January 24, 2007: Memorials


Fred M. Blaicher ’37

Fred M. Blaicher died July 22, 2006, in Vero Beach, Fla., where he lived for many years.

Fred came to Princeton from Orange, N.J. He graduated from Carteret Academy, where he was on the hockey and tennis teams and student council. At Princeton, he majored in economics and was a member of Whig Hall, the St. Paul’s Society, and Key and Seal Club.

Fred married Liz Bouldin on Thanksgiving Day 1937, and she became an important member of the class. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter. Fred first was an accountant with Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, later worked for Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York, and then was associated with Bates Manufacturing Co. of West Orange. From 1946 to 1958 Fred was assistant director of athletics at Princeton, and from 1958 to 1977 he was president of Palmer Square Inc. He was president of the Princeton Alumni Association in Orange County, Fla., and was very active in the class, serving as president, AG chairman, and class treasurer. His hobbies were fishing, gardening, golf, and bridge.

To his family and friends we extend loving sympathy and very fond remembrances.

The Class of 1937

 


William C. Cummings Jr. ’37

Bill died July 27, 2006, in Janesville, Wis., where he lived for many years. He also had a home in Vero Beach, Fla.

Bill (or “Shovel,” as he was known in school) was born in Chicago and prepared at the Hun School and Andover, where he played soccer, basketball, and football. At Princeton he majored in philosophy, was on the soccer team and manager of track, was vice president of the Managers’ Club, and belonged to Tiger Inn.

In 1941, he married Helen Jeffris and they had two sons and two daughters.

Shovel worked at Westinghouse Electric and later joined Parker Pen Co., practically running the business. He served as president of the Trent Tube Co., Gilman Engineering, and the Kimberly Corp. — each being a subsidiary of Parker Pen — and as president of William C. Cummings and Associates, which was engaged in commercial development. His hobbies were golf and bridge.

We extend our loving sympathy and fond remembrances to his family and friends.

The Class of 1937

 


Walter R. Hatfield ’39

Walt died Sept. 23, 2006, in Lexington, Mass., his home for 56 years.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, and found time to sing in the University Choir and the Glee Club all four years. This led him to consider a career in opera, but he decided instead to accept a position in chemical research at Lever Bros. in Cambridge, Mass.

In 1942 he was called to the Navy under the command of Adm. John L. Hall Jr., who personally requested Walt because of his engineering expertise as a radio materials officer. As a lieutenant Walt served in the European and Pacific theaters and participated in four amphibious invasions, including D-Day at Normandy and Okinawa.

After working for 13 years at Lever Bros. until the company moved to New York, Walt developed his own business as a manufacturer’s representative in electronics and instrumentation. He was on the board of directors of a small retirement home, and for more than 35 years served the Hancock United Church of Christ in many capacities, among them as deacon, choir member, and Sunday school teacher.

Walt and his wife, Louise, who died in 1994, had a son, Walter Jr.; a daughter, Linda; and four grandchildren. We offer them our sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939

 


Edward Windsor Hobler ’39

Our class president senior year, Ed died of pneumonia July 23, 2006, in Evanston, Ill. Ed had been a resident of Evanston’s Presbyterian Home Alzheimer’s unit since shortly after his wife, Helen, died in January 2006.

After graduating from Princeton, Ed attended Virginia Law School and, in 1942, entered the Navy, serving first in the Port of New York and then for 18 months in the port director’s office in Le Havre, France. Discharged as a lieutenant in 1946, he began his career in advertising at Benton & Bowles for 10 years in New York, then at agencies in Chicago from 1956 until 1972. He worked two years as director of public relations for Northwestern University and three years with an executive recruiting agency.

Active in many sports, he took up serious squash in his 50s and was ultimately National Senior Squash Champion 10 times. Devoted to Princeton, he was a regular at Reunions, served as class secretary, and was on the Schools and Scholarship Committee for 30 years. He endowed the Edward W. Hobler ’39 Women’s Squash Award.

Ed’s late brother was Wells ’41. Ed is survived by four children, including Ruth Hobler Joachim ’81; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his brother, Herbert ’44, to all of whom we offer deep sympathy.

The Class of 1939

 


John Thompson Kerr ’39

John died of congestive heart failure Aug. 25, 2006, at a retirement community in Towson, Md.

Born in York, Pa., he came to us from Harrisburg Academy and earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering. After he married Dora Preston in 1940, the couple moved to Baltimore, where he joined Consolidated Engineering Co. There he managed commercial construction projects, among them Friendship Airport, now known as Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. He was named the company’s president in 1971.

In 1973 he and several of his colleagues founded Concord Associates, which he served as president until he retired in 1983. In retirement, he assisted new business people through the Service Corps of Retired Executives, and worked with a Greater Homewood Community Association Remedial Reading Program.

John served as our class AG agent from 1979 through 1984 and was twice our reunion chairman. He and Dora loved to travel and were regulars on class trips. Dora died in 2003. Survivors include their daughter, Lucille; three sons, John Jr., William, and Charles; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. We offer them our sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939

 


J. Layng Martine ’39

Layng died peacefully June 27, 2006, in Greenwich, Conn. He was 87.

He came to us from Columbia High School in South Orange, N.J., where he met his wife of 65 years, Jean Kinkead. He majored in economics at Princeton, rowed on the 150-pound crew, and joined Dial Lodge, where he became manager of the club as well as its director many years later.

Layng served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 with duty in the South Pacific. After the war he started a distinguished career at Young & Rubicam, the advertising agency, where he became vice president and account supervisor. Interestingly, he became the first non-illustrator, non-art director to be elected to membership in the Society of Illustrators. Retiring in 1970, he opened his own agency in Greenwich with his wife and son Gene.

Actively involved in his community, Layng served on the boards of many schools and charities. As one who always saw the humorous side of life, he remained good-humored and gracious, interested in what friends and family were doing in spite of his reduced mobility in recent years.

Layng is survived by Jean, their two daughters, three sons, and four grandsons. To all of them, his classmates send their deepest sympathies.

The Class of 1939

 


James Sowerbutt Vandermade ’39

Jim died July 20, 2006, in Gladwyne, Pa., where he and his wife, Peg, had lived since moving to the Waverly Heights retirement community after their longtime residence in Montclair, N.J.

After graduation Jim attended Harvard Graduate School of Business. He served in the Navy from 1941 to 1946, reaching the rank of lieutenant commander. His principal duty was as aide to Vice Adm. Ghormley in Hawaii and Europe. Then, until his retirement, he served as president of Sowerbutt Quarries in Paterson, N.J.

He was past president of the board of trustees of Montclair Academy and Montclair Kimberley Academy and past president of the Montclair Museum of Art. In retirement Jim served as our class trip coordinator, a daunting task, but he still had time left for golf, gardening, and occasional travel. After moving to Gladwyne he also served on various committees for that community.

