for nearly 20 years and she enjoyed painting, gardening, and birdwatching. She achieved a lifelong ambition to publish a piece of creative writing when her poem appeared in the anthology Dear Vaccine: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic. She is survived by her wife, Sam; a daughter; her parents; a sister and her husband; a brother-in-law and his wife; her daughter’s father and his husband; and four nieces and nephews.
Martha T. Kitchen ’96 AM, ’01 PhD, of Warwick, Mass.; Jan. 17. She was fluent in Russian, a skilled translator, and a scholar of Slavic languages and of Russian and English literature and poetry. She was coeditor and translator of Poetic Works: A Bilingual Album by G.R. Derzhavin and translator of Worlds Apart: An Anthology of Russian Fantasy and Science Fiction by Alexander Levitsky. She is survived by a sister, a brother, a niece, and a nephew.
David R. Jarraway ’90 PhD, of Ottawa, Canada; Mar. 5, of cancer. After Brown he was appointed adjunct professor in English at St. John’s University (Minn.). He subsequently returned to Canada to teach at the University of Ottawa for 27 years, specializing in Modern American Literature and Film Studies. He retired in 2018. In retirement he published three books on American Modernism and edited an anthology of essays. He played flute with the Thunder Bay Symphony for several years before taking up the study of the cello and joining the Parkdale Orchestra. He had a love for learning and most recently joined the faculty of the lifelong learning program at Carleton University. He is survived by his husband, Ian McDonald; three sisters; two brothers-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Robert B. Olshansky ’75 AM, of Falmouth, Mass., formerly of Corning, N.Y.; Mar. 29. He worked for Corning Glass Works developing laser technology and helping to pioneer the field of fiber optics. His efforts led to a long and successful career in communications technology for GTE and eventually Verizon. He authored papers, held patents, and presented at conferences around the world. During the years of his second marriage, he and his wife traveled extensively, exploring more than 20 countries together. During that time he became an avid photographer and self-published a book. He also enjoyed birding, which led to another photographic book. He is survived by his wife, Nan; eight children and stepchildren; eight grand-
children; and a sister.
Joseph E. Hight ’71 PhD, of Springfield, Va.; Feb. 12, of ocular melanoma. He taught the principles of economics course for a year at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., and for four years he taught labor economics and money and banking at the University of Hawaii. In 1973, he was an economic policy fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C. That led to a position as an economist in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Policy, where he spent a 25-year career working on program evaluation and policy development. He worked on unemployment compensation, trade adjustment assistance for trade impacted workers, job training programs for unemployed and displaced workers, employment and unemployment compensation, and social security. From 1978 to 1979, he was a staff economist for the National Commission on Employment and Unemployment Statistics, specializing in state and local area employment statistics. For a short time he was adviser to Secretary of Labor Robert Reich in the Secretary of Labor’s role as a trustee on the Social Security Board of Trustees. For 10 years he taught economics to master’s degree students as an adjunct associate professor at George Washington University. He served in the Rhode Island Air National Guard and enjoyed reading, freelance writing, and playing tennis. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Adele; a son; a sister; two brothers; and nieces and nephews.
Bradford K. Davis ’70 AM, of Williamstown, Mass.; Mar. 17. He dedicated a 40-year career to progressive high school education at the Buxton School, where he served as teacher, administrator, coach, and mentor. He enjoyed gardening, sailing, sketching, and traveling to Europe. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; two daughters and sons-in-law; two sons and daughters-in-law; and nine grandchildren.
Natalie A. Rabinovitz Robinson ’68 AM, of Providence; Mar. 12. She was a teacher at the former ALP School and School One in Providence for many years before retiring. She was involved politically in the community and volunteered with the League of Women Voters. An avid reader, she also enjoyed practicing and teaching yoga and going to the theater. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-laws, and three grandchildren.
Frances Ann Walker ’66 PhD, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., formerly of Tucson, Ariz.; Jan. 30, after a long illness. She began her career at Ithaca College as an assistant professor of chemistry and moved to California in 1970 to join the faculty at San Francisco State University, where she was promoted to professor of chemistry and biochemistry in 1976. After developing a research program in porphyrin and iron porphyrin chemistry, she joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in 1990 and was awarded with promotion to Regents Professor in 2001. She retired in 2013 as Regents Professor Emerita. She was published in numerous scientific journals and received several awards, including the 2000 Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal, which recognizes female chemists; the 2006 Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic Chemistry; and the 2020 Eraldo Antonini Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Porphyrins. In 2011 she was elected a fellow of the American Chemical Society and served as associate editor for the Journal of the American Chemical Society. She enjoyed mentoring, traveling, and serving her church. She is survived by four siblings and several nieces and nephews.
