Obituaries

Lawrence Sirovich, of Providence, R.I.; Sept. 16. As a first-generation college student, he found his place at Johns Hopkins University, ultimately receiving a PhD in aeronautical engineering in a joint Hopkins/NYU program. After completing a Fulbright and National Science Foundation fellowship in Brussels, he settled in Providence and joined the Brown faculty in 1963 as an assistant professor in applied mathematics. He was named an associate professor in 1965 and a full professor in 1967. While making his career at Brown, he also joined the faculty of Rockefeller University as an adjunct professor, and a Guggenheim fellowship followed. He retired from Brown in 1996 with the title of professor emeritus. He was the recipient of several professional honors. He authored five scholarly books and more than 250 peer-reviewed publications. He is survived by wife Carole Sirovich, a daughter, son Matthew Sirovich ’91, and two grandchildren. 

Dietrich Rueschmeyer, of Providence, R.I.; Sept. 27. Professor emeritus of sociology. He earned a degree in economics and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Cologne, and a Rockefeller Fellowship brought him to Columbia University. After teaching at Dartmouth and the University of Toronto, he settled in Providence in 1967 and joined the Brown faculty. He was one of the founders of Brown’s Center for the Comparative Study of Development, which became the Watson Institute. He is survived by wife Marilyn Rueschmeyer; two daughters and sons-in-law, including Julia Rueschemeyer ’87; five grandchildren; and two siblings.

Dr. Allan Pearson, of Mansfield, Mass.; Oct. 17. Professor emeritus of engineering. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota before completing his PhD in mechanical engineering at Columbia University. He joined the Brown faculty in September of 1963 and was promoted to associate professor in 1966 and full professor in 1970. His work was highly mathematical in nature, applied to practical problems in control, and used computational methods to prove the concepts. His research involved collaboration and interaction with the NASA/Electronics research center, the U.S. Army Natick Labs, and the Air Force Aerospace Research Laboratory, and resulted in the publication of more than 100 papers and over 90 invited talks. He was a member of numerous professional organizations and served on several University-related committees. Aside from research, he taught several courses at Brown, including two of the foundational courses in engineering for first-year students. In addition, he supervised 19 master’s and 15 doctoral theses. He is survived by two sons, including Dan Pearson ’91.

Giovanna Gobbi Alves Araujo, of Providence, R.I.; Oct. 23. At the time of her passing, she was working to earn her PhD in Hispanic studies. She had earned degrees in languages and literature from the Universidade de São Paulo, was a Fulbright scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018–2019, and was a scholar in residence at Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin between 2019 and 2022. She is survived by husband Jony. 

Michael K. Nation ’81 MD, of Saint Paul, Minn.; Oct. 4. Following graduation, he moved to Minnesota to complete his pediatric residency at the University Minnesota and practiced pediatrics for more than three decades. His career was spent at Central Pediatrics, and he was on staff at Children’s Minnesota hospital, where he served three terms as chief of staff. He volunteered at Children’s Home Society providing medical care to babies awaiting adoption and served on the Park Nicollet Medical Center Community Oncology Institutional Review Board. He retired in 2015 but continued to volunteer with numerous humanitarian and environmental organizations. He is survived by wife Janet Nation, two daughters and their spouses, three grandchildren, and five siblings. 

Dr. Stephen M. Doris Jr. ’10 PhD, of Hingham, Mass.; Nov. 23. After Brown, he served as a postdoctoral fellow in genetics and genomics at Harvard Medical School. He dedicated his career to science and discovery, and at the time of his passing, served as the associate director of RNA biology at Arrakis Therapeutics. Along with his husband, Andrew “Andy” Long, who survives him, they launched the 52 Orcas project to bring awareness to orcas held in captivity. In addition to Andy, he is survived by his parents, a sister, and a brother-in-law. 

Dr. A. Christine Skelley ’85 PhD, of Maitland, Fla.; Jun. 2, 2025. She was a professor of economics at Rollins College for 27 years.

Bernard M. Hitzig ’77 PhD, of Campton, N.H.; Jul. 17, 2022. During his career he was a senior research scientist, senior lecturer, consultant in biophysics, and professor of physiology. He held appointments at Boston University, Harvard Medical School, Mass General Hospital, Georgetown University Medical School, and Howard University. He was a member of several science societies, the recipient of numerous awards and honor, and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He is survived by wife Harlyn Behrmann Hitzig and two daughters. 

Johannes “Joop” Nagtegaal ’73 PhD, of Westport, Mass.; Nov. 30. He is survived by his wife, Ria; two sons and daughters-in-law; and seven grandchildren.

Rev. Henry C. Maxson ’73 AM, ’74 PhD, of West Warwick, R.I.; Jun. 29, 2025. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as an assistant to the company chaplain. Upon honorable discharge, he graduated from Gordon College (Boston), Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Pa.), and the University of Vermont. After graduating from Brown, he began service at Calvary Baptist Church in Union City, N.J. He continued to serve as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Barre, Vt., and in 1979 was called to full-time ministry as pastor of Quidnick Baptist Church in Coventry, R.I. He retired in 2000. He is survived by wife Vickie, two daughters, three stepchildren, 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. 

Linda Blackburn Gross ’73 MAT, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Jan. 6, from kidney failure and dementia. She worked as a reference librarian at Georgetown University’s Dahlgren Memorial Library, the library director of The American College of Cardiology, and a reference librarian at Plymouth District Library in Michigan. She wrote poetry and was working on a novel at the time of her passing. She is survived by husband Richard Gross, a son and a daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. 

Richard W. Alsfeld ’70 PhD, of Pomfret, Conn.; Nov. 13, after a brief illness. He was a professor of political science for 40 years at Providence College. He retired in 1997. He is survived by wife Sigrid Nordlund, three children, two grandchildren, and former wife Elaine Alsfeld.

Myron Myers ’69 PhD, of Rockville, Md.; Oct. 24, of thyroid cancer. He taught economics at Rutgers University from 1968 to 1973. He then served as a staff economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank. He spent most of his career consulting at Logistics Management Institute, where he was the director of the acquisition research program, leading studies of government contractors that resulted in major revisions to federal business practices. He retired in  2005. He is survived by wife Susan Kransberg Myers, two daughters, and four grandchildren. 

Jerome L. Sternstein ’68 PhD, of Hawley, Mass.; Nov. 19. He taught American history at the University of Iowa while completing his doctoral research. His dissertation received the Allen Nevins Prize of the Society of American Historians for the best dissertation that year. This honor led to a one-year fellowship at Harvard University’s Charles Warren Center and an appointment to the faculty of Columbia University, where he taught until 1974, when he became a professor at CUNY’s Brooklyn College. During his tenure at Brooklyn College, he coedited the Encyclopedia of American Biography and authored numerous articles about the Gilded Age. He is survived by wife Trina, two daughters, and four grandchildren. 

John K. Steffen ’68 AM, of Minneapolis; Nov. 4. After the Peace Corps, he became a tax attorney and partner at Faegre and Benson. He is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren, and a brother.

John J. Julian ’68 AM, of Cambridge, Mass.; Oct. 20. He taught at private schools in Connecticut and Vermont before teaching at Tufts and Boston universities. He is survived by three siblings.

Linda K. Vietoris Hodges ’68 MAT, of Garden Grove, Calif.; Sept. 30. A biology teacher for over 60 years, primarily at Rosary High School, and a dedicated docent at Christ Cathedral, she is survived by two daughters.

Erle K. Anderson ’65 MAT, of Cambridge, Minn.; Dec. 5. He was a high school mathematics teacher and member of the Christian Service Brigade. He is survived by his wife, Marge, and three children.

Theodore P. Fraser ’62 AM, ’67 PhD, of Kennebunk, Me.; Oct. 13. He had a distinguished career as a professor at the College of the Holy Cross and authored seven books. He is survived by a sister.

Dr. George K. Shortess ’60 AM, ’62 PhD, of Bethlehem, Pa.; Dec. 3. He served in the U.S. Army before attending Brown and developed an interest in visual arts. While completing his degrees at Brown, he enrolled at the Boston Museum School, concentrating on drawing and painting, and continued as a practicing artist. From 1963 to 1969 he taught experimental psychology and chaired the psychology department at Lycoming College. From 1969 to 1994 he taught at Lehigh University, from which he retired as a professor emeritus. While at Lehigh, he merged psychology and art to develop a course titled Perception and the Visual Arts. In retirement he became a certified teaching artist and worked with public school students to create installations that extended their standard curriculum. He published several articles and exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally. He is survived by wife MaryLou Shortess, four children, four grandchildren, and a brother and sister-in-law. 

Kenneth G. Ainsworth ’57 PhD, of Athens, Ga., and Cape Cod, Mass.; Nov. 12, at 102 years of age. He taught economics at Bowdoin College for several years before joining the Allegheny College faculty, where he remained for more than 30 years. During his tenure at Allegheny, he spent two years as an economist with the U.S. Congressional Committee on Judiciary analyzing tax law. He consulted for Alaska, New York, and the U.S. Advisory Commission on intergovernmental relations. He retired to Cape Cod and upon the death of his wife, split his time between homes in Athens and Cape Cod. He is survived by three children and their spouses, including son Thomas Ainsworth ’76 and his wife Paula Davidson ’77; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. 

 Dr. Bennett Gurian ’56 ScM, of Brookline, Mass.; Oct. 24. He was a senior researcher in neurochemistry at Massachusetts General Hospital and was appointed director of geriatrics and founder/director of Positive Aging Services. He was an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, past president of the Massachusetts  Gerontology Association, chairman of the Clinical Medicine Section of the Gerontological Society of America, national vice president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice. He  was widely published, received numerous awards and honors, and served on many boards. He is survived by wife Tanya, five children, and 11 grandchildren.

Amanda Lucek ’11, of Dekalb, Ill.; Dec. 23. An artist and a mathematician, she combined equations and fractals with fiber arts and electronics. She was a member of the Kishwaukee Valley Art League and a creator of original board games. She is survived by her parents and a sister.

