Memorials - July 7, 1999
Malcolm Cravens '30
Malcolm died Apr. 17, 1999, at his San Francisco home. He was 91. After completing the first two years at the Hotchkiss School, he was forced to leave because of illness; he took his senior college boards that fall and entered Princeton a year ahead of his Hotchkiss class.
At Princeton he received the William Marshall Bullitt prize in mathematics and joined Tower Club.
Malcolm was again forced by illness to take a year off between his sophomore and junior years; he left Princeton after junior year to enter his family's business, Cravens, Dargan & Co. Shortly thereafter the company moved to the Pacific Coast through the purchase of Marsh & McLennan Managing General Agency, and Malcolm moved to San Francisco in 1932 to take charge of the new operation. In 1974 the business was sold to Cigna Corp., and Malcolm stayed on as Pacific Coast manager.
At the time of his death he was chairman of the various Cravens companies in insurance and mortgage banking. Club memberships included the Bohemian, the Pacific-Union, Burlingame, and Cypress Point.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Martha, children Hartley, Susan Good, Brenda McAdoo, Carol, and Joan Taylor, 11 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. To all of them the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1930
George D. Lockhart '31
George Lockhart died Apr. 5, 1999, of congestive heart failure at his home in Pittsburgh. He was 89.
George had an active life. He prepared at Shadyside Academy and then Choate. At Princeton he played freshman and then varsity hockey and was president of the Choate School Club, chairman of the motion picture committee, and a member of Cottage Club.
George studied law at the U. of Pittsburgh, earned his LLB degree in 1935, and went to work at the law firm of Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay. Then, during WWII, George served for five years in the Office of the General Counsel of the Navy, where he was awarded a Commendation Ribbon. In Feb. 1946 he was discharged as a lieutenant commander. Some time later, George and six other lawyers from Reed, Smith split from the firm and formed their own partnership, Kirkpatrick, Pomeroy, Lockhart and Johnson. The firm he left contained 20 or 30 lawyers; the present one has 470 lawyers in six cities. To put it simply: George was a great lawyer and had a tremendous influence in his community. He will not be forgotten.
George is survived by his son John F., daughters Pauline L. Palumbo and Katherine L. Griswold, stepson Charles H. Heinz, and stepdaughter Lisa Heinz. The class extends its sincere sympathy to the entire family.
The Class of 1931
Lee L. Blyler '32 *33
Lee Landis Blyler died Mar. 27, 1999, of lung cancer at his home in Cape Coral, Fla.
Lee studied chemical engineering in college. In 1933 he earned a master's in chemical engineering from Princeton and was elected to Sigma Xi. He played freshman and varsity basketball. During his freshman and sophomore years, he roomed with Russ Case and, later, with Jack Hume.
After leaving Princeton, Lee worked with the DuPont Co. for 12 years, becoming a research head in high-strength adhesives for aircraft. After WWII, he left DuPont and, thereafter, became an officer and director of several chemical companies. In 1958 he bought the Ambroid Co., which he later sold in 1975 when he retired.
Lee married Betty Bernheiser in 1935; they had two children, Lee Jr. '61 and Nancy. Betty died in 1964, and in 1965 he married Evelyn Mancini. In addition to Evelyn and his two children, he is survived by two grandchildren from his first marriage, and, from Evelyn's previous marriage, a daughter, Gail, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. The class extends its sympathy to all Lee's family.
The Class of 1932
Jere Williams Lord Jr. '32
The class has lost one of its most distinguished members. Jere Lord died Apr. 20, 1999, at his home in Bedford, N.Y.
Jere prepared at Gilman School. While at Princeton, he was a member of Ivy Club and in all four years was outstanding on basketball teams. He was named to the All-Ivy League team in senior year.
Jere earned his MD in 1937 from Johns Hopkins Medical School. He served his internship and residency at the New York Hospital and, until his retirement from surgery in 1983, he practiced general and vascular surgery in NYC. He was president of the New York Heart Assn., a professor at the New York U. School of Medicine, and the author of many research papers in his field.
In 1941, Jere married June Harrah. They had two daughters, Harrah L. Argentine and Lona L. Davis, and one son, Jere W. III; all three children and six grandchildren survive him. Jere and June were divorced, and on Feb. 13, 1971, Jere married Margot Graham, who also survives. The class sends sympathy to Margot and to Jere's children and grandchildren.
The Class of 1932
John Merrithew Allen '34
Jack Allen, a prominent resident of Searsport, Maine, for some 20 years after his retirement, died in his sleep May 19, 1999, after a long illness. In Searsport, the birthplace of both his parents, he was an honorary trustee of the Penobscot Marine Museum, a past trustee, deacon, and choir member of the First Congregational Church, and a member of the St. Andrew's Society of Maine.
During WWII, Jack served with Patton's Third Army in the campaigns of Northern France, the Rhineland, and Central Europe, earning the Bronze Star and the American Defense Ribbon with four Battle Stars. There followed jobs in Duluth, Minn., his wife's hometown; Elmira, N.Y., and back to the East (he grew up in the Oranges in New Jersey), where he worked 17 years in sales for Republic Steel.
In retirement Jack and his wife, Barbara "Barb" (Liscomb), a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill whom he married in 1942 and who died in 1996, enjoyed frequent travels. They cruised through the Panama Canal ("an experience not to be missed," he wrote a classmate) and spent five weeks in Arizona (where they visited Walt Thomas and his wife, Edith, now deceased, in Green Valley).
Surviving are three sons, Charles L. "Cy", John M. Jr., and William V. "Van", six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. To them we offer our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Howard Gilbert Engler '34
Howie Engler, founder of the Engler Instrument Co. in Jersey City, died May 13, 1999, in Ticonderoga, N.Y., near his summer home in Hague, on Lake George. He had been in failing health for several years.
