Obituaries

November 29th, 2012

1930s

Walter Chucnin ’36, ’41 AM, of Middletown, R.I.; July 17. He was owner and manager of Sherman Manufacturing Co. and a stockbroker with Tucker, Anthony & R.L. Day, both in Providence. He retired in 1980. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. He was active in several civic organizations and a member of Temple Beth-El. He is survived by two daughters, two sons, four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Donald E. Batty ’38, of Lincoln, R.I.; July 5. He was a retired vice president of manufacturing for Standard Nut & Bolt Co. of Rhode Island. He was past president of the Visiting Nurses Assoc. and the Cumberland Lions Club. He was a trustee of the Pawtucket Institution of Savings, a director of the Pawtucket Trust Co., and a past master of Unity Lodge. He was a member of the Squantum Assoc., the Pawtucket Chapter Royal Arch Masons, the Pawtucket Council, the Holy Sepulchre Commandery, the Palestine Shrine, the Providence Court of the Royal Order of Jesters, and Christ Church Lincoln. He is survived by a son, a stepdaughter, five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

 

 

1940s

James H. Platt ’40, of Littleton, Mass., formerly of Concord, Mass.; May 11. He was employed as a rocket scientist at the Air Force Cambridge Research Center for many years. In retirement he was a high school substitute teacher. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was a member of the Institute of Radio Engineers and Trinity Congregational Church in Concord. He enjoyed sailing and gardening. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of 338 King St., Littleton 01460; a daughter and son-in-law; four grandchildren and a nephew, David Dickinson ’78, ’80 ScM, ’84 PhD.

Allen R. Ferguson ’41, ’43 AM, of Silver Spring, Md.; July 19. He was an assistant professor of economics at the Univ. of Virginia, head of the logistics department at Rand Corp., director of research at the transportation center of Northwestern Univ., a coordinator of international aviation for the U.S. State Department, and president of Public Interest Economics prior to becoming an economic consultant on antitrust issues. He retired in 1996. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was a member of the American Economic Assoc. and Phi Beta Kappa. He enjoyed hiking, camping, swimming, playing tennis, and reading history. He is survived by his wife, Audrey Mitscher Ferguson ’42; four children; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Robert D. Cotell 42, of Needham, Mass.; July 29. He worked for the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C.; at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on Cape Cod; and at Cambridge Research Labs. In 1952 he was a member of the crew that participated in the first aircraft landing at the North Pole. He later worked as an engineer at the MITRE Corp. in Bedford and Hanscom Air Force Base, before retiring in 1986. During the 1960s he was actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America. He was also an active communicant of St. Paul Church in Wellesley and St. Francis Xavier Church in Hyannis. He is survived by his wife, Irene; a daughter; and three sons.

George O. Ellis Jr. ’42, of Cheshire, Conn.; July 22. He was a retired geologist. He enjoyed a long career in the petroleum business followed by 18 years working for Eastern Water Development Co. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps. A lifetime Mason and Rotarian, he was a member of the First Congregational Church of Cheshire, the Sons of the American Legion, and the Illinois Geological Society. He is survived by his wife, Peggy; a daughter; two sons; and a grandson.

William K. Glen ’42, of Soquel, Calif., formerly of Penfield, N.Y.; Dec. 23, 2011, from prostate cancer. He was a retired vice president of marketing at Castle Co. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He enjoyed playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Mary Hurlin Glen ’41, and a daughter.

Catherine Ahern Spencer ’42, of Southbury, Conn. Aug. 11. She was a homemaker and community volunteer. She served as president of the Women’s Committee of the Mattatuck Museum and treasurer of the Junior League of Waterbury, and was a member of the Waterbury Foundation, Highfield Country Club of Middlebury, the Chilton Club of Boston, and the Mid Ocean Club of Bermuda. She is survived by three daughters, two sons, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Janet Eaton McManes ’43, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., formerly of Pittsburgh; June 24. During World War II she worked at Grumman Aircraft Co., and she later became a fashion coordinator for a Providence department store. After moving to Pittsburgh and receiving her master’s in social work, she became involved with the School for the Deaf and later was manager for vocational rehabilitation for the deaf center at Dixmont School for the Deaf. In Florida she was involved with the Amelia Island History Museum and volunteered with a theater group for youngsters on the island. She was a member of the Amelia Plantation Chapel and enjoyed gardening, reading, and traveling. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and her sister Ellen Eaton Wilson ’51.