Jim is survived by Peg; their son, James S. Vandermade Jr. ’70; daughter Lisa Vandermade Popick; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. We offer them our sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939

 


MASON COOKE ANDREWS ’40

“Norfolk’s Visionary” was the front-page banner headline in the Virginian-Pilot’s Oct. 14, 2006, story about Mace. “Waterside, Town Point Park, Nauticus, MacArthur Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School: In so much of the city, his hand was present,” was a subsequent headline.

As Matthew Werth ’52 so ably expressed it in a note to the class, “Mason exemplified the best of all good values you could take away from Princeton.”

Mace died Oct. 13, 2006, in Norfolk, Va., the community in which he was born, lived, and practiced. He prepared at Maury High School before attending Princeton. There, he majored in chemistry, earning second group honors, rowed on the freshman crew, was active in intramural athletics, and was a member of Charter Club.

He completed postgraduate work at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. From 1944 to 1946 he was a medical officer on an LST in the Pacific.

He was one of the founders of Eastern Virginia Medical School and served Norfolk as city councilman, mayor, revitalizer of the city’s waterfront, and more.

The Princeton Club of Hampton Roads Oct. 24 annual dinner, planned by club president Jack Carter ’63 and Mace’s wife of 57 years, Sabine, was set to be a celebration of Mace’s life.

To Sabine and to Mace’s daughters, Jean Alston and Mary Mason, we wish to extend our deep sympathies.

The Class of 1940

 


John L. Frothingham ’40 *41

The New Canaan (Conn.) Advertiser described Frots, who died Sept. 25, 2006, at his home, as “a chemical engineer, who worked on the early development of the atomic bomb.”

His classmates will remember him as a strong downhill skier, an accomplished classical pianist, vocalist, raconteur, and loyal Princetonian.

Frots prepared at St. George’s School. At Princeton, he majored in chemical engineering and was a member of the freshman football and gym teams. He earned a master’s in chemical engineering at Princeton in 1941.

During World War II, he worked on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where plutonium was extracted from uranium for the first atomic bomb. He later worked in naval aviation ordnance in Inyokern, Calif., as a lieutenant junior grade. Postwar years were spent with several chemical companies, and Frots retired as chemical sales manager for Texaco-Pittsburgh.

A lover of classical music, sports, flying, and ham radio, he was also a member of the Nantucket Yacht Club, the Country Club of New Canaan, and the choir of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Frots is survived by his wife of 64 years, Laetitia “Tish” Seibels; three daughters, Anne Cross, Caesara Wendin, and Laetitia Mead; a son, John Jr.; and 10 grandchildren. His classmates wish to extend their condolences.

The Class of 1940

 


EPHRAIM TAYLOR BROWN JR. ’41

E.T., a lifelong Birmingham, Ala., resident, died Oct. 10, 2006.

He graduated from Lawrenceville and majored in economics at Princeton. He was a member of Whig-Clio, the badminton club, served as tennis team manager, and was secretary and later treasurer of Court Club. His roommates were Dwight Edwards, Joe Rice, and Bill Callahan.

E.T. graduated from Cornell University Law School, where he was editor of the Law Review. In 1943 he joined the Birmingham law firm of Cabaniss Johnston and by our 40th reunion he had become managing partner. He was president of the Alabama Bar Association, having spent 13 years as chairman of the Alabama Board of Bar Examiners.

E.T. received the Award of Merit from the Alabama State Bar Association, was the first recipient of the Scruggs Award for dedicated service to the bar, and also received an award for his work in continuing legal education. A member of the Independent Presbyterian Church, he served as trustee, chairman of the board of deacons, and a member of the session.

Predeceased by his wife, Clara DeBardeleben Ebaugh Brown; he is survived by his son, E.T. III; daughters Clara D. Brown and Lida B. Young; and five grandchildren.

The Class of 1941

 


ZADOC WHITE BROWN ’41

Zadoc White Brown, known as “Zed,” was a Hawaiian born and bred. He died at his home in Honolulu Sept. 11, 2006.

After attending the Lanai School and Punahou School in Honolulu, he went to Choate and later Hun before coming to Princeton. Zed majored in English, and joined Cap and Gown. After graduation, he returned to Honolulu. In March 1944, Zed enlisted in the Army and was assigned to military intelligence in Hawaii. He was discharged as a tech sergeant in 1946.

In 1951, Zed started the islands’ first mutual fund, the Brown Fund of Hawaii. In the 1970s his company was merged with the Franklin Funds of San Francisco, on whose board Zed subsequently served. He completed the Harvard Business School advanced management program in 1961.

Always active in his community, Zed was a member of the boards of Hawaiian Trust Co., Alexander & Baldwin, and the Advertiser Publishing Co., publisher of Honolulu’s morning newspaper. He also worked with the Bishop Museum, the Hawaiian Historical Society, the Oahu Cemetery, and the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Predeceased by his son, Lawrence Newbold Brown, Zed is survived by his wife of 64 years, Virginia Lowrey Brown; sons Zadoc Jr. ’65, Alan, and David; daughter Cynthia Brown Quisenberry; six grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

The Class of 1941

 


John Stokes Dunhill ’41

Johnny died May 15, 2006.

Born in Toronto, he prepared at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill. At Princeton he majored in classics, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated with honors. He worked on Triangle Club’s stage crew and was a member of Court Club.

Immediately after graduation, Johnny joined Harris Trust Co. in Chicago, but left to enter the Army in August 1942. His basic training was with the Armored Force in Fort Knox before going to OCS.

Because he was totally deaf in one ear, Johnny was classified for limited service. He spent three years in the South with Italian and German POWs, ending as a first lieutenant in command of a side camp working POWs on farms.

Johnny then returned to Harris Trust, first in the accounting department, until 1951, when he was made an administrative officer handling personal trust accounts. He was elected assistant secretary in 1953, assistant vice president in 1962, and vice president in 1965. He retired in 1980.

Johnny loved to travel and took his month’s vacation every year to go abroad. He never married and left no survivors.

The Class of 1941

 


ARTHUR MARTIN JOOST JR. ’41

Art died unexpectedly Sept. 22, 2006, at his home on Verona Island, Maine.

Art came to Princeton from Exeter. He majored in classics, winning numerous awards for his translations of Latin and Greek texts. He was a member of the freshman crew, joined Dial Lodge, and roomed with Bob Perry.

Art graduated from Cornell Medical School in September 1944, and went on active duty in June 1945. He was assigned first to Camp Upton, and then was shipped to Linz and Vienna in the Army of Occupation. There he served under the famous heart surgeon, Dr. Christiaan Barnard.