The Engler Instrument Co., which Howie ran for 28 years with his younger brother before selling it in 1974, perfected an instrument, the "hubodometer," which facilitates accurate record-keeping for large truck fleets. During WWII, Howie, then an industrial engineer with Merck & Co., served two years with the new-developments division of the general staff in the Pentagon. "Went in as a colonel,'' he wrote, "and came out as one."
When he retired, in 1976, he wrote a classmate he hoped to be "loafing, boating, golfing, fishing, painting, sunning, surfing, etc. between Lake George, Short Hills, and Stuart, Fla.," where he spent winters.
Howie's wife, Dorothy "Dotty" Coleman (Swarthmore '34), whom he married in 1937, died in the early 1990s. He is survived by three sons., Peter G., G. Gilbert, and H. Jeffrey '72; a daughter, Elizabeth E. Barton; two sisters, Elinor Hibberd and Ruth Wallander; and 11 grandchildren. To them we offer our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Charles Naumann McCloud Jr. '34
Mac McCloud, who conducted a private practice of internal medicine in St. Paul, Minn., from 1946 until he was incapacitated by two coronaries four months apart in 1967, died Dec. 10, 1998, it has only recently been learned. He continued to work part-time after the coronaries as a medical consultant, then retired in 1975.
As an undergraduate, Mac was the secretary of his eating club, and years later he wrote a classmate, "I have very happy memories of my years at Princeton. We had an outstanding class -- a great bunch of guys."
Mac served in WWII with the Army for two years, nearly all of which time with the 7th Army's 132nd Evacuation Hospital overseas, in France and Germany. He was awarded two Battle Stars and was honorably discharged in Aug. 1946, "the second best day of my life," he called it.
"The best day of my life" was July 1, 1940, the day of his marriage to Deborah "Deb" Thompson, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Geraldine and Janet. To them we offer belated but sincere condolences and sympathy.
The Class of 1934
John Stafford Harlow '35
Jack died Mar. 19, 1999, in at his home in Spruce Head, Maine. He was 86. Son of Congregational ministers and the grandson of Samuel S. Harlow 1879, he was born in Smyrna (now Izmir), Turkey, grew up in Northampton, Mass., and prepared at the Taft School. At Princeton he sang in the choir, was v.p. of Clio, and roomed with Arthur Reeve Jr.
After Princeton, Jack earned a law degree from Harvard in 1940 and moved to Seattle. There, he practiced law for 17 years, specializing in labor and civil rights, and participated in various local church, community, and civic activities. In 1956 he gave up the practice of law and joined the faculty at the U. of Iowa, where he taught business law. At Iowa, he not only received a Faculty Best Teacher Award but also a Ford Foundation grant to study economic planning in France. He retired in 1972.
A lifelong lover of the sea, Jack and his wife (the former Catherine Sinibaldi) then moved to Spruce Head, where he indulged (with great diligence and delight) in the pursuit of two hobbies -- sailing and kayak-building. Cathie and Jack's stepdaughter, Norma Harlow Merritt, survives him, as do three grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The family plans a waterside memorial this summer at which time Jack's ashes will be scattered at sea.
The Class of 1935
Robert C. Johnston '35
Bob died Dec. 4, 1998, at his home in Millbrook, N.Y. He was 85. He prepared at the Princeton Preparatory School and at Evander Childs H.S. in the Bronx, N.Y. At Princeton, he swam with the varsity swimming team, sang with the Glee Club, roomed with J.P. Gulick, and belonged to Terrace Club. He majored in civil engineering, graduating with second group honors.
That same year he joined the predecessor company of what is now Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers of NYC. He interrupted his job there to serve in WWII as a lieutenant in the Seabees with action in the Normandy landings on D-Day. Thereafter, Bob returned to his civilian career, where he became a widely renowned authority on the design of foundations for large structures. Outstanding are those he designed for the Chase Manhattan Bank in NYC and the U.S. Steel, Mellon, and Alcoa Buildings in Pittsburgh. He led the team that designed the bulkheads that created 100 acres of land and support for the buildings that now comprise NYC's Battery Park City. He retired as a partner of Mueser Rutledge in 1983.
Bob is survived by his wife of 59 years, Charlotte. To her, their daughter, Barbara Anderson, and their granddaughter, Hilary Adams, we extend our deep condolences.
The Class of 1935
Arthur Drake Reeve Jr. '35
Art died Mar. 19, 1999, at home in Rockville, Md. He was 86. He prepped at Newark Academy, was a history major at Princeton, and roomed with Jack Harlow in his junior and senior years. A member of Dial Lodge, he became v.p. of Whig-Clio and played an active role in its leadership with his lifelong friend Arthur Northwood Jr.
After graduation, a Spellman Fellowship in Housing took him to the Public Administration Clearing House at Chicago U., followed by service in the Office of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board's chairman. From 1938-40 he was executive secretary of the Natl. Peace Conference. At the outbreak of WWII, Art enlisted in the Signal Corps Reserve, went to England, and became part of Churchill's "Bodyguard of Lies" Operation, a unit charged with misleading Hitler on the site of the Allied plan to invade Europe. That mission successfully completed, he became a cryptographer with the Tactical Air Command, 9th Air Force.
After the war Art returned to New Jersey, took over his family's insurance business in Newark, and married Elizabeth "Betty" Smith on VJ-Day, Aug. 15, 1945. He became a respected, prominent citizen of South Orange, active in charitable, church, and civic groups. Betty survives him, as do their children, Margaret, John, and Thomas, two grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. To all we express our deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1935
Roland Voorhees '35
Rollo died Mar. 6, 1999, after 10 bedridden years in his Darien, Conn., home. He was 85. Valedictorian at the Gilman School, he majored in chemical engineering at Princeton, joined Charter Club, and roomed with Henry Townend. Graduating summa cum laude, he married Sheila Connolly 10 days after graduation and that same summer started a 43-year career with Union Carbide Corp. His first 20 years were spent in Charleston, W.Va., where he became associate director of UCC's chemicals division. The next decade brought a change of pace. Based at corporate headquarters in NYC, he spent most of his time traveling in Europe, scouting for new business/technical developments. Then, in 1964 he was really "retreaded" (his phrase). He became a UCC financial executive, serving as its assistant secretary/assistant treasurer until his retirement in 1978.
