December 20, 2000: Memorials

Carl Eric Bredenberg ’33

Carl died from complications of cancer of the kidney on Aug. 25, 2000. He was 86.

He was the oldest son of Swedish immigrants. Born in Buffalo, he attended the city’s public schools, where he studied both Latin and Greek. Carl spent his entire career with IBM. He retired in 1967 as manager of the New Haven branch. In 1936, after a courtship that began at Princeton, he married Emma “Sally” Jaeger. It was a particularly close and enduring relationship. They were able to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary a few months before her death in 1996. In 1960, he and Sally moved into a grand old house in Milford, Conn., overlooking Long Island Sound. He was an avid sailor. In 1998, he moved into an assisted living residence in Maine to be near his son. He is survived by his son, Dr. Carl E. Jr., a daughter, Susan, and three grandchildren.

The Class of 1933

Percival Dewitt Oviatt Jr. ’39

After a long illness, “Bud” died on Aug. 30, 2000, in Rochester, N.Y., where he was born and lived all his life. He earned his LLB at Yale in 1942 and was a special agent for the FBI for three years. Upon returning to Rochester, he joined his father’s law firm, Oviatt, Gilman, Forman and Clarke, where he was made a partner in 1952, and where he remained until he retired in 1998. Outside of the law, golf was the consuming interest of his life. For 40 years, his summers were spent on Cape Cod, where he could pursue golf and sailing uninterrupted by the vagaries of world travel. He regretted, he wrote in our 50th book, “not having done a little more traveling, rationalizing such failure, I guess, on the postulate that you’ll find it all in your own back yard.”

Bud married Anne H. Lindsay in 1949. Their son, Dana, survives, as do two grandchildren, Ian and Rebecca, and a sister, Betty Oviatt Ryan. We offer them our sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939

ANTHONY A. BERNABEI ’44

One of our most popular and dedicated class members, Tony died on Sept. 8, 2000, at his home in Fort Worth. He came to Princeton from Trenton [N.J.] H.S., captained both freshman and varsity swimming, was manager of Cap and Gown, and graduated magna in modem languages. His roommates included Buck Sheridan, Joe Walsh, Rufus Carr, Stew Mittnacht, Jim McCaffrey, Hank Russell, and Jack Clemmitt.

After WWII service in the counter intelligence corps, he earned a master’s at NYU, was an officer at Empire Trust, and then moved to Cuba as v.p. of Ambar Motors, then became manager of the El Mundo and Telemundo media outlets. After Castro confiscated his assets, he started anew with CIT and later became v.p. of Tandy. He was a founding member of the Natl. Bank of Texas and was involved in many civic and cultural organizations in Ft. Worth.

Tony was v.p. and then pres. of our class from 1965-69. He also served as fifth reunion chair.

Preceded in death by his son, David, Tony is survived by his wife of 31 years, Olivia, daughters Judy, Laura, and Lisa, and eight grandchildren. We shall miss his spirit, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and dedication to our class and to Princeton.

The Class of 1944

CHARLES RUTHVAN MANASSA JR. ’44

Charlie died on June 9, 2000. His home was in Carmel, Calif.

He came to Princeton from St. Louis Country Day and majored in civil engineering. He was v.p. of Terrace Club. His roommates included Frank McRoberts and members of other classes, Barletta, Schnebly, Burke, Lesten, Forsythe, and Force.

After WWII service, he joined Manassa Timber Co. in St. Louis.

He leaves behind his wife, Charlotte, two daughters, Tinsley and Carey, two sons, Ted and Charles III, and one grandchild. To them, the class extends its sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1944

HALLY PETER WALL ’44

Peter died on July 9, 2000, after a 10-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. He came to Princeton from St. Paul’s School, winning freshman numerals in hockey and joining Ivy Club. He left at the end of his sophomore year to enter the air corps, where he was trained as a bombardier/navigator, flying combat missions over Europe in B-17s for the 401st Bomber Group, Eighth Air Force.

After WWII, Peter joined the sales force of the Wall Rope Works, a family firm. He moved to Princeton and was active in class, club, and university activities, rarely missing a football game. In later years, he and Patty wintered in Beaufort, S.C., vacationing summers on Fisher’s Island, N.Y.

He was a member of the Nassau Club, the Fisher’s Island Club, and the Dataw Island Club of Beaufort.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Men Wall, a son, Alexander, two daughters, Anne and Amy, and four grandchildren. Peter was a bright spirit in our midst, a warm friend, and a loyal Princetonian who will be sorely missed by his classmates.

