Obituaries

Coach Kathy Flores could make you feel like you could do anything. Not invincible like some kind of superhero, but human—beautifully, powerfully human. “She didn’t ever push us to be anybody other than our best selves,” says Alexis Jackson ’21, who walked onto Brown’s rugby team in 2017 after, like others, being drawn to Flores’s magnetic personality.

A pioneer in women’s rugby and fierce advocate for diversity on the field, the 66-year-old coach passed away in her Providence home last October after a year-long battle with cancer. Born Kathleen Theresa Flores, but known affectionately as “Coach Kathy,” the Philadelphia native leaves behind the legacy of her chosen family: dozens of rugby players who called her teammate, friend, and mother.

Zyana Thomas ’22 vividly remembers her introduction to the woman who would soon become her “second mom” when Flores volunteered to pick her up from the airport on her first day in Providence.

“I was like, ‘Whoa, she actually cares about me,’” recalls Thomas, who was recruited to Brown’s rugby team during her senior year of high school. “I had never experienced a coach like that.”

Flores gave her time to develop personal relationships with every student and offered consistent emotional support.

“I had a rough transition to Brown. I really felt alienated, and the only person who was by me and with me through that was Kathy,” Thomas shares. “She would quite literally walk me to therapy appointments… I probably would've never started healing if I had never met her.”

As a newcomer to a team that has long been predominantly white, Jackson adds that she felt particularly welcome because Flores was so open about her identity as a lesbian woman of Hawaiian and Filipino descent. “As a Black queer woman, if something ever happened that made me feel uncomfortable, I knew at minimum that she would know what I was talking about,” says Jackson. “I wouldn’t have to explain my existence to her first.”

“She was an amazing strong gay woman and the team was a really queer space, and that was hugely influential,” adds Sofie Rudin ’17, who was a first-year on the team during Flores’s first season coaching Brown rugby in 2013. “But Kathy is in the hall of fame because of how she pioneered this sport: she just did it. She worked hard and played hard, and if you were there with her, you were welcome.”

In addition to two Rugby Hall of Fame titles, Flores boasts nearly a dozen U.S. Rugby Championship wins and a significant role in securing the first-ever rugby World Cup trophy for Team USA. She took Brown’s team from club players to varsity athletes during Rudin’s sophomore year.

“I loved that from the start [she] wanted to take it really seriously. Playing casually… wasn’t an option anymore,” Rudin explains. “She was really passionate about learning to use the full power of our bodies.”

As someone who felt “kind of left out being bigger and taller,” Jackson echoed Rudin’s sentiment that her message of empowerment was transformative.

“I remember her telling me: ‘You’re not here despite the fact you look this way. You’re here because you look this way, and we’re going to make sure that you get bigger and take care of yourself, because you come with certain strengths that nobody else can contribute,’” Jackson recalls. “That was the first time I’d ever had a coach look at me—all of me—and say, ‘This is what I want.’”

Delighting in wine, dogs, and dancing (Pharrell’s “Happy” was a team favorite), Flores was above all a fighter, undeterred by metastatic colon cancer and dedicated to her sport to the end.

Thomas remembers Flores in her final months, still attending recruiting events with the other coaches. “It was kind of funny to see this old lady with cancer, barely able to walk, and she wanted to go play mini golf!” she says.

“Kathy had this knack for taking people and then fully believing 100 percent in them, no matter what. She never gave up on anybody, not even herself,” Thomas adds. “She was like, ‘I’m going to be coaching up until my last moments.’ And she did.”

Walter R. Thayer Jr., of Riverside, R.I.; Jan. 8. He graduated from Tufts University Medical School and became known as one of the nation’s leading experts on Crohn’s and other gastrointestinal diseases. He served as head of the gastroenterology department at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School and chief of gastroenterology at Rhode Island Hospital, positions he held for 30 years. Upon his retirement in 2004, he was proud to cut the ribbon at the Walter R. Thayer Inflammatory Bowel Disease Laboratory at Rhode Island Hospital. He was awarded the distinguished clinician award by the American Gastroenterology Association and the humanitarian of the year award by Rhode Island and New England chapters of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. He was also the recipient of the W.W. Keene Award from the Brown Medical Alumni Association. He conducted significant research into the causes of and treatment for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He trained numerous doctors with an emphasis on recruitment and support of doctors of color. In retirement, he volunteered at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center and mentored Brown medical students. He was recognized as teacher of the year in 2016 by Brown’s Medical School. He also volunteered at the Rhode Island Hospital GI clinic. He survived a small plane crash in Canada while providing medical care to Indigenous people and delivering babies as part of the Grenfell Mission; ran from a grizzly bear in Alaska; and broke his leg while descending Carter Dome on Mount Washington. He was passionate about preservation and served on the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Committee; he was also an active member of the Rhode Island Wildflower Society, subsequently earning a botany degree from URI. An avid swimmer, he swam in the seven seas and five oceans and traveled six continents. He also was a cyclist who participated in century bike rides throughout the U.S. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a sister and brother-in-law, and several nieces and nephews.

Harold Wanebo, of Bristol, R.I.; Nov. 27. He was emeritus professor of surgery in the surgical oncology section at Roger Williams Medical Center. After receiving his medical degree from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine in 1961, he interned at Cornell and served his residency at UC San Francisco and at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he trained in tumor immunology. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and earned the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal with Valor. He was affiliated with numerous professional organizations and authored more than 290 peer reviewed articles. He was a professor of surgery and director of surgical oncology at Brown. He founded his own lab, Chemo Enhanced, where he enjoyed working on cancer research. He was the recipient of awards and commendations and Roger Williams Medical Center endowed a chair in his name. He is survived by his wife, Claire; three children and their spouses; seven grandchildren; and three brothers.

John R. Coleman, of Providence, R.I.; Dec. 14. He researched and taught molecular and cellular biology at Brown. He was a participant in the Tougaloo-Brown Partnership and joined in numerous other initiatives to expand opportunities to people otherwise excluded. He is survived by his wife, Annette; three children; two grandchildren; and a sister.

James F. Linnane ’88 MD, of Atlanta, Ga.; Oct. 25. He was a gastroenterologist at Kaiser Permanente. He enjoyed his work, playing the drums, and watching the Boston Red Sox when he had time. He is survived by his wife, Kim; four sisters; and nieces and nephews.

Michael J. Bookbinder ’80 MD, of New Canaan, Conn.; Dec. 27. He was a pathologist for many years in both Connecticut and New York. He was an avid reader and he enjoyed music, folk dancing and solving puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Julie Dwyer Bookbinder ’80; two daughters; and two nephews.

Theodora McCarthy-Gray ’18 EMCS, of Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Nov. 10, of ovarian cancer. She was a graduate of Dartmouth College, Suffolk Law School, and Brown. She was a privacy/cyber attorney. A mentor to many, she had a special affinity for helping those interested in a career in cyber security law and spent many pro bono hours helping the future generation of young lawyers and professionals. During the course of her career she worked with such businesses as Oracle, Microsoft, PeopleSoft, IBM, and Dell. She was a member of Cloud Security Alliance and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. She is survived by many family members and friends.

Aris C. Garro ’06 MPH, of North Kingstown, R.I.; Nov. 17, of cancer. At the time of his death, he was working as a pediatric emergency physician at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and was a researcher affiliated with Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital. His research focus was in the fields of emergency department-based interventions for children with asthma and the treatment of pediatric Lyme disease and meningitis. He enjoyed playing soccer and was an avid fan of all things related. He also enjoyed painting, playing guitar, and reading Harry Potter with his daughter. He is survived by his wife, Christine; three children; two brothers and sisters-in-law; and five nieces and nephews.

Norman “Harry” Rothschild ’03 PhD, of Jacksonville, Fla.; Dec. 10, of gastroesophageal cancer. He skipped years in school and entered Harvard College at 17. He began his concentration in East Asian Studies and earned several varsity letters in track and field. Upon graduation, Harvard College awarded him its Imre Memorial Award. While traveling and studying in China, he met his future wife. He taught at Hebron Academy, obtained his doctorate from Brown, then was a Fulbright Scholar at Peking University, joining the University of North Florida as  a history professor in 2003, where he taught until a few weeks before his passing. He authored Wu Zhao: China’s Only Female Emperor; Emperor Wu Zhao and Her Pantheon of Devis, Divinities, and Dynastic Mothers; and The World of Wu Zhao. He also translated and edited several scholarly articles and lectured across the U.S., England, and China. He is survived by his wife, Chengmei; a daughter; son Liu ’24; his parents; three sisters; two brothers; two sisters-in-law; two brothers-in-law; and five nieces and nephews.

Devasis Chatterjee ’90 PhD, of Mansfield, Mass.; Nov. 9. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia; a son, a brother; and six nieces
and nephews.

Timothy Alavosus ’89 PhD, of Hudson, N.H.; Nov. 28. He was a cofounder and COO of AlgaMetrics in Marblehead, Mass. He volunteered at MSPCA animal shelter in Methuen, Mass., and enjoyed playing guitar. He is survived by his wife, Marilee, and a son.

Bryant A. Toth ’76 MD, of Napa, Calif.; Oct. 2. In addition to running his own private practice, Toth Plastic Surgery, in San Francisco, he was a clinical professor at UC San Francisco and codirector of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital craniofacial department. Prior to private practice he teamed with two doctors to form Indochina Surgical Educational Exchange, enabling plastic surgeons to travel to Vietnam and Cambodia to operate on facial clefts and work on patients who were left disfigured by the Vietnam War. He taught plastic surgeons in Italy, China, Vietnam, and Brazil; Italy bestowed the honor of Cavaliere on him. He enjoyed art and history and is survived by his wife, Jill; daughter Alexandra Toth ’08; and a son.

Robert R. Meyer ’85 MAT, of Moscow, Idaho; Nov. 22, from complications of throat cancer. He lived in several U.S. cities and worked as a disc jockey and radio talk show host. After earning his masters, he worked as an English teacher in Massachusetts before moving to the Midwest. He is survived by a brother, a stepsister, and several nieces and nephews, including Nancy Matchett Kubik ’89.

Bruce P. Sparks ’77 MAT, of North Haven, Conn.; Nov. 20. He was a high school English teacher and had a career in the printing industry at the former Columbia Press, Herlin Press, and Keno Graphic Services. He enjoyed literature, music, and fishing. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and many nieces and nephews.