John R. Lutz ’65 MAT, of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Mar. 19. He graduated from Millersville University and taught math at Radnor High School (Pa.) for three years before matriculating at Brown. Following graduation he taught at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School for six years, then became professor at Harrisburg Area Community College for 30 years. In retirement he enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing the piano, and solving crossword puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Anne; four daughters; two sons-in-law; six grandchildren; two grandchildren; and nine nieces and nephews
Lee Hackler Gough ’64 ScM, of Bethesda, Md.; Feb. 26, following a stroke and a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. After working in many labs, she earned her teaching certification and became a science resource teacher for English as a Second Language students at an elementary school in Washington, D.C., and later in the Arlington, Va., school system, from which she retired. She was active in her community and enjoyed reading and cooking. She is survived by her husband, Michael Gough ’63 ScM, ’66 PhD; daughter Laura Gough ’90; a son; and five grandchildren.
Mark J. Hintze ’89 PhD, of Charlotte, N.C.; Mar. 13, from lung cancer. He spent his entire 28-year career devoted to the lithium industry, working at the Kings Mountain (N.C.) lithium site. He worked for Cyprus Foote Mineral/Chemetall Foote Corp. as manager of organometallic chemistry for six years, then 14 years as director of research and development under Chemetall Foote Corp./Rockwood Lithium Inc., then for the last eight years under Albemarle Inc. as manager of battery materials for three years and as research and development advisor of technical services for lithium for his last five years. As manager of organometallics, he built a new organometallic laboratory, initiated a new research program and brought two new organometallic products from conception to full-scale production. He designed and developed the kilo lab at Kings Mountain that piloted new organometallic products that were ultimately commercialized and provided technical support for the new organolithium product line. As manager of battery materials, he was a key contributor to the development of lithium alloys for next generation rechargeable batteries, improving the purity of lithium metal for the battery and commercial markets. Outside of his profession, he stayed current on everything science-related and was a sci-fi fan. He was a member of the American Chemical Society. He enjoyed a good cigar, had a refined taste for craft beer, and was skilled at grilling and a master of the Big Green Egg smoker. He is survived by his wife, Ammie; a daughter; two grandchildren; and a sister.
Kenneth A. MacIver ’62 AM, of Marblehead, Mass.; Mar. 13. He was a professor at Salem State University for 51 years. He taught history, political science, sociology, and anthropology. He also served as director of the Community Involvement Project. He authored many articles and short stories. He was a U.S. Army Korean War veteran. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; a daughter; a son; a stepson; and cousins.
Rose Bokser Schwartz ’61 ScM, of New York City and Tarpon Springs, Fla.; Feb. 18, after a prolonged illness. She began teaching at the Bronx High School of Science shortly after meeting her husband. She left teaching to raise her family and returned to teach in the mathematics department at Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack, N.Y., in 1974. She remained in that position until 1985, when she was named mathematics department chair. She earned a second master’s degree in administration and retired from teaching in 1996 to begin as adjunct assistant professor at SUNY New Paltz, where she supervised math student teachers. She was a member of the executive boards of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State, New York State Association of Mathematics Supervisors, and Ten County Mathematics Educators Association. She had a zest for life and enjoyed traveling, cooking, and playing games with her granddaughters. She is survived by her husband, Sheldon; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; two granddaughters; and a sister.
Bruce P. Halpern ’57 ScM, ’59 PhD, of Ithaca, N.Y.; Jan. 31. He served as an assistant professor at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse before moving to Cornell University, where he was an assistant professor in the department of psychology. There, he became a tenured professor and was named the Susan Lynn Sage Professor of Psychology and chair of the psychology department for 12 years. During one sabbatical, he served as a visiting professor at Osaka University in Japan. In retirement, he remained active in research for NASA, working on a project simulating life on Mars. He was interested in American history and science fiction and enjoyed traveling with his wife, including an archaeological trip to the southwestern United States. He is survived by his wife, Pauline; two children; and four grandchildren.