Dr. Claudine N. DuPont ’96, of Fredericksburg, Va.; Apr. 21, 2025. After Brown, she went to graduate, Samuel Merritt University College of Podiatric Medicine in 2001 and completed the Yale/VACT podiatric medicine and surgery residency program at Yale New Haven Medical Center in 2004. After a successful career in podiatry and following the birth of her son, she pursued a career in financial services. She was driven by a love for animals and was active in associations dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty, and she was an avid runner. She is survived by a son and her mother. 

 John “Riley” McLaughlin ’91, of San Bruno, Calif; Dec. 19. He was a volunteer teacher and mental health coach. He is survived by his mother and two sisters. 

Amanda Nelligan ’87, of Studio City, Calif.; Nov. 22. After Brown she pursued a career in film and entertainment working as a creative executive at Disney/Touchstone and as a vice president of development for Mark Johnson and Barry Levinson. After leaving the film industry to earn a master’s in clinical psychology, she returned to the film world and started her own business,
Scriptgal.com, doing screenplay consultation and analysis, which led to her becoming a story analyst at both MGM and Netflix. She is survived by two sisters and her former husband, John Tomko.

George P. McCann II ’84, of Half Moon Bay, Calif.; Feb. 27, 2025. After graduation he explored the world and engaged in numerous opportunities before settling in Half Moon Bay, where he established Brown Dog Builders. He is survived by partner Natalie Hanson, three daughters, his mother, three sisters, and his former wife.

Sue Magidson ’84, of Berkeley, Calif.; Jan. 2. After Brown, she fell in love with teaching middle school math and spent many years working to improve teaching techniques, resulting in a PhD in education at UC Berkeley. After a series of life crises in the mid to late 90s, her vocational direction shifted. She received a master’s of divinity at Starr King School for the Ministry, became an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, and served for 11 years as a hospital chaplain in a safety-net hospital. 

Dr. Suzanne Brendze ’84, of Rochester, N.Y.; Sept. 21, of cancer. After Brown, she attended Wellesley and Harvard. She completed medical school at the University of Pittsburgh and a residency at the University of Rochester. She began her career in private practice as a family physician in Hilton, N.Y., before joining Rochester’s Huther Doyle to help establish its program of primary care for patients of its addiction treatment center. At the same time she began more than a decade in urgent care. From 2015 to 2025, she also served as a clinical instructor in family medicine for the University of Rochester. Through her own battle, she participated in multiple clinical trials, contributed bodily to research, and was an organ donor. She is survived by husband Craig Brownlie, a son, her mother, and sister Liz Brendze ’86. 

Vera Stipek ’82, of San Francisco; Oct. 23. She is survived by husband David Hung Nguyen, two children, her mother, and a brother.  

Reid Kneeland ’82, of Encino, Calif.; Jan. 20. A senior software engineer, he is survived by three children and former spouse W.Ellen Fleischmann Silvers ’82.

David Douglas ’82, of Cortlandt, N.Y.; Nov. 16. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he embarked on a career as a commercial litigator. During his career, he practiced at a large Wall Street firm and was a partner at three New York City firms, including Gallet, Dreyer and Berkey, LLP. He was active in his community and served for decades on multiple town boards and committees. He was recognized by the town for his years of service as a distinguished citizen planner. He is survived by wife Lisa Bogdan, three children, and brother Bruce Douglas ’86 and his wife.

Rachel Korn Bousquet ’82, of Cranston, R.I.; Aug. 20. For many years she taught ESL classes in the Cranston School District. She also taught sewing in an after-school program at Bain Middle School, which became her personal passion project and led to her sending hundreds of handmade garments to children in need across Latin America and Africa. She is survived by two children and their spouses, including daughter Candice Bousquet Chapin ’11; a grandson; and brother Roland Korn ’87. 

Sharon L. Rasch ’81, of Knoxville, Tenn.; Jul. 7, 2025. After earning an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she worked as a business executive at Sara Lee/Hanes Corporation and then served as the vice president of marketing at Alba-Waldensian. She later worked as the director of operations for a local Dippin’ Dots franchise before being recruited to a UT graduate program to prepare local business professionals to teach mathematics in Title I schools. She went on to teach math at Fulton High School in Knoxville. She is survived by a son, a sister, and a brother. 

Dr. Ed Chu ’80, ’83 MMSc, ’83 MD, of New Rochelle, N.Y.; Nov. 13, of glioblastoma. He dedicated his life to advancing cancer medicine and mentoring medical professionals. His expertise in pharmacology and his dedication to improving therapies for colorectal cancer led to the identification of new treatments and significant scientific advances in the field. During his career he held tenured positions and leadership roles at Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he was chief of hematology-oncology and deputy director of the Hillman Cancer Center. In 2020, he was appointed director of the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, vice president of cancer medicine, and the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine. He transformed the cancer center into an integrated enterprise, resulting in their first comprehensive status designation from the National Cancer Institute. He is survived by wife Dr. Laurie Harrold and two children.

Robert G. Huckins ’79, ’81 AM, of San Diego; Oct. 23. He is survived by his wife, Victoria, and a son.

Catherine “Catie” Marshall ’78, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Oct. 26. She was a communications leader for New York City and State housing agencies and served for 20 years on the board of the Vera Institute of Justice. She is survived by her husband, Nelson Bakerman, and two children.

Dr. Kristin Rohr ’77, of Sydney, B.C.; Oct. 22. She was a scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada, specializing in the study of oceanic plates and tectonic evolution. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Jackman, and a sister.

Michelle A. Proulx ’76, of Narragansett, R.I.; Nov. 22, of lymphoma. After earning an MBA from NYU, she held senior strategy roles in London and the U.S. A dedicated alumna, she cofounded the Brown Club in the UK and served as class treasurer. She is survived by her husband, Charles Connell ’75; daughter Gerianne Connell ’15, ’20 MD; and siblings Carolyn Proulx ’82 and Lawrence Proulx ’76.

Tina Stark Weisenfeld ’75, of New York City; Dec. 21. A graduate of NYU Law School and partner at Chadbourne and Parke, she later joined the Emory Law School faculty as the founding director of the Center for Transactional Law and Practice. She authored the textbook Drafting Contracts and was the first chair of the AALS Section on Transactional Law and Skills. She received numerous accolades, and Emory created the Tina L. Stark Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Transactional Law and Skills in her honor.She also taught at Fordham and Boston University. She is survived by husband David J. Weisenfeld, a son, and two grandchildren.

Betsy Goldenberg ’75, of Pepperell, Mass.; Jul. 28, 2025, of esophageal cancer. She earned a master’s in psychology from UMass Lowell and served on their adjunct faculty for many years. She is survived by two sons, including Benjamin Gould ’02; four grandchildren; and her brother, Robin Goldenberg ’70.

Rita Szanto Englund ’74, of New Canaan, Conn.; Nov. 5. Her career included teaching at the Brearley School, photography, and leading writing classes at the Lapham Community Center. She is survived by husband Sven R. Englund ’75, daughter Kristen Englund ’11 MPH, and a son.

Peter Champion ’74, of Silverton, Ore.; Oct. 6. After a career in the restaurant industry as a chef and manager, he was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1989. He served churches in New York, California, Hawaii, and Oregon, and remained active in recovery communities and political activism. He is survived by his wife, Susan Manley Champion ’74; two daughters; and four grandchildren.

Jane Littell Meyer ’72, of Omaha, Neb.; Oct. 8, after a battle with dementia. She was a longtime attorney at Mutual of Omaha, retiring as vice president and assistant general counsel in 2002. She was a leader in community organizations and served on numerous boards. She is survived by her husband, Philip Meyer ’71; two daughters and sons-in-law; six grandchildren; and a brother.

James S. Hunter ’72, of Oakland, Calif.; Sept. 9.

James R. Duffy ’72, of Arlington, Va.; Dec. 13. He spent the majority of his career working for the Internal Revenue Service. He is survived by two siblings and their spouses.

Bryan Brown ’71, of Duluth, Minn.; Nov. 10. A graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law, he served as a city attorney in Duluth until his retirement in 2008. In retirement, he practiced with a Minneapolis firm, served as an arbitrator in Minnesota and Arizona, and was a board member for an environmental company. He is survived by his wife, Cathleen Brown.

Denis Colacicco ’69, of New Canaan, Conn; Apr. 24, 2025, of hemorrhagic aneurysms. A former Brown soccer player, he taught for a year before joining A.L. Buschman Lighting, a family business. He became a partner in Dzine Elements in 2017 and later owned and operated Contract Marketing/Marble International. He is survived by his wife, Eva Inoue Colacicco ’69, ’69 AM; two children; and three granddaughters.

Gerard E. Giannattasio ’68, of Massapequa Park, N.Y.; Jun. 11, of cancer. A JD and PhD holder, he served as a law librarian and Massapequa Park Village Justice for 24 years. He is survived by three brothers.

Ann Ghering Flynn ’68, of Newport Beach, Calif.; Dec. 24. She held a master’s in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and was active in the Pasadena Christ Child Society. She is survived by her husband, John Flynn; son Tim Flynn ’94 and daughter-in-law Clare Davidson Flynn ’94; a daughter; a son-in-law; and four grandchildren.

Robert C. Bernius ’68, of Potomac, Md.; Aug. 6. He was a Rhodes Scholar candidate and the goalkeeper for two of Brown’s best soccer teams. During his time he never lost a regular season game, and he was inducted into the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979. A Yale Law School graduate, he spent three years as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn and joined Nixon, Hargrave, Devans and Doyle in 1984 in Rochester, N.Y. He spent 10 years in Rochester before moving to Potomac to open their office in Washington, D.C. The firm subsequently merged to become Nixon Peabody. As a litigator for 40 years, he represented a variety of clients in First Amendment cases across the country. He also served as board chair of the D.C. Board of Professional Responsibility and as Nixon Peabody’s general counsel before retiring in 2015. He is survived by wife Elissa; daughters Morgen Bernius ’96, Ashley Bernius ’06, Shay Bernius Squeglia ’06 MAT; and six grandchildren.