Kathleen Roy Cummings ’77 AM, of Chicago; Dec. 15. She taught architectural history at Northwestern University, lectured at the Art Institute of Chicago, and authored books and articles about Chicago architecture. She enjoyed visiting and walking through the National Parks and sitting on Lake Michigan beach reading a book. She is survived by her husband, Dan, and two daughters.

Allen Vander Meulen Jr. ’75 PhD, of Lincoln, Mass., formerly of Brattleboro, Vt.; Nov. 22. He was a minister at Third Congregational Church in Waterbury, Conn., from 1958 to 1963, then at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vt., until 1968, when he served as an interim minister throughout Massachusetts while attending Brown. In 1978 he joined the faculty at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., as a professor of economics. He helped establish the school’s computer science department and MBA program. He retired in 1997 and returned to Brattleboro, where he served as chair of the Centre Congregational Church’s endowment committee and as a trustee for the town library. He enjoyed biking, traveling, and conversing about philosophy, ethics, and politics. He and his wife moved to Lincoln in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; daughter and son-in-law; two sons and daughters-in-law; and four grandchildren.

David A. McKay ’74 MAT, of Beverly, Mass.; Oct. 31. Diagnosed in 1991 with multiple sclerosis, he handled its gradually debilitating effect with courage and humor. He graduated from Boston College Law School and practiced for nearly 30 years. He was a partner at Ropes & Gray until his illness required him to retire early in 2014, then he enjoyed teaching corporate finance as an adjunct professor at Boston College Law School. He was active in the life and choir of Christ Church of Hamilton and Wenham. He is survived by his wife, Marjory Robertson; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; four grandchildren; a sister; and a brother and sister-in-law.

Paul L. Sheehey ’71 MAT, of Scarsdale, N.Y.; Nov. 6. He was an English literature teacher at Scarsdale High School for 37 years before retiring in 2016. In addition to enjoying opera, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera. He also enjoyed traveling and for a period of time lived in Laos and Iran. He is survived by his wife, Elisabeth; a brother; and two cousins.

Barbara Bennett Levine ’71 AM, of Providence; Jan. 2. She was an avid reader and lifelong learner and enjoyed traveling to many countries. She is survived by a sister, a daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, two stepdaughters, four step-grandchildren, and five nieces and nephews.

Deborah Doyle Knowles ’69 AM, of South Dartmouth, Mass.; Jan. 21. She taught high school Spanish in Rhode Island at Moses Brown School, Providence Country Day School, and Bay View Academy. She later joined the Providence Art Club and took up watercolor painting. She enjoyed skiing and traveling, especially trips with her husband and children to Morocco, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. She is survived by her husband, Lawrence; a daughter and son-in-law; two sons; and four grandchildren.

James C. Minor ’68 ScM, ’71  PhD, of Rochester, N.Y.; Dec. 27. He worked at Kodak, was granted two patents for copier technologies, and became an international consultant on project management. In 1999 his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and he retired to be her caregiver. He remained active in retirement, including acting as leader of the New York Forest Owners Association. Before his passing, he placed a conservation easement on his farm property. He maintained the NYFOA website, was an enthusiastic investor, and enjoyed repairing things. He taught graduate math courses at the University of Rochester and, in recent years, tutored inmates of the Monroe County Jail. He is survived by a daughter and son and their spouses, four grandchildren, two brothers and sister, and a brother-in-law.

James R. Maggart ’68 MAT, of Hamden, Conn.; Nov. 19. He obtained an MBA from Stanford and pursued educational administration in the U.S. and abroad. He was head of school at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey; St. John’s School in Houston, Tex.; and Hamden Hall Country Day School. In Istanbul, he appointed women to key school positions and started the first girls’ basketball team and led them to a Turkish national championship. He was a partner at Educators’ Collaborative and a leader in international school accreditations for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. He worked and volunteered to improve the lives of students and educators. Later in life he began woodworking and created furniture that fills the homes of his family and his summer home in New Hampshire. He is survived by his wife, Kaye; three children, including daughters Stephanie Johnson ’88 and Aylin Flanagan ’93; a son; five grandchildren; and a sister.

William I. Grosky ’68 ScM, of Novi, Mich.; Nov. 13. He taught at Georgia Tech, then at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he was a founding faculty member of the department of computer science. In 2001, he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he was chair of the computer and information services department and assisted in constructing UM’s PhD program. He traveled the world. He is survived by his wife, Roslyn, a daughter, and son.

David N. Menton ’66 PhD, of Petersburg, Ky.; Dec. 11, of COVID. He was a professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for 34 years, retiring in 2000. He then served with Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher, retiring in October 2021. He was a professional magician and musician. He is survived by his wife, Debbie; two daughters and sons-in-law; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Lois Shuler Meighan ’63 MAT, of Lansdale, Pa.; Nov. 21. She taught at a private school for girls for two years and then raised a family. Later she was a chemical technician. She also taught home-bound students and offered piano lessons. She was a member of a local chamber quartet, performed in the Ambler Orchestra and the North Penn Orchestra, and sang with the Norristown Chorale. Active in her church, she played instruments for worship and taught Sunday School. She enjoyed weaving table centerpieces, knitting, reading, and camping. She is survived by her husband, Richard ’64 PhD; five children and their spouses; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Carol E. Jenson ’63 MAT, of Minneapolis; Nov. 25. She received her PhD in American History from the University of Minnesota in 1968 and began teaching at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. She retired in 1980,  moved to Minneapolis, and enjoyed reading, quilting, and gardening. She is survived by her husband, Thomas, nieces, and nephews.

Alice M. Savage ’61 PhD, of Windsor, Me.; Dec. 8, after a brief illness. Her career consisted of teaching, medicine, and health administration. She was an infectious disease specialist at Togus VA Medical Center and chief of staff for more than 25 years. She was involved with various branches of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund and held the positions of director, board member, and trustee. She endowed scholarships at the University of New England, which elected her to its board of trustees. She also contributed to the Kennebec Humane Society and donated generously to numerous nature and wildlife funds. She is survived by her partner, Carolyn B. Perry.

Guenter H. Rose ’60 ScM, of Vista, Calif.; Jan. 12, of Lewy body dementia. He earned his PhD at UCLA, where he did neuroscience research at the Brain Research Institute. He went on to work at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in the department of psychiatry and psychology, then returned to UCLA to work as a research psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry before joining Bowdoin in 1976 as an assistant professor of psychology. He was instrumental in the college’s creation of a psychobiology concentration. In 1981, he was promoted to associate professor and chair of the psychology department, retiring in 1995 as emeritus professor of psychobiology. He was interested in medical anthropology and received a Fulbright to study traditional healers in Nepal and Sri Lanka and learn about Ayurvedic medicine. He began a business offering tours of Nepal and collected traditional sculptures and masks from Africa and South Asia. He enjoyed antiquing, Maine, and traveling. He is survived by three children and their spouses; a stepdaughter; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two nephews.

Glendon E. Collins ’53 ScM, of Phoenix; Dec. 4. In 1953, he began as a uranium exploration geologist for the Atomic Energy Commission in Albuquerque. In 1957, he transferred to a lands and mineral examiner job with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Sacramento, Calif. Assignments in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Riverside, Calif., followed before he moved to Arizona in 1965 to become land office manager for the BLM. A second career began in 1984 with the Arizona State Land Department, from which he retired in 1994 as Deputy State Land Commissioner. In retirement, he served on numerous boards and committees, including BLM’s Arizona Resource Advisory Council and the Public Lands Foundation. He was the recipient of many awards, including the distinguished service award by the Department of the Interior and the Lifetime Service Award from the Public Lands Foundation. The Public Lands Foundation Archives was renamed the PLF Glendon E. Collins National Archives in recognition of his contributions. He enjoyed baseball, hiking, camping, golf, and the cabin he and his wife built in Bert Lee Park in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff. He is survived by his wife, Marion; six children; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two brothers and sisters-in-law.

Amanda K. Asay ’10, of Nelson, British Columbia; Jan. 7, from injuries sustained in a skiing accident. A member of Brown’s hockey and softball teams from 2006 to 2009, she spent several years as part of the Canadian Women’s Baseball national program and helped Canada win silver at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. She also helped the national team win World Cup medals in 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2018. She was the longest serving member of Canada’s Women’s National Team. She earned a master’s and PhD in forestry at the University of British Columbia and worked on such projects as the Mother Tree and Intelligent Trees under Dr. Suzanne Simard. She began working for the Ministry of Forests as a silvicultural systems researcher in May of 2019. She enjoyed all sports, coaching, the outdoors, hiking, camping, and planting. She is survived by her parents, a brother and sister-in-law, and countless friends and teammates.

Lisa Hooks Eisler ’97, of Astoria, N.Y.; Oct. 23. Following graduation from Brown, she had a successful career as an event planner with several New York law firms and most recently with Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. She volunteered with Meals on Wheels and was generous with her time to friends and family. She is survived by her daughter, parents, and brothers.

Heather Dietz Braun ’93, of Fishers, Ind.; Nov. 28. After excelling as a high school athlete and member of the Brown women’s basketball team, she earned a master’s in sports management from Ohio State University. Her first job was with the Big 8 Conference. She relocated to Indianapolis and switched careers to sales and marketing. She was a former Miss Kansas pageant participant, always claiming to be “a Kansas girl.” She enjoyed watching her children participate in sports and keeping the lines of communication open with family members. She is survived by a daughter, a son, her parents, two sisters, her grandmother, and several aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

Christine Nelson Eldridge ’86, of Rowley, Mass.; Nov. 27, of cancer. After working for the FBI, she worked at Boston University while earning her MBA. For 27 years she was at Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group as vice president of plan consulting, working until a few weeks before her passing. She enjoyed spending time with family, skiing the peaks of Sunday River, sailing, fishing, and reading. She is survived by her husband, Bill; two sons; her parents; two sisters and brothers-in-law; a niece; and three nephews.

David M. Boegehold ’86, of Waltham, Mass.; Jan. 2, 2021. He is survived by three sons; his mother; and three siblings, including sister Alison Hiraga ’86.