For some years Rollo was on the advisory council of Princeton's chemical engineering department, regularly visiting campus to interview students interested in working for UCC. He also was a jovial regular at '35's Princeton Club of NYC lunches. Swimming and power boating were his chief recreations in these years; he was a member of the NY Yacht Club and served as a commander of the Darien Power Squadron.
Rollo and Sheila had no children. After her death in 1983 he married Betty Glamman, who died in 1990. A cousin, John, survives.
The Class of 1935
William Blaine Asher '36
Bill died Apr. 2, 1999, at home in Rockville, Md. He was 84. A native of Washington, D.C., he prepared at St. Albans School. At Princeton he earned honors in economics and was a member of Elm Club.
During WWII, he rose in rank from private to captain and commanding officer of an Army ordnance company. He served just under five years, during which almost a year was spent in combat operations from Normandy to the end of the war in Europe. He was awarded four Battle Stars.
After the war he became associated with the Washington real estate firm of Karl W. Corby and Co. He became a v.p. and retired in 1976.
In 1971 Bill and his wife, Sue, began living part-time at their second home in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. After his retirement they lived there full-time until 1989, when they returned to the Washington area. He was a member of the Chevy Chase Club and the Princeton Club of Washington.
Sue, his wife of 51 years, died in 1997. Bill's survivors include three children, William B. Jr., Mary Preston Hoffman, and Susan B. Coe, his brother Norman J. '43, sister Florence A. Dove, nephew Norman B. '77, and six grandchildren. Bill was indeed a loyal Princetonian. He will be remembered.
The Class of 1936
William Henry Barbour Jr. '36
Bill died Jan. 1, 1999, of pneumonia, in his hometown of Yazoo City, Miss. He was 84. A graduate of Lawrenceville, he spent two years at Princeton and belonged to Cottage Club. He transferred to the U. of Mississippi, where he earned his law degree. He was a past president of that school's alumni association. He was a deacon and elder of his church and was interested in Little League baseball and the Boy Scouts. Bill was a longtime director of the Delta Natl. Bank (now the Deposit Guarantee Natl. Bank), and he was a member of the American and State of Mississippi Bar Associations. He retired in 1990 from his law firm, Henry, Barbour and De Call.
Bill had an impressive WWII record. In 1942 he enlisted in the Army as a private, graduated from Officer's Candidate School, and served two years in the Coast Artillery and two years in Washington, D.C., in the General Staff Corps. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and retired as a major.
His first wife, Genevieve, died in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Dicey, daughter Genevieve, sons William H. Jr. '63 and McBee, sister Patty Lipsert, six grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. His brother Jeptha F. Jr. '34 died in 1950.
The Class of 1936
Richard Robinson Pettit '36
Dick died Mar. 11, 1999, in Portland, Oreg. He was 84. He prepared at the Hill School. At the end of his freshman year at Stanford, he transferred to Princeton with the late Brooks Bowman, who became his roommate. He majored in philosophy with honors and was a member of the track team, the Triangle Club, and v.p. of Tower Club. In 1939 he earned his law degree from Yale.
He spent two years as a tax lawyer in NYC and then was a lawyer in San Francisco with Frederick C. Whitman, a founder of the Whitman Institute.
He next started a 10-year period as a pilot and captain with United Airlines, flying in the western states until 1951. He spent the rest of his career as a corporate and financial officer for Trans Ocean Airlines, Atlas Corp., Marcona Corp., Utah Intl., and Chemcrete Corp. A great amount of his business was overseas.
During his busy life he found time for international education, politics, and population control.
In 1944 he married Lucy Jane Hunter. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary before she died in 1995. Survivors include his son Tyram, daughter Jan C., three grandchildren, and brother Milton. Dick was a man of many talents; he will indeed be remembered.
The Class of 1936
Francis Seyfarth '36
Frank died Apr. 30, 1999, of Parkinson's disease, after a long illness. He was 85. Until he was no longer able, he worked with support groups helping others so afflicted.
He prepared at the Fieldston School in NYC. At Princeton he majored in mechanical engineering. His first job was with Ingersol Rand for two years. In 1938 he started a long association with the U. of Illinois at Urbana. There, Frank earned his MS in 1942 and was named a full professor in 1953. He retired in 1975. A highlight of his career occurred during 1960-62, when he was a member of the U. of Illinois nine-member team that helped establish a graduate and teaching program at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
During WWII, Frank spent three and a half years in the Navy, rising in rank from ensign to lieutenant in ordnance and transportation in Washington, D.C., Norfolk, Va., and the Philippines. He was a member of the U.S. Naval Institute and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Frank is survived by his wife, Jean, daughters Marion S. Erwin and Elizabeth S. Black, brother Robert '36, and two grandchildren. A loyal Princetonian, Frank will indeed be remembered.
The Class of 1936
Edward Mosehauer '37
Aircraft equipment design engineer, model railroader, and ardent Princetonian, Ed Mosehauer of West Hartford, Conn., died Apr. 25, 1998. His wife, Eleanor, predeceased him, but his son Richard, daughters Nancy, Linda, and Susan, and six grandchildren survive.
Ed prepared at Lawrenceville. He transferred to M.I.T. at the end of sophomore year to specialize in aeronautical engineering, which he pursued vigorously the rest of his professional life, in various positions with United Aircraft/United Technologies Corp. In an era of tremendous expansion of U.S. aircraft production, he designed and built the world-famous Hamilton propellers, turbine engine starters, and hydraulic pumps; he played a part in putting the first man on the moon. On the side he was an auxiliary fireman for the office of civilian defense, an assistant scoutmaster in West Hartford, and chairman of the West Hartford Board of Education. He belonged to the Hartford Tennis Club, the Hartford Ski Club, the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences, and the Newcomen Society. Ed wrote, "Major accomplishments -- making a golfer out of my wife. Minor accomplishments -- designing aircraft propeller blades and convincing people that they're handy things to have around."