Tom Bernabei ’68, of Canton, Ohio; Dec. 11, following a brief illness. After Brown, he served four years in the U.S. Army as a captain, including one tour of duty in Vietnam. He graduated at the top of his class from Ohio State University’s law school in 1975. He began his long and distinguished career in public service as an assistant prosecutor in Massillon Municipal Court. He later served as an assistant law director in Canton and was elected Canton law director in 1989. After retiring in 2000, he was elected to the Canton City Council and served one term as councilman-at-large. He subsequently worked as the director of public service in Canton from 2008 to 2009 and as Stark Area Regional Transit Authority’s interim executive director in 2009. He was elected Stark county Commissioner and served from 2010 to 2015. He served as the mayor of Canton for two terms (2016 –2023) and led Canton through several landmark projects that included the development of Centennial Plaza. He is survived by wife Bebe Bernabei, three children and their spouses, five grandchildren, and a sister. 

Michael A. Barros ’68, of Helena, Mont.; Sept. 17. A U.S. Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient, he was active in housing policy and twice ran for mayor of Minneapolis. He is survived by his wife Susan, five children, and nine grandchildren.

James A. Moore Jr. ’67, of Johnston, R.I.; Oct. 23. He is survived by three children and seven grandchildren.

Elaine M. Decker ’67, of Cromwell, Conn.; Oct. 3, of lung cancer. She began working at Arthur Andersen as a programmer. After two years, she joined Colgate, where she spent 17 years, rising to become a marketing director. She went on to create Business Theatre Unlimited (BTU). She was devoted to fundraising and held various positions at Wheaton College, Brown, and the Fund for Community Progress. In 2014, she relocated to Cromwell. Throughout her life she was a passionate writer, crafting social satire. Her work appeared in her regular blog, Retirement Sparks, in numerous periodicals, and in five books—three on retirement, one on coping with cancer, and one on the sense of humor (all available on Amazon). She is survived by husband Jagdish Sachdev, a sister, and a brother.  

David M. Warner ’66, of Altamont, N.Y.; Nov. 20. He worked for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and the West Yellowstone News, and he wrote for Ranger Rick magazine. He is survived by a son, a stepdaughter, three grandchildren, and a brother.

Jane Ronsheim Ring ’66, of Evanston, Ill.; Dec. 24. A Francophile with a master’s from Columbia University, she devoted her life to teaching French. She was also a longtime employee of Evanston Township High School. She is survived by her husband, Eugene M. Ring ’72 PhD; two children and their spouses; four grandchildren; and a sister.

Randolph Richardson ’66, of New Providence, N.J.; Nov. 16, of neurodegeneration. A pilot for TWA, he once flew the Pope. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Mays ’66, whom he married after they reconnected at their 25th Brown reunion, and their combined four children and eight grandchildren.

Geoffrey C. Goodale ’66, ’68 MAT, of Braintree, Mass.; Oct. 3. He taught at various colleges before returning to Thayer Academy, where he served for more than 30 years as head of the English department, advisor, and coach. A classroom at Thayer was dedicated in his name in 1995. He is survived by his wife Prudence Goodale, three sons, and four grandchildren.

Sally Van Doren Dohm ’66, of Seaside Park, N.J., and Darien, Conn.; Oct. 25. She taught kindergarten before launching Darien Cooking and Gifts and operating The Rainbow Shoppe. She is survived by her daughter, Wendy Dohm White ’90; a son-in-law; and four grandchildren.

Virginia A. Chappell ’66, of Milwaukee; Jul. 12, 2025. She is survived by two sisters.

James M. Barrett ’65, of Essex Fells, N.J.; Dec. 5. A U.S. Navy veteran and captain of a Swift Boat in Vietnam, he founded the golf course irrigation firm James Barrett Associates in 1985. He authored sections of three irrigation textbooks and designed systems for more than 300 golf courses worldwide. At Brown, he played varsity ice hockey. He is survived by his wife Clarissa Barrett, two children, and four grandchildren.

Julien G. Colvin Jr. ’64, of Baltimore; Jan. 5, from complications of dementia. He received a divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and taught in Ghana, Senegal, and Swaziland. He later became a leader in affordable housing, serving as director, of Neighborhood Rental Services and working with the National Equity Fund. In retirement, he volunteered with The Resource Exchange. He is survived by his wife JoAnn Copes, four sons, and six grandchildren.

Rhoda Nagin Cahan ’64, of Delray, Fla.; Nov. 9, of pancreatic cancer. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed advanced studies in computational mathematics at NYU. Her dedication to Brown spanned six decades; she served as an alumni interviewer, reunion activities committee chair, and class marshal. She is survived by her husband, Samuel Rudick; three children, including Adam Cahan ’93; three grandchildren; and a brother.

Albert E. Booth II ’64, of Rye Brook, N.Y.; Nov. 9. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he attended Harvard Business School and pursued a career in commercial real estate before becoming a financial advisor. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, two daughters, and two grandchildren.

Lt. Cmdr. William B. Smithson ’63, of Wilmington, N.C.; Apr. 28, 2025, from complications of Alzheimer’s. He served in the U.S. Air Force before working in the truck leasing and sales industry.

William C. Schnell ’63, of Daytona Beach, Fla.; Dec. 1, 2024. He earned an engineering master’s degree from NYU and helped design the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet at Grumman Aerospace Corporation. He later helped grow a home health-care agency and pursued various philanthropic endeavors. He is survived by a daughter and a son. 

Sylvia “Silky” Berger ’63, of Roxbury, Conn.; May 6, 2025. She worked as a computer programmer with IBM and at Rice University. She is survived by her daughter, Judith Berger ’94, and a son.

Margery Goddard Whiteman ’62, of Albany, N.Y.; May 28, 2025, of cancer. She served as the director of development at Emma Willard School and the director of advancement services at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Later, she was the director of development for Riverside Church in New York City. She was a Francophile and sang in the Albany Pro Musica choral ensemble. She is survived by her husband, Michael; three children and their spouses, including Eliza D. Whiteman Kinsey ’07 and Stephen H. Whiteman ’97; and six grandchildren.

Cynthia A. Green Bowen ’61, of Coventry, R.I.; Dec. 4. She owned and operated Seven Gables Farm and hosted the radio show The Equestrian Corner on the Horse Radio Network. An accomplished author, she wrote for numerous magazines, including the Equine Journal, and taught writing and poetry at the Coventry Senior Center.

David W. Manson ’60, of Yarmouth, Me.; Nov. 18. After earning a master’s degree from Boston University, he taught and counseled at Worcester Academy and North Yarmouth Academy. In 1973, he and his wife founded Cuddledown, manufacturing high-quality down comforters from their home. The business grew into a national catalog and online retailer. He is survived by his wife Ellen, two children, and two grandchildren.

A transformative figure in children’s respiratory medicine whose research and clinical efforts helped shape modern neonatal and pediatric pulmonary care, Dr. Arnold C.G. Platzker ’58 died Nov. 27 in Los Angeles. He was known for pioneering the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in critically ill infants and children, advancing care and improving the outcomes for the sickest patients with respiratory failure. His research interests included childhood asthma, inflammatory markers, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and lung development in newborns. He graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Boston City Hospital followed by senior and chief residencies at Stanford University’s department of pediatrics. He was commissioned as a lieutenant commander and assigned to the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton, where he spent two years of military service during the Vietnam War as the chief of neonatology. Following his term in the Navy, he undertook a fellowship at the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI). He joined the University of Southern California in 1974 as an associate professor of pediatrics prior to his position as a professor of pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine from 1985 to 2012. He authored or coauthored more than 70 peer-reviewed papers. He was a member of numerous national and international professional societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the European Respiratory Society. He was also the director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  He earned a Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Southern California and was a Gold Lifetime Member of the Retired Faculty Association. He is survived by wife Marjorie, two children and their spouses, two granddaughters, and a sister. 

Author of books and articles on a wide range of topics and personalities, Roger Vaughn ’59, of Easton, Md., died Aug. 25, 2025. After Brown, he served in the U.S. Army before spending 10 years at the Saturday Evening Post and Life magazine, covering Bob Dylan’s European tour, the Beatles, and Woodstock. During his extensive career, he published 22 books, beginning with Ted Turner ’60’s failed America’s Cup effort in 1974, The Grand Gesture. Turner, who Vaughn sailed alongside while at Brown, came back and won the America’s Cup in 1977, and Roger wrote a sequel detailing his victory. Roger crewed on several Bermuda races, and in 1979 he was a member of the crew of Kialoa in the infamous Fastnet Race that claimed 15 lives and is considered “the roughest ocean race on record.” He wrote about the harrowing account in Fastnet: One Man’s Voyage. In 1990, at the age of 52, he joined the crew of the Russian Fazisi in the Whitbread Round the World Race. In addition to books and magazine features, he cowrote the 1992 sailing film Wind, bringing the thrill of the America’s Cup to the big screen, and he was the founding editor of The Yacht magazine. He was known for his mantra: “If it is boring to write, it will be boring to read.” He is survived by wife Kippy Requardt, a son, a stepdaughter, two granddaughters, and a step-granddaughter. 

Composer Robert Waldman ’57, of New York City; Jan. 12. While at Brown, he began writing music for theater, writing the ’55, ’56, and ’57 Brownbrokers shows, the last two with Alfred Uhry ’58. Upon graduation, he moved to New York to study composition at Juilliard and to pursue writing for the theater. He maintained lifelong friendships with numerous Brown grads, including Uhry, with whom he collaborated on four musicals, including the Tony award–winning production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, with the most well-known being The Robber Bridegroom, nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Over the years he has composed, arranged, and orchestrated music for the Broadway stagings of numerous dramatic plays as well, including Driving Miss Daisy, for which he won Chicago’s Jefferson Award for Best Music in a Dramatic Work. In addition, he wrote three collections of piano music, a ballet, television shows, commercial music, and numerous special-occasion pieces. He is survived by wife Judith Waldman, daughter Hawley Waldman ’87, a son, and four grandchildren.

Alfred J. Walker ’59, of Natchez, Miss.; Nov. 26. He worked for Northeast Airlines and C.G. Hokanson Company before entering the financial brokerage business in Boston. He later founded the greeting card company Townhouse Press and opened Alfred J. Walker Fine Art in 1979. In 2006, he cofounded Walker-Cunningham Fine Art. He is survived by his companion, Carlos Condinho; two sons and daughters-in-law; a grandson; and a sister.

