Memorials - December 15, 1999
Isaac Bates Grainger '17
Ike Grainger died Oct. 12, 1999 in Wilmington, N.C. He was 104.
He prepared for Princeton at Woodberry Forest School. At Princeton he was a member of Tiger Inn. On Aug. 4, 1917, he married Catherine Garrett, who died in 1987. They had three sons: Isaac B. Jr., William Garrett (deceased), and John Victor. During WWI, he served as an infantry captain and officer training school instructor in Georgia. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living veteran in New Hanover County, N.C.
Ike held executive positions with Murchison Natl. Bank of Wilmington, North Carolina Bank & Trust Co. of Greensboro, and Montclair Trust Co. in N.J., where he was pres. In 1943 he joined Chemical Bank of NYC (now Chase Manhattan), where he was pres. from 1956-60, when he reached mandatory retirement age. Afterward, he was a lifetime bank adviser.
He served on numerous corporate boards and was active in many philanthropic organizations. He had a lifelong interest in golf and was a past pres. of the US Golf Assn. In 1988 he received the USGA's Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He also served as pres. of the US Seniors' Golf Assn. and Metropolitan Golf Assn., which gave him its 1984 distinguished service award.
He is survived by sons Ike Jr. and Vic, six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter, to all of whom the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1917
Elisha Havens Kahlo '29
Monte died on Jan. 15,1999. He prepared for college at Andover. At Princeton he was on the Prince, Nassau Herald, Bric-a-Brac, and ran cross country. He belonged to Court Club and roomed with Chas Buschmann.
Monte worked 35 years for the Indiana Bell Telephone Co., and then worked 20 years in nonprofit service. He was cofounder of the Indianapolis Meals on Wheels, a director of the Historic Landmarks Foundation, and a director of the Indiana Council on Aging. He served as pres. of the Indianapolis Servicemen's Center and v.p. of the Executive Service Corps.
He was a licensed attorney and a graduate of the Benjamin Harrison law school, but never practiced law.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen Rogers, whom he married in 1937; daughters Elizabeth Cabot and Eleanor Callahan; and son Clarke. The class extends sincere sympathy to the members of Monte's family.
The Class of 1929
Jacob Allen Barnett Jr. '31
Jacob "Jim" Barnett was born Sept. 1, 1908, in New Orleans, La., and died May 26, 1999, in Portland, Ore.
He graduated from the Taft School in 1927 before entering Princeton. At Princeton he was squash manager, a member of Press Club, and secy. of Cottage Club. Following graduation, Jim worked at the NY Herald Tribune, and in 1938 moved to the advertising firm Benton & Bowles. Further positions with Sherman & Marquette and the Pepsodent Co. led him to Lever Brothers, where he became a v.p. and director. His final job before he retired was with Purex Corp., which he left in 1972 to enjoy life in Sun Valley, Ida.
Jim served as honorary volunteer chairman of the national advertising campaign for the American Red Cross, as director of Pope & Talbot of Portland, chairman of the planning and zoning commission of Sun Valley; and vice-chairman of Sun Valley Center for Arts and Humanities.
He is survived by daughters Fayal Greene and Lucy Campbell; stepsons George A. Pope III, Peter T. Pope, and Guy B. Pope; 23 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren. The class extends its deep sympathy to the entire family.
The Class of 1931
William M. Thompson '31
Bill was born Mar. 15, 1909, in Albany, N.Y., and died in New Haven, Conn., Sept. 27, 1999. He lived in nearby Madison.
Bill prepared at Albany Academy. At Princeton, which his father and grandfather also attended; he was a member of the freshman crew squad, Nassau Herald board, Triangle Club, Varsity Club, Undergraduate Athletic Council, and the Ivy Club.
He was pres. of the Embossing Co. of Albany and later v.p. of Halsom Co. of NYC, where he remained until he took early retirement at 58. He then founded his own real estate firm, W. Thompson Realty Co. in Guilford, Conn., where he remained until he retired again at 67.
Bill took an interest in many activities outside of business, such as the Community Chest, Princeton AG campaigns, the Shoreline Board of Realtors, the Pine Orchard Club, and the Madison Winter Club.
Surviving are one son, William M. Jr.; two daughters, Gale T. Synott and Jeremy T. Watson; eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family.
The Class of 1931
Anthony Henry Forbes '33
Tony Forbes died April 3, 1999, in Duluth, Minn. He was 89.
He was born in NYC and attended Salisbury [Conn.] School. After two years at Princeton, he transferred to Columbia U. He earned an LLB degree cum laude from Brooklyn law school in 1935. He practiced law in NYC from 1935-48, with time out as an instructor in instrument flying with the US Air Force.
Following this he resumed his education, earning a BA and PhD in history from the UCLA in 1960. Tony was a lecturer in history at UCLA from 1950-63. Later he was professor of history, department head, and director of summer session at Northern Michigan U. From 1969-78, he was professor of political science and dean of the College of Letters and Science at the U. of Wisconsin-Superior. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the Medieval Academy of America, and American Society for Legal History. His principal scholarly interest was English ecclesiastical and legal history 1066-1832.