Margaret Eddy Barnes Milliman ’43, of Southern Pines, N.C., formerly of Schenectady, N.Y.; June 17, from congestive heart failure. She was a social worker. Retiring to Albemarle, N.C., she helped administer the Stanly County Habitat for Humanity and launched a reading program for low-income children. She was an active resident of the Penick Village community in Southern Pines. She is survived by two sons, including Ed Barnes ’69; three grandchildren; a sister, Barbara Winsor ’46; and several nieces and nephews.

Janet Cameron Claflin ’45, of Nashua, N.H.; Aug. 6. She was a homemaker. She was active in church communities, garden clubs, and the League of Women Voters. She enjoyed music, bird watching, and sports. She is survived by her husband, Robert ’45; daughter Heather Claflin Clayton ’77; two sons, including George ’73; daughter-in-law Frances Wentworth ’74; seven grandchildren; and a brother.

Eugene S. McSweeney ’45, of Walpole, Mass.; June 5, 2011.

Myrtle Goldberg Silverman ’45, of Beachwood, Ohio; June 27. She was a vice president of Robert Silverman Direct Mail Advertising, in addition to acting in more than 20 productions in the Cleveland theater scene. She was a lifetime trustee of the Jewish Community Center and chaired the Holocaust committee at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. She was an avid bridge player. She is survived by her husband, Robert; a daughter; son Jack Silverman ’81; two grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a sister.

Constance Starr Brock ’46, of New York City; July 20. She had a successful career as an advertising and fashion copywriter in New York City. Some of her poems were published in the New York Times. In retirement she was active with the National Arts Club, where she established Le Cocktail Français, an ongoing monthly program devoted to the promotion of French art, culture, and language. She was honored by the French government and inducted as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques. She is survived by several cousins.

William G. Eckles II ’46, of New Castle, Pa.; Aug. 4. He was president of W.G. Eckles Co., a family architectural firm that endures today. He retired in 1987, but continued to do consulting work for the firm as well as the First Merit Savings and Loan and St. Francis Hospital. He was a veteran of the U.S Navy. He served as a board member and president of the New Castle Rotary Club and the New Castle YMCA. He was a trustee and elder of the First Presbyterian Church and a member of Kappa Sigma. An Eagle Scout himself, he was involved with the Boy Scouts of America, as well as many civic organizations. He was awarded the Distinguished Friend of Scouting Award in 1997 and the Silver Beaver Award in 1964. He enjoyed traveling. He is survived by a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren.

Norma Quinn Richards ’46, of West Warwick, R.I.; July 13. She is survived by five daughters, a son, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Richard C. Shaw ’46, of West Caldwell, N.J.; Aug. 2. He worked for New York Bell Telephone for 33 years. After retiring in 1980, he was on the audio-visual staff at Drew Univ. in Madison, N.J., for 15 years. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was a charter member of Fairmount Country Club, where he helped organize LPGA golf tournaments. A member of the Presbyterian Church of Livingston, he was an elder, taught Sunday school, and sang in the choir. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; a daughter; a son; and two grandchildren.

Barry W. Brown ’47, of Sunol, Calif.; Oct. 17, 2011. He was a career naval officer. He enjoyed fishing and is survived by three children.

Charles J. Fecto Jr. ’47, of Winsted, Conn.; Aug. 13. He was principal of The Gilbert School. Before becoming the school’s principal, he taught English and history, coached baseball and football, and was a guidance counselor there. Following his retirement he served one term as chairman of the Winsted board of education. He was a director of the YMCA, the Winsted Memorial Hospital, the Greenwood Country Club, and Northwest Community Bank. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was active in athletic programs throughout the community and enjoyed playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Mae; two sons; a granddaughter; a step-granddaughter; and two brothers.

Frederick N. Lee ’47, of Lancaster, Va.; Aug. 3. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Naval Reserve as a radio engineer and guided missile systems engineer before joining the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. As a consultant to the Goddard Space Flight Center, he worked on the Typhon radar, Pershing missiles, and Apollo manned space flights. He was a member of the Northern Neck computer group, Great Decisions investment club, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Sigma Xi, and Tau Beta Phi. In retirement he enjoyed beekeeping, vegetable gardening, growing grapes, and making wine. He is survived by his wife, Lucille, and three children.

John P. McMorrow ’47, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., formerly of Westwood, Mass.; Aug. 15. He was employed by Filene’s Basement Store in Boston as a buyer, then as a merchandise manager of men’s wear, which involved worldwide travel. He served in the U.S. Navy. At Brown he was a member of Delta Epsilon and the Inter-Fraternity Governing Board, and was commander of his ROTC battalion. Later he served as president of the Lions Club and was a member of the American Legion, the Council on Aging, and the Westwood Finance Committee. After retiring to Mount Pleasant he continued his civic involvement as a member of the Citadel Scholars, and with the Center for Creative Retirement and the East Cooper Coffee Club. He also volunteered at the soup kitchen of Christ Our King Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; three sons, including Philip ’75; six grandchildren; a sister; and a brother.