Neil Regan ’84, of South Salem, N.Y., formerly of Bronxville, N.Y.; Nov. 28. His many interests included puzzles, reading, landscaping, and playing golf. He is survived by seven siblings, 20 nieces and nephews, and 20 great-nieces and nephews.

Michael I. Plotnick ’84, ’87 MD, of Boulder, Colo.; Jan. 14, of a cardiac event while doing what he loved most, snowboarding. After med school at Brown he completed his ob-gyn residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He was board certified and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He practiced in several private practices in New York and later in Colorado, specializing in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. He is survived by a daughter, a son, his mother, and a brother.

Mark Naigles ’82, of Tolland, Conn.; Dec. 30. He was a lecturer in the math department at UConn and a former associate professor of math at Nichols College. For 19 years he worked as an actuary in Philadelphia and Connecticut. In 2003, he began teaching development courses in actuarial mathematics and algebra for business. He also taught problem solving at UConn for more than 15 years and received the outstanding adjunct award in 2011. He tutored students of all grade levels, served as president of Beth El Congregation of Storrs-Mansfield, and was treasurer of the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network. He enjoyed hiking, watching Star Trek and Jeopardy!, and Turkish food. He is survived by his wife, Letitia Gewirth Naigles ’83; daughter Beverly Naigles ’15; a son; his mother and stepfather; a sister; four brothers-in-law; and nine nieces and nephews.

Michael D. Kent ’81, of Ellington, Conn., formerly of Warwick, R.I.; Nov. 3. He was an education consultant for the State of Connecticut Department of Education and served as a mentor for the Big Brothers program. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie; a daughter; a son and daughter-in-law; and two grandchildren.

Martha Arthur Nathan ’73, of Northampton, Mass.; Nov. 29, from complications of heart disease and lung cancer. She graduated from Duke University Medical School, where she and her husband got involved in worker’s rights and social justice issues. In 1979, her husband and four others were murdered at an anti-Klan demonstration in Greensboro, N.C., which propelled Marty to fight for social and racial justice, immigrants rights, environmental justice, and universal health care. In 1996, she accepted a teaching position at Smith College. She practiced medicine predominantly with Baystate Brightwood Health Center in Springfield, where her fundraisers to benefit La Cliniquita became popular yearly events. In 2009, she cofounded the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice; she also cofounded Climate Action Now in Western Massachusetts. She participated in marches and demonstrations and, as a physician, spoke at Northampton and Springfield government meetings opposing air and water pollution. She also wrote a column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on climate change issues. She is survived by her husband, Elliot Fratkin; two daughters; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and two grandchildren.

Frederick J. Watts ’79, of Summit, N.J.; Dec. 23, from complications of multiple myeloma. After spending a year in a law firm, he was appointed to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which began a career that lasted for more than 30 years, including developing and teaching courses for prosecutors, and culminated in becoming the executive assistant district attorney for finance and administration in 2007. He retired in 2014 to assume leadership of the Police Athletic League as executive director. He is survived by his wife, Celia; two sons; a sister; a niece; and a nephew.

Randy Seiler Margulis ’78, of Woodcliff Lake, N.J.; Jan. 2, following a long illness. She earned an MBA from Harvard University and pursued a career in high level finance positions at CBS television. She retired in 1991 as assistant controller. She was a member of Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley and Edgewood Country Club. She enjoyed playing tennis, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is survived by her husband, Stephen ’78, ’81 MD; a daughter; a son; her mother; a brother; and brother-in-law Michael Margulis ’78, ’81 MD.

Steven F. Killough ’78, of Lancaster, Pa.; Nov. 12, of traumatic brain injuries suffered after he was struck by a vehicle in October. He was a pediatrician. He joined Lancaster Pediatrics in 1989, was an advocate for child health and safety, and was involved with the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, Habitat for Humanity, and St. James Episcopal Church. He enjoyed playing guitar and ukulele and entertaining his staff with a song or a poem. He is survived by his wife, Nan; a daughter; and a son.

Robert M. Chafetz ’78, of Montreal, Canada; Jan. 3. After Brown he continued graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Computer and Information Science.He held positions involving computer science, artificial intelligence, writing, and editing. He is survived by three children, two grandchildren, and a brother.

Julius S. Scott ’77, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Dec. 6. He was a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, a scholar of slavery and Atlantic history. What began as his PhD thesis at Duke University in 1986 became his book, The Common Wind: Afro-American Currents in the Age of the Haitian Revolution, published in 2018 with Verso Books. It traces the circulation of news in African diasporic communities in the Caribbean around the time of the Haitian Revolution and links the “common wind” of shared information to political developments leading to the abolition of slavery in the British and French Caribbean. He received a special achievement award from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Stone Book Award from the Museum of African American History, among other honors. He is survived by his partner, Prof. Elisha Renne; his mother; and two brothers.

Richard D. Pass ’74, of Barrington, R.I.; Dec. 20. He was a Brown rugby team member,  earned his law degree from Villanova Law School,  and was an attorney in East Providence for more than 20 years. He practiced shamanism for many years and was a member of the Providence Institute. He enjoyed gardening, playing golf, and spending time in nature. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law; two grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; brother Robert ’66; a niece and a nephew.

Louis J. Regine III ’73, of Portsmouth, R.I.; Oct. 27, of cancer. He worked at the Bank of Hawaii before succeeding his father and grandfather as president of the family car business, Regine Pontiac. He spent his later years as general sales manager for Balise Chevrolet. He broke six Brown and Ivy League pass-receiving records as a member of Brown’s football team and was inducted into the Brown Hall of Fame in 1982. He was a natural conversationalist and always placed the news of others above his own. He instilled a strong work ethic into his children and taught them to accept people as they are. He enjoyed the New England Patriots and the New York Yankees. He is survived by his wife, Gabriela; two daughters; two sons; a son-in-law; two granddaughters; five sisters and brothers-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

Joyce A. Harmon ’73, of Washington, D.C.; Dec. 10, of cancer. She went to school in New Delhi and Taiwan before entering Brown, then joined the CIA and spent most of her career with the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS), including overseas assignments in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and as FBIS bureau chief in Vienna, Austria. Later headquartered in Langley, Va., she served as chief of the operations center, then as director of the White House situation room during the Clinton administration. She retired in 2001 and traveled to see old masters and Italian Renaissance art, medieval architecture, and the “big five” game animals in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. She was a volunteer curatorial assistant at the Phillips Collection and a docent at the National Gallery of Art. She enjoyed reading two daily newspapers and solving crossword puzzles. She is survived by her mother and a sister and brother-in-law.

John L. Austin ’73, of Schenectady, N.Y.; Nov. 23. He traveled throughout Europe, India, and various parts of the United States. He played the piano, created tile mosaics, enjoyed sports, and was an avid reader, especially of English literature. He is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, a sister-in-law, nieces and nephews.

Guy R. Buzzell ’72, of Providence, R.I.; Dec. 23. He had a career in banking and finance at Peoples Bank, Old Stone Bank, Advest, and Merrill Lynch, from which he retired in 2021. He was an avid reader and was looking forward to participating in the Providence Athenaeum and the Lifelong Learning Community, both of which he joined just before his passing. He  enjoyed going to the mountains and beaches with his wife, Bonnie Good Buzzell ’72, who survives him. He is also survived by a son and daughter-in-law and a brother.

Allen J. Shers ’71, of Portsmouth, R.I.; Nov. 5. He worked as a real estate broker, consultant, and appraiser for more than 40 years. He served on several boards including the Newport County Board of Realtors, the Portsmouth Water Board, and the Housing Committee for Portsmouth. He is survived by his wife, Regina; a son and daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; and a sister.

Joseph A. DiLorenzo ’71, ’73 MMSc, ’75 MD, of Saunderstown, R.I.; Jan. 12. He opened his own internal medicine practice in Cranston and was affiliated with Our Lady of Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center. He was an avid camper and enjoyed hiking and canoeing. He is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, and seven nieces and nephews.

Deirdre Wallace Stecker ’70, of Morrisville, Pa.; June 12, 2021. She is survived by her husband, Harold; two daughters; a son-in-law; and three grandchildren.

William B. “Jock” Purnell ’69, of Honolulu; Dec. 10. He is survived by his spouse Masako and brother S.R. Purnell ’72.

Stephen Knowles ’69, of Delray Beach, Fla.; Nov. 4, of cancer. His extensive business career included executive positions at General Electric, vice president and corporate controller with Ericsson, and CFO of Specialized Healthcare Partners, a company started by his youngest daughter and her husband.He retired in 2020. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and he enjoyed hiking, kayaking, fishing, sports, and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Catherine; two daughters; a son-in-law; two grandchildren; and two sisters.

Robert G. Munck ’67, of Denver, N.C.; Sept. 15, from complications of myelodysplastic syndrome. For the last 10 years he was a self-employed consultant in the development of complex web-enabled applications. Previously, he worked as a software and system engineer for government contractors. He was an avid science fiction reader. He is survived by his wife, Christine Braun ’70.

Peter D. Adams ’67, of Ashfield, Mass.; Dec. 24, from Parkinson’s disease. He was director of admissions and financial aid at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., which he had attended, and then completed a master’s from Harvard and opened his own educational counseling practice in 1981. He cofounded I-Way, a consulting firm in Germany that helped European students experience American independent schools and colleges. He retired in 2011. He was a member of numerous boards, including the Ben Bronz Academy and the Cobb School. He enjoyed helping people, spending time with family, and the outdoors. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Henderson; two daughters; two sons; a son-in-law; two sisters; and two brothers.

Bruce K. Garrard ’66, of Columbus, Ohio; Dec. 20. He is survived by a sister, two nieces and a nephew.

Anna May Chmura Scanlon ’65, of Smithfield, R.I.;, formerly of Milford, Conn.; Nov. 2. She worked in the histology department of Milford Hospital, where she received awards and was recognized for important projects she had worked on. She enjoyed crocheting and gardening. She is survived by her godson and his family and a brother-in-law.

Anne Rines ’65, of Falmouth, Me.; Nov. 4. She was an accomplished artist who created glass bead jewelry. She trained golden retrievers and was president of Dancing Paws of Maine and an advisor for the Rines Thompson Fund for the Maine Community Foundation. She is survived by five siblings and their spouses and four nieces and nephews.