Tony's wife, Marion, died in 1991. He is survived by a son, James, stepdaughter Marion J. Johnson, a grandson, three step-granddaughters, and three step-great granddaughters. To all his family, the class extends sympathy.
The Class of 1933
Alexander Ginn '34
Sandy Ginn, a tax lawyer who specialized in estate planning and administration until he retired in 1978, died at his home June 8, 1999.
He grew up in Gates Mills, Ohio, and loved the Chagrin Valley area. In the 1970s he was a leader in the establishment of the Land Conservancy in Hunting Valley to preserve undeveloped land.
Following Princeton, Sandy attended Oxford U. for a year, then Yale law school. He joined the firm of Tolles Hogsett & Ginn, known today as Jones Day Reavis & Pogue, from which he retired as a partner.
Throughout his life Sandy continued the family tradition of supporting the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Museum of Art. He was a trustee of University School, from which he graduated first in his class in 1930, and served for many years on the vestry of his church in Gates Mills.
Sandy married Helen Vilas in 1938. She survives him as do their sons, Frank P. and Walter P.; daughters, Mary C. and Patricia G. Feeney; and eight grandchildren. To them we offer our sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1934
Robert Albert Guenther '36
Bob died of cancer Sept. 17, 1999, at a Brick, N.J., nursing home. He was 84.
He prepared at Newark Academy. He left Princeton in the middle of his sophomore year, and later graduated from Rutgers U. with a business degree.
During WWII, he enlisted as a private in 1943. He served 15 months stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C., in the 306th infantry, 77th division.
Bob was the owner for many years of the Olympic Amusement Park in Maplewood, N.J. He retired in 1966. In 1981 he returned to business as office manager of the Maplewood Country Club.
Bob's wife, Elizabeth, whom he married in 1941, died in 1984. He is survived by sons Robert Jr. and William G.; and three grandchildren.
The Class of 1936
Henry F. McCreery '37
Ardent Princetonian, two-career man, and constant correspondent Hank McCreery died Sept. 8, 1999, after a long illness.,
He prepared at Loomis, where he was a member of the soccer and track teams. At Princeton he majored in history, won two scholarships, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He was varsity cross-country and a member of Campus Club.
He taught at Robert College in Istanbul, studied in Paris and Munich, taught European history and military government at Stanford U., where he earned a PhD, and also taught history at the California Inst. of Technology.
During WWII, he saw duty at Hampton Roads and San Francisco, and was a transportation officer visiting the Mediterranean and Japan.
His second career was 26 years in the insurance industry, where he worked in management for Richards & Co. in LA and for Allstate. He retired at 60 to the Sea Ranch on the northern California coast, where he wrote The Recovery of Religious Roots, an autobiography. He was active in World Affairs Council, Rotary Club, Cercle Français, and Discus, a men's discussion group.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Phyllis, son David, daughter Lisa, and five grandchildren.
The Class of 1937
James Boyer Kirkpatrick '38
Kirk died on July 13, 1999, at White Horse Village in Newtown Square, Pa. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Caroline; a son, James B. Jr.; a daughter, Dorothy K. O'Donnell; a sister, Nancy K. Lininger; and four grandchildren.
At Mercersburg, Kirk was on the track team, the publications board and was a mathematics prize winner. At Princeton, he majored in economics and was an officer of Dial Lodge, later attending Harvard Business School. During WWII he served in the Army Signal Corps as a lt. col. in Paris.
Kirk worked for Scott Paper Co. for 35 years as a special products manager. After retirement he was a volunteer at Chester County Hospital and the Friends Assn. for Care and Protection of Children in West Chester, Pa. To his entire family, the class extends its deep sympathy.
The Class of 1938
Arthur Gwyer Gilkes '39
Art died on July 25, 1999, in Chicago, Ill. He studied chemistry at Princeton, earned a law degree at NYU, and served as an aviator instructor in the USNR. He had a distinguished career as a patent attorney with Standard Oil of Indiana, and manager of the company's patents and licensing department. He played a key role when Amoco acquired certain "breakthrough" polyester technology from a small group of chemical entrepreneurs on Long Island. Art went on to license these patents throughout the world.
We remember him as the captain of our 1938 cross-country track team, as a member of the Princeton/Cornell team that met Oxford/Cambridge in England, and, years later, as our AG class agent when he enjoyed the opportunity to maintain and establish new contacts with classmates.
In retirement Art and his wife, Ann, enjoyed summers racing their sloop in Northeast Harbor, Maine, and winter golf in the Village of Golf, Fla. To Ann, their four children, and eight grandchildren we offer our sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1939
John Wright Pyne '40
A prolonged encounter with declining health finally overcame John Pyne on Sept. 15,1999, at his Peapack, N.J., home. Classmates Ned Burke, Dick Purnell, and Ben Fuller attended John's memorial service in Gladstone, N.J.