Mary Anne Hall Deadrick ’48, of New Canaan, Conn.; July 16, of cancer. She worked for a short time in the research department at Young & Rubicam in New York City. She was a volunteer with several organizations, including the New Canaan YMCA. She was a member of the Junior League, the New Canaan Sewing Group, Woodway Country Club, the Country Club of New Canaan, Stage Harbor Yacht Club, and the Chatham Beach and Tennis Club in Chatham, Mass. She is survived by daughter Sara Deadrick Frye ’79; two sons; and 10 grandchildren.

John E. Johnson ’48, of Wells, Me., formerly of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Tonawanda, N.Y.; Aug. 14. He was a chief engineer at Republic Steel Corp. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the Assoc. of Iron and Steel Engineers, New York State Associated Industries, and York Country Club. He enjoyed playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; four sons; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister; and two brothers.

Marshall C. Battey ’49, of Warwick, R.I.; June 20. He worked as an industrial engineer for C.I. Hayes in Cranston, then at Sargeant & Wilbur Inc. in Pawtucket, before starting his own company, Delta-Therm Engineering Corp., in Providence in 1964. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He was past chairman of the R.I. chapter of the American Society of Metals and a member of the Providence Jewelers Assoc. and the Manufacturers of Jewelry and Silversmiths Assoc. He was also a member of the R.I. Shriners Scottish Rite, the Edgewood Yacht Club, and the Bonnet Shores Beach Club. He was an avid squash player and served as president of the R.I. Squash Racquets Assoc. He enjoyed traveling. He is survived by his wife, Jane; a daughter; two sons; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a brother.

Wright Bolton III ’49, of New Bedford, Mass.; July 20, of cancer. He worked as a textile sales representative for the American Viscose Corp. After Avtex Fibers Inc. bought American Viscose, he supervised all textile sales in New England until his retirement. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was a member of the Textile Club of Boston, the Northern Textile Assoc., and the Southern New England Textile and Yarn Peddlers Assoc., which established an award in his name in 2008. An avid golfer, he was a 70-year member of Country Club of New Bedford. He is survived by two daughters, three sons, two grandchildren, a sister-in-law, and two nephews.

Urban P. Flanders ’49, of Cincinnati, formerly of Windsor Locks, Conn.; June 16. He worked in sales for 36 years and later as a substitute teacher at Western Hills High School for eight years. During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force. He volunteered with Adult Literacy of East Price Hill and at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and mentored at Oyler High School. He was also a lector at St. Dominic Church. He enjoyed traveling and attending the Cincinnati Pops. He is survived by his wife, Anna; three daughters, including Marianne James ’81; two sons; eight grandchildren; a sister; a brother; niece Catherine Flanders ’91; and nephew John M. Flanders ’79.

Milton L. Rusk ’49, of Berkeley, Calif., formerly of Saco, Me.; Jan. 29. He was the retired president of Rusk International Corp. in Westport, Conn. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; a daughter; and two grandchildren.

 

 

 

 

1950s

 

 

Arleen Bamberg Arnold ’50, of Redding, Conn.; Nov. 9, 2010. She was a retired director of administration for Ferguson Library in Stamford, Conn. She is survived by daughter Kathryn Arnold Cawley ’75 and granddaughter Alexa Pugh ’14.

James. I. Brackett Jr. ’50, of Seekonk, Mass.; Aug. 19. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and thereafter continued to serve his country for 33 years as a supervisor for the U.S. Department of the Navy. He performed volunteer work in Seekonk as a building chairman for the junior high school, as a town meeting representative, and as a coach and umpire of youth sports. He enjoyed traveling and playing golf. He is survived by five children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandsons.

Milton I. Brier ’50, of Cranston, R.I.; June 19. He was a partner in Brier & Brier Insurance Co. for 32 years. He served on several boards and was past president of Camp JORI and past treasurer of New England Master’s Swimming. He was a member of the Brown swim team, Temple Emanu-El, and the University Club. He is survived by his wife, Zita Grant Brier ’51; a daughter; two sons; five grandchildren; and a sister.