Allen B. Flanders ’65, of Milton, Chilmark, and Needham, Mass.; Jan. 3. He joined the National Shawmut Bank in Boston while  earning a master’s from Boston University. At Fleet Bank, Shawmut’s successor, he was a vice president and trust officer for many years before retiring. He visited Martha’s Vineyard almost every weekend from May through November and worked on his rental properties. An accomplished pianist, he was substitute organist for several island churches. He is survived by two brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

James E. Gerry ’64, of Newtown Square, Pa.; Dec. 6, of a chronic heart condition. He served in the Navy for two years as a commissioned officer, then moved to Philadelphia to work at Smith Kline & French as a sales manager. In 1975 he accepted an offer to join a small start-up called Synthes, which grew to a major multinational corporation manufacturing implants and instruments for the treatment of physical trauma. He retired as executive vice president in 2009. He enjoyed reading, traveling, fishing, and whitewater rafting. He is survived by his wife, Cherie; five children; eight grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; and lifelong friend Robert Scott.

Robert C. Ripley ’62, of Attleboro, Mass.; Jan. 22. He earned a PhD in anatomy from UCLA, then returned to Brown as a faculty member in the department of biology and taught courses in cell biology and histology through the mid-1990s. In 1974, he was appointed associate dean of the college for health careers, a position he held until retiring in 2005. He enjoyed traveling, eclectic culinary experiences, sailing on Narragansett Bay, and music of all kinds. He is survived by his wife, Helen; two children and their spouses, including son Alexander ’99; two grandsons; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

Peter C. Kenney ’62, of Needham, Mass.; Jan. 9. Upon graduation, he began a career in sales and marketing at Gillette, then moved to Braintree Labs, where he retired as executive vice president of sales and marketing in 2016. He was an active participant in the Center at the Heights in Needham, taking classes each semester while enjoying the center’s many social opportunities. He is survived by his wife, Chris; four children; and eight grandchildren.

Barbara Froling Immroth ’64, of Portland, Ore., formerly of Denver and Austin, Tex.; Sept. 6. She earned her master’s in librarianship from the University of Denver in 1965 while marrying and starting a family. They moved to Pittsburgh, where she worked as a children’s librarian at Carnegie Library. In 1973, she began working as the school librarian at Central Catholic High School. After her husband’s passing in 1976, she continued her education in order to support her family, and over the next four years worked full-time while completing her doctorate in library and information science at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1980, she accepted a position as assistant professor at the University of Texas Graduate School of Library and Information Science (now the iSchool), where she was a faculty member for 36 years and the first woman to advance to full professor or direct a dissertation. She shaped the careers of countless librarians and won numerous state and national awards, including the American Library Association Beta Phi Mu Award in 2007 and the Texas Library Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. She led numerous committees, notably as president of the Association for Library Service to Children, of the Texas Library Association, and of the Beta Phi Mu International Library Science Honorary Society. She served on book award committees, including the Randolph Caldecott Medal and the John Newbery Medal, and authored or coauthored seven books on the topics of library service and health information. She enjoyed traveling with fellow librarians, attending librarian conferences all over the world, and being a volunteer greeter at the Texas History Museum. She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, three grandchildren, and three siblings.

Joseph J. Brenckle ’62, of Whitman, Mass.; Dec. 27. He received his master’s and doctorate in Slavic linguistics from Stanford. He loved music and had a wealth of knowledge related to polka music and its history. He enjoyed gardening and trips to the Maine coast. He is survived by his wife, Victoria; four children; two stepchildren; and eight grandchildren.

James D. Smith ’61, ’63 ScM, of Boulder, Colo.; May 2, 2021, of thyroid cancer. He worked as a research assistant at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute before being recruited by the University of Washington as associate professor, eventually becoming chair of the oceanography and geophysics departments. In 1990, he moved to Boulder to work for the U.S. Geological Survey National Research Program, leading work on controlled floods in the Grand Canyon. He was a world-renowned specialist in fjord studies, sedimentary geology, and marine and estuarine sediment transport. He received numerous accolades, including the 2007 Hans Albert Einstein Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was an avid hiker, explorer, traveler, mountain climber, and opera enthusiast; most recently, he added nature photography with an emphasis on grizzly bears. He is survived by his wife, Mary; three children and their spouses; three grandchildren; and his former wife, Pamela Cromarty.

Joan Floe Holdgate ’61, of Nantucket, Mass., formerly of Connecticut and New Jersey; Dec. 25, after a short illness. She was a special education teacher in Lincoln, Mass., Norwich, Conn., and Jackson, N.J. She retired in 2005. In retirement she volunteered at Nantucket Cottage Hospital Thrift Store. She is survived by three sons and four grandchildren.

Thomas E. Steckbeck ’60, of Ocean, N.J.; Jan. 1. He began working at Polaroid as a sales representative and eventually served as the director of marketing. He spearheaded the launch of the SX-70 camera and conceptualized their still-existing rainbow logo and packaging. He then moved to Bell & Howell/Mamiya, where he was CEO of the camera division. Soon after, he was named president of consumer products at Sony Corporation. He retired from Toshiba American as both executive vice president and board member. In retirement, he formed two consumer product companies, MoistMates and MagicMenu. He is survived by his wife, Sandee; four children and their spouses; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Pamela White-Stevens Lakey ’60, ’64 AM, of Florissant, Mo.; Dec. 21, of non-COVID long-term respiratory illness. After Brown, she married, started a family, and taught art history at Gordon College (Mass.). After divorcing, she moved to Texas and provided for her sons as a draftsman in the oil and gas industry, followed by a position as a middle and high school art and science teacher. She survived a head on collision with a drunk driver and was in a coma for four weeks, then had to learn to walk and speak again; she needed to be in a nursing home from her early 60s on, where she taught arts and crafts to the residents and to her grandchildren. She is survived by two sons, three grandchildren, two brothers, and many nieces and nephews.

Michael K. Evans ’60, of Boca Raton, Fla., formerly of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia; Feb. 13, 2021, after a long illness. He was an associate professor at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He left to head Chase Econometrics in Philadelphia, and later was president of Evans Economics in Washington, D.C. He is survived by his wife, Susan Carroll; two daughters, including Ellen Evans ’87; son David ’89;
and six grandchildren.

Minna Snyder Dew ’60, of Melbourne, Fla.; Dec. 24, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon and worked as a senior probation officer for the State of Connecticut. She used her writing and research skills to prepare detailed pre-sentence investigations for the criminal courts. After moving to Florida, she volunteered on the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit grievance committee. In the 1980s, she owned and operated a dating service. She was known for her sense of humor and enjoyed reading, cooking, traveling, and playing tennis. She is survived by daughters Julie Harrison ’85 and Eve Harrison ’88 and their spouses, and four grandchildren.

Thomas M. Churchill ’60, of Paradise Valley, Ariz.; Nov. 2, after suffering from a stroke in July. He moved to Arizona to begin a career in radio broadcasting and became one of the founders of KRFM radio. He joined the Arizona Air National Guard and later founded Churchill Productions, providing the music programming for stations across the U.S. After 30 years in the radio business, he sold the company and began his next 30-year career as a full-time stock and bond market investor. He enjoyed traveling and fly fishing. He is survived by his wife, Muffie; three children and their spouses; six grandchildren; and a sister.

Kevin J. Daly ’59, of Ellington, Conn.; Nov. 29. He worked at Owens & Minor for more than 45 years in sales. While at Brown he played baseball and, after having a family,  coached his sons in baseball and his daughter in softball. He later enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s games and recitals. He is survived by his wife, Regina; a daughter and son-in-law; three sons and daughters-in-law; and 18 grandchildren.

John H. Barcroft ’59, of Fayetteville, Ark.; Nov. 8, after a brief illness. He taught at the University of Washington, Seattle, and at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and then became provost of New College in Sarasota, Fla. His career focused on management of the grant-making, administrative, and financial operations of public and private foundations including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Education, the Kemper Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He received the Arthur Fleming Award for distinguished public service and mentored more than 200 college undergraduates in the Kemper Scholars program. He also served as vice chair of the Donors Forum of Chicago. He is survived by a niece and a nephew.

Patricia M. Patricelli ’58, of Boston; Dec. 10. She was the fashion director for Filene’s department store, in charge of reporting trends from Paris and Milan and introducing American designers to Boston society. Later she became director of sales promotion for the Sheraton Corporation and traveled the world building hospitality partnerships. She was past president of Fashion Group International of Boston and served on the boards of Schepens Eye Research Institute and the Boston Ballet. In retirement, she volunteered as a reading tutor. She was an avid fan of the Boston RedSox. She is survived by many cousins and friends.

Carol Jean Batchelder Jones ’58, of Concord, Mass.; Nov. 22. She worked at the West Concord Five & Dime for many years and was a tax preparer at H&R Block and an active member of West Concord Union Church. She enjoyed traveling and was a lifelong student, continuing her adult studies in language and participating in the Senior Drama Society at Harvey Wheeler Community Center. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, two sons and daughters-in-law, three grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Judith Hillery Higgins ’58, of Princeton, N.J.; Jan. 16, from Parkinson’s. She was an associate editor at Random House and Praeger publishers. She wrote and edited ad copy for the former Lawrenceville, N.J.-based Gillespie Organization and Dana Associates. Her articles, short stories, and reviews were published in the Princeton Review, Atlantic, Texas Quarterly, Southern Review, ARTnews, and Art in America;  her story “The Only People” was published in The Best American Short Stories in 1968.  She created Envoy, a biannual poetry newsletter published by the Academy of American Poets. She was awarded Brown’s Tristam Burges Premium for her outstanding work in English and the Anne Crosby Emery Alumnae Fellowship to study creative writing at Trinity College in Dublin. Phi Beta Kappa. She enjoyed traveling, walking in the woods, attending plays, and drawing humorous holiday cards. She is survived by her son, a brother and his three children, and a cousin and her five children.

Thomas G. Ebbert ’58, of Estes Park, Colo., formerly of New Hampshire; Nov. 9. After Brown, he served in the U.S. Air Force and went on to have a 25-year career with Pan American, rising to the rank of captain. He is survived by a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter, a brother and sister-in-law, two nieces, and four nephews.