Alan P. Miller ’59, of Evanston, Ill.; Nov. 28. A graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he practiced law for more than 60 years, primarily at Kiesler and Berman in Chicago. He is survived by his wife Barbara M. Chipman, six children, seven grandchildren, and a sister.

Dr. Donald L. Kinley ’59, of Brattleboro, Vt.; Dec. 30, of cancer. He received his MD from McGill University in 1964 and completed residencies in orthopedic surgery at SUNY Upstate and the Cleveland Clinic. He served in the U.S. Air Force in Tokyo, attaining the rank of major. In 1973, he cofounded Orthopedic Associates of Brattleboro. He is survived by five children and their spouses, 11 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two siblings.

Dr. Stephen A. Diamond ’59, of New York City; Nov. 10. He earned a PhD in aerospace engineering from Cornell and served in the U.S. Navy, contributing to groundbreaking work with NASA. He is survived by his wife Eunice Diamond, two children and their spouses, and three grandchildren.

Bailey W. Blethen ’59, of Minneapolis; Nov. 13. While earning his JD from the University of Minnesota Law School, he served as the case editor of the Minnesota Law Review. Following graduation, he worked at the firm his grandfather started, Blethen, Gage and Krause. He served as an adjunct professor at Minnesota State University and was a member of numerous boards. A dedicated athlete, he coached basketball at Mankato West High School and New Ulm Cathedral and was an assistant coach for the Minnesota State University men’s basketball team. In 1997, he was inducted into the Minnesota State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also an award-winning singer with the Mankato Riverblenders. He is survived by two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Barbara A. Fontaine ’58, of North Kingstown, R.I.; Oct. 6. Upon graduating, she worked at Brown as a science librarian before beginning her career as an educator. She taught at Lincoln School in Providence, followed by teaching positions at public schools in Massachusetts and New York. She later earned a master’s degree from Wesleyan and volunteered with the Peace Corps. After decades of teaching, she earned a law degree from Pace University and began a second career as an attorney. After service under the Rhode Island attorney general, she spent several years in private practice in Rhode Island. She is survived by three brothers.

Robert F. Blakeley ’58, ’59 MAT, of Bridgewater, Mass. and Cape Coral, Fla.; Jan. 1. He had a 38-year career in public education beginning in 1959 as a high school teacher in Mechanicville, N.Y. He returned to Massachusetts in 1964 to teach history at Brockton High School, and in 1972 he joined the Bridgewater public school system, where he served as an assistant principal and principal at Williams Middle School before becoming the last superintendent for the Bridgewater Public Schools. After Bridgewater and Rayn-ham public schools regionalized, he was appointed the assistant superintendent for the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District. He held that position until he retired in 1997. A former member of Brown’s men’s soccer team, he was a founding member of the Bridgewater Youth Soccer Program and was past director of the Bridgewater Biddy League Basketball Program. He coached Little League baseball for more than 20 years and coached the Brockton High School soccer team while teaching at Brockton High. He is survived by four sons, including David Blakeley ’84, Peter Blakeley ’85, and Mark Blakeley ’86, and three daughters-in-law; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

William “Bill” Wadsworth ’57, of Marshfield, Me. Oct. 28. After receiving his masters and PhD from Northwestern University, he became a specialist in quantitative petrology and structural geology, later joining Whittier College, where he cocreated their first field geology course. He retired from Whittier in 1996 as an associate professor and chair of the geology department. He had also been an associate professor at the University of South Dakota and Idaho State University. He was a member of nine professional organizations. At Brown, he was a member of the men’s basketball team, president of Phi Delta Theta, and class marshal. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. In 1975, he was recognized as an Outstanding Educator of America. He is survived by his partner, Joyce Richardson; two sons; Joyce’s three children; three grandchildren; and Martha Nakao Wadsworth.

Virginia Zimmerman Chase ’56, of Providence, R.I.; Aug. 22, of ovarian cancer. She was a homemaker and is survived by three children, including son Michael Chase ’80; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Zane Anderson ’56, of Bristol, R.I.; Oct. 17. He founded his own architecture firm, designing and remodeling commercial and private structures with an expertise in historic restoration. He also taught at RISD and Roger Williams University, from which he retired. During his tenure at RWU, he assisted in establishing their Cummings School of Architecture. He is survived by three children, two stepchildren, and seven grandchildren.

Duncan Olding ’55, of Groton, Conn.; Dec. 24. He earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UConn in 1964. He was employed by Fairchild Engine Division in Deer Park, N.Y., for several years before joining General Dynamics Electric Boat Division, from which he retired in 1995 as a principal engineer. While at Brown, he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was elected to the Tau Beta Pi honor society. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Barnum Olding ’79 MAT; two daughters, including Linda Olding ’79; two sons-in-law; and two grandchildren.

Anne Murphy O’Brien ’55, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Mass.; Dec. 21. She met her husband, John O’Brien ’55, while at Brown; he predeceased her. After Brown, she worked in the airline industry while John completed his training with ITT. They settled in Scituate, Mass., in 1960, then moved to Atlanta for three years. After returning to Massachusetts, she earned a master’s degree in library science and became the director of circulation at Andover Public Library. She would later be the director of the Pollard Memorial Library and Snowe Library. In 1988, she was named president of the Massachusetts Library Association, and in 2006, she was inducted into the Massachusetts Library Hall of Fame. Throughout her life, she was a dedicated Brown alumna, earning a Brown Alumni Service Award in 2012. She is survived by sons John D. O’Brien Jr. ’82, Thomas N. O’Brien ’85, and William J. O’Brien ’92 and three daughters-in-law; eight grandchildren, including grandson Matthew T. O’Brien ’15, ’16 MPA; a great-grandchild; and two brothers.

Formerly of Massachusetts, Dr. Donald B. Giddon ’52 died Nov. 15 in Sarasota, Fla. He was a transformative leader in medical and dental education. He earned a master’s in psychology from Boston University, a DMD from Harvard, and a PhD in psychology from Brandeis University. His research included the analysis of pseudocholinesterase activity in saliva, demonstrating biochemical differences between psychiatric and nonpsychiatric populations. As both a medical and dental trained psychologist, he explored physical and psychological responses to pain, including the effects of stress on the periodontal tissues. He was also a key figure in pain science and dental anesthesiology, advocating for the designation of “oral physician.” During his career, he held faculty appointments at Harvard, Tufts, NYU, Brown, McGill, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as a consultant to federal and state governments, was an advisor to the NIH and international organizations, was a participant in global health initiatives, and was a leader in minority oral-health research programs. He authored three books and more than 250 publications. He received numerous awards and honors, including fellowships in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Psychological Association, the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine, and the Royal Society of Medicine. He was an NYU Distinguished Educator and Dean Award recipient and designated as a Knowles Scholar at Harvard. The annual Professor Donald B. Giddon Memorial Lecture in Behavioral Medicine and Dentistry at Harvard School of Dental Medicine continues to advance this interdisciplinary vision. He is survived by wife Phoebe Giddon; four children and their spouses, including son Ken Giddon ’81; and seven grandchildren, including grandson Kyle Giddon ’15.

Robert E. Borah ’55, of Seekonk, Mass.; Oct. 10. A former agent for New England Life Insurance Company, he saw the need for pension consulting and, in 1965, he established Robert E. Borah and Associates, an employee-benefit consulting firm in Providence. He expanded into real estate development as a general partner in Charles-Orms Associates in Providence from 1978 until 2018, when he retired. Hockey had been an important part of his life. At Brown, he was cocaptain, selected for the All–New England, All-Ivy, and All-East teams, and was invited to try out for the 1956 Olympics and the 1957 National Team. In 1983, he was inducted into the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Ann Borah; six children and their spouses, including sons John Borah ’88 and David Borah ’92 and his wife, Kara Kee Borah ’92; 18 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Daniel Krivit ’54, of Great Falls, Va.; Dec. 20. He received a JD from Boston University School of Law and completed postgraduate legal studies in labor law and labor relations at Cornell University Law School. He served as chief counsel to three subcommittees of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was involved in the development of more than 25 major federal education and labor laws, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973. He worked on legislation for the Coal Mine Safety and Health Act and the Handicapped Children’s Early Education Assistance Act. Up until his passing, he worked at Krivit and Krivit, P.C., the law firm he founded in 1976. During his practice, he secured federal and state competitive grant funding awards for projects spanning education, vocational and employment training, public health, transportation, and the environment. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Krivit; daughter Diane Krivit Katzman ’82 and her husband, David Katzman ’86; and granddaughter Caroline Katzman ’13.

Susan Klee Joseph ’54, of Farmington, Conn., formerly of New York City; Jan. 12. She enjoyed being a homemaker, but as her daughters grew older she turned her lifelong passion for art into a career. She was the director of the SUNY Purchase summer art program and then was an interior decorator. She was an avid volunteer with numerous organizations. She is survived by two daughters, a son-in-law, two grandchildren, a great-grandson, and a sister.

John “Jack” A. Hopkins ’54, of Hebron, Conn.; Nov. 29. He owned and operated Eastford Building Supply for 45 years and was proud to be involved with the development of Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Conn. In 1990, he was the recipient of the Lumber Person of the Year award given by the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association. He is survived by wife Judy, a daughter, four stepchildren, eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a brother.

Sheba Fishbain Skirball ’53, of Shoresh, Israel; Oct. 18. She is survived by her husband, Henry Skirball, and a daughter.

Salley Macartney Osborn ’52, of Atkinson, N.H., and Englewood, Fla.; Oct. 27. She taught elementary school before founding the Osborn Day School for children with learning difficulties. During her retirement, additionally as a member of the Sun Coast Writers Guild in Englewood, she wrote and published two children’s books. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, five grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters.

Jean Holland Foxman ’52, of Nashville; Oct. 25. After earning a master’s degree in library science from Western Reserve University, she worked for the graduate library program there. During her career, she also worked at Pratt and Whitney Jet Research Laboratory (Conn.) and Bailey Meter (Ohio), finally becoming a coeditor of the Index to Jewish Periodicals for 25 years. She believed in the importance of education and volunteer work. She is survived by two children and their spouses, and five grandchildren.