Separated as a captain in June 1947, Art served his internship in Brooklyn and his residency at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in New London, Conn. He then opened his medical practice in Bucksport, Maine, which he maintained for 35 years.

An avid birder, arborculturist, horseman, hunter, skier, and sailor, Art continued rowing his shell and canoeing on the Penobscot River into his 80s.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Evelyn Marie Cone Joost; three daughters, Victoria Talbutt, Christine Joost, and Sarah Tomanelli; and five grandchildren.

The Class of 1941

 


ELLIS LAURIMORE PHILLIPS JR. ’42

El, of Medfield, Mass., died Sept. 28, 2006.

He prepared at Deerfield Academy and graduated from Princeton summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. El, our captain of varsity track, was a member of Quadrangle Club.

After serving as an Army intelligence officer in World War II, El graduated from Columbia Law School. Following five years of practice in New York City, he returned to Columbia as assistant dean of the law school and rose to professor of law and budget director of the university. During a sabbatical year — 1967 — he was a special assistant to Ambassador John Hay Whitney in London. In 1970 he left Columbia to become president of Ithaca College.

During El’s five-year tenure at Ithaca, he oversaw a major restructuring of the curriculum and substantive changes on campus. Phillips Hall is named in his honor. In 1986, Ithaca’s trustees awarded El an honorary doctorate, lauding him as a “distinguished educator, administrator, and philanthropist . . . ”

After Ithaca, El provided educational-consulting services and continued as president of the Ellis L. Phillips Foundation, which supports the arts, education, and historic preservation.

To El’s wife, Marion; their five children; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; the class extends sincere condolences.

The Class of 1942

 


JOHN RYCKMAN WALBRIDGE ’42

John, the son of Ernest A. Walbridge ’15, died Oct. 21, 2006, in Babylon, N.Y., after a long and happy life.

Having prepared at Deerfield Academy, John was a history major at Princeton and a member of Quadrangle Club. Early in our senior year he joined the Army 10th Armored Division, served two years in Europe, received the Bronze Star for valor, and was discharged as a captain.

John’s distinguished career in marine insurance was with the Insurance Co. of North America in its New York office. Starting as ocean cargo underwriter and progressing through management, he retired in 1981 as senior marine vice president and CEO of Inamar Ltd., a British subsidiary.

John donated his time, talent, and treasure to his schools and community as chairman of the Deerfield Alumni Fund, regional chairman of Princeton Annual Giving, and director of his local chapter of the American Red Cross, among other affiliations.

In 1946 John married Michelle “Mims” Kelley. Not only did they have Robert ’71, John, Michelle, Ben, and Louise, they enjoyed watching them grow and share their avocations — tennis, swimming, and “beaching.” Sadly Mims died three years ago.

To John’s sister, Dorothy; his children; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; the class offers deepest condolences.

The Class of 1942

 


JOHN JAY MADEIRA ’44

Jay died Oct. 5, 2006, in Falmouth, Maine, near the sea he loved.

His joy of living was broad and long. His aunt was founder of the the Madeira School. He prepped at Deerfield Academy and left us in 1943 to serve with the 8th Air Force as a navigator. Jay flew 55 missions over Europe, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross and several medals and battle stars. Parachuting into France, he once was reported missing.

Jay returned for his economics degree in 1947, and was business manager of the Daily Princetonian and a trustee of Cloister Inn, and rowed on the 150-pound crew. His roommates were Paul Windels, Phil von Hemert, Bill Moran, Tom Sowden, and Pete Hazelwood. He met his late wife, Kitty, on a blind date at a Princeton-Yale game.

During his early business career, he founded our schools committee in the Hartford, Conn., area and was president of the Connecticut Valley Princeton Alumni Association. Later, he sailed the coast of Maine with the Portland Yacht Club and climbed with the Appalachian Mountain Club, serving as an officer in each. He took up the four-string banjo late in life and mastered it enough to perform professionally.

To his four sons, Peter, Tim, Matt, and Fred Madeira, and their families: We’ll miss him, too.

The Class of 1944

 


CHARLES S. MILLER ’44

Charlie Miller died Sept. 26, 2006, in Claremont, Calif., his home the past seven years.

He lived in nearby Rancho Cucamonga for 43 years, and taught history — with well-known vigor — from 1951 to 1980 at Chaffey College.

At Princeton, he roomed with Bob Lane. Charlie was one of the first in our class into World War II, volunteering as an ambulance driver with the American Field Service in North Africa from 1942 to 1944 before joining the U.S. Army in France for two more years. He earned his Princeton history degree in 1949, returned to study further in France — where he met his wife, Mary, in 1950 — and later earned a master’s at Claremont Graduate School.

We lost contact with Charlie for several years due to an address mix-up, even as he was serving on the schools committee of the Princeton Club of Southern California. On reconnection, he wrote us of his “keen interest” again; and was welcomed. In retirement, Charlie did volunteer work and received a meritorious service award from Chaffey College in 1995.

He is survived by his wife; his daughters, Myriam Charpentier and Nancy Raabe; his son, Brian; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. We thank them for his presence with us.

The Class of 1944

 


GEORGE HARRIS DEXTER ’45 *49

George Dexter died Jan. 30, 2006.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Allan Dexter ’14, George entered Princeton from Andover and was president of Cloister Inn. He rowed on the varsity crew. He flew in World War II as a B-26 pilot with the 9th Air Force. He flew 60 missions over Europe, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Returning to Princeton after the war he earned a degree in architecture cum laude and stayed to earn a master’s in 1949, after which he joined an architectural firm in Hartford, Conn. He married Lucia Sharp in 1949 and they moved to Guilford, Conn., where he joined a New Haven architectural firm and later became its chief architect. He continued his love of flying with company planes.

George is best remembered as a gifted artist. He joined the Guilford Art League and became its president for three terms. George painted portraits, landscapes, and paintings of homes. In the last 20 years he carved and painted incredibly realistic birds.

He is survived by Lucia; a son, George Jr.; a daughter, Lucia H. Brimer; and four grandchildren. The class expresses sympathy to all.

The Class of 1945

 


John Munn Hanford Jr. ’46

The summer of ’42 brought John to Princeton from Kent School, where Spanish had become his “foremost love in matters academic,” he said. The winter of 1943 saw him in the Army Air Force learning to arm B-24 Liberators, a skill he pursued in southern Italy to war’s end. John eventually spent 23 years in the Army Reserve, graduating from the Army Command and General Staff College, and retiring as a major.

John taught Spanish at Taft, Hackley, and Denver Country Day schools. He spent 17 years as assistant headmaster in Denver. After retiring, he joined his Colorado community’s weekly suburban newspaper, The Villager. “John loved the written word,” reported the paper after he died of a heart attack without warning Nov. 9. He wrote, it said, “the most popular column in the newspaper, Cops and Robbers, and proofread news copy from 1983 to 2006.” John also served as a volunteer for Four Mile Historic Park, Planned Parenthood, and Christ Episcopal Church.