Gerald H. Grebb ’50, of Denver, Colo.; July 23, following a lengthy illness. He was the founder of Grebb Electric Co. and Federal Electric Supply. During World War II he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a member of Self-Realization Fellowship. He is survived by his wife, Rochelle; a daughter; a son; and three grandchildren.

Roberta Abisch Nachbar ’50, of Canton, Mass., formerly of Providence. She taught in the Providence school system for 35 years. She was a past president of B’nai B’rith and a lifelong member of Temple Emanu-El. Phi Beta Kappa. She is survived by a daughter and two granddaughters.

Robert M. O’Day ’50, of Stuart, Fla.; July 28. He was a retired president for Controller Service & Sales Co. in Avon, Mass. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a former coach and treasurer for Stoughton Little League. He was a member of Rising Star Lodge, the Wollaston Country Club, Lake Sunapee Country Club, the Shriners in Stoughton, Trinity Episcopal Church in Stoughton, the Massachusetts Electrical Contractors Assoc., and the Brown football varsity team. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Holbrook O’Day ’49; a daughter; two sons, including Mark ’77; five grandchildren; brother Arthur F. O’Day ’53; sister-in-law Sally Wilcox O’Day ’53; and niece Gail O’Day ’76.

F. Monroe Allen ’51, of Greenville, R.I.; June 22. He practiced law in R.I. and Massachusetts for 58 years. He served as a state senator, town council member, probate court judge, and member of several local civic organizations. In addition, he volunteered both as a pro bono lawyer through the R.I. Bar Assoc. and as a swimming teacher at the Smithfield YMCA. He competed in numerous marathons, including the Boston Marathon. He competed in his last triathlon at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife, Anne; daughter Heidi ’78; a son; four grandchildren; two brothers; and a cousin, Phyllis Kollmer Santry ’66.

Richard W. Burfeind ’51, of New Bern, N.C., formerly of Pleasantville, N.Y.; July 11. He was the retired president of Filenet Corp. in New York City and a member of the Pleasantville Volunteer Fire Department. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. He enjoyed golfing, running, painting, and coaching youth baseball. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; a daughter; two sons; eight grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; and a brother.

Channing W. Deacon Jr. ’51, of East Weymouth, Mass.; Oct. 6, 2011.

Margaret Conant Michael ’51, of Louisville, Ky., formerly of Benton, Ill.; July 25. In addition to being the owner and president of Michael-Walters Industries Inc., she was a trustee emerita of Brown and served on the President’s Advisory Board of World Vision. She was active in her church, where she taught Sunday school and was a leader in the youth ministry. She is survived by a daughter, Elise Flamouropoulos ’79; son-in-law Theodore Flamouropoulos ’81; sons David ’76, John ’78, Kirk ’83; 11 grandchildren, including Trapier K. Michael ’04; a great-grandchild; a brother; and a niece, Deborah Lee Graham ’73.

Daniel M. Pilot ’51, of Hartsdale, N.Y.; Aug. 8. He was a senior vice president and investment advisor at Wells Fargo. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed American history and biographies of national heroes and political leaders. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Headly Pilot ’52; a son; and three grandchildren.

Dwight R. Ambach ’52, of Susan, Va.; June 12, of lymphoma. He had a long career in the U.S. Foreign Service, retiring with the rank of minister-counselor. He held diplomatic posts in Germany, Chile, and Austria. In the U.S. he served as executive assistant to the chairman of the Export-Import Bank and dean of the Foreign Area Studies Program of the U.S. Foreign Service Institute. He was active in civic affairs and served a term as president of the Montgomery County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League. In 1992 he cofounded the Mathews County Sustainable Economic and Environmental Development Committee. He subsequently served six years as a board member of the Mathews Community Foundation and as chair of its grant-making committee. He enjoyed music and played viola in musical productions held at the Courthouse Players for 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Betsy; a daughter; two sons, including James ’87; daughter-in-law Kim Peterson Ambach ’88; five grandchildren; and a brother.

B. Bruce Freitag ’52, of Burlington, Vt., formerly of New Jersey; June 15. He was an attorney. In addition to his legal practice, he served as a member of the board of directors and chairman of the audit committee of Thor Energy Resources Inc.; as a member of the board of directors of Tucker Drilling Co.; as chairman and CEO of Miracle Pet Products; and as commissioner of the town of Maywood, N.J. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He was a member of the New Jersey and New York Bar associations. He is survived by a daughter; son Geoffrey ’84; and two grandchildren.