Patricia Barr DeMatteo ’52, of Niantic, Conn.; Oct. 28. She was a kindergarten teacher in East Lyme, Conn., until retiring in 1989. She was also a docent at Lyman Allen Art Museum and enjoyed leading groups of schoolchildren throughout the museum and answering their many questions. Her husband, Bill DeMatteo ’52, predeceased her. She is survived by a son, a daughter and son-in-law, a grandson, and two great-grandchildren.

Frank Bartolomeo Jr. ’52, of Lake Jackson, Tex.; Nov. 15. He had a 43-year career at Dow Chemical Company in various positions and locations. He was instrumental in the collaboration of Dow Chemical, the Coastal Conservation Association, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for the construction of the Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson. In retirement, he volunteered with Southern Brazos Habitat for Humanity, overseeing, planning, and building new houses in the Brazosport area. He is survived by four children, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Herbert C. Wood ’51, of Westwood, Mass., formerly of Belchertown, Mass.; Dec. 6. He worked for Monsanto as a chemical engineer in the plastics division and went on to become the manager of the company’s IBM computer programming team. He later served as the manager of information systems for the graphics division of Scott Paper Company, then was the COO at Stone Marketing. He also worked as an insurance agent with Farm Family Insurance. Beginning in 1952, he spent six decades with the Belchertown Fire Department, serving as a firefighter, teaching firefighting, and developing a computer program that provided directions prior to GPS. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, including Beth Wood Karlson ’84 and Steve Karlson ’82; six grandchildren, including Christopher Karlson ’18 and Rebecca Karlson ’22; and twin great-grandsons.

Allan J. Dougherty ’50, of Hilo, Hawaii; Apr. 5, 2025, at 101 years of age. He was a retired banker at Bank of America and a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II. He is survived by wife Watana Dougherty, three children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. 

Elizabeth “Betty” Brownell Beizer ’50, of Naples, Fla., and Little Compton, R.I.; Oct. 11. She worked as a secretary in Boston before marrying and starting a family. She was an active volunteer all of her life and was the founder of a water exercise class she operated for 10 years. She is survived by two daughters, a son-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Lester R. Allen Jr. ’50, of Yarmouth Port, Mass.; Jan. 12, at 102 years of age. Before beginning his career in journalism, he served in the U.S. Army in Italy and later in North Korea. He joined General Electric’s news bureau and worked for eight years before moving to Mitre Corp. (Mass.) for 12 years, followed by a move to Connecticut to head communications and administrative services for Associated Spring Barnes Group. At age 60, he joined an advertising agency as head of the public relations unit, from which he retired seven years later. He is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. 

 Eugene Ahearn ’50, of Timonium, Md.; Jul. 28, 2024, of pneumonia. He joined Scott Paper Company in 1952, quickly establishing himself as a formidable force in sales and marketing. His career saw him move through various roles and locations, from sales representative in Boston to district manager in multiple cities, eventually rising to director of marketing. He retired in 1986 as the New York City metropolitan regional director for sales and marketing and customer development manager. A World War II decorated U.S. Navy veteran, he is survived by three sons.

Sally Briggs Wold ’49, of Seattle; Nov. 21. Following Brown, she moved to New York City to work at the Rockefeller Institute researching vaccines for tuberculosis. Later, in response to an offer from the University of Washington School of Medicine, she relocated to Seattle and worked on rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis research. She is survived by three children, 10 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.

Alfred L. Hurst Jr. ’49, of Harwich Port, Mass.; Feb. 10. After receiving a medical degree from Tufts and completing a residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, he served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Upon discharge, he was an otolaryngologist in private practice in Milton, Mass., and served on the staffs of Milton Hospital, the Carney Hospital, and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He is survived by wife Jean Thornton Hurst ’53, two sons, six grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. 

Tom Dinell ’49, of Honolulu; Dec. 9. He earned a master’s from Harvard and served in the U.S. Army. In 1964, he became the first director for the Hawaii State Legislative Reference Bureau. He founded the Pacific Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of Hawaiʻi (now the Department of Urban and Regional Planning) and served as department chair for more than 20 years. He became professor emeritus and taught his final class at 90. He helped establish a conflict resolution program as well as the distinguished Chair of Affordable Housing within the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He became a fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2002. From 1988 to 1996, he served as director of Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, and at age 88 he helped establish Trees for Honolulu’s Future, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Oʻahu’s urban tree canopy. He is survived by his wife, Kristi; eight children and their spouses; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jane Reynolds Prétat ’48, of Providence and Portsmouth, R.I.; Jan. 16. She worked at Meeting Street School and was later interim director of Hamilton House Adult Learning Exchange in Providence. She returned to school in her sixties, earning a master’s degree in psychology from URI and studying at the C.G. Jung Institute of New England to become a Jungian analyst. While at Brown she was vice president of the Brown University Flying Club, having learned to fly as a freshman at Stephens College in Missouri before transferring to Pembroke. She wrote and published Coming to Age: The Croning Years and Late-Life Transformation. She is survived by daughter Judith Prétat Seaman ’75 AM, a son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, 10 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

John J. Manyak ’48, of Vero Beach, Fla. and Douglas, Mass.; Dec. 13 at 102 years of age. After serving in the U.S. Army and graduating from Brown, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He had executive positions at major New York City companies before forming his own electronics manufacturing company in New Jersey in 1972. He eventually sold his company and retired to Massachusetts while also acquiring a winter home in Florida. He is survived by his wife, Janet Harvey Manyak ’48; four children, including David Manyak ’75 and Nancy Manyak Bass ’80; eight grandchildren, including Janette “Becky” Bass ’13; great-grandchildren; and brother Anthony Manyak ’50.

Barbara Salomon Spitz ’47, of Costa Mesa, Calif.; Dec. 15. She was an accomplished artist. Her work in intaglio etching, oil painting, and photography was part of private art collections and galleries in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as the permanent collections in the Chicago Art Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and De Cordova Museum (Mass.). She and her husband, Lawrence, who predeceased her, traveled the world, visiting all seven continents. She is survived by three children and three grandchildren.

Elsie Rodrigues Fraga ’47, of New Bedford, Mass.; Nov. 13. She taught French and Spanish at Bridgewater High School before joining the New Bedford school system. She also tutored for the Peace Corps. After marrying, she managed her husband’s dental office.

Beatrice “Betsey” Leonard Lewis ’46, of Morristown, N.J.; Jan. 27. She was an active member of the community and engaged in arts and politics. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Seth K. Gifford II ’43, of Saunderstown, R.I.; Nov. 8, three weeks shy of his 104th birthday. He earned a JD from Boston College Law School and practiced law in Providence and Wakefield, R.I. He was an active member of the ACLU and served as president of the Rhode Island Bar Association. He is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Rachel H. Jendrzejewski ’11 MFA, of Minneapolis; Jul. 14. She was a writer/playwright. During her college years she traveled around the world with Carpenter’s Tools International, a music performance-based outreach program, and was the recipient of many honors, grants, and residencies. She collaborated on work across the U.S. and internationally and had served on staff at Cornerstone Theater Company (Los Angeles), The Grotowski Institute (Poland), and Upstream Arts (Minneapolis). She was a core writer at the Playwrights’ Center and co-artistic director at Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis. She is survived by her parents and a sister.  

Ilona C. Peterson ’74 AM, of Manassas, Va.; Aug. 13, of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma cancer. She moved to Manassas in 1978 and started working as a foreign intelligence analyst with the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, where she supported the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center (now the National Center for Medical Intelligence) with foreign medical capabilities research. She later became a European acquisition specialist with the Library of Congress. She headed a major project utilizing computer network technology to exploit foreign language periodical access with the Library of the University of Regensburg, Germany. She retired from the Library of Congress in 2012 after 34 years of public service. She is survived by husband Arthur Peterson. 

Sheila Troob ’69 MAT, of Providence, R.I.; Mar. 19, 2025, from complications of gallstones. She was a music teacher in the Providence school system for 30 years. She also taught private piano lessons and did the bookkeeping for jewelry and metal stamping businesses. She was an active member of Temple Beth El, where she conducted the choir. She is survived by two children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.    

Renee L. Kahn ’69 MAT, of Charleston, S.C.; Sept. 14, from pancreatic cancer. Before moving to Charleston in 2000, she lived in Providence, where she exhibited and taught art and art history. During the past 25 years, her paintings have been shown locally, nationally, and internationally, including in Canada, Israel, and China. For many years, she participated in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Juried Contemporary Art Exhibition and exhibited in numerous Charleston galleries. She was a Nautilus member of the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA) and a signature member of both the South Carolina Watermedia Society and the Acrylic Painters of America. She also founded the Charleston Professional Artists Association, a group that met regularly for critiques, discussions, and artistic development. In addition to her life as an artist, beginning in 2016, she served as a TEDx coach for nine years. She is survived by husband Sewell Kahn, two children, and two grandchildren.

Craig R. Humphrey ’67 AM, ’71 PhD, of East Hampton, N.Y.; Jul. 31, of cancer. He taught sociology courses about urban growth, world population, and environmental sociology at the College of William and Mary in Virginia and at Penn State University. He spent several semesters as a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin and the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He wrote many papers and books, most notably Environment, Energy, and Society, published in 1982. He was active in professional associations throughout his career, including the American Sociological Association, which recognized him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2003. He is survived by wife Catherine Clark Humphrey ’67, two daughters and sons-in-law, and three grandchildren. 

Frederick Asals ’67 PhD, of Toronto, Canada; Sept. 10. He had a long career as a professor at New College, University of Toronto. His work included significant contributions to research and writing on Flannery O’Connor and Malcolm Lowry. He authored A Good Man is Hard to Find: The Imagination of Extremity and The Making of Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano. In the 1980s, he formed a discussion group, at first with colleagues from the English department and eventually with all who wanted to attend called The Olde Peculiers that meets weekly. He was a passionate cinephile and a devoted patron of theatre and opera in both Toronto and New York City.  He is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

Larrimore Crockett ’66 PhD, of Dummerston, Vt.; Sept. 10, from Parkinson’s. He was chaplain at Brown, RISD, and Bryant College before becoming an associate professor of religion at Keuka College (N.Y.). In 1969, he was a visiting professor of religion at Lawrence University and later was dean at Windham College and an associate faculty member of Southern Vermont College. In 1980, he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities by the College of St. Joseph (Rutland, Vt.) in recognition of his contributions to higher education in Vermont, and in 1991, he received the Sears Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching at Southern Vermont College. He retired as pastor-in-residence of Chicago Theological Seminary (Ill.). He is survived by wife Ellen Crockett, son John Crockett ’83, and a granddaughter.