John’s wife, Marilyn, died in 1997. His sons, John M. Hanford III and Charles Hanford, survive. Another son, Todd, predeceased him.

John’s ready enthusiasm added glowingly to reunions at Kent, Princeton, and the USAAF 451st Bombardment Group. We miss that smile.

The Class of 1946

 


Karl William Kolbe Jr. ’48

The class was very fortunate, even blessed, to have had Bill Kolbe at its center. It was not just what Bill did for the class and for Princeton; it was more the aura that was Bill. It was the kindness and thoughtfulness that emanated from him as well as his gift for friendship. It is no wonder he was so widely admired and held in such great affection.

Bill was our president from 1983 to 1988. He served Annual Giving. There was never a moment he wasn’t involved in class initiatives.

Bill came to us from The Hill School. He was involved with the Triangle show and graced Cottage. He went to the University of Virginia Law School and was managing editor of its Law Review. While at law school, he and Barbara Bogart (who predeceased him) were married, with Tony Carter as best man and Mosie Gates and Joe Sheerer ushering. Bill joined Reed & Priest, where he practiced tax law for the rest of his life “trying to keep people out of trouble.”

Alas, two weeks after his 80th birthday, Bill died of cancer early in the morning of Oct. 15, 2006. The class extends its compassion to his widow, Patsy, and children Kim, Buzz, and Katie. Their loss is shared by so many of us who feel blessed at having counted Bill as friend.

The Class of 1948

 


James Shand ’48

Jim Shand was elected captain of the swimming team as a sophomore and went on to be national intercollegiate backstroke champion. The medley relay team set a U.S. record. Jim was All-American in swimming for two years and also was a member of the national championship lacrosse team. He was quite a golfer and card player, as well.

Jim died Oct. 23, 2006. He came to us by way of Exeter and graduated with a bachelor’s in economics after having put in his time at Cap and Gown.

His whole business career was at Watt & Shand department store in Lancaster, Pa.. As Jim put it: “I began working at Watt & Shand in the fall of 1948 and rose rapidly to become president of the store in 1958, due to my industry and intelligence . . . just incidentally, my family owned a large share of the business.” He was just the third president in the history of the firm, which began in 1878.

Jim was extremely active in the Lancaster community. He served on every board and committee imaginable.

To his widow, Joan, and sons James ’74 and Douglas, the class offers its condolences. Jim will be sorely missed by his many Princeton friends; he was a regular at our major reunions.

The Class of 1948

 


Richard Edward Young ’48

Dick Young died Aug. 3, 2006, at his home after a long illness. He had cancer of the larynx that was first diagonsed in the 1990s.

Dick joined us by way of the Lawrenceville School and graduated with an AB in politics. He was in the Outing Club and on the staff of WPRU, and dined at Terrace, where he was vice president. After graduation he started Navy flight training, and in due course flew the Pacific airlift from Hawaii to Japan and Manila.

Following discharge in 1952, Dick returned to Allentown, Pa., to preside over the family hardware-distribution business. After five generations of ownership, the business was liquidated in 1964.

Dick then found his way to the investment-advisory world, where he was joined by his son, David ’78. Another son, Ted, pre-

deceased him after a tragic accident in which he fell down the third story of Cleve House at Lawrenceville, suffered severe brain damage, and lingered semi-comatose for almost 17 years. Daughter Janet is an aspiring artist after years in the financial world.

To Ann, whom Dick met in 1952 and married the following year, David, and Janet, the class offers its condolences. We are all the poorer at the death of a loyal Princetonian and stalwart member of 1948.

The Class of 1948

 


ARTHUR D. HALL III ’49

Arthur died March 31, 2006. He was 81.

He prepared for Princeton at Brookville (Va.) High School and served in the Army during World War II prior to attending Princeton. At Princeton he majored in electrical engineering.

Arthur worked for many years at Bell Labs prior to forming his own consulting business. He was a founding member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and authored several textbooks on systems engineering. He is listed in Who’s Who Men of Science as the father of the picture telephone and creator of the patented Auto Farm System, which provides global- positioning equipment for precision farming. His hobbies included flying, yachting, photography, and gardening.

Arthur was married several times. He is survived by his wife, Judith Merrill Hall; two daughters, Emily McPherson and Deborah Branson; a stepdaughter, Laura Pencke; and seven grandchildren. The class extends its sympathy to them on their loss of this creative and talented man.

The Class of 1949

 


SHELDON MEYER ’49

Sheldon died peacefully Oct. 9, 2006. He was 80.

He prepared for Princeton at the Lawrenceville School. At Princeton he majored in history, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated with highest honors. He was senior board member, news editor, editorial board member, and movie critic of the Daily Princetonian. He was a member of Prospect Club.

He began his publishing career with Funk & Wagnalls, and later joined Oxford University Press. At Oxford he rose to become executive editor for trade books and later became senior vice president with his own publishing unit. He made Oxford a major publisher of books about American culture and history. Sheldon’s titles won six Pulitzer Prizes, including one for James McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom. He was awarded an honorary master’s degree from Oxford University and changed the culture at Oxford Press by convincing the staff that jazz and baseball were legitimate topics. In 2000 he was honored by his authors with the publication of American Places: Encounters with History. He was on the board of the Princeton University Press and the history department’s advisory committee.

Sheldon is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Arabella; son Andrew; and two grandchildren. The class mourns with them on their loss of the man Oxford Press called a legend and we proudly called classmate.

The Class of 1949

 


JAMES B. MURRAY JR. ’49

Jim died Aug. 7, 2006, at the age of 84.

He came to Princeton after service in Scotland during World War II with the Army Air Corps.

Jim moved to Florida in 1950 and spent most of his life in the Clearwater area. He began his career with Ray Allen Fine Men’s Wear before opening his own shop specializing in fine men’s wear for boys. He next worked for Sears Roebuck and retired after 25 years. He remained active in the Air Force Reserve in Tampa and retired as a master sergeant major.

After retirement, Jim and his wife, Connie, enjoyed traveling with their family. He was an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts and was on the executive board of the West Central Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was also active in community affairs.

Jim was predeceased by Connie. He is survived by two daughters, Eileen and Charlotte Murray Chapin. The class extends its sincere sympathy to them on their loss.

The Class of 1949

 


HOWARD DAVID PANCOAST III ’50

Dave died peacefully at his Virginia home Aug. 17, 2002. He was described as a gentleman who lived life fully, and was known for his love of history, nature, geography, and his green thumb.

He served in the Air Force during World War II. At Princeton, Dave was on the sabre team, founded the Pewter Mug Agency, and belonged to Campus Club. He graduated with high honors in politics and received the department’s New York Herald prize.