Johnny prepared at Groton, where he was active in sports and publications. In college he concentrated in modern languages and literature, won freshman football numerals, played polo and rugby, and was a member of Ivy Club. During WWII and the Korean War, he served as an Army intelligence officer. He worked in banking and with several NYC brokerage firms before he retired in 1974.
Johnny will be recalled as a warm and thoughtful individual who displayed genuine interest and courtesy toward others. Friendships were extremely important to him, and all his life he remembered with fondness his Princeton experiences and his '40 classmates.
Johnny was also devoted to his family, enjoying their presence with pride and love. His later years centered around a quiet country life with children, grandchildren, and close friends nearby. Travel, reading, music, and gardening also occupied his time.
To his wife, Nancy, son Taylor, daughter Holly, three grandsons, brother Eben '39, and sister Alison Ewing, the class extends its deepest sympathy and shares the loss of this faithful gentleman and true Princetonian.
The Class of 1940
Harold Gilmore Brown Jr. '41
"Red' Brown died of emphysema on Sept. 7, 1999, in Wilmington, Del. His wife, Barbara Buchanan Brown, died two years ago.
Growing up in Westfield, N.J., he was big, handsome, gentle and a rough tough football player. It is recounted that our football coach saw Red make the most brutal open-field tackle he had ever seen. Clean, though.
He left college after sophomore year, joined the army and rose to the rank of captain serving in the European theater. He became a reporter for the Sun Telegram, then the Herald Tribune, and covered many stories, including the opening of the United Nations and the Alger Hiss trials. Moving to DuPont, he became one of the chiefs of its media relations department. Before his death he asked that contributions be made to Princeton's AG.
Red is survived by daughter, Martha Ponder, and twin brothers, Charles and Walter. This thorough gentleman will be sorely missed.
The Class of 1941
Stewart Warner Pach '42
He wanted a simple headstone with his name and the words "Pilot, Parent, Painter."
Warner died April 14, 1999, in Boston of a heart attack following a hip operation. He lived in Dover, Mass., and was raised in Bronxville, N.Y. During his life he was called "Warner," "Stu," and "Pete."
He was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Exeter, where he captained the swimming team. He graduated from Princeton as a mechanical engineer and flew P-38s during WWII on photo reconnaissance missions in Europe.
He had a distinguished business career as pres. of Papermate, pres. of Gillette's safety razor division, and pres. and CEO of American Optical.
In retirement he served a rich and meaningful life. He painted, exhibited, and sold his works. He was an avid student of languages and taught English as a second language to immigrants who spoke French, Spanish, or German.
His son, Peter, said, "He had a childlike sense of life. He possessed a wonder of learning and exploring. The light of a new spring morning sparkles on the wake of a duck crossing our pond, and though our hearts are heavy, we see its richness because he was here."
To his widow, Constance Barnard Pach, children Sandra, Nicollet, and Peter, and six grandchildren, the class extends its warmest feelings.
The Class of 1942
Bruce M. Bradway '43
Bruce died Sept. 19, 1999, at Bryn Mawr [Pa.] Hospital of heart complications following surgery. He was 77.
A native of Oak Park, Ill., Bruce graduated from Princeton with a bachelor's degree in geology, and later received a master's in education communications from Glassboro State College (now Rowan U.). During WWII, he served in the Army Air Corps.
Bruce was at various times a store owner, business executive, and author in the field of marketing. He is possibly best known for teaching new-venture management classes at Rowan. He would ask students each year to develop a product, then have a class committee select one for marketing. The assignment helped students learn about the planning, market research, financing, advertising, and sales of a product. Bruce's students came up with a variety of products, including caffeine-coated gum to keep truck drivers awake, sugarless vitamin chewing gum in various flavors, coffee cubes, and soft pretzels stuffed with mustard.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, the former Eleanore Zeiss; sons Robert, Jonathan and Eric; daughter Jeannie Spellman; and six grandchildren. To the entire family, the class offers its most heartfelt sympathy.
The Class of 1943
Lawrence Dilworth Blair Jr. '46
Larry died, after a long illness, on Aug. 17, 1999, at Tamalpais Retirement Home in Greenbrae, Calif., where he had lived since 1953.
Brought up in Pittsburgh, the son of L.D. Blair Sr. '12, Larry prepared at St. Paul's School. He majored in philosophy at Princeton, was a member of the tennis team, and played intercollegiate squash, a sport in which he excelled for some 30 years.
During WWII, Larry was a volunteer ambulance driver with the American Field Service, assigned to the British Eighth Army in Italy. After Princeton, he spent six years with coal firms in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia before a move to Crocker Natl. Bank in San Francisco, where he was a v.p. He continued with Wells Fargo Bank as a commercial loan officer.
He is survived by his wife, Sarah; daughters Sarah Hancock and Lucia Webster; brothers Peter and Melville; and three grandchildren. The class extends its sympathy to them.
The Class of 1946
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