Diane Winston Crocker ’48 ScM, of Bethesda, Md., formerly of Chicago; Jul. 22. She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine in 1952 as one of only four women in her class. She was a senior surgical pathologist at Brigham & Women’s and a professor at Harvard Medical School for a decade before moving on to leadership positions at Temple University, University of Southern California, and the University of Tennessee at Memphis, where she was chairman of pathology, the first female department chair. She completed her career at Cook County Hospital in Chicago as chairman of anatomic pathology. During her career she authored more than 200 medical publications, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from BU School of Medicine, and was on the editorial board of the American Journal of Surgical Pathology for many years. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, including daughter Anne Crocker Hefter ’88, and five grandchildren.

Elizabeth Schneck Palter ’65 AM, of Providence and East Greenwich, R.I.; Sept. 2. She taught political science at Bryant College in the early 1970s. In 1977, she began working as a federal grants programs director at the RI Department of Education, which led to a long career in grant and development work. She worked as a development director at CCRI, Penn State University and Roger Williams College before joining the Lexington Organizational Group as a senior consultant for several years. In 1992, she joined Bunker Hill Community College, rising to dean of the Office of Grants and Contracts, and in 1999, she joined Bristol Community College, from which she retired in 2005. She continued to learn, support causes, and serve on numerous boards and committees. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, two grandchildren, and a sister.

Kathryn Bevans Mullervy ’62 MAT, of Annapolis; Jul. 22. She began her career teaching English in Bristol (R.I.) and later worked as a writing tutor and adjunct faculty member at Anne Arundel and Howard Community colleges. In retirement, she served as a docent at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and volunteered at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. She is survived by a daughter, two sons and daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Bernie “Jay” R. Chavez ’90, of Palmetto, Fla.; Aug. 30. He was an investment banker for 35 years before retiring. He was generous and donated to various charities throughout his lifetime. He is survived by husband Thomas Sunshine, a stepdaughter, and a sister. 

George P. McCann II ’84, of Half Moon Bay, Calif.; Feb. 27. After graduation he explored the world and engaged in numerous opportunities before settling in Half Moon Bay, where he established Brown Dog Builders. He is survived by partner Natalie Hanson, three daughters, his mother, three sisters, and his former wife.

Jeff W. Lombardo ’84, of Lake Forest, Ill.; Aug. 12, after living with ALS for more than a decade. After graduating, he began a career in sales at Pepsi, where he remained for 21 years. After Pepsi, he continued working in the food service industry until being diagnosed. A sports enthusiast, he played all four years on the Brown men’s soccer team and served as team captain in his senior year.  He inspired, mentored, and was a leader among colleagues. He is survived by wife Elizabeth Lombardo, two daughters, and brothers John Lombardo ’76 and Michael Lombardo ’79.

Wanda “Carole” Cain ’84, of Spokane, Wash.; Sept. 18. She earned her PhD in anthropology from UNC Chapel Hill in 1995. She was an accomplished academic researcher in anthropology and conducted ethnographic work with Appalachian people. From 1989 to 1991, she studied societal norms around the mentally ill in Costa Rica and El Salvador and undertook an immersive assignment with an isolated island tribe in Panama where she worked without a shared language. She authored Wandering the Streets Without Direction and contributed to papers published in major medical and anthropological journals. From 1989 to 1992, she courageously battled cancer while conducting her fieldwork in Central America during her cancer treatment. She is survived by her father, Mack Cain. 

Peter Ruhlin ’83, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., formerly of Darien, Conn.; Jul. 27, of cancer. After graduating from Boston College Law School, he joined Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in New York City. In 1995, he became a partner at Linklaters & Paines and moved to Hong Kong to establish the Global U.S. Practice. He and his family returned to Darien in 1999 and he became chief legal officer and head of strategic initiatives at Steward Partners in New York City before moving to Hilton Head in 2013. He served on several boards and was a former member of Brown’s lacrosse and football teams. He is survived by wife Holly Ruhlin, four children including daughter Whitney Ruhlin Muldowney ’15, and a granddaughter. 

Joan Mary Auclair ’82, of Harwinton, Conn.; Jun. 28, after an extended illness. Her passion for art led her to a career in illustration and graphic design. She first moved to New York City, then settled back in her home state of Connecticut. She produced countless newsletters, brochures, posters, and signs—all with grammatical precision and clarity. Her business card asked, “Need help spelling hors d’oeuvres?” She always made little cartoon sketches of the people and cats around her, especially in the margins of important documents. An additional passion for cooking and baking, which she practiced on with her Brown roommates, inspired her to begin baking sourdough bread and open Orchard Hill Baking in Riverton, Conn. in April of 2020. She is survived by husband Richard Goulet, two children, her father, five grandchildren and two siblings.

Dr. Mari L. Alschuler ’80, of Boardman, Ohio; Sept. 20. She was a professor of social work at Youngstown State University and a clinician in private practice. She specialized in trans- and gender-affirming care, mindfulness-based therapies, poetry therapy, expressive arts, and journaling. She formerly served as director of the National Association of Social Workers, Ohio Region 4. She is survived by her beloved Rosalynda, three daughters, her father and stepmother, and two brothers. 

Michael Olson ’78, ’82 AM, of Berkeley, Calif; Apr. 18, of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Following graduation, he worked in marketing and product development for Liz Claiborne, which afforded him the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and Asia. In 1998, he returned to Rhode Island and attended Johnson & Wales. He moved to New Mexico in 2000 and was the manager of Prairie Star restaurant. In 2003, he moved to Deadwood, S.D. and became manager of the Deadwood Welcome Center until his passing.

Mark S. Filipowski ’78, of San Clemente, Calif.; Sept. 8, after a brief illness. He earned an MBA at Pepperdine University and spent more than 30 years working through the corporate ranks, retiring as CFO of Shank/Balfour Beatty. He is survived by companion Catherine Marshall, a sister, and four brothers. 

Jodie Appell ’78, of Hercules, Calif.; May 8, of colon cancer. After moving to California, she worked as a singer/songwriter and later as a poet. Her poetry won awards and she drew inspiration from a twice-a-month poetry circle. She recorded and performed frequently with guitarist Joe Belmont. She practiced Buddhism and treasured an autograph from Mickey Mantle that he sent her in response to her fan letter she had sent him at age 12. She is survived by a sister and two brothers.

Derricott M. Morrison ’74, of Lewistown, Pa.; Sept. 11, one day before his 73rd birthday. He spent many years working at Dayton Parts before joining the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund, where he served as a computer analyst until his retirement. He is survived by wife Stephanie Morrison, a son, and three grandchildren.      

Mark K. Metzger ’73, of Waltham, Mass.; Aug. 30. He worked as a news reporter covering central New Jersey for the Easton Express before moving to Chicago to work in business journalism for Crain’s Chicago Business, then was editor of The Collector. He briefly worked for Inc. magazine. In 1984, he moved to Boston and began corporate public relations work for Miller Communications. Through Follen Church, of which he was a member, he was involved with Saturday’s/Sunday’s Bread, a program for feeding the needy in Boston. He also performed in community theater and was an advocate for social-justice causes. For more than 25 years, he hosted a small-stakes poker game. He is survived by life partner Jane Spitz, daughter Margaret Metzger ’07 and her husband, a son and daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren.  

Leigh R. Abts ’73, ’82 PhD, of Phoenix, Md.; Jul. 26, of cancer. He was an entrepreneur and an academic. In addition to starting companies, he joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, College Park, where he became a leader in STEM education reform. He is survived by wife Lois Abts, two sons, a daughter-in-law, a grandson, and a brother. 

Spencer W. Davis ’70, of Exeter, N.H.; Jul. 26. He had a long career as an IT professional in the healthcare and insurance industries. He was the recipient of multiple organs donated by two families to enable him to live. He is survived by wife Jacki Rockel, a daughter, and a brother and sister-in-law.

Wesley P. Kozinn ’69, of Allentown, Pa.; Jul. 26. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completing a residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City and then a fellowship at Montefiore Hospital, he began his 40-year career in 1978 as the first infectious disease specialist at Easton Hospital. He is survived by wife Beth Kozinn, three children and their spouses, seven grandsons, and two siblings.

Glenn A. Rice ’68, ’74 PhD, of Fitzwilliam, N.H., formerly of Dudley, Mass.; Sept. 16. He spent his entire career as a professor of psychology at Nichols College in Dudley. He is survived by three children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. 

Roy G. Pedersen ’68, of Lambertville, N.J., formerly of New Hope, Pa.; Jul. 13. He received his master’s degree in psychology from the University of New Hampshire and went on to own and operate Berus Gallery and Pedersen Gallery in Lambertville for 35 years. The gallery specialized in New Hope impressionists and New Jersey Shore artists. He also authored Jersey Shore Impressionists:The Fascination of Sun and Sea 1880-1940. He is survived by wife Jennifer Pedersen, a son and daughter-in-law, and a sister.

David G. Santry ’67, of New York City; Jul. 18, of heart disease. Following graduation from Wharton School and two years in the U.S. Army, he began a career in finance as a journalist, becoming a Wall Street columnist for Businessweek. He left journalism to work as a research analyst and became director of research at The Boston Company. He later was a managing director of Oppenheimer Capital. Sports was instrumental in his life and he competed in 18 marathons in New York and Boston. He was involved with conservation of wildlife both in the U.S. and U.K. and served as a trustee of Game Conservancy USA. He was also a trustee of the Brown University Sports Foundation. He is survived by wife Suzanne Santry. 

Robert O’Day ’67, of Hingham, Mass.; Sept. 17. He was the assistant principal of Hingham High School, then principal of Plymouth South High School prior to retirement. He is survived by wife Susan, a son, stepdaughter, stepson and three grandchildren.

Robert Maddox ’66, of Reno, Nev.; Oct. 11. He graduated from Harvard Law School and practiced law for 54 years, starting in San Francisco, then he opened his practice in Lake Tahoe, and later in Reno and Las Vegas. He won the Nevada Justice Association for Trial Lawyer of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is survived by wife, Iryna, a daughter, a son, a grandson, and two sisters. 