After graduation he became a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. He left that job to take a cross-country motorcycle trip to Maine, working as a deckhand on a commercial fishing boat there and in a logging camp in Vermont. He then hitchhiked back to California where, after working for Western Family magazine, he tried freelance writing.

Moving to New York in 1955, he took a job at Woman’s Home Companion, where he met Nancy Follett, whom he married in 1956. After jobs with several other magazines, he joined Better Homes and Gardens, from which he retired in 1974, and moved his family to Virginia.

In addition to his wife, Dave is survived by four children and 11 grandchildren. Belatedly, we share his loss with his family.

The Class of 1950


PAUL D. WARD ’50

Paul died June 11, 2006, in Florida.

He was born in Oil City, Pa., in the shadow of the Drake oil well, America’s first. In high school he was class president for three years, a debater, and newspaper editor. At Prince-

ton, he majored in English and was managing editor of the Nassau Lit and a member of Prospect Club.

In his early career he traveled extensively while working for three publishers in their school textbook divisions. In his “entrepreneurial phase,” he bought and ran a newspaper delivery service and a liquor store. Paul then became a public school teacher in New Jersey. Retiring after 20 years of teaching, he moved to Sarasota, where he was active with the Sarasota Princeton group, and, as he wrote at our 50th, used his time “to speculate with mind and money.”

Paul was a loving father, doting grandfather, and a joy to everyone he met. To Sylvia, his wife of more than 46 years; his son, Michael; his daughter, Kim; and five grandchildren, we extend our sympathies.

The Class of 1950

 


JOHN ALBERT COCHRAN ’51

John died Sept. 15, 2006, of a heart attack. His health was poor in recent years as a result of a series of strokes.

He was born Sept. 25, 1928, in Buffalo and raised in Sheffield, Pa., where his father was in the independent oil business. He came to Princeton from Phillips Andover. A geological engineering major, he was a member of Elm Club and roomed with Sprigg Duvall, Bill Godson, Guy Newland, and Jack Timberlake. He did his graduate work at Penn State, where he met and married Elaine Bush in 1961. In the interim, from 1955 to 1958 he served as a combat officer in the Navy’s Airborne Early Warning Program.

On completing his master’s in mineralogy, John began a full-time career in education in 1961 as chairman of the science department at Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, Ohio. In 1980 he retired as assistant headmaster and chairman of the science department at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore. Thereafter he returned to the oil business in northwestern Pennsylvania.

John is survived by Elaine; their sons, John and Ross; and grandchildren Clay, Madeline, Will, and Andrew. Sprigg, Bill, and Reddy Finney attended his service at Roland Park Presbyterian Church.

The Class of 1951

 


LEE MANNEN STAPP ’51

Lee was born June 3, 1929, in Covington, Ky., and raised in Dade County, Fla., where he died Feb. 4, 2006, of congestive heart failure.

He came to us from Woodberry Forest, majored in biology, played varsity golf, was active in Glee Club and WPRU, and was a member of Quadrangle. He roomed with John Eller, Raymond Maxwell, William Ragland, and James Wright.

In 1955, Lee received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, and went on to serve as medical officer on the USS Ingraham. From there he entered a four-year residency in general surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. He was a leader of the Dade County medical community for the past half-century, and served as president of the Dade County Medical Association and as chief of staff at Baptist Hospital, where he was on the medical staff from its inception in 1962.

For many years Lee served St. Thomas Episcopal Church as vestryman and usher. His marriage to Jane Froman ended in divorce. He is survived by their children, James Stapp and wife Gayle, Kathryn Bishopric and husband Robert, and Mary Stapp and husband Joel Achenbach ’82; and by grandchildren Paris, Isabella, and Shane Achenbach. His daughter Courtney Kaminer predeceased him.

The Class of 1951

 


JOHN R. STIEGMAN h’51

We lost a good friend and honorary classmate when John died of cancer Oct. 31, 2006. He was 83.

A graduate of Williams College, John played tackle in 1942 on the only Williams team ever to defeat Princeton. He commanded landing craft in Europe during World War II.

John was assistant coach for the Princeton football teams when they won 24 straight games between 1949 and 1952 and were twice ranked No. 1 in the East, winning the Lambert Trophy in 1950 and 1951.

While Charlie Caldwell was the genius who wrote the book on single-wing offense, John was the brains of the defense. He went on to be head coach at Rutgers and the University of Pennsylvania, and then assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh and West Point.

We had the pleasure of his company only last June at our 55th reunion.

He is survived by his daughters, Elthea Stiegman and Holly McAlpen; his sisters, Sally Jenkins and Judy Keough; a brother, Daniel; and two grandchildren. Joe and Lynn Zawadsky and Nick Wilson went to John’s service at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville. We join them in remembering a friend, teammate, and valued member of our class.

The Class of 1951

 


RICHARD L. WEIDENBACHER JR. ’51

A scholar, medical doctor, and student of the human psyche, Rich died suddenly May 10, 2006, after a full and intellectually challenging life.

Born Jan. 8, 1930, in Philadelphia, he graduated from Exeter cum laude. At Princeton he was a history major and a member of Ivy, and roomed with Markley Roberts. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Thereafter he spent several years as a medical doctor aboard merchant vessels plying the West Coast of South America. He returned to do postgraduate training in pathology, surgery, general psychiatry, and child psychiatry.

After completing a residency in general psychiatry at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., he served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971 in the Navy Medical Corps as psychiatrist to the First Marine Division. He went on to complete a residency in child psychiatry at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

From 1973 to the time of his death, Rich was a psychiatrist in the forensic psychiatry service at Kings County Hospital, a practice that covered medical, legal, moral, political, and philosophical issues.

On his own, he studied Arabic, Japanese, and Greek.

Rich is survived by his sister, Lee Winborne. We join her in remembering this gifted and dedicated man.

The Class of 1951

 


ALAN WALLACE ALLEN ’52

Alan, of Salem, S.C., died May 19, 2006.

He entered Princeton from Oak Park Township (Ill.) High School, majored in history, and belonged to Tower Club. After graduation he served four and a half years as an electronic countermeasure/radar observer in B-36 of the SAC, primarily in the Pacific Rim area. He was released as a first lieutenant.

Alan worked briefly for General Electric. Then in 1960 he joined the Glidden Co. where, until his retirement in 1991, he enjoyed a successful career as a vice president in marketing.

In the community he served as vice president of the Altanta (Ga.) Boys and Girls Club, as ruling elder, deacon, chairman, and treasurer of his Presbyterian church, and as a board member of the National Paint, Varnish & Lacquer Association.