The Class of 1944

ROBERT ZENT CHEW JR. ’45

Bob died on June 2, 2000, of respiratory failure in Orlando. Bob entered Princeton from New Trier High in Winnetka, Ill., joined Cannon Club, became capt. of the golf team, and was a member of the basketball and baseball teams. His Princeton career was interrupted by service as a pilot in the air corps, flying B-26 and B-17 bombers. He returned to Princeton and received a degree in economics in 1946. Bob then began a 43-year career in the publishing business, joining the Chicago Tribune and eventually the Penton Publishing Co. and becoming publisher of Foundry magazine in 1968.

Bob retired from Penton in 1989 as a group publisher of several well known trade magazines. He was most proud of the publication Machine Design, an internationally recognized design engineering magazine. He retired to Orlando, residing at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club, where he was well known as an amateur golf champion.

In 1948, Bob married the former Betty Blizard, who survives him along with daughter Leslie Herr, sons Robert and David, six grandchildren, and brother Donald. The class extends its sympathy to the family.

The Class of 1945

EDSON I. GAYLORD ’45

Edson Gaylord died on Apr. 3, 2000, in Scottsdale after a struggle with liver cancer. Edson entered Princeton from Exeter and was a member of Tiger Inn.

As a capt. of field artillery in the 131st Battalion of the 36th Division, he saw combat in Germany. Edson received a degree in English in 1947 and joined Ingersoll Milling Machine Co. as a third-generation executive, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Winthrop Ingersoll, and his father, Robert Gaylord. Edson married the former Jane Wanzer in 1954, and they had five children. Upon his death, the Rockford Register Star paid tribute to Edson as being “one of the last of the old-line captains of Rockford industry.” Edson devoted his life to Ingersoll, which manufactures machine tools used in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Edson is survived by Jane, three sons, William, Charles, and John, two daughters, Susan Hallberg and Mary Gassen, and 13 grandchildren. Edson was predeceased by his brother, Clayton ’41.

The Class of 1945

CLARK TRAVELL ’45

Clark died on May 9, 1999, at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. His ashes were scattered from a B-26 (the bomber he flew during WWII) on Memorial Day weekend that year. He entered Princeton from Solebury School, the younger brother of Talcott ’34. Clark was a member of Quadrangle Club. His Princeton studies were interrupted by service as a pilot in the First Tactical Army Air Force. He flew 65 combat missions in the European theater and received the Croix de Guerre plus the Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters. Clark returned to Princeton, married the former Joan Balch in 1945, and received a degree in economics cum laude in 1948. He joined Phelps Dodge Copper and then the William A. M. Burden Corp. as an officer of the Austral Oil Co. Clark and Joan moved to Wilton, Conn., and had four daughters, but divorced in 1966. He married the former Philippa Walter in 1977 and moved to Old Saybrook, Conn.

After our 50th reunion, Clark and Philippa divorced, and he moved to Florida, where he remained for his last few years. Clark is survived by his daughters, Susan Johnson, Blair McMorrow, Jill Travell, and Phyllis Travell-Greenhill, and by seven grandchildren and two great-granddaughters, to all of whom the class expresses deep sympathy.

The Class of 1945

HENRY CHARLES WELTZIEN JR. ’45

Hank died on June 28, 2000. He entered Princeton from the Kent School, a resident of NYC. At Princeton, he was a member of Key and Seal, but joined the navy V-12 program and was transferred in 1943 to Cornell, where he received a bachelor’s in electrical engineering in 1947. Hank spent seven years with General Electric, then switched to the investment banking business, joining Merrill Lynch, where he remained for two years before becoming associated with small brokerage firms until 1959, when he became a member of the New York Commodity Exchange. There, he spent the next 20 years trading metals futures for his own account and for those of customers. Ill health forced him to retire in 1979, but despite battling a chronic heart condition, he enjoyed two decades of retirement with his family. Hank is survived by the former Ruth Whitney, whom he met at Cornell and married in 1945. Although they had four sons and one daughter, two of the sons and a son-in-law predeceased Hank. In addition to Ruth, he is survived by sons Henry and Mark, daughter Paula Petersen, and seven grandchildren. The class extends its sympathy to all.

The Class of 1945

Geoffrey S. Warren ’47

Geoff died July 19, 2000, after a long battle with cancer. He was born in 1927 in St. Johns, Newfoundland. As the son of a foreign service officer, he grew up abroad, primarily in South America.

He graduated from Kent School and served in the navy during the last year of WWII. After the war, he completed his education at Princeton, where he was a member of Court Club and graduated in 1948 with a degree in public and international affairs. He resumed service in the naval reserve during the 1950s and retired with the rank of lt. commander.