Frederic Freund ’52, of San Francisco; July 9, following a short illness. He had a successful career in commercial real estate. A past two-term president of the San Francisco Assoc. of Realtors, he was named honorary member for life of the California Assoc. of Realtors in 2011. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was active in civic and charitable organizations. He enjoyed traveling, sailing, and rowing. He is survived by two daughters, including Ellen Freund ’89; two grandchildren, and two sisters.

Harriet Schwindt Johnson ’52, of Burlington, Vt.; July 30. She was a homemaker, pianist and piano teacher. She taught piano at Kent Place School for more than 20 years. She enjoyed traveling and hosting impromptu dinner parties. She is survived by seven children and grandchildren.

James A. Martland ’52, of Newport, R.I.; Aug. 4. He worked in the Newport school department for 28 years, first as an English teacher and later as a dean of Rogers High School and assistant football coach. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. At Brown, he was captain of the football team. Later in life, he was a paddleball champion of Newport and won many tennis matches in the Newport city tournaments. He was inducted into the St. George’s Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Newport Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. He also enjoyed playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Lenore; two daughters; a son; three grandchildren; and a sister.

John S. Rudberg ’52, of Stuart, Fla., formerly of Needham, Mass.; June 25. He retired as president of C.S. Rudberg Shoe Pattern Manufacturing Inc. He was a former president of New England Shoe Pattern Manufacturers. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a member of Brae Burn Country Club (Mass.) and Mariner Sands Country Club (Fla.). He is survived by his wife, Adelaide; a daughter; three sons, including John Jr. ’81; eight grandchildren; and a sister.

Hugh J. Gourley III ’53, of Falmouth, Me.; July 25. He was the retired director of the Colby Art Museum in Waterville, Me. He was responsible for building much of the museum’s collection during his 36-year tenure. In 2010 he won the first Jette Award for Leadership in the Arts.

E. Gregory Roome ’54, of Brookside, N.J; July 8. He was a mechanical and environmental engineer for Jersey Central Power and Light for 39 years. He retired in 1993. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Sigma Psi. He enjoyed square dancing and belonged to the Reelers and the Mountain Squares Clubs. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; a daughter; a brother and sister-in-law; and several cousins.

Albert H. Politi ’55, of Hilton Head, S.C.; July 6, of Alzheimer’s disease. He taught high school mathematics for more than 20 years before becoming vice principal at Pascack Hills High School, N.J. After retiring, he became a full-time builder and land developer. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; a daughter; three sons; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Richard J. Arroll ’56, of Atlanta; July 19. He was a retired president of the real estate brokerage firm Delta Properties Inc. He is survived by his wife, Gerri; two sons; three stepchildren; six grandchildren; and two sisters.

Richard G. O’Neil ’56, of Placentia, Calif.; May 25, 2011. He was a retired executive of the Trane Co.

William C. Waring III ’56, of North Kingstown, R.I.; June 27. He was employed at Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co. for many years and was the owner of Waring Bait & Tackle, Waring Glass Co., and B&L Seafood. He was the former chairman of the North Kingstown Conservation Commission and a communicant of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He was also an active member of the South County Rod and Gun Club. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. He is survived by his wife, Ann; a daughter; and three grandchildren.

Robert A. Cowan ’57, of East Falmouth, Mass.; May 1. He was an engineer at Bell Labs (N.J.), and later worked at Honeywell and ComputerVision (Mass.) before founding Applied Programming Technology and serving as its president. He was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Brown Club of Cape Cod, and Tau Beta Pi. He enjoyed playing bridge, golf, woodworking, skiing, and boating. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; three daughters, including Pamela Cowan ’92 and Katherine Hagen ’89; son-in-law Daniel Winokur ’92; son Robert’82; daughter-in-law Janine Idelson ’83; and eight grandchildren, including Benjamin Cowan ’14.

William M. Denny Jr. ’57, of Chester Springs, Pa.; July 31, of pancreatic cancer. He was a financial manager. After retiring, he purchased the Olde Mill Race Wines vineyard and continued to tend the vineyard, make wine, and offer Sunday wine tastings until his death. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed researching family history and playing golf. He is survived by three daughters, including Ellen Denny ’89; and six grandchildren.

Paul A. Tempesta ’57, of Cotuit, Mass.; June 11, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He worked at Scott Paper Co. and later was a regional sales manager and director of personnel at the Polaroid Corp. for ten years. He retired as an executive vice president of Food Automation-Service Techniques in Stratford, Conn. He was a member of Brown’s varsity baseball team and enjoyed sports of all kinds. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; two daughters; three sons; and three grandchildren.