The Class of 1937
Weymouth S. Kirkland '40
Red Kirkland died Mar. 25, 1999. He had worked for the American Natl. Bank in Chicago for 52 years, since 1955 as v.p.; even after his retirement last summer, he continued to handle the accounts of some of his longtime clients.
Red prepared at Hotchkiss. At Princeton he majored in classics, was on the cross country and track teams, and joined Charter Club. Among his roommates were Elting Smith and Bill Leslie.
From 1942-45 Red was a Navy officer, serving with combat distinction in patrol torpedo boats in the Pacific theater.
Always supportive of Princeton and '40, he was an Annual Giving and reunion chairman and managed the '40 dormitory fund. He was treasurer of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago from 1950-61 and president of the Chicago Princeton Club for a term. For the last 15 years he was active in the American Cancer Society. Golf and curling were his lifelong sports.
We recall Red as a friendly, likable individual who joined fully in undergraduate life. He is survived by three sons; a daughter; his companion, Jean Marshall; 12 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter, all of whom have the sympathy of '40. According to Red's son Christopher, Red "always had a twinkle in his eye and enjoyed life to the fullest."
The Class of 1940
Robert L. Spillman '41
On Oct. 11, 1998, Bob Spillman died in his winter home in Sebring, Fla.
A lifelong resident of Columbus, Ohio, he came to Princeton from Columbus Academy, majored in mechanical engineering, and joined Dial Lodge.
After graduation and war service, Bob created his own company, R.L. Spillman Co., a very successful concrete form business. This led to starting a construction company specializing in 10,000-sq. ft. concrete buildings for small businesses.
Always active, he was an inventor and took up flying, sailing, and cycling. After retirement he became a dedicated professional shuffleboard player, which he enjoyed with his equally proficient wife Dorothy.
Bob was also a prolific poet, and in his honor a special memorial book of his poems was published in time for his memorial service in Columbus.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, sons Dan, Ted, and Brian, daughters Muriel and Amy, and nine grandchildren. Always proud of his mechanical engineering degree, he was even more proud of having five of his progeny achieve the same distinction. The class sends its deep sympathy to all the family.
The Class of 1941
Elbert K. St. Claire '41
On Nov. 5, 1998, the Rev. Elbert St. Claire died of heart failure. He prepped at Lawrenceville and was the son of an Episcopal priest.
Saint had decided to go into the ministry long before graduation from Princeton, so in Sept. 1941 he enrolled in Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass., where Jim MacColl was a classmate.
Graduating with an MA, MDiv, in Sept. 1943, his father presented him for ordination as a deacon at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, N.J. He began his ministry in Fitchburg, Mass., and was ordained as a priest in Mar. 1944.
He became chaplain of the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia and in Mar. 1952 was installed as rector of the Church of the Advent, in Kennett Square, Pa., where he remained for 27 years. During his tenure, his church grew from 300 to 1,200 members, necessitating the construction of a new, larger building.
Saint suffered his first heart attack in 1972, and a further onslaught in 1979 forced him into early retirement.
His first wife, Barbara Walton, died in 1981. In 1985 Saint married Jean Schmidt, who survives him. He had two children, the Very Rev. Kyle Jr. and Alice Long, and three grandchildren. Anne and John Krout attended the burial service. The class extends its deep sympathy to the entire family.
The Class of 1941
Eugene Lauderdale Turner '41
Gene died Dec. 22, 1998, after a massive stroke. The son of E.L. Turner '12 and grandson of Thomas W. Coleman 1856, he prepared at McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn.
At Princeton he majored in history, was elected as a junior to Phi Beta Kappa, and took the No-course Plan, graduating with high honors. He belonged to Court Club and Whig-Clio.
Gene lived in Anniston, Ala., his entire life except for college and WWII service. After graduation he enrolled at Harvard Graduate School, but served in the Navy during the war. He saw action in nine Pacific engagements and retired in Dec. 1945 as a lieutenant commander.
Gene entered the family business, Turner Diaries, becoming general manager in 1948. He sold the enterprise in 1962 and went into real estate development. Having not forgotten his academic interests, in 1980 he earned an MA in history at Jacksonville State U. He attended Emory U. for three years in pursuit of a PhD. He held directorships in trade organizations in the dairy and real estate industries at state and national levels and ended his career as v.p. of New World Business College and managing partner of Reliance Associates.
He is survived by his wife, Marguerite, children David, Edward, and Meredith, and a granddaughter. The class extends condolences to them all.
The Class of 1941
John Heman Converse '42
John died Mar. 9, 1999, at home, in Villanova, Pa. Having devoted his entire business career to the securities industry, he retired from Paine Webber in 1985.
John prepared at St. Paul's School; at Princeton he majored in politics and was a member of Cottage Club. After four years in the Army Air Corps, during WWII, primarily in Iceland and Greenland, he returned to his native Philadelphia and joined W.H. Newbold's Son & Co. as a securities salesman. After a number of years with Eastman Dillon, he devoted the remainder of his career to Paine Webber.
To his widow, Ruth; to his daughters, Marilyn, Patricia, and Barbara; and to his seven grandchildren, the class extends its most sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1942
Peter Horst Conze '42
Pete and his wife, Betty, were killed Mar. 4, 1999, in a head-on collision with a fire truck in Bradenton, Fla. Pete spent most of his business career with Celanese Corp., retiring as vice-chairman and COO in 1985.