Geoff worked for Sears Roebuck for 40 years, retiring as an executive in Chicago. He lived in Glencoe, Ill., for 30 years and was very active in community affairs, the Episcopal Church, and area choral groups.

To his wife of 51 years, Elizabeth, and the entire family, the class extends its deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1947

GRAEME G. WHYTLAW JR. ’47

An enthusiastic class member, Graeme died in Ft. Myers, Fla., on Aug. 21, 2000, after a long battle with cancer.

He was born in Adams, Mass., prepared at the Peddie School, and served three years in the naval air corps during WWII. He graduated from Princeton with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a member of Cloister Club.

Graeme was employed by the Torrington Co. for 36 years as a mechanical engineer. He was a direct descendant of the Mayflower settlers and claimed kinship to 10 former US presidents from Millard Fillmore onward. For over 10 years, he served as secy. of the Princeton club of Southwest Florida. He and his wife were noted for their unique collection of tigers, including the Bengal, Siberian, and Princeton varieties.

To his wife of 51 years, Jeanne, their three children, and their eight grandchildren, the class extends its deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1947

Richard Spencer Knapp ’48

A native of Washington, DC, and a graduate of its Woodrow Wilson H.S., Dick entered Princeton and graduated in 1947 with honors in SPIA. He played baseball and lacrosse and dined at Cap and Gown.

His “white-collar working” life began with various manufacturers and culminated in 1966 with his selling an old seafood processor on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to American Brands. Dick then joined the executive recruiting firm of Ward Howell as director and part owner. He retired in 1988 and moved to Savannah.

A widower, Dick continued his interest in ocean sailing racing.

His loyalty to Princeton continued throughout his life. The class offers its deepest sympathy to sons Spencer and Oliver.

The Class of 1948

WALKER McKINNEY ’50

Walker McKinney died of acute leukemia on Aug. 20, 2000.

A graduate of the Hill School, Walker majored in economics and was in the NROTC program. He and roommates Bill Apgar, Sam Howell, and Tom Lowrie were members of Tiger Inn.

After service on a destroyer and a stint with his family business, he decided upon commercial real estate investment as his lifetime career. Walker enjoyed hiking, especially the Appalachian Trail with Sam Howell and with his Boston-area walking group. Whenever possible, he would walk in Manhattan, where he lived. Walker delighted in playing the piano when entertaining friends, loved to travel, and valued friendships from his school days and his hometown of Muskegon, Mich. As the NY Times stated, “Walker will always be remembered for his indomitable spirit and joy of life.”

The class sends sympathy to his brother, Donald, and his nephews.

The Class of 1950

Andrew Richard DeMar ’56

Andy died of leukemia in Cincinnati on May 7, 2000. Born and bred in northern New Jersey, he came to Princeton from Union H.S., majored in English, joined Elm Club, sang in the Glee Club, and was in air force ROTC.

After graduation, Andy served in the air force reserves and joined Procter & Gamble. During his 43-year career with P&G, he held numerous positions, retiring as senior visualization manager.

Andy loved classical music, history, and travel, and eagerly shared these passions with family and friends. He served on the board of the Resident Home for the Mentally Retarded and was national pres. of Children’s Intl. Summer Villages, which promotes exchange student programs. According to Ron Tell, Andy’s roommate for four years, “Andy was a great guy. He was always full of enthusiasm. We will all miss him.”

Andy is survived by his wife, Caroline Stoddard Fairley, three children, Andrew Jr., Patricia DeMar Hauver, and Glenn E., two stepchildren, Catherine Cantey and Laura Drummond, and three grandchildren. Andy’s first marriage, to Geraldine Potter, ended in divorce. The class extends its deep sympathy to his family.

The Class of 1956

John James Murdock III ’56

“Doc,” who lived in London for many years, died there on May 13, 2000, of pneumonia and meningitis just after he and his wife, Elizabeth, had returned from the States visiting family and friends.

While at Princeton, John majored in modern languages and literature and was a member of Ivy Club. His career in international investment banking led him to London in 1972; initially with Rothschild Intercontinental Bank, he retired as head of new issues for Westpac Banking Corp., the largest bank in Australia. A keen sportsman, meeting the challenge of shooting game birds in Britain was his favorite pastime. John also enjoyed traveling — he and Elizabeth went on 12 safaris, and often to their magical spot in Europe, Venice, especially at Christmas. According to her, John “always read PAW and was fiercely proud of being a Princetonian. I can hear ‘Hate Yale’ now!”

John is survived by Elizabeth, three daughters, Merrick, Lee, and Bronwen, and two grandchildren, Ethan and Georgiana, to whom the class offers its heartfelt condolences.

The Class of 1956