Charles P. Mead Jr. ’58, of Alexandria, Va.; Apr. 18, from a fall. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years and taught history for a year before attending law school. He practiced contract law with the U.S. Navy office until his retirement. For the past 10 years he volunteered teaching English as a second language to adults from various countries and cultures. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; three daughters; and nine grandchildren.

Elizabeth Fox ’59, of Pawtucket, R.I.; July 16. She was a teacher in the Providence school system for 20 years. She was also employed in the credit department at the Outlet Co. for 30 years. She is survived by several cousins.

1960s

Joseph A. Abate ’60, of Farmington, Conn.; Aug. 9, after a long battle with brain cancer. He was president and CEO of Tilcon Tomasso Inc., retiring in 2003. He was active in the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain and the Tunxis Plantation Country Club, was a trustee of St. Patrick’s Church, and was inducted into the Knights of Saint Gregory. An avid guitar player with a passion for music, he was a member of Suite Roc and First Class. He was an enthusiastic sports fan. He is survived by his wife, Marie; three daughters; a son; and ten grandchildren.

Nicholas J. Angell ’62, of West Haven, Conn.; Oct. 26, 2011.

Peter D. Shumacker ’62, of Indianapolis and Boynton Beach, Fla.; Aug. 3. He had a private law practice in Greenfield, Ind., and served in the Hancock County Prosecutor’s office for most of his career. He enjoyed playing golf and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Judy; four children; 13 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brother James ’72.

Michael S. Buchsbaum ’63, of Nicasio, Calif.; July 29, 2011. He was the former chairman of the Holly Sugar Corp.

Michael D. Marcson ’66, of Salisbury, Md.; July 1. He was a former history professor at Salisbury State College. He is survived by a daughter, his former wife, a brother, and two nephews.

David J. McOsker ’66, of Providence, R.I.; July 26. He was a partner in the law firm McOsker, Moonan & Waldman. He served as president of his class at Brown and was the recipient of a 1981 Brown Outstanding Service Award. He was a member of the New York Yacht Club and Edgewood Yacht Club. He is survived by his wife, Elena; two sons; and a sister.

Bruce B. Ross ’66, of Longmont, Colo.; Aug. 8. He worked at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton for 30 years as a climate research scientist and later as deputy director. He volunteered at the Saint Vrain Adult School and at SeniorNet. He enjoyed gardening and was a certified Colorado Master Gardener. He is survived by his wife, Keyo; a son; a son-in-law; a brother; sister-in-law; a niece; and a nephew.

Joel J. Widelitz ’67, of Seal Beach, Calif.; Aug. 8, from complications following surgery. A pediatrician, he was on staff at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Los Alamitos Medical Center. He was also an associate clinical professor at UC Irvine and devoted many years of volunteer service to the Children’s Clinic of Greater Long Beach. He enjoyed playing golf and was a member of SeaCliff Country Club. He is survived by his wife, Judy; a daughter; a son; and four grandchildren.

Robert C. Kingsland ’69, of Scituate, Mass.; June 22, of cancer. After research as an underwater archaeologist in Guatemala, he cofounded U.S. Bells, which created kinetic metal sculptures, mobiles, and bells influenced by the natural world and the work of Alexander Calder. He also spent 15 years in the commercial sword-fishing industry as a harpooner and spotter pilot. A world-class welder, he worked for the past 17 years as a senior experimental machinist at the Boston Univ. Scientific Instrument Facility, where he pioneered its Student Training Center. His students honored him with an award in his name. At Brown he was a record-setting pole vaulter on the track and field team. In 2007 he launched his masterpiece: the sailboat Restless, a 50-foot steel cutter that took him 30 years to build (www.sv-restless.com). He is survived by his wife, Sandy; two daughters; two sisters, including Margaret Kingsland ’65; and two brothers, including Lawrence ’66.

1970s

George J. Armstrong ’70, of South Amboy, N.J.; July 17. He was a distribution manager for National Starch & Chemical Co. in Bridgewater, N.J., for more than 20 years. He retired in 2007. He was a volunteer football coach at Sayreville High School and a member of Christ Episcopal Church, where he worked in the thrift shop and served on the vestry as a lay reader. He was an avid fan of the New York Giants and Yankees. He is survived by his wife, Lanette; a daughter; a son; a sister; and a brother.

Richard H. Jager ’73, of Shelton, Conn.; Aug. 1. He was the founder of Subsea Associates and Waterfront Associates, specializing in designs, inspections, and repairs of underwater structures. He was active in several organizations and served on the board of the Assoc. of Diving Contractors. He also served as vice president of the volunteer organization Clean Sound. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; a daughter; a son; a sister; and a brother.