Preparing at Kent School, Pete rowed on the crew that won the Henley Royal Regatta in 1938. Joining the class, he majored in chemical engineering and was a member of Ivy Club. During WWII, Pete spent four years in the Navy, serving as a lieutenant in submarines in the Pacific theater.
Returning to NYC after the war, Pete joined Susquehanna Plastics, ultimately becoming a v.p. before moving to Celanese Fibres Co. as president. His career in plastics continued with Celanese Corp. until his retirement. With sailing and platform tennis as hobbies, Pete continued his relationship with Kent as president of the board of directors for 21 years. He also was president of the Greenwich [Conn.] Historical Society. A loyal member of the class, Pete, with Betty, attended the mini-reunion in Jackson Hole in Sept. 1998.
Pete is survived by his sons, Peter and Frederick; his daughters, Eliza and Elizabeth; and 10 grandchildren. The class extends its most sincere sympathies to all of them.
The Class of 1942
Edgar Baker Lupfer '42
Ed died Mar. 27, 1999, at home, in Springfield, Ohio. He retired some years ago from the presidency of the Springfield Leather Co., founded by his father, the late Robert N. Lupfer '09.
Having prepared at Exeter, Ed majored in English and went on, after graduation, to pilot B-26s in the European theater during WWII. Returning to Springfield in 1945, he joined the family leather business, rising from secretary to president. In civic affairs he was active with the Springfield Foundation and president of the board of directors of the YMCA. In addition to flying his own plane for many years, he was an avid cyclist, sometimes logging over 2,000 miles per year. A loyal Princetonian, he attended many reunions on campus, as well as the minis held in various parts of the country.
To his widow, Sally, and to his children, Caroline and Jonathan '85, the class offers its most sincere condolences.
The Class of 1942
R. Page Burr '44
Robert Page Burr of Matinicus, Maine, died Dec. 31, 1998. He was 76. He came to us from St. Mark's School, where he was active in publications, dramatics, and ham radio.
Page left Princeton in 1943 for the V12 program for engineers at Cornell U. He graduated in 1944 with a degree in electrical and electronics engineering, his love since boyhood. Then came midshipman's school at Columbia, commissioning, more training in radar at Bowdoin and MIT, and finally assignment to the New York Naval Shipyard, where he spent a year supervising fire-control and anti-aircraft radar installations on new vessels before separation in 1946.
His career began with Hazeltine Corp., where he was involved with the enhancement of color television. In 1956, with a partner, he formed Burr-Brown Research Corp., then set up Circuit Research Co., specializing in development of printed motors. It was acquired by Kollmorgan Corp., from which he retired in 1987 as senior scientific officer. Throughout his career Page made significant technological contributions, for which he received many awards and many patents in the U.S. and abroad.
To his wife, Elizabeth, children Susan, William, James, Jonathan, Elizabeth, and David, and 10 grandchildren, the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1944
William J. Strawbridge '44
Windy died Apr. 8, 1999, in Cape Coral, Fla., where he had resided since 1986. Hardly well enough to attend our 50th, he came nonetheless, and in spite of continued debilitating illness and an operation, he talked about making our 55th.
Windy prepared at The Hill, where he played varsity football, basketball, and baseball; at Princeton he continued as a halfback and pitcher. He first roomed with Ben Martin and Ed Schneider, sophomore year with Bob Greeley, and junior year with Butch van Breda Kolff. He was a member of Dial Lodge.
After WWII Signal Corps service, Windy had a chance at professional baseball with the Yankees but accepted a job with Goodyear. He then spent many years with Mosler Safe Co. in upstate New York; they moved him to Chicago. He later started Strawbridge Security Systems.
Always the athlete, he officiated over the year at hundreds of high school and collegiate football games and became an avid, accomplished tennis player. A devoted Tiger, he was responsible through Princeton's Schools and Scholarship Committee for having recruited some fine athletes, five of whom one year played on the same Princeton football team.
With his tennis partner and wife of 54 years, Jan, children Richard, Timothy, and Pamela, and three grandchildren, we share in the loss of a very special classmate and Princetonian.
The Class of 1944
John P. Ware '44
John Ware died Mar. 30, 1999, following surgery. He was 77. He prepared at Brooks School, and at Princeton roomed with Darrell Zink and John Ames, majored in English, joined Cannon Club, and was on the 150-lb. crew and in the choir.
He left Princeton for three years in the Army, including service as an artillery observer with the 103rd Infantry Division. Discharged a first lieutenant, he returned to Princeton, graduating in 1947. John worked for William Sloane Associates until recalled to active duty in Korea with the Third Infantry Division; he won a Bronze Star.
A pioneer in marketing paperback books, John worked for Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, Reader's Digest, and John Wiley & Sons. The industry honored him for outstanding service. An avid sailor, he was a trustee of the American Yacht Club in Rye, N.Y., and coauthored the Cruising Guide to the New England Coast. He was a member of the American Platform Tennis Assn.'s Hall of Fame and the University Glee Club of New York, and was an elder of his church.
Johnny was '44's v.p., secretary, and class agent. He brought pleasure to all around him through his humor, dedicated purpose, and indomitable spirit, despite many medical problems in later years.
To his wife, Molly, daughters Leslie and Jennifer, brother E. Winslow, and granddaughter, the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1944
David P. Weidig '44
Dave died Mar. 31, 1999, in a nursing home after being diagnosed with a rare blood disease a year ago.
Arriving from Newark Academy, at Princeton he was active in Theatre Intime and Terrace Club. He left Princeton in June 1942, went into the infantry, and during 20 months of overseas service was awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in Italy and received two bronze stars. With other members of the 343rd battalion of the 9th Army, he retraced their battle footsteps in 1992.
His career in banking started in Darien, Conn., and then moved to Bridgeport, where he was a credit analyst. An avid sailor with an insatiable curiosity, and also a genealogist, he collected hundreds of videos of films of every era. In 1971 he moved to Orleans, Mass., where he ran a gift shop for 10 years.