Frank J. Smith Jr. ’57, of Concord, Mass.; Dec. 10. He taught English at Concord-Carlisle High School, retiring in the mid-1980s, and coached tennis, soccer, and wrestling. He was a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame and the New England Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2007 was inducted into the Massachusetts chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was a certified arborist and tree surgeon and in 1982 founded Olympic Tree in Concord. He provided professional full-service tree care to many clients, including Concord Academy and the Orchard House. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; a daughter and son-in-law; a son; a stepson; and two grandchildren.

Richard P. Nathan ’57, of Winter Park, Fla.; Sept. 12. He worked in several government positions, including assistant director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, deputy undersecretary for welfare reform in the U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare, and director of domestic policy for the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. The majority of his career was spent as director of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government (1989-2004) and as the codirector from 2005 to 2009. Subsequently, he was a professor of political science and public policy at Rockefeller College at SUNY Albany. He enjoyed family vacations that built strong family bonds. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, four grandchildren, and his sister-in-law and brother William ’64.

Louis Montanaro ’57, of Allen, Tex.; Dec. 11. He earned an MBA from URI and worked as an engineer on the design team for the Navy’s aircraft carrier steam catapult system. He wrote a textbook on pipe hanging design, then became a lead engineer for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant. Next he formed MSQ Engineering, LM & Associates, and acquired Texas RC Planes. He is survived by  five children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a sister and brother-in-law, and a brother
and sister-in-law.

Robert J. Giordano ’57, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nov. 7. He had a career in human resources, mostly as HR director for the Mennen Company in Morristown, N.J. He began as a private pilot in his teenage years and later was a flight instructor. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two sons; a daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; and a sister.

John “Jack” Fahey ’57, of Warwick, R.I.; Dec. 2. He taught mathematics in the Warwick public school system, mainly at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School. He served as department chair in mathematics at Gorton Junior High School before retiring in 1989. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is survived by 13 nieces and nephews.

Jean Lowrie Dudderar ’57, of Roxbury Township, N.J.; Nov. 11. She was a homemaker and later worked as a library aide and secretary. She volunteered with the Madison (N.J.) public school system. She was a figure skating enthusiast and an avid walker and enjoyed reading. She is survived by a daughter and a son.

David Colinan ’57, of Barrington, R.I.; July 25, 2021. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Navy and he was active in the American War Orphan Network. He was also an amateur ham radio operator for more than 60 years. With the support of the Lincoln Woods Running Club and the Leukemia & Lymphoma’s Team in Training, he ran his first marathon at the age of 60 and participated in the Mt. Washington Road Race several times. He placed eighth in the Boston Marathon in his age group in 2005. He is survived by his companion, Millie Stewart Cozzens; three daughters and sons-in-laws; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Dan M. Bliss ’57, of Riverside, R.I.; Nov. 15. After Brown, he worked at Rhode Island Supply, a family-run furniture business, before entering real estate development. He became general manager and managing partner of Warwick Mall when it opened in 1970 and was involved with Bliss Properties in East Providence. He enjoyed traveling with his wife before her passing, as well as reading, fishing, and playing racquetball with his “motley crew.” He is survived by a daughter and grandson.

Richard J. Vesely ’56, of Cherry Hill, N.J., formerly of Cleveland; Nov. 11. He had a career in marketing for several corporate entities and later owned Reader’s Choice Bookstore in Haddonfield, N.J., before retiring in 1994. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; five daughters and their spouses; a stepdaughter and her spouse; and five grandchildren.

Henry “Hank” Vandersip ’56, of East Providence, R.I.; Nov. 8, after a long illness. He owned and operated Heatron Inc. in Warwick, R.I., until his retirement due to illness. He was an active volunteer at Brown, serving as president of his class for many years and hosting reunion gatherings at his home commencement weekends. He was awarded the Nan Tracy ’46 Class Officer Award and the Brown Alumni Service Award. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, Phebe Phillips Vandersip ’98; two sons; a sister; and a brother.

Arthur K. Stedman ’56, of Old Saybrook, Conn.; Dec. 27. After military service, he pursued an acting career in New York City. He returned to Hartford, Conn., and appeared in local theater productions at the Canton Show Shop and the Hartford Stage Company. He joined the family business, Stedman & Redfield, and eventually established a landscaping business in West Hartford. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, reading, and playing golf. He is survived by his wife, Betty; a daughter and son-in-law; four grandchildren; a sister; and several nieces and nephews, including niece Dorothea Stieff ’72.

Armin H. Frank ’56, of Loveland, Ohio; Nov. 15, of COVID. He attended Brown through the ROTC program and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation. He and his wife lived in Hawaii, California, and North Carolina before his service ended in 1969, when he was put on the temporary disability retired list at the rank of major, based on severe service-related injuries. He and his family moved to Bavaria, then returned to the U.S. in 1971. He entered law school at the University of Cincinnati and practiced law throughout Southern Ohio, retiring in 2005. He was a published author (The Flesh of Kings), an avid scuba diver, and a competitive shooter in long-range black-powder cartridge rifles. He is survived by his wife, Geneva; four children, including sons Erich ’81 and Rainer ’87; nine grandchildren; and a brother.

Thomas L. Flynn Jr. ’56, of Edgartown, Mass.; Jan. 9, after a brief illness. He worked in the investment field in New York City and then in real estate for Pilgrim Management of Boston. In the 1970s he moved back to Martha’s Vineyard to assume management of Anna B. Flynn Real Estate, which was started by his mother, and he continued the conservation work of his father, becoming president of the Marine Research Foundation. He enjoyed sailing, singing, reading, antique vehicle restoration, hunting, and fishing. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; a daughter; two sons; and six grandchildren.

Marjorie Jenckes Fleischmann ’56, of North Kingstown, R.I., formerly of Palo Alto, Calif.; Dec. 8. She served as president of the Pembroke Club of Kent County. She was employed as a librarian with Mountain View Library in California and with Rhode Island libraries: North Kingstown Library, Willett Free Library, Davisville Library, and Jamestown Library. She was involved with churches, museums, and theaters, and, as a lifelong learner, took classes at URI into her 80s. She enjoyed sports, especially the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. She is survived by her husband, Andreas; three daughters and sons-in-law; a son; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law; and former husband Edward Everett.

Ronald Scheckter ’55, of New Milford, Conn.; June 4, 2021. He was a successful builder/developer in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. He enjoyed playing golf. He is survived by a son and two sisters.

Veronica Stinnes Petersen ’55, of Falmouth, Mass.; July 28, 2021, after a brief illness. She graduated from Columbia Medical School, where she met her husband. After they completed their medical training they moved to the Boston area and she practiced pediatrics and taught at Harvard Medical School. She served on the boards and advisory councils of numerous Boston area educational organizations, but she was most proud of being a board member at Haverford College, where she endowed a professorship in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights studies. She enjoyed art, music, investing, and traveling. She is survived by her husband, Robert; three children; eight grandchildren, including Margiana Petersen-Rockney ’11; and a sister.

William H. O’Donnell ’55, of West Roxbury, Mass.; Oct. 25. He had a career in the U.S. Navy prior to becoming a high school English teacher at Groton School in Groton, Mass. He also owned a fine gifts store in Marblehead, Mass. He was well versed in current events, had a great interest in politics, and enjoyed writing and attending the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is survived by four nieces and nephews.

James G. McGall ’55, of Freehold, N.J.; Dec. 1. He began his career in the aerospace industry and later was supervisor in the information department of the American Federation of Musicians. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; two daughters; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; and a sister.

Ronald Kramer ’55, of Toronto, Canada, formerly of Boston; Dec. 7. He is survived by his partner Selma Edelstone; four children and their spouses, including son Dan ’84 and daughters Sarah Kramer ’86 and Judith Kramer ’90; seven grandchildren; and a sister.

Margaret Franklin Tuite ’54, of Chula Vista, Calif., formerly of Woonsocket, R.I.; Jan. 2. She was a teacher, reading specialist, and consultant for primary and secondary grades in Rhode Island and later in San Diego County. After retiring, she was involved in insurance and financial advisory services. She volunteered with several nonprofit and civic organizations and was secretary of the Brown University Club of San Diego. She enjoyed skiing, sailing, reading, traveling, and playing golf and bridge.

Robert I. Beck ’54, of Palestine, Tex.; Nov. 2. He earned his JD from the University of Houston College of Law and, upon completion of U.S. Army service, practiced law with the Houston firm of Childs, Fortenbach, Beck & Guyton from 1958 to 1987, both as partner and for several years as managing partner. He then became a shareholder, director, and officer of the Houston firm Webb, Zimmerman, Beck, Flaum & Axelrad from 1988 to 1995. He was involved with Meals on Wheels. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; a daughter; and a sister-in-law.

Daniel Abbott ’54, ’58 AM, of Brunswick, Me., formerly of Bridgton; Dec. 31. He taught music at Tufts University and conducted the Tufts University Orchestra, retiring in 1996. He also conducted the Reading Symphony Orchestra for many years. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels, taught music appreciation at the Bridgton Senior College, was an active member of the Bridgton Historical Society, and participated in the Lexington Quartet. He enjoyed fly fishing. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; two sons; and nine grandchildren.

Joan Christensen Smith ’53, of Wilton, Conn.; Sept. 17, 2020, after a brief illness. She was a retired New England Country Day School preschool teacher. She enjoyed reading, solving the New York Times crossword puzzle, and a good martini. She is survived by six children and their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, a sister and brother-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

William V. Polleys III ’53, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Dec. 3. He served in the U.S. Navy after Brown and in 1959 accepted an executive position at Texas Instruments, from which he retired in 1991 as president of the materials and controls division. He then returned to his first love: skiing. He was a certified instructor, national freestyle chairman with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and director of the freestyle program at Waterville Valley, N.H., where he organized one of the first U.S. amateur freestyle ski competitions. He was also an avid sailor, a member of the Barrington Yacht Club and a longtime member of the Cruising Club of America. He is
survived by his wife, Nancy; three daughters, including Catherine Polleys ’85; and three granddaughters.

Thomas W. Doyle Jr. ’53, of Farmington, Conn.; Dec. 16. He attended Brown prior to serving in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam War, then graduated from URI. He had an 18-year career at Aetna as an insurance executive, moved to Kemper Insurance Group, then retired in 2005 from Grayling Associates. He enjoyed swimming. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, five grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and his former wife, Priscilla Manderley Doyle.