His was a happy retirement on a beautiful lake in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he enjoyed a loving family, golfing, hunting, fishing, boating, and hiking. Alan also collected fine wines and served as president of a wine appreciation society.

Alan is survived by his beloved wife, Katherine; four children, Stephen, Michael, Laura, and Katherine; and four grandchildren. To them, the class extends its condolences.

The Class of 1952

 


FRANK BAKER ANDREWS JR. ’52

Frank Andrews died Aug. 8, 2006, in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., after a battle with throat cancer. His memorial service was in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Laguna Beach.

Frank came to us from Morgan Park High School in Chicago. His Princeton career was interrupted after freshman year by a stint in the Army. He returned to graduate in 1956 and then attended the University of Chicago Medical School, graduating in 1960.

His early medical training continued through the Army Medical Corps in hospitals in France, Germany, and the United States.

Frank left the Army in 1967 and settled into private practice of radiology in Laguna Beach. He was instrumental in founding the Breast Clinic for Early Diagnosis in Mission Viejo, and became known as a leader in the women’s health field in Southern California. Frank retired in 2000.

Frank remained in close contact with many friends and classmates, especially his old roommate Ed Gregory, and his faithful golfing partners, Jack Dodds, Tom Dosdall, and Jay Master.

He is survived by his wife, Jess; children Robert, Evelyn, and Jocelyn; and five grandchildren, to whom the class extends its deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1952

 


JAMES MONTGOMERY BECK III ’52

Jim died of cardiovascular disease Aug. 13, 2006, in Princeton. He was a longtime resident of the Nassau Club.

Born in London to an American father and a British mother, Jim came to the United States in 1939 and returned to the United Kingdom after graduation from Princeton. Thereafter he lived in several locations, domestic and foreign, before settling into his Nassau Club apartment.

A lifelong bibiophile and writer, Jim entered Princeton from the Hun School and majored in English. Later he did graduate work at Columbia and the University of Rhode Island.

Jim’s early career was varied. He owned a restaurant in London and also worked in advertising, government, and academe before retiring to Princeton, where he devoted himself to researching his family’s rich history. His American grandfather was a noted Pennsylvania congressman, James M. Beck, and his British relatives included an Edwardian author, a prime minister, and Lord Grey of Fallodon, the British foreign secretary during World War I.

Jim was a member of the English Speaking Union, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Princeton Club of New York, and Spouting Rock Beach Association of Newport.

He is survived by his twin sister, Virginia; his adopted son, David; a half-brother; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson. To them, the class extends deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1952

 


GRENVILLE GARSIDE ’52

Gren died of cancer Sept. 22, 2006, at his home in Norfolk, Conn.

A longtime resident of Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, he had moved to Norfolk full time in 1999.

He entered Princeton from Exeter with the Class of 1951 and, after distinguishing himself as Prince chairman, a politics major, and Quadrangle Club president, graduated as a member of 1952. He served in the Army in Korea from 1952 to 1954, and in 1959 received a law degree from the University of Virginia.

Gren’s early career included service as assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior, as legislative counsel to Sen. Henry M. Jackson and vice president of the senator’s foundation, and as staff director and counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

From 1979 to 1995, as a partner in the Washington firm of Van Ness Feldman, he concentrated on energy, natural resources, and environmental law, working with corporate clients on legislative issues. He also was counsel to Americans for Energy Independence.

In retirement he served Norfolk as a chronicler of its architecture and as a newspaperman.

Gren is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara; daughter Elizabeth; sons Jonathan and Alexander; and four grandchildren. To them, the class extends deepest condolences.

The Class of 1952

 


C. Hugh T. Bloom Jr. ’54

Hugh Bloom died of cancer Oct. 24, 2006, in Easton (Pa.) Hospital.

Born in Easton, he graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy. At Princeton, he majored in chemistry, was a member of Court Club, and participated in many campus activities. He subsequently completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering at Lehigh University in 1955 and 1960.

Hugh had a very full career serving as president and director of C.F. Martin & Co., and retired in 1995 after 30 years there.

He was a board member of numerous Easton-area organizations, and served as secretary and treasurer of the Princeton Alumni Association of the Lehigh Valley. He was an active reader, gardener, golfer, skier, and master duplicate-bridge player.

The class sends its condolences to Carolyn, his wife of 38 years; son C.H. Bloom II; daughter Virginia; and granddaughter Caroline.

The Class of 1954

 


Brandon Hart ’54

Brandon Hart died Oct. 24, 2006, from Pick’s disease.

In our 2004 book, Lives of ’54, his wife, Katrina, wrote a lovely report of his life, saying that at that time Brandon was no longer able to communicate or participate in activities of daily living. Regrettably, patients with this type of dementia often are left unable to care for themselves.

Brandon was born in Princeton and graduated from the South Kent (Conn.) School. He was a psychology major and a member of Tower Club and varsity crew. It is noteworthy that his senior thesis topic at Princeton was “Electroencephalography and Its Uses in the Measurement of Brain Ailments.”

He had a productive medical career as a solo practitioner in ophthalmology in Beverly, Mass., until his retirement seven years ago.

The class offers its sympathy to Katrina and Brandon’s daughters, Alexandra and Eliza. Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Ave., New York, NY 10001.

The Class of 1954

 


James Allen Levy ’54

James Levy died Oct. 16, 2006.

He was born in New Rochelle, N.Y., and graduated from New Rochelle High School. At Princeton, he majored in chemistry, was a member of Key and Seal Club, and was active in campus publications. He subsequently graduated from New York Medical College and completed residency and fellowship training in cardiology at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

James became chief of cardiology at United Hospital in Port Chester, N.Y., and director of noninvasive cardiology at Westchester Medical Center. He taught at New York Medical College for more than 30 years until the time of his death. He served as a board member of the American Heart Association and also was past president of its New York State chapter. He was tireless in his devotion to the ideals of medicine and the care of his patients.

The class extends its condolences to his wife, Susan; daughter Jenni ’82; son Joseph; and two grandchildren.

The Class of 1954

 


R.W. Apple Jr. ’57

“Johnny” Apple died of thoracic cancer Oct. 4, 2006.

He came to Princeton from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. At Princeton he was chairman of the Daily Princetonian, and worked for WPRU and the undergraduate council. He left in his sophomore year for academic reasons; subsequently, he graduated from Columbia University’s School of General Studies.

His career was legendary. Starting at the Wall Street Journal as an undergraduate, he was later hired by NBC News. The New York Times became his career and intellectual home for the balance of his life. From the early 1960s to 2004, Johnny worked as bureau chief in Albany, Lagos, Nairobi, Saigon, Moscow, London, and Washington. He led coverage in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War. He was also a renowned political correspondent.