A devoted Princetonian, he never missed any of our first 25 reunions and was determined to come to our 55th.
He and his wife, Marjorie, shared 48 years together and enjoyed many trips domestically and abroad. To Marje, their son Blair, daughter Jane, and three grandchildren, the class extends great sympathy for the loss of a loyal Princetonian.
The Class of 1944
John Underhill Gardner '47
John died Mar. 31, 1999, of bone marrow failure at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, Mass.
Born in Long Branch, N.J. he graduated from Mercersburg Academy.
From 1943-46 John was in the Army Signal Corps and was discharged with the rank of second lieutenant.
He entered Princeton in the fall of '46 and earned his AB in June '49. John graduated from New York Medical College in 1953 and completed an internship at Emergency Hospital in Washington, D.C. This was followed by four years in a fellowship in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He earned his master's in medicine at the U. of Minnesota in 1958.
From 1958 until his retirement in 1996, John was in private practice in internal medicine in New Bedford. He served as medical director and v.p. of medical affairs at St. Luke's. A knowledgeable and avid antique enthusiast and dealer, he owned and operated Grand Union Antiques.
His first wife, of 40 years, Virginia, predeceased him. To his widow, Helen, sons John and Thomas, daughters Sarah Cunningham and Eve, sister Patricia Pardee, and seven grandchildren, the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1947
David St. George Barber '49
David died Oct. 31, 1995, of Alzheimer's disease at the Riverside Regional Convalescent Center in Newport News, Va.
Saint, as he was known to his friends, prepared at Andover. He was a member of Cap and Gown when he withdrew from Princeton. By our 15th reunion he was a representative at the New York Stock Exchange, and he became a manager there before retiring to Williamsburg, Va., in 1986.
At his death, survivors included his wife, Marjorie, a nephew, and two nieces. David was predeceased by his father, Arthur '13, and a brother, Arthur Jr. '44. Our deepest sympathies go out to his survivors.
The Class of 1949
Leslie George Brownlee Jr. '49
Les Brownlee died Sept. 5, 1992, at Seabrook Island, S.C.
Les prepared for college at Lawrenceville. He served in the Marine Corps from 1945-46. At Princeton he majored in the American civilization program, belonged to Cap and Gown Club, and was a member of the Student Federalists.
After short stints with General Electric Co. and Look magazine, he joined Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in the Detroit area and worked there for the rest of his career. He retired in 1982 as manager of their original equipment sales division and moved to Johns Island, S.C.
Les married Durinda Purkiss in 1955; they had four children. A witty man, wonderful with words, he was always being asked to write speeches. He was a gifted golfer who won the Connecticut State Open in 1953 and enjoyed playing the game until his death.
At his passing he was survived by his wife, Anita, children Malinda Stiles, Laura Cassel, Lisa, and David, and seven grandchildren. To them all we extend our deepest sympathies.
The Class of 1949
James Morrison Colwell '49
Jim Colwell died Feb. 14, 1999, in Berkeley, Calif., from a virulent lung infection. He was the son of E. Townsend Colwell '21.
Jim prepared at Midland School and came to Princeton in 1946 following Army service in Italy with the 85th Division. He became a devout Catholic, greatly influenced by a visiting professor, Jacques Maritain, a leading French theologian. He majored in psychology and joined Campus Club.
After graduation, he studied philosophy at the Institut Catholique in Paris and earned his PhD in psychology at American U. He returned to his native California and spent his life teaching, counseling, and training younger colleagues at the U. of San Francisco and the Pontifical U. in Rio de Janeiro, and practicing psychology at the San Francisco School District. He loved working with children, even when he retired.
Jim continued to study psychology, the Bible, history, literature, and other cultures. He spoke fluent French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. He and his wife shared a deep commitment to working for peace and social justice wherever they lived -- in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.
Above all, Jim's dearest interest was his family. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mary Anna; children Kate, Marian, Teresa, Sheila '79 *92, Stephen '82, Esther, and Anne-Marie; four grandchildren; and his sister, Marian. To them all we extend our deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1949
John Gordon Flinn '49
John became a "missing" member of our class back in 1969. We and the university have received word from dedicated "missing" Princetonian tracker Lee Gould '38 (who used Social Security records in his work), that John died in NYC in Mar. 1987. No further information is available.
John prepared at Lawrenceville. A handsome young man who bore a striking resemblance to the famous actor, he was given the nickname Errol by his friends. He served in the Navy prior to coming to Princeton, where he majored in biology and belonged to Cannon Club. He withdrew from the university in Jan. 1948 and subsequently lived in Ogdensburg, N.J. His last known business affiliation, as of 1969, was with Seeman Brothers in Carlstadt, N.J.
We extend to any and all of his surviving family members our sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1949
Russell Bogert Parmele '49
Russ suffered for many years from a kidney disease, and died Mar. 2, 1999, at home.
He prepared at Staten Island Academy, and he was a pilot in the Naval Air Corps from 1942-45. At Princeton, Russ majored in history and joined Tiger Inn.
Russ married Nancy Gray Vitt in 1948, and during his senior year they lived at the university's Harrison St. project. They raised four children and before his death had celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary.
After Princeton, Russ went into the insurance business, first with INA and ultimately with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., with whom he worked for the remainder of his career. By our 40th reunion Russ had retired and moved from Smoke Rise in Kinnelon, N.J., to their new home at Copper Creek in Tucson, Ariz. He enjoyed playing tennis up to the last.
Russ is survived by Nancy, children Wendy, Randall, Patricia, and Russ Jr., four grandchildren, and two younger brothers. He had come from a Princeton family, with his father in '19 and a brother in '47. To Russ's survivors we extend our most profound sympathies.
The Class of 1949
Robert Lee Patteson '49
Bob Patteson prepared at Andover. Before coming to Princeton, he served in the Army Air Corps Weather Service as a staff sergeant. He was with the 10th Weather Squadron, stationed in India for most of his service period, 1941-45.
