Memorials: January 24, 1996

William D. Ferguson '31
William D. Ferguson died Oct. 6, 1995, in Baltimore at Union Memorial Hospital. He was born in Titusville, Penn., and attended Titusville H.S. At Princeton he was in Key & Seal Club. He worked in sales at R. H. Macy, then Tidewater Oil. In 1944 Bill joined United Air Lines, where he served for 35 years in sales, marketing, then as controller. He was with the Civilian Aircraft Warning Group during WWII. In 1969 he was president of the Natl. Society of Sales Training Executives, also president of the Lay Advisory Board, Fenwick H.S. On retiring at age 65, he joined his son Bill Jr. in the brokerage business and continued as an account executive with E. F. Hutton. His hobbies were reading, piano playing, volunteering at Union Memorial, golfing, especially at Monterey, and traveling throughout the U.S. with his wife, Eveylon Dunn Ferguson, who predeceased him in 1988.
Bill is survived by his sons, William D. and John D., and six grandchildren. This warm friend of Princeton and '31 will be greatly missed by his friends and classmates, who extend sincere sympathy to them all.
The Class of 1931

Paul L. Griffiths Jr. '37
Longtime Scott Paper Co. executive, golfer, and curler Paul Griffiths Jr. died Nov. 3, 1995, from bilateral pneumonia after fighting chronic emphysema and diabetes. He dropped out of Princeton early and graduated from Kenyon in 1937. He retained a warm interest in Princeton and attended many tailgate parties at the Princeton/Yale and Princeton/Harvard games. He is survived by wife Biz, daughter of Albert Craig '15, son Paul III, daughters Priscilla Clark and Elizabeth Hahl, and eight grandchildren.
Paul was with Pittsburgh Plate Glass from 1937-42, then in the Navy from 1942-45, emerging as a lt. comdr. He was with Scott Paper from 1946-60, starting in industrial sales on Long Island and later, as district sales manager for New England. He was a consultant from 1960-75, and later he was with QSI Systems, engaged in the design and marketing of closed circuit television systems. Heart and diabetes problems started in 1983. He was active in alumni groups and the local church, being a past president of the Kenyon College Alumni Assn. of New England, troop chairman of the Boy Scouts, and chairman of the United Fund. He was a member of two Princeton clubs. Our heart goes out to the family.
The Class of 1937

William Augustus Kilner Wheeler '42
Bill Wheeler died Oct. 1, 1995, in Portland, Oreg., following an eight year battle with Parkinson's disease, about which he never complained. Characterized as a gentle man, he never lost his love for the outdoors, which included fly fishing, hunting, and tennis. Although he left Princeton after sophomore year, he maintained his ties through periodic travels and mini-reunions with his roommates, Fred Schaettler, Walt Guzzardi, Jim Greenbaum, and Lou Pyle '41.
Bill came to Princeton from Lincoln H.S., in Portland, and after leaving, joined the Army Air Corps. He spent four years as a pilot, including 50 missions over North Africa in B-25s, followed by duty with the Air Transport Command in the Pacific theater. Following his discharge, as a 1st lt., he returned to Portland and organized a business manufacturing garage doors, later selling out to a national company.
To his wife, Pat; to his daughters, Mary and Martha; to his sons, William and Tobin; and to his seven grandchildren, the class offers its condolences.
The Class of 1942

Otis A. Hintz '48
The class has lost a wonderfully loyal member with the death of Bud Hintz on Oct. 22, 1995, at Overbrook Hospital in Summit, N.J. He was a regular at class functions and football games and was always ready to accept assignments great and small for Reunions.
A native of Cranford and longtime resident of Westfield, N.J., Bud entered Princeton in the Marine V-12 program. He had graduated from Cranford H.S. along with Bob Meyer and Rock Annese, who were his roommates in Blair. He was in Tower Club and manager thereof senior year. He was involved with the Bureau of Student Employment, played interclub sports, and graduated with a degree in economics.
Most of his career was in insurance with Penn Mutual. Earlier he had worked in sales with 3Ms and with Johns-Manville.
Bud is survived by his widow, Joyce, daughter Catherine, sons Robert and Douglas, and four grandchildren. The class offers its deepest sympathy and shares in their loss.
The Class of 1948