Johnny’s personal life was equally expansive. A gourmet and a gourmand of extreme degree, his gustatory feats included huge portions and much spirits enjoyed by his friends and colleagues. He wrote Apple’s Europe and Apple’s America, books of travel and restaurant tips.

The New York Times said “his insecurity, ambition, and name dropping” were traits all great reporters evince. In 1982 he married Betsy P. Brown, who survives him, and who was his partner and traveling companion to the present.

After a dinner a friend wrote, “Apple simplified a difficult choice of meals by telling them to bring everything.” That was Johnny. RIP.

The Class of 1957

 


Spencer O. Chagnon ’57 *63

Spencer died March 31, 2003, from a heart attack caused by Alzheimer’s disease. At Princeton, he majored in electrical engineering, joined Elm Club, and roomed by himself senior year.

After Princeton, Spencer earned a master’s in 1960 from the University of Illinois. He served two years at the National Security Agency and was employed in the Princeton area by Applied Logic Corp. and the Institute for Defense Analysis. He also taught at Stevens Institute and Rutgers University. He suffered two heart attacks in 1976.

In 1979 he began a career of ministry in Ohio with his first wife. Subsequently, he married Susan Beecher.

Spencer did not keep in touch with the class or Princeton. We send our sincere condolences to his wife, Susan; his children, Michael, Deborah, Didi, Jennifer, and Jacques; and his grandchildren.

The Class of 1957

 


Theodore James Jr. ’57

Ted died Oct. 7, 2006, of heart failure.

At Princeton he majored in art and archaeology, which became lifelong pursuits. He roomed with Hap Werth and was active in the Triangle Club.

In the 1960s he was a columnist in New York and a foreign correspondent in Paris, London, and Warsaw. He later wrote comedy material for New York theater and cabarets.

In 1966 he was a freelance writer for The New York Times and, over the years, published 20 nonfiction books. In 1974 he left Manhattan for then-rural Peconic Bay on eastern Long Island.

He continued writing under contract to Viking Press and H.N. Abrams. For many years his focus was horticulture. His favorite work was A Year in the Life of a Garden, which was done with photographer and life-partner Harry Haralambou. He also wrote for the travel section of The New York Times from all over the world. He enjoyed lecturing and acting on stage.

The governor of Belgium honored him as a Chevalier de Couronne de Belgique. Ted never married. His dear friend Harry was his partner to the end. The class sends its sympathy to all those who knew this gentle man.

The Class of 1957

 


PETER O. ERLANDSEN ’60

Peter died June 3, 2006, of a heart attack.

Peter entered Princeton with the Class of 1958 after graduating from Andover and attending schools in Garden City, N.Y. A member of Elm Club and active in flying at Princeton, Peter took a couple of years off and graduated with the Class of 1960 with a bachelor’s in aeronautical engineering. He later earned a master’s from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

His work included wind-tunnel-like studies on models under blimps, Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, and soft propeller auto-rotating devices. He retired after 30 years at Otis Elevator, where he was a project manager working on elevators and people-movers, and became a leading expert on cable dynamics of elevators in swaying buildings.

Peter loved classical music and could sing multiple roles in Gilbert & Sullivan operas. He enjoyed building, and in 1964 joined Kent Mina ’58 in constructing a vacation A-frame in Vermont. He served as president and treasurer at South Glastonbury (Conn.) Library and managed van services for Trinity Church in Hartford, which established a special remembrance for him.

He is survived by his loving wife, Julie; children Kirsten, Kirby, and Kyle, and their mother, Joyce; stepchildren Brian, Stephanie, and Kerry; 12 grandchildren; a brother, Eric; and a sister, Clarita.

The class extends sympathy to Peter’s extended family.

The Class of 1960

 


John H. Colyer ’62

John died Aug. 2, 2006.

John graduated from Oneonta (N.Y.) High School, lettering in three sports and joining the National Honor Society. He attended Princeton on a Procter & Gamble scholarship.

At Princeton he played freshman football and baseball. Illness prevented him from continuing to play sophomore year but he was active later in interclub sports for Cannon Club. Rooming in “The Gun’s” Rockefeller Suite, he was also on the Cannon’s bicker committee. John majored in politics.

After military service in Germany, John worked in the insurance industry in Chicago. He then moved to Los Angeles and worked for Hughes Aircraft before entering the executive-search business. John met his wife-to-be, Molly, at a 1982 Super Bowl party. They were married in 1989 beneath El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

The couple settled in Pickerington, Ohio, in 1991, working together in the real-estate business. John was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2001. Although he avidly continued golfing as long as possible, reading Civil War history and listening to music became driving forces in his final two years.

The class extends its sympathy to Molly and John’s mother, Mabel L. Colyer.

The Class of 1962

 


Jay Coupe ’62

Jay died of liver cancer Sept. 14, 2006.

Coming to Princeton from Philadelphia’s Central High School and majoring in English, Jay participated in Naval ROTC and was a member of the Nassoons and Key and Seal. In his illustrious 26-year naval career, he visited Hanoi six times to escort POWs —including Arizona Sen. John McCain — home. He served in Taiwan, the Mekong Delta, Germany, Italy, and at the Pentagon. Upon his retirement he received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Jay had a gift for languages (he was fluent in eight), storytelling, and dealing with people. He regaled in Tom Jones-style gastronomic experiences in Washington society as a member of L’Accademia Italiana della Cucina and the Cogswell Society (a drinking group honoring a temperance crusader). With a master’s in communications from Boston University, Jay was well-suited for his career in public relations.

Jay also maintained his tenor voice, spontaneously breaking into song at Washington restaurants — including a Neapolitan song at a charity dinner with Luciano Pavarotti.

After retiring from the Navy he started a public relations consulting firm and married Patrisha Davis-Coupe. Patrisha has established the Jay Coupe ’62 Memorial Scholarship Fund in his honor (see webmaster@princeton62.org). Jay was buried Nov. 8 at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

The Class of 1962

 


Kenneth J. Suid ’62

Kenneth J. Suid died June 30, 2006, in Portland, Ore.

He graduated from Shaker Heights (Ohio) High School before attending Princeton, where he majored in politics, was in the Glee Club, and dined at Elm Club. He also was active in crew and McCarter Theatre. His senior roommates were Jim Benjamin, Hank Balfour, and Charlie Stephenson. Ken earned an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Ken’s career included serving as assistant provost at the University of Massachusetts, assistant U.S. Secretary of Education, dean of Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, and vice chancellor at the University of California, Riverside. He also worked at Bell & Howell and various technology companies. His last position was in charge of management development and training at Mentor Graphics. Ironically, Ken disavowed using PCs, cell phones, etc.

Although he seemed unable to forget some unhappy days as a freshman at Pyne Hall, he willingly contributed to our reunion yearbooks and chaired the Princeton Schools Committee in Portland. Ken sensed his own mortality in his essay and poem for our 40th reunion.