At Princeton, he majored in politics and was a member of Charter Club, the Triangle Club, the choir, and the Student Federalists. He left Princeton in senior year when he contracted multiple sclerosis, and for the rest of his life he was a patient in Veterans' Hospitals in Framingham and Boston, Mass.
Records show that he had lost the power of speech and the ability to write; he was a skeleton of less than 100 lbs. when visited by a '49er in Mar. 1956. At that time, hospital physicians gave him only weeks to live, but no records of his death survive. The VA hospital went on computer 20 years later, VA records for that period are incomplete, and the Social Security Death Index information only begins in 1962. We have received no information about Bob, or of any possible survivors, since 1956; thus, we are forced to consider that the year of his death. We wish him renewed good health in God's hands.
The Class of 1949
John Holmes Foster '50
John Foster died Mar. 8, 1999, at Virginia Beach General Hospital. He was 72.
John prepared at Exeter, but prior to matriculating he spent two years in the Navy. At Princeton, he majored in psychology, was on the varsity soccer and track teams, and was president of Charter Club.
His business career began as a systems and procedures analyst at Smith, Kline and French Laboratories in Philadelphia. He soon transferred to the personnel department. In 1954 John went with Halle Brothers Co. for department store retailing in Cleveland. Finally settling in Virginia Beach in 1965, he continued his career in men's clothing with Miller and Rhoads as Tidewater area manager, as president of J.L. Coker & Co. of Hartsville, S.C., and, after retirement, in sales at Joseph A. Banks, Clothiers, of Virginia Beach.
Early in his career John served on Princeton's Schools and Scholarships Committee. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Norfolk Retail Merchants Assn., a member of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Pembroke Mall Retail Merchants Assn.
Survivors include his wife, Stephanie; sons John Jr., Christopher, and Timothy; and daughters Bettina Singletary and Halle DiNocenzo. The class offers them all its deepest sympathies.
The Class of 1950
Herbert Miller Swartz '50
Herb Swartz died Jan. 25, 1999, of heart failure at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, Calif. He was 69, and his health had been compromised by arthritis.
Herb prepared at Oakwood H.S. in Dayton, Ohio. At Princeton, he majored in mathematics, joined Court Club, and was manager of the Student Tennis Agency.
After earning an MD from Columbia in 1954, he performed his residency in internal medicine at Brooklyn Hospital and then at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco. He was staff internist at several hospitals in California before he went into private practice in 1965. He moved into child psychiatry in 1970 with the necessary residency at Napa State Hospital and as a fellow in child psychiatry at the Langley Porter Institute in San Francisco.
His long history of service in community mental health included working as a psychiatrist in the Juvenile Court System as well as in the Contra Costa County Mental Health Center. Herb's practice reached a large number of people, and he was known as a physician highly dedicated to his work.
He is survived by his wife, Thea, son David, and daughters Elisa Swartz-Larson and April S. Daly, to all of whom the class extends its deepest sympathies.
The Class of 1950
Gian-Carlo Rota '53
Gian, who came to the U.S. from South America in 1950 and who graduated summa cum laude with our class, died Apr. 19, 1999, of heart failure in Cambridge, Mass. He had been a renowned professor of mathematics and philosophy at M.I.T.
Born in Vigevano, Italy, Gian attended schools there and later the American School of Quito in Quito, Ecuador. At Princeton, his club was Prospect, he roomed with Jack Burchard, and he belonged to the Intl. Student Assn. He majored in mathematics and won the Andrew H. Brown Prize. He earned his MA and PhD in mathematics from Yale and became a math instructor at N.Y.U. and, later, at Harvard. In 1959 he went on the faculty at M.I.T. He advanced to associate professor in 1962 but left in 1965 to join the math staff at Rockefeller U. He found "the atmosphere of that ivory tower too rarefied" and returned to M.I.T. in 1967. It was at M.I.T. that he spent the rest of his illustrious academic career.
We mourn the loss of our brilliant classmate. His 1956 marriage to Teresa Rondon-Tarchatti ended in divorce; there were no children. Our condolences go to his sister, Ester Rota Gasperoni.
The Class of 1953
William Buttrick '55
William Buttrick, a retired Episcopal priest, died Feb. 1, 1999, in Richmond, Va., of heart failure.
Will prepared at Middlesex School. At Princeton, he majored in European history, earning high honors. He attended Episcopal Theological School and was ordained in 1960. After serving at Christ Church in Cincinnati, Will returned to his native Massachusetts as rector first of St. Mark's, a Caribbean-American congregation in Dorchester, and then of St. John's in Westwood. He served later in Virginia for 21 years, primarily as rector of St. Mark's in Richmond.
While understanding of friends' weaknesses, Will set high standards for himself in matters large and small -- classmates may remember him in class wearing coat, tie, and hat, which he considered proper attire at 18. Fewer people knew he marched for voting rights in Alabama, or of the energy he devoted to civil rights and early-childhood education during tumultuous times in Boston.
After ordination, Will thought of becoming a teacher of the history of religion but decided to devote his working life to pastoral care, which became the hallmark of his ministry. On the death of Bishop Robert Hall of Virginia, Will wrote, "Instead of greatness, he sought goodness and kindness, and he ended by being a good priest and a very good man." These words apply equally to Will himself. The class extends its deepest sympathy to Will's family.
The Class of 1955
Ernest H. Ruehl '55
Ernie Ruehl died Easter Sunday, Apr. 12, 1998, at his home in Orinda, Calif., after a long, hard-fought battle with prostate cancer. He was 64.
Raised in Spokane, Wash., Ernie decided to attend Princeton never having seen the campus. He became a member of Cannon Club and the 21 Club, roomed with Lester Colbert, Bill Aikens, and Sid Harris, and graduated magna cum laude in history. He then attended Stanford Business School, where he met his wife, Sonya.