Samuel O. Lane ’66, of Fernandina Beach, Fla.; Aug. 15. Sam served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, and South Korea. During his 27-year career in the USAF he was also stationed in Texas, Michigan, Delaware, California, Illinois, and Virginia. After retiring as a Colonel from the Pentagon, he lived in Arlington, Va., embarking on a second career in management consulting with EDS and MITRE Corp., traveling even further to assist companies with technology systems. He was a member of ROMEOs. (Retired Old Men Eating Out) and he and his buddies owned an airplane that they loved to jump in and go for what they called $100 hamburgers. He is survived by wife Leah Ward-Lee, a son, a stepson, two siblings and their spouse.

Bill Sproul ’65, ’68 ScM, ’77 PhD, of  Carlsbad, Calif.; Dec. 19, 2024, after an 8-year battle with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia. After receiving his master’s, he served four years in the Navy, completing four deployments, one of which was to Vietnam, and then returned to Brown to pursue his doctorate. His area of study was Reactive Sputter Deposition, and during his career he concentrated on research and ways to transfer that science to industrial applications. He became an expert in his field, teaching courses, being an adjunct professor at two universities, authoring/coauthoring more than 185 technical papers, and receiving 11 patents. He held many leadership positions in U.S. and international technical societies and was the recipient of many top awards in these organizations. To honor his accomplishments, in 2020, the Advance Surface Engineering Division of the American Vacuum Society named an award in his honor. He is survived by wife Peggy Clark Sproul ’67, a daughter and son-in-law, a son and daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren.  

Ronald Johnson ’65, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Apr. 20. After earning his PhD from Cornell University, he began working at Avco on projects including missile defense and desalination of sea water. He was offered a faculty position at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In addition to teaching and research in air quality, water resources, and energy, he walked, skied or bicycled to work every day for 21 years. He chaired the mechanical engineering department, directed the UAF Alaska Center for Energy and Power, and retired after 33 years. He served in advisory roles for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Aging at Home, and the Retired Public Employees Association and also participated in a weekly energy discussion group. While bicycling in 1997, he suffered a spinal cord injury, surviving it to become a role model and activist for sustainability and accessibility. He is survived by wife Carol Johnson, two daughters and sons-in-law, a grandson, and brother Larry Johnson ’69.

Rev. Anthony “Tony” J. Beck ’65, of Fishkill, N.Y.; Sept. 18. For most of his career he was a corporate finance executive before attending Wesley Theological Seminary to become a pastor at Christ Church United Methodist in Beacon, N.Y. He is survived by wife Susan, two sons, and three grandsons. 

Dr. Phyllis S. Romanoff Strauss ’64, of Newton, Mass.; Sept. 19. She was a professor of biochemistry at Northeastern University from 1973 to 2019, retiring with the title of Matthews Distinguished Professor. She was active in the administration and served on dozens of departmental and university-wide committees, as well as on the Faculty Senate. She is survived by husband Walter Strauss, two sons including Charles Strauss ’96, four grandchildren, a sister, and a brother. 

Richard G. Verney ’68, of Bennington, N.H.; Sept. 10. He was chairman and CEO of Monadnock Paper Mills and Monadnock Non-Wovens LLC of Pennsylvania, having devoted more than five decades to the company and shaping it into a leader in specialty and sustainable papermaking while remaining deeply committed to his employees, community, and the environment. In 1969 he began as a management trainee and succeeded his father as CEO in 1978. He led the company’s expansion into emerging markets and product lines while championing environmental responsibility, technical excellence, and long-term reinvestment. In 1998 he established Monadnock Non-Wovens in Mt. Pocono, Pa., to meet the growing demands in the healthcare, filtration, and consumer sectors. During his tenure, Monadnock earned numerous industry certifications and honors, including a Platinum EcoVadis Rating in 2024. Both companies remain privately held and family-owned. He gave generously of his time, leadership and resources to organizations that reflected his values serving on numerous boards. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to service and leadership, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2009 by the University of New Hampshire. He is survived by wife Dorothy, four children, including daughter Virginia Verney Lucarelli ’91, eight grandchildren, and two siblings.

Prescott W. May ’64, of Southbury, Conn.; Sept. 1. He earned his JD from the UConn School of Law and began his career as a patent attorney for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He returned to Connecticut to practice as a civil litigation attorney, serving the community for more than 50 years. He was a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for red sports cars. Combining his love of history, engineering and cars, he spent years in his garage after work completely restoring a 1961 Corvette to original factory specifications. He is survived by three children and four grandchildren. 

Elizabeth Campbell Magnuson ’63, of Portland, Me., formerly of Maplewood, N.J.; Aug. 10. She served as a director of religious education at three Episcopal churches in New Jersey and served in leadership roles in both her local and state chapters of the League of Women Voters in New Jersey. She was involved in local community and public affairs, including playing an organizing role in the Essex County charter change and serving on local and state government boards. She was instrumental in founding the North New Jersey chapter of Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and advocating for safe and inclusive schools for LGBTQ+ students. She is survived by two daughters including Katherine Magnuson ’95 and two granddaughters.

Michael Cardozo ’63, of White Plains, N.Y.; Jul. 23, after a short illness. He earned a JD from Columbia Law School in 1966, went on to clerk for Judge Edward C. McLean of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan and then joined Proskauer in 1967, where he became a partner in 1974. In 1984, he began representing the NBA and later Major League Soccer and the National Hockey League before becoming a public servant for the City of New York under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He was the NYC Bar Association president from 1996 to 1998. In 2001, Mayor-elect Bloomberg selected him as his Corporation Counsel, the lead attorney for the City of NY. He ultimately served for all 12 years of Bloomberg’s tenure, becoming the longest serving Corporation Counsel in NYC history. He retired from Proskauer in 2022 when NY Gov. Hochul appointed him to the New York State Ethics Commission. One of his proudest pro bono accomplishments involved helping Judith Clark, driver for the botched Brink’s truck heist in 1981, receive parole. He is survived by wife Nancy Cardozo, two daughters including Sheryl Cardozo ’92, and three grandchildren.

Dr. David F. Wood ’62, of Little Compton, R.I., formerly of Keene, N.H. and Cambridge, Mass.; Sept. 1. After completing Cornell Medical School in 1966, he served as a Peace Corps physician in South America from 1967 to 1969. In 1973, he joined the Keene Clinic and practiced medicine for 27 years. A highlight of his career was contributing to the creation of The Kingsbury Cancer Center (now The Dartmouth Cancer Center at Kingsbury Pavilion). He moved to Cambridge in 2012 and was active with the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement. Combining his passion for cycling and charitable nature, he fundraised for the American Lung Association through a cross-country cycling trip from Seattle to Washington, D.C. in 2000. He is survived by wife Carolyn Wood, three children including son John D. Wood ’99, and four grandchildren.

Margery Goddard Whiteman ’62, of Albany, N.Y.; May 28, from cancer. She was director of development at Emma Willard School until 1991, director of advancement services at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute until 2001, and from 2011 to 2015 she commuted to New York City to work as director of development of Riverside Church. Throughout the years, she worked as a consultant to progressive schools and arts organizations. She sang with Albany Pro Musica and was honored with the Karen R. Hitchcock Award as an individual impacting and advancing the choral arts in upstate New York. She is survived by husband Michael Whiteman, son Stephen Whiteman ’97, two daughters including Eliza Whiteman Kinsey ’07, six grandchildren, and a brother and sister-in-law. 

Allen L. Thomas ’62, of Frederick, Md.; Aug. 7. He worked at the National Security Council in Washington, D.C. before dedicating most of his career to banking. He is survived by wife Jane Wehr, three children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a sister. 

Sally Robbins Bilder ’62, of Madison, Wisc.; Aug. 13. She worked in the Department of the Treasury and with the Head Start Program. She obtained her master’s in public policy and administration and held the role of associate director of UW PROFS. She volunteered with Wisconsin Public Radio and the Wisconsin Educational Communication Board. She earned an additional master’s degree in arts education and her paintings were displayed in shows and published in local calendars. She is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren. 

Susan C. Tollefson Wilson ’61, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Warwick, R.I.; Aug. 27, from complications of dementia. In addition to being a homemaker, she became a certified gemologist through the GIA program in New York City. She is survived by husband David Wilson ’58, daughter Nancy Wilson Naslas ’86 and her husband, a son and daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren. 

James C. Vary ’61, of Wheaton, Ill.; Aug. 12, of lung cancer. He earned a master’s and PhD in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin. A position as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago followed. He remained at the University of Illinois throughout his career, becoming a full professor conducting basic science research on the biochemistry of spore formation in bacteria and teaching biochemistry. He was the recipient of several Professor of the Year and Distinguished Teacher of the Year awards. In retirement he volunteered at Northwestern Medicine’s Central DuPage Hospital and was head of the workshop at Wyndemere, where he worked with the DuPage Woodworkers to make wooden toy race cars for under-resourced/ill children in the area. He is survived by wife Pat Vary, eight children and their spouses, 18 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Grace C. Smith ’61, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Jun. 8. She worked on Wall Street before  pivoting her career to computing, which afforded her a long career in technology with Chubb Insurance, Pershing LLC, Midlantic Bank, and Metropolitan Life. She is survived by her grandchildren.

N. Stirling Johnson ’61, of Rockport, Mass.; Mar. 27, 2025. After Brown, where he played hockey and was a member of Sigma Nu, he joined the U.S. Navy and served four years as a ship’s navigator. Following his service, he began a career in sales with Owens Corning Fiberglass and helped develop the Middle Eastern market. He later worked as a marketing manager in the global division of Federal Mogul in Southfield, Mich., and retired from Lexalite in 1993. He is survived by four children and four grandchildren.  

John P. Turtle ’60, of Auburndale, Mass.; Jul. 18. In 1962, he spent a year working in the Antarctic for the Arctic Institute of North America studying the Aurora Australis. Following that, he worked with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory for 43 years continuing his research on upper atmospheric physics. In collaboration with the Air Force and innovators, he managed the development of antenna systems. He is survived by wife Anne Turtle, two daughters and sons-in-law, two stepsons and daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and a sister and brother.