Judith Meek Bowes ’53, of Indianapolis, formerly of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; Nov. 5. She and her husband opened Harbour Town Antiques and were business partners in Knickers Clothiers, and she was active in St. Luke’s in Hilton Head. In her 70s, she obtained a real estate license and a certified nursing assistant degree. She is survived by a daughter, a son, two daughters-in-law, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, a brother, a sister-in-law, and seven nieces and nephews.

Helen Miller Strassner ’52, of Hoover, Ala.; Dec. 2, 2020.

William G. Sander Jr. ’52, of Pittsburgh; Nov. 16. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he had a career in the investment financial industry in New York and Pittsburgh. He is survived by a sister, two nieces, a nephew, and cousins.

June Foster LeMay ’52, of Warwick, R.I.; Nov. 2. She is survived by a son, a sister, and a cousin.

Julia B. Potts Grehan ’52, of Mobile, Ala., formerly of New Orleans, La.; Nov. 6. After college, she traveled the U.S. with two friends before starting work in Washington, D.C., for National Geographic magazine. She later worked in New York City as a picture editor for American Heritage magazine.

Rogers Elliott ’52, of Lebanon, N.H.; Dec. 7. He chose Brown over Yale in part because of the female students and became active in the school newspaper and joined a fraternity. Following Brown and after serving in the U.S. Navy as a frogman for the underwater demolition team, he married the former Asoong Len ’52 and pursued clinical psychology. He earned a PhD at the University of Illinois and for the next 48 years taught at Dartmouth College. He earned the rank of full professor in 1971 and retired as emeritus professor in 2014. With a longtime interest in law, he attended Stanford Law School in his 50s and earned his JD degree in 1982. He was a believer in the collective strength of family and friends and maintained those bonds hosting parties and writing letters. He also had a love for prose and poetry. He is survived by two sons and their spouses, two grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.

Alfred W. Dawley ’52, of Harrisville, R.I.; Nov. 4. He was an engineer and worked with several companies, including many years at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center involved with the Apollo/Saturn moon landings. He received several outstanding performance awards for his work. He is survived by a sister, a niece, and a great-nephew.

Photine “Tina” Chaltoas Collias ’52, of West Hartford, Conn.; Dec. 15, 2020. She was an elementary school teacher in New York and later a social worker in Hartford. She was active in the West Hartford Garden Club for more than 50 years and served in several leadership roles, including president. She was an accredited flower show judge and exhibited in Connecticut flower shows; she was also a founding board member of the Elizabeth Park Conservancy. She and her husband were active members and donors to the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Tanglewood Music Festival, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, where they established the James and Tina Collias Oboe Chair. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Marylynn Boris ’52, of Orlando, Fla.; Jan. 25. After Brown, where she was proud to have been the 1952 May Queen, she attended the University of Chicago to earn her master’s in English. Her first job was teaching English at the University of Nebraska, where she met her future husband. They moved to central Vermont, where Marylynn raised her family while teaching courses in Shakespeare at Goddard College. In her 40s, she divorced, earned her PhD in psychology, and started a second career working as a child mental health practitioner. She began a new partnership and settled in Concord, Mass., for the next 30 years. After the passing of her partner, she moved to Orlando and spent time with family. She enjoyed traveling the world, attending book clubs, and spending time with friends before being diagnosed with cancer a third time. She is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

Robert J. Smith ’51, of Swampscott, Mass.; Nov. 4. He worked in his family apparel business his entire career. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Army. He was involved in his community and served as president of Temple Emanu-El, helping develop its Senior Connection, as well as serving on the board of Lynn Hospital. He was an avid Boston sports fan and enjoyed playing golf and teaching his grandchildren the game. He is survived by four daughters and their spouses, six grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Libby H. Jacobson Greenberg ’51, of Dedham, Mass.; Nov. 9. She worked as a pediatric nurse at Long Island College Hospital and Grasslands Hospital (N.Y.) and was later a nursing instructor at Grasslands Hospital School of Nursing. She volunteered as a reading tutor in the Framingham (Mass.) school system and with Literacy Volunteers of America. She was a member of Temple Beth Am in Framingham and enjoyed gardening, cooking, and the performing arts. She is survived by three children, including son Mark ’76, ’79 MD, and their spouses; and six grandchildren.

Mary Reece Gray ’51, of Brunswick, Me., formerly of St. Louis, Mo., and Providence, R.I.; Dec. 17. After graduating, she and her husband moved to St. Louis, where she attended Washington University to pursue a library science degree, taught in the Lower School at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, and promoted the arts in education, helping to  bring children’s theater productions to public schools. She was a staff member of the first Head Start program in the city and trained as a volunteer in the first docent program at City Art Museum. In 1972 she moved to Providence to become director of alumni relations at Brown, then returned to freelance work, including several years working with the president of RISD as a consultant. She was a member of numerous boards. She is survived by three children, three stepchildren, 12 grandchildren, and a sister.

Cynthia Kirk Grant ’51, of Lake Placid, N.Y., formerly of Rhode Island; Dec. 8. While at Brown she was president of her sophomore class and a member of the tennis team. After graduating, she married and began working as an assistant to the book editor at MacMillan Publishing in New York City. She was president of the Friends of Rhode Island Philharmonic and sang in the Barrington Presbyterian Church Choir before moving to Lake Placid. There, she was active in choirs and clubs, served on the floral committee for the 1980 Olympics and, as a member of the Lake Placid Knit Wits, knitted countless scarves for teddy bears given to addiction treatment patients. She was an excellent tennis player and swimmer who won medals in the Empire State Games in her 70s, after two knee replacements. She enjoyed literature and believed in the goodness of our country. She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister Barbara Kirk Hail ’52; and many nieces and nephews, including
Cynthia Elder ’13 MPA.

William K. Glavin ’51, of New Bedford, Mass.; Nov. 4. After Brown, he served in the U.S. Navy, then deferred his Harvard Law School acceptance to teach at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Mass., for a year—but didn't leave until his retirement 41 years later in 1996. He enjoyed worldwide travels and collected a wide range of Greek and Latin books that filled his home bookshelves. He was a great storyteller. He is survived by two nephews.

Joachim A. Weissfeld ’50, of Barrington, R.I.; Nov. 4. He served in the U.S. Navy, then attended Brown and Harvard Law School. He practiced law in Providence, spending more than 40 years at Hinckley Allen. He was a member of several boards, including the Dorcas International Institute. He enjoyed gardening and reading. He is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.

Arvin C. Teschner ’50, of Stuart, Fla., and Boothbay, Me.; Dec. 9. After Brown and service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, he accepted a position with Standard Oil of Ohio. He was promoted frequently and lived in five Ohio cities. He finished his career as a retail sales manager for the East Coast and moved to Boothbay. He is survived by his companion Barbara Sullivan; a daughter and son-in-law; a daughter-in-law; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother and sister-in-law.

Paul R. Nelson ’50, of Cincinnati; Nov. 25, after a brief illness. He worked for Fram Corporation as a production manager in the automotive division for 30 years. A member of Hope Congregational Church, he sang in the choir and served on several committees. In his retirement he managed a conservation tree farm. He is survived by his wife, Helen Ravenell Nelson ’50; two daughters; a son-in-law; four grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

Catharine Gates Miller ’50, of East Haddam, Conn.; Jan. 5. She was a literacy volunteer for many years and enjoyed breeding, raising, and showing miniature dachshunds. She was a member of the Connecticut Yankee Dachshund Club, the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and Daughters of the American Revolution. She is survived by three daughters, a son, seven grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and a brother.

Rita Michaelson ’50, of East Greenwich, R.I.; Jan. 13. While a student, she met her husband, Julius ’67 AM, who died in 2011, and together they pursued social justice, opposed discrimination, and helped those in need. Her commitment to civil rights led to an appointment to the Rhode Island Human Rights Commission. For seven years she was a docent and lay lecturer at the RISD Museum. She worked in the Brown admissions office for many years and later served as a trustee and trustee emerita. She also served as an arbitrator for the Rhode Island Supreme Court and was on the labor panel of the American Arbitration Association, and she was a cofounder of the Providence Community Mediation Center. As a child she contracted polio and her parents got her involved in sports, among them skiing, which she did well into her 60s. She enjoyed entertaining and traveling. She is survived by two sons, including Jeffrey ’80; a daughter-in-law; two grandchildren, including granddaughter Kristen Michaelson ’16; a sister and brother-in-law; two sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

William A. Henshaw ’50, of Richmond, Va.; Nov. 10. He was advertising and sales promotion manager for the New York division of Shell Oil Company. He retired in 1984. He and his wife and family enjoyed spending weekends at their cottage on the Piankatank River. He enjoyed writing poetry, traveling, and playing golf and tennis. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a member of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is survived by his wife, Suze; two daughters and sons-in-law; a grandson; and two great-grandsons.

Joseph F. Condon ’50, of Katonah, N.Y.; Nov. 14. He enlisted in the Navy at the start of World War II and after graduating from Brown pursued post graduate studies at the London School of Economics on a Fulbright scholarship. He served in the Korean War and was then recruited by the State Department. He traveled extensively and later headed up financial teams at the former Black Clawson, Parsons & Whittemore, and Combustion Engineering. He finished his career consulting for the American Embassy and Chamber of Commerce in Moscow. He was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, an avid sportsman, and a painter. He is survived by his wife, Yelena; seven children, including daughter Alicia Condon ’77; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Henny Wenkart ’49, of Chelsea, Mass., formerly of New York City; Dec. 4. She was rescued from the Holocaust; her story is featured in the 2013 HBO documentary 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia and a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard. At Brown, she was involved with Hillel, where she met her late husband Henry David Epstein ’46. She would later found the Jewish Women’s Poetry Workshop in New York, become editor of the Jewish Women’s Literary Annual, and edit an anthology of Jewish women’s poetry: Sarah’s Daughters Sing: A Sampler of Poems by Jewish Women. She coedited the anthology Which Lilith?: Feminist Writers Recreate the World’s First Woman and published her own book of poetry, Love Poems of a Philanderer’s Wife, in 2005. She was a mother of three, grandmother of five, and sister-in-law to Thomas Epstein ’50.