Ernie and Sonya settled in San Francisco. His 40-year career in the investment industry included being managing partner of the highly-respected Henry F. Swift & Co. After his cancer diagnosis, he focused increasingly on running the family cattle business and fundraising for cancer research.
Numerous seeds for Ernie's life were planted during his years at Princeton. His curiosity for history never waned. He made lifelong friends who will remember his wit and dry humor. His experiences there inspired his sons to follow him. During the decade his children attended Princeton, they and their classmates looked forward to Ernie presiding over many memorable Ruehl family gatherings.
Ernie is greatly missed by Sonya, his wife of 39 years, and his sons, Ernie Jr. '85, Ted '89, and Paul '91. All were with him when he died, and to them the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1955
Robert D. Gongaware '59
Bob Gongaware, a much beloved pediatric and general surgeon in Savannah, Ga., died Feb. 18, 1999, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. Connect Savannah reported his death with a full page story titled "Savannah Says Goodbye to Charming Dr. Bob."
A native of Rhode Island, Bob prepared at Phillips Exeter. At Princeton, he joined Colonial Club and roomed with Tony Barr, George Beall, Dick Furman, Jim Jennings, Fred Mosher, Ted Robbins, and Ramsay Vehslage.
Bob earned his MD at the U. of Pennsylvania. He did his internship at Columbia Presbyterian in N.Y., where he met and trained with his wife-to-be, Theodora, known to us as "T". Following Bob's service as a Navy lieutenant commander during the Vietnam War, the doctors Gongaware settled in Savannah in 1972. "T" began a practice in internal medicine, and Bob became Savannah's premier pediatric surgeon. His reputation led to surgical teaching appointments at hospitals in Savannah, Augusta, and Macon. He was a member of the AMA and 10 surgical organizations in Georgia, three of which he served as president, and was on the boards of the Savannah Symphony Society and Savannah Country Day School.
Bob is survived by "T", his children Hartford '94, Teddy '96, and Andrew, his mother, and two sisters. He will be sorely missed by his many friends at Princeton and beyond.
The Class of 1959
Douglas Paul Hutchison '61
Hutch died Nov. 7, 1998, at Silver Cross Hospital in his hometown, Joliet, Ill., after battling brain cancer for a year. "A top community leader," the Joliet papers said, and truer words were never printed.
Hutch attended Joliet Township H.S. At Princeton, he joined WPRB and the Freshman Glee Club, and, in sophomore year, the cheerleading squad, becoming head cheerleader in junior year. A Quad member and politics major, he wrote his thesis on federal judicial selection. A loyal Princetonian and classmate, he served on the Schools Committee and never missed a major reunion, dues notice, or Annual Giving request.
He earned his JD from Northwestern and joined a firm known today as McKeown, Fitzgerald, Zollner, Buck, Hutchison and Ruttle. The list of Hutch's professional, political, philanthropic, and civic activities, accomplishments, and awards is, in a word, staggering. Suffice it to say that he set an example and pace to which all of us should aspire.
His senior-year roomies, Mike Wurmfeld, Skip Sachner, and Bumpy Loud, attended his funeral service, at which his daughter, Jill Seifert, delivered a set of remembrances that stirred the soul, concluding, "I'll always remember, when I count my blessings, to count my Dad twice."
Hutch is survived by his wife, Susan, daughters Megan and Jill, sons Michael and Douglas Jr., his parents, three grandchildren, and a brother. We join them in their grief.
The Class of 1961
Roy Dickinson Meredith '71
Rick Meredith died Oct. 22, 1998, at home, of cancer of the lower esophagus only three months after diagnosis. He prepared at Phillips Exeter and was the latest of several generations of his family to graduate from Princeton. Majoring in philosophy, Rick belonged to Colonial Club. He earned a law degree from Catholic U. and a PhD in microbiology from Columbia U., where he was a faculty fellow. His practice focused on chemical, medical, and biotechnology patents. In recent years, he did the patent work for Crixivan, a protease inhibitor which helps prevent replication of the AIDS virus and which now is used by 180,000 people in over 80 countries. Making scholarly contributions in both law and bioethics, Rick was one of the first to pursue the ethical implications of genetic research. He was an active volunteer for several professional and community organizations.
In 1985 he married Harriette Hawkins '73, the director of the New Jersey Historic Trust.
Rick was modest about the brilliance which enabled him to combine the diverse disciplines of law, science, and philosophy. He faced his final illness with remarkable calm, courage, and grace. The class is proud of his life and extends its deepest sympathy to Harriette, his sister Betty, and his brothers Jonathan and Bartlett.
The Class of 1971
Reginald deKoven Hudson Jr. '72
After a prolonged illness, Dick died Apr. 13, 1999. His generosity, charm, and, above all, loyalty to school and college friends enriched the lives of all who knew him. He is sorely missed. Dick left us with the belief that helping those we love try to solve their problems can prove immensely frustrating, but we must never stop trying.
Dick was born in Minneapolis and was raised there and in Concord, Mass. He prepared at Noble and Greenough. At Princeton, he majored in history and played varsity hockey for two years and with his close friend, classmate Fritz Cammerzell, managed the varsity football team all four years,. He was a member of Tiger Inn (a tweenie) and the Right Wing Club, and lived in senior year in Patton Tower with Bruce Buchanan, Amos Eno, Larry Stanford, and Fritz.
After Princeton, Dick taught and coached at independent schools in New England and New York for several years before moving first to the San Francisco Bay Area, then to Portland, and finally Scottsdale. An avid sportsman, he was at various times a dedicated long-distance runner, enthusiastic tennis player, and aspiring golfer, but always a long-suffering Boston Red Sox fan.
The class extends its deepest sympathies to his parents, Joan and Reginald deKoven Hudson '40, his sister Kathy, and brothers Bill '74 and Charles.
The Class of 1972
GO TO the Table of Contents of the current issue
GO TO PAW's
home page