Ken will not attend our 50th — a goal he had set some time ago. The class extends sincere sympathy to his companion, David F. Brannon.

The Class of 1962

 


REXFORD TAYLOR BROWN ’66

We lost Rex Oct. 16, 2006, when he died peacefully in his sleep at his home, in Jackson, Miss.

Rex grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated from Shaker Heights High School, where he wrestled, played baseball and football, and served as a class officer. At Princeton he majored in history, served as a football manager, and belonged to Cap and Gown, which he served as Interclub Athletic Association director.

After Princeton, Rex received a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1969. He practiced law in Washington, D.C., and Tokyo as a specialist in securities law. Following that, for the last 26 years of his life, Rex lived and practiced law in Jackson, concentrating primarily in appellate law.

Rex was an avid outdoorsman and especially loved golf and fishing. He had a deep intellectual curiosity and a dry wit.

We will miss Rex. We extend our sympathy to his brother and sister-in-law, Judge and Mrs. Charles E. Brown Jr., and to the Brown family.

The Class of 1966

 


Graduate Alumni


Walter Robert Berger Jr. *47

Walter Robert Berger Jr. of Midland, Texas, died July 24, 2006. He became ill last year, and displayed grace and dignity throughout his illness.

Born in 1920, he received a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering in 1942 from Oklahoma University, and a master’s in the same field from Princeton in 1947. During World War II, he was a captain in the Army, specializing in ordnance and bomb-disposal operations.

Berger had a long and rewarding career in the oil and gas business as an independent geologist and petroleum engineer, after beginning his career with Humble Oil and Refining from 1947 to 1951. He was active in the business until his death.

He married his wife, Margaret, in 1945. She survives him, as do five children, 12 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

 


This issue has undergraduate memorials for John L. Frothingham ’40 *41, George Harris Dexter ’45 *49, and Spencer O. Chagnon ’57 *63.

 


Frederick A. Matsen Jr. *41

Frederick A. Matsen Jr., emeritus professor of chemistry and physics at the University of Texas at Austin, died May 30, 2006. He was 92.

Born in Racine, Wis., he earned a bachelor’s from the University of Wisconsin in 1937and completed a Ph.D. in chemistry at Princeton in 1941. In 1942, he moved to the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught and did research for more than 50 years. He initiated an undergraduate honors course in chemistry, teaching graduate-level quantum chemistry to entering freshmen for more than 40 years. In 1988, a Regents Lectureship in Theories of Matter was endowed in his honor.

Matsen wrote more than 200 papers and authored or co-authored six books. In 1950 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship for study at Oxford, and in 1961 he received a National Science Foundation Fellowship to the Poincaré Institute in Paris.

Along with tennis, mountain climbing, and skiing, he was interested in classical music, and his family wrote that he always appreciated the privilege and high intellectual adventure of being a scientist.

Matsen’s wife of 68 years, Cecelia, preceded him in death by five months. He is survived by two children and three grandchildren.


Frank E. Gerth III *72

Frank E. Gerth III of Austin, Texas, died May 23, 2006, at the age of 60.

He graduated from Rice University in1967, and then worked from 1967 to 1969 for TRW on the Apollo space program, helping create the computer programs that guided the Apollo moon landing in 1969. He then entered Princeton, earning a master’s in 1971 and a doctorate in mathematics in 1972.

Gerth spend more than 30 years teaching math and doing research at the University of Texas at Austin, maintaining his enthusiasm for helping students learn. He specialized in algebraic number theory, and published more than 70 articles. He was promoted to associate professor in 1980, and then professor in 1987. Dedicated to supporting and recognizing excellence in mathematics education, he endowed mathematics fellowships at three universities, including Princeton.

He is survived by his mother and his brother.

 


Reuben A. Day Jr. *40, Chemistry, April 24, 2005

Elbert C. Herrick *42, Chemistry, April 19, 2006 Norman Zwiebel *47, Chemistry, June 12, 2006

Wesley E. Brittin *48, Physics, Aug. 1, 2006

Frederick S. Porter Jr. *48, Aeronautical Engineering, March 1983 day given) .

William M. Heston Jr. *49, Chemistry, March 9, 2006

Charles H. Fletcher *50, Physics, April 27, 2006

Charles L. Gandy Jr. *52, Aeronautical Engineering, July 24, 2006

William W. Woodbury *52, Mathematics, June 20, 2004

Ralph W. Edwards *53, Chemistry, Jan. 23, 2004

William L.K. Schwarz *55, History, July 22, 2006

P. Emery Thomas *55, Mathematics, June 13, 2005

Roy Pelmas *62, Aeronautical Engineering, July 24, 2006

James F. Barie *67, Woodrow Wilson School, July 2, 2006

John C. Graebner *69, Electrical Engineering, Oct. 30, 2004

Victor L. Chen *86, Applied and Computational Mathematics, Aug. 8, 2006

Raymond I. Lindquist *33, Philosophy, Oct. 5, 2001

Norman L. Schultz *34, Mathematics, Nov. 1, 1992

Darwin L. Vexler *35, Biology, Dec. 13, 2003

Donald L. Blackstone Jr. *36, Geology, May 24, 2004

Philip H. DeLacy *36, Classics, June 17, 2006

Dorr C. Skeels *36, Geology, March 25, 1999

Charles H. Norris *39, Geology, July 31, 1995

Charles E. Swing *39, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, April 26, 2006

George W. Brown *40, Mathematics, June 20, 2005

Donald E. Barnes *42, English, Nov. 14, 2005

John A. Wetherington *44, Chemistry, May 2, 2004

John C. Maxwell *46, Geology, Jan. 23, 2006

William C. Pritchard *48, Nuclear Science, March 27, 1991

Clifford de Baun *49, Woodrow Wilson School, May 25, 2006

Fernand T. Picou *49, Architecture, Nov. 15, 2004

Charles M. Fergusson Jr. *50, Woodrow Wilson School, Sept. 15, 2006

Thomas R. Meehan *52, History, Oct. 3, 2006

George H. Hughey Jr. *54, Aeronautical Engineering, Sept. 8, 2006

Donald Reid *57, Aeronautical Engineering, Aug. 27, 2006

Michael D. Nesbitt *59, Psychology, Oct. 15, 1988

John S. Lew *60, Physics, Sept. 14, 2006

Martin F. Andie *67, Philosophy, March 2005

Vojtech F. Jirat-Wasiutynski *75, Art and Archeology, July 8, 2006

Michael A. True *77, Astrophysical Sciences, Oct. 16, 2006

Richard T. Sonnergren *80, Woodrow Wilson School, Feb. 9, 2005

Tom H. Caudill *96, Woodrow Wilson School, Sept. 11, 2006 end of article

 


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