Gerald F. Smith ’56 PhD, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., formerly of Bethlehem, Pa.; Jan. 23, after a short illness. He was an assistant professor at Lehigh and Yale universities, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin, and full professor and head of the Center for the Application of Mathematics at Lehigh University from 1956 until his retirement in 1995. His work, which focused on invariant theory, won international acclaim, and he published more than 50 papers. He served on the editorial board of Journal of Rational Mechanics and Analysis and published Constitutive Equations for Anisotropic and Isotropic Materials in 1994. He enjoyed listening to classical music, reading, playing golf, traveling, and especially playing tennis. He won many tournaments in singles and doubles in Bethlehem. He was a U.S. Army World War II veteran. He is survived by his wife, Marie Madden Smith ’58 ScM; a sister; and many nieces and nephews.
Marjorie Stadele Aamodt ’51 ScM, of Raleigh, N.C., formerly of Murray Hill, N.J., Lake Placid, N.Y., and Chester County, Pa.; Feb. 7. After Brown, she was hired as a member of the technical staff for Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, where she met her future husband. She worked on projects dealing with the Early Warning System. In 1954, she left Bell Labs to raise a family and moved to Pennsylvania to start farming. She and her husband created an organic farm and raised Angus beef cattle. After the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979, she participated in research to determine the cause of the accident and her work led to changes in training on simulators and testing improvements. In the mid 1980s they sold the farm and moved to Lake Placid, and in 2020 they moved to Raleigh. She is survived by her husband, Norman; a daughter; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Dorothy Farley Jessen ’49 ScM, of Frederick, Md.; Feb. 22, 2021. She worked as a bacteriologist at Fort Detrick, where she met her future husband. She retired from research in 1956 to raise her family. In 1970, she returned to the workforce as a teacher’s aide in the science department of Governor Thomas Johnson High School, where she remained for 15 years. Due to her aversion to flying, she and her husband drove from Maryland to Hyder, Alaska, which was their favorite vacation destination, 13 times. She is survived by a daughter, a son, three grandchildren, a sister-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.
Erinn Phelan ’09, of Swampscott, Mass.; Apr. 16, after a long struggle caused by a hit and run accident that occurred in February of 2010. While at Brown, she served on the Undergraduate Council of Students and was secretary general for Brown’s Simulation of the United Nations. Her dedication to public service was evidenced by her taking part in a summer fellowship with New Sector Alliance and working with Brown’s Careers in the Common Good Program. After graduating from Brown, she moved to New York City to work as a coordinator for a volunteerism initiative through Mayor Bloomberg’s office. She was in charge of managing a docket of New York City Civic Corps members and worked to increase their roster of volunteers. She had enjoyed traveling. She is survived by her parents, a sister and brother-in-law, two brothers, a sister-in-law, and extended family.
Rachel A. Brodie ’89, of Berkeley, Calif.; Apr. 11, of a fatal fall. She was the cofounder of Jewish Milestones, an educational resource for Jewish lifecycle ceremonies that launched in 2004 as The Ritualist. After Brown, she earned a master’s degree in rabbinic literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary. From 1992 to 1994, she lived in Sofia, Bulgaria, as a community educator with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, where she met her husband. From 1994 to 1996, she was a founding director of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Falls Village, Conn., where she cofounded the Teva Learning Center. She and her husband settled in the Bay Area in 1997 after she spent a year in Israel on a Melton Senior Educators Fellowship at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Shortly after arriving in the Bay Area, she began working with Jewish LearningWorks (then the Bureau of Jewish Education). While her official tenure lasted until 2007, she continued her association with the organization until the end. She also served as “chief Jewish officer” at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, a position created just for her, from 2011 to 2016. She coauthored Jewish Family Education: A Casebook for the Twenty-First Century, and she frequently contributed to Jewish journals. She was instrumental in the creation of Chemo Siddur to help cancer patients in a Jewish context when undergoing chemotherapy. In addition to her former husband Adam Weisberg, she is survived by two daughters; her father and his wife; and a brother and sister-in-law.
Nancy Brous ’90, of New York City; Mar. 3. She received an MFA in costume design from NYU in 1995 and showcased her work in theater productions, television, and feature films for more than 25 years. She enjoyed traveling to numerous countries and was an expert kayaker. Passionate about waterfront causes, she served as vice president of the Hudson River Watertrail Association, cofounder of the Citizens Water Quality Testing Program, cochair of Paddle for the Cure, founding member of New York City Water Trail Association, and founding member of New York Kayak Polo. She is survived by her husband, Kurt; two stepchildren; her mother; a sister; and a brother.
Lisa Tarbox Toso ’86, of Dallas, formerly of Boxford, Mass., and Naperville, Ill.; Jan. 24. She was a longtime engineer with Bell Laboratories. She is survived by her mother, a sister and brother-in-law, a brother and his spouse, and two nephews.