Peter Matthews Spackman '52
Peter Spackman died of a heart attack in New York, N.Y., Mar. 16, 1995. His funeral was in the Eliot United Church of Christ in Newton, Mass.
Peter was a man of gentle humor, whimsy, and uncommon creativity. An English major and member of Elm Club at Princeton, he earned a master's in 1953 from the Columbia Univ. School of Journalism. After a stint with This Week Magazine in NYC, Peter was, in Princeton, an editor of University. From 1963-68, he was editor of the Columbia University Forum. During the 1970s, Peter worked at MIT, chiefly as executive director of the Council for the Arts. For the past 10 years, Peter was a partner both in Burgard Associates, an art consulting firm, and Cuisine Chez Vous, which he cofounded with his wife, June.
In April 1994, Peter and June were at the rear of the line to view the King Tut exhibit in Cairo; at the head of the line were Jim and Susan Baker. Peter intoned, "Three cheers for the Class of '52," and, as if by magic, he and June moved to the front. We shall miss his charm and exuberant wit.
Peter is survived by June; two daughters, Jennifer and Phoebe; three sons, Samuel, Thomas, and John; a stepson, Christopher Noll '77, and two stepdaughters, Sarah Noll '77 and Lynne Rhyan. We extend to them our deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1952

William E. Werther '81
Bill died May 29, 1995, in an automobile accident near his home in Simi Valley, Calif. He and his promised, Jenna Mason, who survived the accident, were returning from San Diego.
At Princeton Bill majored in basic engineering, was a member of Cottage Club, played freshman baseball, was active in intramurals, and was sports editor of the Bric-a-Brac.
Bill was general manager of the Advanced Products Group of Methode Electronics in Chatsworth, Calif. He had previously founded Interconnect Systems and held several U.S. patents.
Former Princeton roommates Eddy Moore, Skip McGee, Chris Linneman, and Steve Mayer attended his memorial service. Chris, a boyhood friend, and Steve delivered heartfelt and emotional eulogies. Bill was remembered fondly for his positive "can do" attitude, his intellect, his enduring friendship, his quick wit, his determination, his athleticism, and his affection for Princeton. Perhaps he was described best by a line from his high school yearbook, "In the beginning, you'll find a kind-eyed sensitive person who, as time goes on, will remain the same way he appeared." He will be sorely missed.
He is survived by his parents, Edith and Cliff, his brother, Richard, and his sister, Lynn.
Donations in Bill's memory to a Princeton scholarship may be made to Princeton University, c/o The Recording Secretary, New South 08544.
The Class of 1981

Daniel Bershader *48
Daniel Bershader, a professor emeritus of aeronautics and astronautics at Leland Stanford Univ. and a pioneer in the study of supersonic flight, died May 30, 1995. He was 77. Daniel was born in Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn College in 1942. He served in the Navy and came to Princeton to earn his master's and PhD in physics (1946, 1948). After brief teaching periods at Princeton and at the Univ. of Maryland, Daniel accepted a joint appointment as manager of gas dynamics research for the Lockheed Corp. and as associate professor at Stanford Univ. He remained at Stanford for 37 years. He is survived by two sons and two step-sisters, to whom we extend our sincere condolences.
The Graduate Alumni

Lawrence Wynn *51
Lawrence Wynn, retired professor of English at Memphis State Univ., died of heart failure May 29, 1995. He was 79. A veteran of 31 years of the Memphis State English department, he was known by colleagues and students as an eloquent and dignified gentleman of true scholarship in the Romantic and Victorian eras of English literature. Born in Pulaski, Tenn., he earned his bachelor's at Emory (1936), a master's at Duke (1940), and a master's and PhD at Princeton (1947, 1951). Lawrence served for three years in the Navy between attending Duke and Princeton. All but the first two years of his teaching career were at Memphis. The number and extent of his teaching honors is remarkable. He is survived by Sarah, his wife of 52 years, to whom we extend deep sympathy.
The Graduate Alumni

Graham Gordon Landrum *54
Graham Gordon Landrum, retired college professor of English and distinguished author of mystery novels, died July 31, 1995, in Bristol, Tenn. Graham was born in Dallas, Tex., received his bachelor's and master's from the Univ. of Texas, and his PhD in English from Princeton. During WWII, he served in the Navy and then entered upon a divided career of study, teaching, and authorship. His teaching career found him in the classsroom at Austin College in Sherman, Tex., and at King College in Bristol, Tenn. He was a well-known author of mystery novels. In his community he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Bristol, a church school teacher, a Rotarian, and a member of the SAR. He is survived by his widow, Mary, one daughter, and one son. To these and those friends whom he held dear, we extend our deep sympathy.
The Graduate Alumni


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