Lincoln F. Ladd ’49, of Wayne, Me.; Dec. 2. He left Brown to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II, completed his degree, then attended the University of Virginia and Duke University. In 1976, he settled in Wayne and became the chair of the English and foreign languages department at Maranacook Community High School in Readfield, Me., where he taught until his retirement in 1987. He also taught at the University of Maine at Farmington and at the senior colleges of Augusta and Lewiston into his early 90s. He was actively involved in his community and served on numerous boards. He enjoyed lecturing and reading and proudly marched in the annual Wayne Memorial Day parade, for a short time as the oldest Wayne resident. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; four children and their spouses; a stepdaughter; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

Betty Usher Grover ’49, of Williamsburg, Va.; Dec. 8. She worked for the John Hancock Insurance Company before marrying and starting a family. She lived in several places and traveled with her husband, who was in the Coast Guard, before settling in Williamsburg. She enjoyed time volunteering at Colonial Williamsburg. She is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.

Robert M. Fechtor ’49, of West Hartford, Conn.; Jan. 11. He owned and operated Hartford Lumber Company. He was active in his community and a member of various boards. During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force. He enjoyed playing tennis and was known for his quick wit. He is survived by his partner, Jill Sheketoff Brock; three sons and their spouses; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister and brother-in-law; and a sister-in-law.

Edward X. “Ted” Tuttle ’48, of Birmingham, Mich.; Nov. 21. After obtaining architectural degrees from Princeton and the University of Michigan, he worked for Giffels and Vallet, participating in projects in Europe and the Middle East. He became a Michigan registered architect in 1956 and in 1959 he opened his own architecture business and was commissioned to remodel the Battle Creek Gas Company building. He also designed a gas station, a diner, and—working with artist Betty Conn—a 30-foot tall Paul Bunyan lumberjack made almost entirely of Kaiser auto parts. “Kaiser Paul” stands at Alpena Community College as the mascot of the Lumberjacks. He designed and built his own home in Southfield. Both he and his wife were involved with Mensa; a fellow member suggested he would be well suited as a specialist in architectural and engineering litigation. He graduated from the Detroit College of Law in 1977 and joined the firm of Denenberg Tuffley, where he worked until his retirement in 1991. He then continued to consult privately as a forensic architect and travel with his wife. He is survived by three children, three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Ben Z. Taber ’48, of El Paso, Tex.; Dec. 25. After service in the U.S. Navy, he returned to Brown to complete his undergraduate degree and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He was board certified and a fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He practiced in El Paso from 1958 to 1963; moved to the East Coast and worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on newly discovered oral contraceptives; then moved to California, where he was medical director of Syntex Corp. He became clinical associate professor of ob-gyn at Stanford University Medical School and director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, finally retiring to El Paso in 1990. In addition to numerous articles and scientific publications, he authored Manual of Gynecological and Obstetrical Emergencies and Proving New Drugs. He is survived by his wife, Ruth; three children and their spouses; and four grandchildren.

Joseph A. Favino ’48, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Newburgh, N.Y.; Nov. 14, after a long illness. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was sent to Brown, where he met his future wife. He grew his father’s plumbing and heating business, expanding it into Favino Mechanical Construction, an HVAC contractor in the Hudson River Valley. He was a longtime member of the board of trustees of the Unions America Local 269 (plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters) and participated in many collective bargaining negotiations as well as serving on Newburgh planning and zoning boards. He enjoyed fishing and playing golf and achieved five holes-in-one during his lifetime. He is survived by five children and their spouses, including daughter Catherine Favino ’75; three grandchildren; two great-grand-
children; and a half-sister.

Joan Kunkel Tanner ’47, of Issaquah, Wash.; Dec. 2, from complications of COVID. After raising a family, she was a physician for the Portland State University Center for Student Health and subsequently opened a family practice clinic in Portland. She was president of the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians and participated in Oregon Medical Association committees. She was an avid reader and and well informed about world affairs and local politics. She also obtained her private pilot license and enjoyed traveling. She is survived by four children and a brother.

James T. McNeil ’46, of Melrose, Mass.; Nov. 2. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he graduated from Brown and then from New York University College of Dentistry. He opened a dental practice in Medford, Mass., which he closed once he was called back to service during the Korean War. After completion of his military service, he returned to private practice, this time in Everett, Mass., where he practiced until his retirement. He was a trustee of Bridgton Academy and enjoyed playing tennis and golf. He is survived by seven children and their spouses, 15 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Dorothy H. von Hacht ’45, of Milford, Conn.; Jan. 4. She was a research assistant at both Yale and Stanford, then began her 37-year teaching career. She volunteered at the Milford Red Cross for many years and was a member of the Milford Hospital Auxiliary. She was an avid fan of the New York Giants and the UConn football and basketball teams.

Jeanne Spiehler Leinen ’45, of Pittsford, N.Y.; Nov. 20. She married in 1948, started a family, and settled in Henrietta, N.Y., where she was involved with community activities and cofounded the Friends of Henrietta Library. She also served as PTA chair of the Rush-Henrietta School district. After moving to Pittsford, she served as president of the Rochester General Hospital Association Board and was a member of many clubs. She was an accomplished artist and enjoyed traveling throughout the Caribbean and Europe. She had a second home in Antigua. She is survived by a daughter, a son, three daughters-in-law, eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Stanley Charren ’45, of Northampton, Mass.; Dec. 31, of COVID. He was a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, inventor, and wind energy pioneer. While a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, he was assigned as an engineer by Fairchild Corp. to a project to build an expandable jet engine for wartime use. In 1958, he cofounded Bytrex Corporation, which merged with Kulite. Kulite-Bytrex became the first company in the world to make a commercially marketed semiconductor strain gauge with an output almost 100 times greater than conventional gauges. Following that experience, he cofounded Pandel-Bradford in Lowell, Mass., which manufactured synthetic leathers and suedes for shoe uppers and an original vinyl-backed carpet tile for use in commercial offices. Facing back issues, he founded SwimEx, a company that produced personal sized spa pools. However, he was best known for his role in commercializing wind power. During the 1970s energy crisis, he partnered with Russell Wolfe and started U.S. Windpower, which became the first major U.S. wind turbine manufacturer and built the world’s first wind farm in 1978 in Crotched Mountain, N.H. After relocating to northern California and changing the name to Kenetech in 1988, the company emerged as the largest wind energy firm in the world. He retired from Kenetech in 1995 before its bankruptcy in 1996. UMass Amherst’s library houses the Charren papers, a collection of materials on the founding and operations of U.S. Windpower and Kenetech. He enjoyed spending time with his daughters, swimming, and playing tennis and chess. He is survived by two daughters and their spouses; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a sister; and four nieces and a nephew.

Guy W. Fiske ’45, of Hobe Sound, Fla.; Nov. 21. He entered Brown and joined the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, was commissioned as an ensign, and was honorably discharged in 1946. He was employed by General Electric in various marketing management positions; then was corporate vice president of ITT Corporation; and then later executive vice president at General Dynamics Corporation. Called to serve again, he was undersecretary of energy during the Reagan administration and was later promoted to deputysecretary of commerce. He then returned to the private sector and began buying, managing, and selling companies after restructuring them. He was an accomplished artist and took lessons until the week before his death. He enjoyed traveling, reading, playing cards, and playing golf. He is survived by three daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Preston A. Atwood ’44, of Providence, R.I.; Dec. 27. He had a 45-year career in the investment business, retiring in 1991. Active with the Players at Barker Playhouse since 1954, he acted in 35 plays and served as president of the Barker Foundation. He was a life member of the Providence Art Club and the recipient of the 1994 Art Club Medal. As a playwright, he wrote eight Art Club Christmas shows and acted in many others. He served on the boards of Trinity Repertory Theater and Friends of Brown University Theater; was a member of Save the Bay, the Audubon Society, the Netopian Club; and was a World War II U.S. Army Air Corps veteran. At age 99 he wrote a memoir. He is survived by two sons, including David ’72; two daughters-in-law; and three grandchildren.

J. Robert Orpen ’42, of Chicago; Dec. 16, at 100 years of age. He was an Episcopal priest for 60 years. He served in Nevada, New York, and Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Lavinia; a daughter; a son; and a granddaughter.

Kenneth M. Greene ’42, of Falls Church, Va.; Dec. 16, at 101 years of age. He taught English at Simmons College in Boston, where he also served as director of the school of education. In 1970, he accepted the position of president at Lasell Junior College in Auburndale, Mass., and in 1975 he moved to Washington, D.C., to head the national office of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa. He retired in 1989. He was a U.S. Army veteran twice wounded in combat and recipient of the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Croix de Guerre, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Anne; two daughters, including Jocelyn Greene ’74; a son; and five grandchildren.

Gregory L. Fowler ’68 PhD, of Lake Oswego, Ore.; Sept. 19, from complications of Parkinson’s. After Brown, he moved to Oregon for postdoctoral studies at the University of Oregon, where he researched the genetics and biology of drosophila. After a Humboldt Fellowship took him to the University of Düsseldorf in Germany, he returned to Oregon in 1976 to teach at Southern Oregon University as a professor of biology, and later he was also the founder and director of the Churchill Scholars honors program there. He received grants from the National Institutes of Health, Fulbright, Department of Energy, Collins Medical Trust, and other funders to support his work and collaborations with researchers at the City of Hope, UC San Francisco, the University of Turku (Finland), and at Dartmouth. He retired in 1998 and created Geneforum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting dialogue on genetics, ethics, and values. Geneforum took part in the state’s debate on genetic privacy, culminating in the passage of the country’s first law to protect an individual’s rights in genetic information. He was an affiliate associate professor in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University and a senior research associate in the School of Community Health at Portland State University. He was also a Chautauqua Scholar of the Oregon Council for the Humanities, where he worked annually with high school students and traveled to communities throughout the state to lead public discussions on the societal implications of genetics. He was most proud of his work developing a curriculum for science teachers called Genomics for Everyone. Years of classical piano training in his youth laid the foundation for his lifelong passion for music. He was a bass baritone singer and soloed with the Catholic University Choral Society and Orchestra while in Washington, D.C.; with the Chamber Music Society of Schloss Benrath in Düsseldorf; and at the Sibelius Museum in Finland. He was a guest soloist with the Rogue Valley Chorale and made numerous solo and ensemble recital appearances at the Britt Music & Arts Festival. He sang in the Rogue Valley Opera productions of La Traviata and Pagliacci. He founded Chamber Music Concerts in Ashland, overseeing 15 seasons as the organization’s artistic director. He enjoyed the outdoors and worked as a ranger in Glacier National Park in his earlier years. Among his favorite activities were cross country skiing and backpacking in Oregon. He is survived by his wife, Janet; two sons, including Alexander ’91; four grandchildren; a sister; and two nephews. 