Ava S. Bubly ’85, of Sharon, Mass.; Mar. 22, of breast cancer. After Brown she attended UCLA film school, where she studied computer graphics and computer animation. She worked in Los Angeles, then moved to New York to work for two years before returning to Los Angeles. At one point during her career she lived in Taiwan. Her computer graphics work appeared in movies, commercials, and the 1992 flying Olympics logo graphics. She enjoyed nature and wildlife. She is survived by her mother, a sister, a brother and sister-in-law, and two nieces.
Katharine L. Accola ’82, of Providence, R.I.; Jan. 19, of cancer. She worked for IBM as a software instructor for many years. For the past two decades she dedicated herself to her passion of creating art, focusing first on a series of collages and then on entrepreneurial projects using her own designs. She also enjoyed doing photography and graphic design for various political groups. She is survived by a daughter; sister, Kristen Accola Crawford ’77; a niece; and two nephews.
Jeffrey B. Sawyer ’81, of St. Louis Park, Minn.; Jan. 17. He earned his medical degree from SUNY Stonybrook in 1985 and completed two medical residencies, the first in family medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and the second in psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic. He practiced for more than 30 years, specializing in addiction, mind-body medicine, and integrative health. He founded the Inspire psychiatric partial hospital program and the integrated primary care/behavioral health program at North Memorial Hospital, where he was medical director of psychiatry and integrative care. In addition to providing care at several hospitals and clinics throughout his career, he also operated a private practice. He enjoyed practical jokes, music, photography, traveling, skiing, fishing, and hunting. He is survived by his wife, Karli; three children; and two cousins.
Kenneth S. Hahn ’80, of Homer, Alaska; Feb. 6, in an automobile accident after suffering a medical condition. He was a physician who previously worked in Carnation, Washington, prior to joining Kachemak Medical Group in 1996. He was on the South Peninsula Hospital medical staff from 1996 to 2017 and served as chief of staff in 2012. In addition to his work as a doctor, he was part of Homer’s peony farming and gardening community and assisted in the Homer Peony Celebration. He is survived by his partner, Linda Stearns; three children; two grandsons; and his former wife, Nancy Karle.
Mark P. DeSouza ’78, of Newburyport, Mass.; Mar. 11. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering, he went on to have a career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retiring in 2017. He was an avid hiker, runner, mountain biker, and golfer, and also enjoyed softball, hockey, and downhill skiing. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his mother; and six siblings and their spouses.
Linda Moulton Matey ’77, of Pittsburgh; Jan. 21, of cancer. She graduated high school early and attended John Carroll University for a year before Brown, then obtained her master’s in library science from the University of Pittsburgh. She was a regional manager for Giant Eagle’s book department and later worked as a librarian for more than 20 years, eventually becoming library director. She is survived by a son, a sister and brother-in-law, and a brother and sister-in-law.
Karon V. Gibson-Mueller ’74, of Ipswich, Mass.; Feb. 22, after a short but progressive illness. After obtaining her master’s in education from Tufts University she taught in the Stoneham public school system for more than 35 years, completing her career in the Cambridge public school system. She is survived by her husband, Rick; two daughters and their spouses; two stepdaughters; five grandchildren; her mother; a sister; a brother; a stepfather; and a stepmother.
Alan J. Lizotte ’74, of Bristol, R.I., formerly of Albany, N.Y.; Jan. 24. After serving in Vietnam, he attended Bristol Community College and with the help of Helaine Schupack there, he was admitted to Brown. In 2018 he established the Helaine Schupack Endowed Scholarship fund at BCC to help adult learners. He had a 36-year career with the University of Albany School of Criminal Justice, focusing his research on gun ownership and delinquency. In the mid 1980s he cofounded the Rochester Youth Development Study, which continues to shape and inform research and national policy. He and his coauthors were honored with the American Society of Criminology’s Michael J. Hindelang Outstanding Book Award for GangsandDelinquency in Developmental Perspective. In 2009, he won the University of Albany president’s award for excellence in research; through student nominations, he received its Bread and Roses Award for excellence in promoting gender equality; and in 2014, he was named a fellow of the American Society of Criminology. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and many friends, colleagues, and former students.
Chen-Fu Yu ’73, of Clarksville, Md.; Feb. 6. He is survived by his wife, Lau Kwai Yu; a daughter; two sisters; and three brothers.