1980s

Lauren Reece Flaum ’81, of Iowa City, Iowa, formerly of Brooklyn, N.Y.; July 2, of breast cancer. She worked as a pastry chef to Mayor Ed Koch in New York City. After moving to Iowa City in 1988 she served as president of the local school board, president of the Agudas Achim Congregation, and president of the Roosevelt Elementary PTO. She was instrumental in the development of three new schools and a new synagogue for Agudas Achim Congregation, where she directed children’s plays. An accomplished writer, she was published in the Christian Science Monitor and Redbook. She is survived by her husband, Michael Flaum; a daughter; a son; her mother; a sister; a brother; a niece; and three nephews.

Benjamin P. Flower ’85, of St. Petersburg, Fla.; July 1, from complications of lymphoma. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UC Santa Cruz from 1994 to 1996. In 1997 he began a career at the Univ. of South Florida as an assistant professor in geological oceanography and paleoceanography at the College of Marine Science; he became a full professor in spring 2012. He published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and was honored with a university graduate student mentor award. He competed at the highest levels in Ultimate Frisbee and was a competitive tennis player and an avid soccer player. He enjoyed birding, kayaking, and motorcycling. He is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter; two sons; his parents; and a brother.

2000s

Michael P. McLean ’01, of Arlington, Va.; June 16. He worked as an energy trade analyst for Exelon Corp. and was recently the founder of the Ensuring Equality through Mathematics Project, LLC. He was a member of Delta Phi. He is survived by his parents and a brother.

G.S.

Alice Zimmerman Foster ’39 ScM, ’41 PhD, of Corvallis, Ore.; Aug. 13. She first taught bacteriology and later did research at the Bassett Memorial Research Hospital in Cooperstown, N.Y. After moving to Chicago, she became a member of the research team evaluating penicillin for public use. She retired to Corvallis in 1981. She is survived by her husband, L.M. Foster ’47 PhD; two daughters; and two sons.

Walter Chucnin ’41 AM (see ’36).

John R. Ring ’41 ScM, ’43 PhD, of Selah, Wash.; Feb. 8.

Allen R. Ferguson ’43 AM (see ’41).

John D. Kettelle Jr. ’49 ScM, of Arlington, Va.; May 31, of prostate cancer. He owned and operated two consulting businesses in the Arlington area that developed mathematical models and computer software. He retired in the 1990s. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the Langley Hill Friends Meeting in McLean. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; six children; 13 grandchildren; and a sister.

G. Neil Frazier ’50 ScM, of Glastonbury, Conn.; June 21. He worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft as a physicist and retired after 28 years as vice president of engineering. During World War II and the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed reading and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Janet; three daughters; a son; six grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.

William P. Raney ’53 ScM, ’55 PhD, of Alexandria, Va.; July 21. He worked in various agencies within the federal government, including the National Academy of Sciences,  the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, and the Office of Science and Technology. He was a chief scientist in the Office of Naval Research and a chief engineer within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications. He retired from service in February 1994. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is survived by four children and five grandchildren.

Robert M. Hirata ’54 AM, of Hamden, Conn.; July 30, of cancer. He taught mathematics at Hamden High School. He was a longtime member of the New Haven Ballet, where he participated in classes, did volunteer work, and performed in productions at the Shubert Theater. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed classical music and reading. He is survived by a niece and a nephew.

William B. Smith ’54 PhD, of Fort Worth, Tex.; June 24. He was a research associate at the Univ. of Chicago and a five-year faculty member at Ohio Univ. before becoming a full professor and chairman of the chemistry department at Texas Christian Univ. in 1961. In 1981 he spent a semester researching with Sir John Cornforth at the Univ. of Sussex, England. In 1998 he retired and became professor emeritus. He continued to do research in nuclear magnetic resonance and organic chemistry until 2006. He presented his research at meetings in the U.K. and served on the editorial advisory board of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Publications there. Throughout his career he wrote more then 125 research papers and four textbooks. He was the 1989 recipient of the TCU Chancellor’s Award for Research and Creative Activity and in 1990 the W.T. Doherty Award for the Dallas-Fort Worth Section of the American Chemical Society. In December 1993 he was admitted as a fellow to the Royal Society of Chemistry of Great Britain. He is survived by his wife, Marian; a daughter; two sons; and two grandchildren.

David P. Flemming ’55 ScM, of Kingston, Ontario, Canada; July 13. He had a 20-year career in Canadian Armament Research and Development in Quebec City. He retired from the Royal Military College computer center after 10 years. He is survived by four children.