Edelgard B. Morse, of Providence; Sept. 13. She attended the University of Cologne, where she received her PhD and met her future husband. Soon after moving to the U.S. she accepted a post-doctoral position at Wesleyan University. Later she led the chemistry department at the University of Connecticut, then became an assistant professor at Northwestern University. She spent many years volunteering in the Providence public schools and was a docent at RISD before becoming a senior lecturer in chemistry at Brown from 1977 to 2005. She enjoyed backpacking through many national parks with her husband and children, attending opera performances at the Met, reading, cooking, and traveling throughout Europe visiting family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Ted; two children, including daughter Karin Morse ’84 and her spouse; a son and daughter-in-law; and two grandchildren. 

Christine A. Biron, of Providence, R.I.; Oct. 16. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UMass Amherst and a PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. After postdoctoral fellowships at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, the Karolinska Institute, and the University of Massachusetts, she began her faculty appointment at Brown as an assistant professor of medical science in 1987. In 1996, she was appointed the Esther Elizabeth Brintzenhoff Professor of Medical Science. She served as director of the pathobiology graduate program from 1995 to 1999, and then as chair of molecular microbiology and immunology from 1999 to 2009. Her work has been foundational to the development of many novel therapies in treating disease. She was honored to be elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2002, the American Academy of Microbiology in 2009, and a distinguished fellow of the American Association of Immunology in 2021. She was invited to lecture all over the world and served on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. She has been honored with a permanent lectureship at Brown. During the course of her career, she published 175 articles. She was an amateur photographer and enjoyed singing soprano in choirs. She is survived by three sisters and brothers-in-law, a brother, and 11 nieces and nephews. 

Maria Guadalupe Mendoza-Diaz ’96 ScM, of Huntersville, N.C.; Oct. 18, from complications of COVID-19. She graduated from Mexico City University, where she was also an assistant professor. After Brown, she worked for Wells Fargo Bank for almost 20 years. She was an avid runner and participated in both the Boston and New York City marathons. She was also a breast cancer survivor. She is survived by her husband, Steven; a daughter; a stepson; her mother; and six siblings. 

John F. Blazyk ’75 PhD, of Boise; Sept. 13, of complications of ALS. He taught biochemistry at Ohio University and later in his career served as the associate dean for research and grants of Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. He enjoyed “dad jokes” and solving puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Bonita; four daughters; and two grandchildren. 

Arthur C. Watterson Jr. ’65 PhD, of Nashua, N.H.; Sept. 2. He was professor of chemistry at UMass Lowell, where he also served as department chair and acting dean of the college of arts and sciences. He held multiple patents and published numerous papers detailing his study of polymers. He enjoyed the arts and was a fan of classical music, the ballet, and the Museum of Fine Arts. He sang in the choir at Nashua’s First Congregational Church for many years. He also enjoyed photography, mystery novels, crossword puzzles, and the Boston Celtics. He is survived by three sons and their spouses, eight grandchildren, a brother, two sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews. 

Anne MacPherson Lindgren ’65 AM, of New York City; Oct. 31. She was passionate about housing and worked on both the public and private side, including with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She was active with several nonprofits and served on the boards of Settlement Housing Fund and Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. She enjoyed attending the opera and walking her dog through Central Park. She is survived by three children and seven grandchildren. 

Brian Hunt ’65 ScM, ’67 PhD, of Costa Mesa, Calif.; Mar. 31. After two years of service in the Royal Air Force and completing a degree in engineering at Cambridge University, he moved his family to Rhode Island on a Fulbright Scholarship. Upon the completion of two degrees at Brown, he traveled the U.S. for seven weeks and then returned to England and took a post as a lecturer at the University of Bristol. In 1979 he changed career paths and returned to the U.S. to join Northrop Corp. He left Northrop briefly for a position as chairman of the aerospace engineering department at the University of Maryland (1990-1992) only to return to Northrop, retiring from there in 2000 as vice president of engineering and technology. He did work as a consultant for an additional 10 years. Brown presented him with an engineering alumni medal in 1997. He is survived by his wife, Julia; a daughter; a son; and four grandchildren.

Joseph F. Ballou ’65 ScM, of Williamstown, Mass., formerly of Eden, Md.; Sept. 27. During his career in the Navy he earned the rank of commander. He served in the Vietnam War aboard the USS Torsk—which is now a museum in Baltimore—the USS Bacuna, and the USS Mount Katmai. On land his duties included time at the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Military Sealift Command. After retiring from the Navy in 1979, he continued to work for the U.S. Government as a civilian and then for Computer Sciences Corp. He fully retired in 2000 and settled in Eden. He was involved in his community in a variety of capacities and continued to take education classes. He enjoyed gardening and genealogy. He is survived by three children and their spouses; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother.

Norman D. Smith ’64 ScM, ’67 PhD, of Denton, Neb.; Sept. 9, of cancer. He was a University of Nebraska earth sciences professor committed to the study of rivers and advancing science literacy. He was internationally known for his research and teaching and gave of his time to professional and public service. He headed the department of geological sciences at the University of Illinois–Chicago and the department of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was a Fulbright scholar, fellow of the Geological Society of America, and a Francis J. Pettijohn medalist for his scientific contributions to sedimentary geology. He also served as editor of the Journal of Sedimentary Petrology. For more than two decades he led Nebraska Citizens for Science, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to advancing science literacy in the state. He enjoyed performing arts, sports, traveling with his wife, and tending to the woodlot in the Adirondacks where he built a log cabin by hand with his brother. He was a gifted musician and volunteered playing weekly piano sessions for the Bryan Medical Center East and West campuses. He is survived by his wife, Judith; two sons and daughters-in-law; three grandchildren; a sister; three sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

Loretta Marsella ’63 MAT, of Philadelphia; Sept. 29, of cancer. She spent her career in administration, teaching, and as the former director of House of Industry Community Service. She was also past president of the Italian Folk Art Federation of America. 

John F. Hilliker ’62 AM, of Ottawa, Canada; Sept. 14, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He joined the Canadian foreign service in 1958 and served as consul in Jakarta, Indonesia. He left to pursue his doctoral studies and taught at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay before returning to the department of external affairs as historian in 1975. As head of the historical section from 1986 until his retirement in 2003, he became a leading authority on the history of Canada’s foreign relations. He was general editor of the series Documents on Canadian External Relations, architect of the department’s official history project, and senior author of its three
published volumes. He contributed to numerous scholarly collections. 

Barbara Sanford Hugus ’60 ScM, ’63 PhD, of Aptos, Calif., formerly of Bar Harbor, Me.; Sept. 18, of cancer. She was the director of the Jackson Laboratory from 1981 to 1987 and remained on the faculty as a senior staff scientist until 2007, when she was named an honorary trustee and staff emerita. Before that she served as research director at Dana Farber Cancer Center and was associate professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School. From 1973 to 1978 she was a branch chief at the National Cancer Institute and at Massachusetts General Hospital. She published numerous papers on cancer research and enjoyed mentoring younger scientists. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law; two sons, including Arthur ’73; three daughters-in-law; 11 grandchildren, including Kelly Sanford ’10 and Eric Sanford ’12; three great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. 

Robert W. Thrasher ’57 ScM, of Springfield, Mass.; Sept. 1. He attended St. John’s Seminary in Brighton from 1957 to 1962, was ordained to the priesthood on Jan. 27, 1962, and served his first mass at Holy Trinity Church in Greenfield, Mass. Before retiring on June 1, 2005, Father Thrasher served as an assistant at St. Mary Parish in Orange from February to May of 1962, after which he served on the faculty at Cathedral High School teaching physics for three years from 1962 to 1965. He served as curate at the former St. Patrick Church in Chicopee from 1965 to 1970; at the former St. Mary Church in Springfield from 1970 to 1974; at Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Sheffield from June to September of 1974 and again from June to August of 1975. He was appointed a notary in the Tribunal of the Springfield Diocese in 1973. He studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from 1974 to 1978, earning a canon law degree. He served as an assistant pastor at St. Michael’s Cathedral for a year and was pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Shelburne Falls from 1979 to 1982. He was appointed vice chancellor of the diocese in 1981, diocesan consultor from 1982 to 1983 and again from 1984 to 1989, and pro-synodal judge from 1983 to 1993. He was a member of the first presbyteral council and served three three-year terms from 1985 to 1994. He also was on the St. Michael’s Residence board of directors. He served as administrator of the former St. Bartholomew Parish in Bondsville and as pastor of the former Holy Name Parish in Holyoke from 1995 to 2005. He is survived by two sisters; a cousin; and nieces and nephews. 

Francis Jackson Jr. ’57 ScM, ’60 PhD, of Winchester, Mass.; Sept. 21. In 1960 he joined the Cambridge research and development company Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., participating in projects involved with acoustic and anti-submarine warfare programs for the U.S. Navy. He also founded the company’s Washington office in 1967 before returning to Cambridge in 1981 to assume responsibility for the company’s physical science programs. He retired in 1998 as senior vice president. He authored numerous papers and participated in at-sea sonar trials aboard both nuclear and conventional submarines. He was a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and chairman of the Winchester Town Finance Committee. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; a daughter and son-in-law; and four grandchildren. 

Betty House Zeaman ’49 ScM, of Yukon, Okla.; Oct. 17. She was an experimental psychologist who studied learning in people with intellectual disabilities alongside her husband, Prof. David Zeaman. Together they established a laboratory at the Mansfield Training School and for more than 27 years worked on the development of theories of intelligence and the failure to learn. She was an associate editor of the Psychological Bulletin until the passing of her husband and then was editor from 1984 to 1986. During World War II she served in the women’s branch of the U.S. Naval Reserve. She retired to Yukon in 1995. She is survived by a stepson, and four nieces and nephews. 

Janice K. Mullaney ’48 ScM, of Irondale, Ala.; Oct. 4. She worked as a research assistant at the Harvard School of Public Health before marrying and having a family. She is survived by five children and their spouses; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.