Anthony Tortorice ’73, of Long Beach, Calif.; Feb. 1. He was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He served on the Long Beach planning commission and on the board of the Long Beach Symphony. After PWC, he served as Chief Information Officer for the Los Angeles County Community College District, for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and later for the State of Washington. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He and his wife enjoyed entertaining, and in retirement they traveled extensively and he collected wine. After his wife’s cancer diagnosis in 2014, he became a stay at home caregiver until her death in 2020. At the time of his death, he was engaged to be married. He is survived by fiancée Elyse Kukonu; a son and daughter-in-law; a granddaughter; his mother; three siblings and their spouses; and several nieces and nephews.
Alan J. Gilbert ’73, of Greenwood Village, Colo.; Mar. 26. After Brown he earned his JD from the University of Michigan School of Law and headed to Denver. He had a long and varied legal career, working in private practice and government service. In 1977, he joined the law firm of Sherman & Howard, becoming a partner a few years later. In 2000, he joined the Colorado Attorney General’s office and served as solicitor general for the State of Colorado from 2000 to 2004, handling high profile legal issues and acting as lead lawyer on cases going before the Supreme Court. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 2005 to become the deputy chief of staff for newly elected U.S. Senator Ken Salazar, then returned to private practice in Colorado in 2006, resuming his environmental and natural resources work with the Denver firm of Holme, Roberts & Owens. In 2010 he was appointed senior advisor for the Rocky Mountains and Southwest by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. He resumed private practice in Denver again in 2014 with Ryley Carlock & Applewhite and then with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, before starting his own firm in January. During this time he was also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm School of Law teaching environmental law and energy management. He held leadership positions in the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law and the Environmental Law section of the Colorado Bar Association. He was also a frequent lecturer and author on environmental topics. Aside from his professional career, he was a car enthusiast and raced Formula Fords and Formula 2000s with the Sports Car Club of America. He also enjoyed fishing and downhill and cross-country skiing. He is survived by a sister, a brother, a niece, and three nephews.
Paul L. Tariot ’72, of Georgetown, Mass., formerly of North Andover, Mass.; Mar. 28. He was a retired attorney. Most recently he dedicated his time to volunteer activities such as the SHINE Program (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone), offering tax preparation guidance to Medicare recipients. While living in North Andover he served as a member of the town’s Conservation Commission and was active in annual town hall meetings. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two daughters; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; four grandchildren; two brothers; and several nieces and nephews.
James H. Gibbs ’72, of Mystic, Conn.; Feb. 22, after a long illness. After graduating from the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture, he moved to Los Angeles and began working at Frank Gehry Associates. Career moves included work with Z.G.F. Associated in Portland, Ore., working on downtown streetscape improvements; Lyme, Conn., working with Inter-Design on local landmarks; and finally to Mystic in the early 1990s, where he opened his own firm. He contributed to parks and infrastructure improvements and wrote historical resources surveys for the towns. Sailing was an important part of his life since childhood and he became an original member of the Corinthian Yacht Club and longtime member of the Ram Island and Masons Island Yacht Clubs. He is survived by his wife, Pamela; a son; a sister; and two brothers.
Gary L. Costlow ’72, of Johnstown, Pa.; Feb. 15. He graduated from Villanova Law School in 1975 and returned to Johnstown to practice law. He was admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court and argued cases before the Pennsylvania Superior Court and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He was the solicitor for Richland Township, Richland Township Planning Commission, Cambria Township, Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, and the Forest Hills Municipal Authority. He was a member and former president of the Cambria County Bar Association and a member of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. He was an avid reader and enjoyed creating and reciting limericks. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and three daughters.
Elizabeth D. Whiting ’71, of Leesburg, Va.; Sept. 8, 2021. After graduation from the University of Virginia School of Law, she was hired as an assistant county attorney in Prince William County and in 1982 was promoted to deputy. As a statewide leader in the commonwealth’s legal community, she was recognized in 2002 with the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia’s Edward J. Finnegan Distinguished Service Award, named after her deceased husband. She is survived by two sons, a daughter-in-law, five grandchildren, a sister, and two nieces.
Rick R. Gaskins ’71, of Doral, Fla.; Mar. 26, of multiple myeloma. For the past 40 years he worked as a forensic economist and was a frequent speaker at conferences. He was a devoted family man and later in life enjoyed dressing up as Santa Claus for the neighborhood children. His hobbies included woodworking, gardening, beer brewing, and trumpet playing. He is survived by his partner, Kathi; two daughters, including Jennifer Gaskins ’02; a granddaughter; and three sisters.