Clarence C. Goertemiller ’62 ScM, ’64 PhD, of North Kingstown, R.I.; Mar. 26. He was a retired professor of zoology at URI.

Travis Hedrick ’65 AM, ’74 PhD, of Middletown, Conn.; Aug. 7, from Alzheimer’s disease. He worked for the State of Florida as a social worker and then as a counselor for the State Vocational Rehabilitation Service before starting a career in teaching. He taught at Quinnipiac Univ. and served as chairman of the Department of Health Administration. He was an active member of the Quinnipiac Faculty Federation and the Connecticut State Federation of Teachers. He retired as professor emeritus in 2002. In 2001 he received the Bulldog Award from Yale in recognition of his service to the School of Public Health. He was an active member of the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he sang in the choir, served on the vestry, and contributed to the church’s social justice mission. He is survived by his wife, Joan Hedrick ’74 PhD; two daughters; a sister; and several nieces and nephews.

Lawrence B. Dodge ’66 AM, ’72 PhD, of Dallas; July 17. He was a professor of sociology at the Univ. of Montana before founding his photographic souvenir business, Big Sky Magic Enterprises. After selling the business and moving, he opened a bed and breakfast. Upon selling it, he turned his attention to music and writing lyrics. He was an active member of the Dallas Songwriters Assoc. He was the cofounder of the Fully Informed Jury Assoc. and was a nationally recognized speaker and commentator on juries. He is survived by his wife, Honey; two daughters; and four grandchildren.

David A. Heitke ’70 ScM, of Minneapolis; June 29, of a heart attack while hiking. He worked for the Univ. of Minnesota’s clinical research center as a computer systems manager in the 1980s and 1990s and more recently taught math at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College. He retired in 2007. He was a member of the Brown Outing Club. He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2010 and Mt. Aconcagua in 2009. He enjoyed kayaking, rock climbing, and mountain climbing. In addition to his outdoor interests, he participated in the church choir for many years. He is survived by his wife, Kris; two sons; a brother; and an aunt.

Stewart E. Butler ’71 PhD, of West Dennis, Mass.; May 10. He taught at several colleges and universities, most recently Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, before joining the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge. He is survived by his wife, Deborah; two sons; and two granddaughters.  

John E. Squillante ’71 ScM, of Miami; June 6. He worked for the Dade County School Department and Burger King Corp. before forming his own company, Prestige Service travel. He is survived by his partner, Shielia Breighner; two sons; three grandchildren; and four siblings.

Natalie Boymel Kampen ’76 PhD, of Wakefield, R.I.; Aug. 12. An internationally renowned art historian, she was most recently a visiting professor of Roman archaeology at Brown’s Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World. From 1969–88 she taught art history at URI. She helped found one of the first women’s studies programs in New England and was a lifelong patron of the Hera Gallery, a feminist artists’ collective in Wakefield. She taught graduate courses on the ancient world at Columbia Univ. and undergraduate courses in feminist theory and gender studies at Barnard College, where she was the first person to hold the Barbara Novak Chair in Art History and Women’s Studies. She became professor emerita in 2010 and returned to Brown to coadminister a 2010 Getty Foundation Grant exploring the art and architecture of the Roman provinces. She was a research fellow at Oxford Univ. in 2000; she received the Felix Neubergh Medal at the Univ. of Gothenburg in Sweden in 2004; and she was a visiting professor of art history at Jawaharlal Nehru Univ. in New Delhi in 2010. She was the author of Image and Status: Roman Working Women in Ostia (1981) and Family Fictions in Roman Art (2009), editor of Sexuality in Ancient Art (1996), and author of numerous articles and chapters in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and books, including Art Journal, American Journal of Archaeology, Art Bulletin, and The Art of Citizens, Soldiers and Freedmen in the Roman World (2006). She was an avid horseback rider and a lifelong owner of Labrador retrievers. She is survived by a sister, a brother-in-law, a niece, and a nephew. Contributions can be made in her name to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Avenue, Providence, RI 02907.

Faculty

Bruno Borenstein, of Las Vegas; Aug. 1. He was a clinical assistant professor of medicine emeritus at Brown, chief practitioner of an oncology practice, medical director of several hospice organizations in Rhode Island, and an internist at the VA Hospital in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, he served as president of the Holocaust Survivor’s Group and on the board of directors of Temple Bet Knesset Bamidbar and the Jewish Family Service Agency. He is survived by his wife, Linda; three sons; and seven grandchildren.

What do you think?
See what other readers are saying about this article and add your voice. 
Related Issue
November/December 2012