Rev. Donald W. Poole Jr. ’60, of Rye, N.Y.; Aug. 30, one day after his 87th birthday. He pursued theological training at Union Theological Seminary (N.Y.) and studied at the Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. Much of his professional life was spent at Rye Presbyterian Church, where he served as associate pastor and interim pastor. He is survived by two sons and four grandchildren.   

Francis “Frank” Flanagan ’60, of Tehachapi, Calif.; Jul. 2, from Parkinson’s. After Brown, he attended the naval officer candidate school (R.I.) and served in the reserves until 1966, at which time he earned an MBA from Boston University. He joined ARCO and achieved a 30-year career with the company, living in several states before settling in California. He is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and two brothers. 

Bowen H. Tucker ’59, of Arlington Heights, Ill.; Aug. 16. He earned his JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 1962 and began his legal career at Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP in Providence, R.I. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1963 to 1965. In 1966, he joined Caterpillar in Peoria, Ill. In 1972, he and his family moved to Arlington Heights, where he worked at FMC Corporation in Chicago as associate general counsel for litigation until his retirement in 2000. He served as chairman of the Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc. from 1981 until 2000, shaping best practices and providing guidance for industry professionals nationwide. He is survived by wife Jan Tucker, son Stefan Tucker ’85, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, and a brother and sister-in-law, Betty Boole ’59.

Wayne A. Stork ’59, of Tallahassee, Fla.; Aug. 2. He began his career in finance as a security analyst in 1962 and worked to become chairman and CEO of Delaware Management Holdings Inc. and chief investment officer of Delaware Investment Advisers. He is survived by his spouse Andrew A. Hartnagle.

Hays H. Rockwell ’58, of West Kingston, R.I., formerly of St. Louis, Mo. and New York City; Aug. 2. He was the former Episcopal Bishop of Missouri and rector of St. James Church in New York City. He graduated from Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge and was ordained a deacon in 1961 and a priest in 1962. He then was chaplain at St. George’s School (R.I.) prior to a position as chaplain at the University of Rochester. In 1971, he was appointed dean at Bexley Hall Theological Seminary, where he served until 1976. Afterwards, he was named rector of St. James Church, where he worked with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri in 1992, where he served for a decade before retiring. He supported the inclusion of women and gay people in the Episcopal clergy. He is survived by wife Linda Rockwell, four children and their spouses, including daughter Martha Rockwell Swindler ’92, eight grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and a brother. 

Joel D. Katz ’58, of Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Aug. 14. Along with his brother-in-law, he ran the Sidney Goldstein Corp., a plumbing and heating manufacturers’ representative firm, which later became J-L Sales Company. He is survived by his longtime companion Joyce Shufro and six children. 

Wallace Crowell ’58, of Standish, Me.; Sept. 2. He worked at Union Mutual life insurance company until his retirement in 1995. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and he was accepted into the American MENSA Society in 1979. He is survived by wife Lissa Crowell, four children, eight grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.     

Barbara Burgess ’58, of Johns Island, S.C., formerly of Boston; Jul. 20, of pulmonary fibrosis. After Brown, she moved to Boston to join John Hancock Insurance, where she remained for 16 years in the human resources department, the government relations department, and as a Hancock lobbyist in the Massachusetts legislature. Later, she attended Suffolk Law School and rose to the position of vice president and director of the Washington Representative Office, splitting her time between the Boston and Washington, D.C. offices. She retired in 2001. She was active in the Charleston arts scene and served on several boards, and she taught advocacy law at the University of South Carolina Law School.  She wrote for Seabrooker magazine, as well as Tidelines, the Seabrook Island blog, and she volunteered for the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic. But she was most proud of being a cofounder of Seabrook Island Village, a nonprofit providing services to help aging community members live independently. She is survived by two stepchildren, two step-grandchildren, and a niece.

Sr. Adele Adams ’58, ’62 AM, of Duxbury, Mass.; Jan. 30, 2025. She entered the Society of St. Margaret in 1978, making her vows in 1982. Over the years as a Sister of St. Margaret, she served in many capacities in locations that included Boston, New Hartford, N.Y., Philadelphia, Montreal, New York, and finally Duxbury. She had been a schoolteacher before entering the community and continued her work with children, but additionally she participated in mission work, running retreat centers, maintaining relationships with Associates of SSM, and was an organist, among other responsibilities. She is survived by her St. Margaret sisters.  

Richard C. Barker ’57, of San Francisco; May 4. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as a flight navigator. In 1961, having moved to reserve military service, he began a career in finance. He held early roles at Hartford National Bank, Putnam, Coffin & Burr, and Connecticut General. After a year with Creative Capital Corporation in California, he joined S&P InterCapital in New York. In 1971, he returned to California, where he spent the remainder of his career at the Capital Group Companies, retiring in 2005 as vice chairman and director of Capital Group International, Inc., as well as chairman of Capital International Ltd. and the Guardian Trust Company. He served multiple terms on Brown University’s Corporation Board of Trustees (1994–1999, 2000–2006, and 2009–2011), having also contributed to several key committees, and later served on the Emeriti Executive Committee. He was also involved in the Sports Foundation and financial aid. In recognition of his commitment to the University, he received the Elwood “Woody” Leonard Jr. ’51 Distinguished Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to fundraising at Brown and was additionally  awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Brown in 2009. In addition to his many contributions to Brown, he also served in various leadership roles with the San Francisco Ballet Board of Trustees, the California Film Institute, and the Naval War College Foundation. He is survived by three daughters, including Jessica Barker ’03 and Rebecca Barker Bridges ’05; and three grandchildren. 

George W. Cowles ’57, of Foster City, Calif.; Aug. 12, one week short of his 91st birthday. He served in the Army from 1957 to 1959 and began his career as a pension administrator with Banker’s Trust in Manhattan in 1960. During his 37-year career, he held titles that included managing director of the Legal, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Division of the Retirement Services Group. He also served professional associations in various capacities, including the Association of Private Pension and Welfare Plans, the Profit Sharing Council of America, the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Council, and the Pension Research Council of the Wharton School. He is survived by three daughters including Elizabeth “Libby” Cowles ’90, a son-in-law, four grandsons, a great-granddaughter, and a sister. 

Bonnie Eckenbeck Cobb ’56, of Dallas; Aug. 4. She is survived by three children and their spouses and eight grandchildren.

Leonard Whistler II ’55, of Potomac, Md.; Jul. 21. He earned a master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University and fulfilled his ROTC requirement in the U.S. Navy, where his international service career began. He started his lifelong career as an intelligence officer with the U.S. government and for more than 40 years his work took him all over the world on assignments. He also served in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971. He is survived by three children and two grandchildren. 

Barbara Schoen Silverman ’55, of Syracuse, N.Y.; Mar. 11, 2025. After earning her master’s degree in education from Syracuse University, she taught English at Cazenovia Junior High School for 20 years. She is survived by a daughter.

George “Don” Newman ’55, of Charlestown, Mass.; Jul 15. After Brown, he began working at Zurbach Steel and continued to have a career in the steel industry. At the time of his passing, he was selling steel as a manufacturer’s representative for TPC Metals Inc. and Lyons Slitting. He is survived by a brother and sister-in-law. 

Fred Geer ’55, of Hancock, N.H.; Jul. 17. After Brown, he was commissioned a Navy ensign and attended flight school, earning his naval aviator wings in 1957. In 1959, he moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in commercial real estate and continued flying in the Navy Reserves, rising to the rank of commander. He began flying commercially with Eastern Airlines in 1967, while continuing to work in real estate. After retiring from Eastern Airlines, he and his family settled in Hancock in 1989, and he worked as a residential real estate broker with The Petersons. He taught skiing at Pat’s Peak in his 60s and 70s before retiring in 2020. He is survived by wife Donna Kahl Geer ’71, and four sons.

Diana “Dede” Kane Cohen ’55, of East Greenwich, R.I.; May 28.  She was a homemaker, gardener, and world traveler. She is survived by four children, nine grandchildren, and three stepchildren.

Fred “Ted” H. Barrows III ’55, of Southern Pines, N.C., formerly of Bristol, R.I.; Sept. 1. As an ROTC student, he served in the U.S. Navy stationed in the Mediterranean during the Suez Crisis. After his military service, he managed Wells Inc., an American jewelry manufacturer based in Attleboro, Mass. He is survived by wife Jacqueline Barrows, four children including son Fred H. Barrows IV ’80, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.  

Jane O’Hara Page ’54, of Needham, Mass.; Oct. 1. She was a third grade teacher for a few years before marrying and raising a family. She was a volunteer reader at Boston Children’s Hospital, a Life Master contract bridge player, and world traveler, having visited all seven continents. She is survived by husband Richard Page, three daughters, two sons-in-law, a son, daughter-in-law Maura Murphy ’82, and four grandchildren. 

Robert McCue ’54,of Oconomowoc, Wisc.; Jul. 28. He had been a gifted athlete, playing basketball, football for Brown, and baseball that led to  scouting by the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers. Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, he started his own business, Wallboard Inc., and remained an entrepreneur. He is survived by wife Janet McCue, five children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. 

Francis B. Sargent Jr. ’52, of Providence, R.I. and Hatepe, New Zealand; Jun. 17. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he started a business as a financial advisor. His passion for fishing brought him to several places, including Maine, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and ultimately New Zealand, where he purchased a cabin.   

Esta Strong Kornstein ’52, of Richmond, Va., formerly of Woonsocket, R.I.; Oct. 5. She worked as a regional manager for Aflac for many years. She was a talented artist and patron of the performing arts. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, including daughter Susan G. Kornstein ’80, ’83 MD and son Howard S. Kornstein ’89, ’93 MD, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.   

Arnold A. Galpern ’52, of Highland Park, N.J.; Sept. 24. He worked for Revlon, Inc. for more than 30 years. He is survived by wife Lois Galpern, two sons and daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. 

William J. Tomalonis Jr. ’51, of Plano, Tex.; Aug. 17. Shortly after graduating, he entered the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War, obtaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade. Upon discharge, he worked at Brown & Root, where he rose to the position of vice president. In 1988, he was honored by the Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry for his outstanding leadership. In later years, he founded the ROMEOs (Real Old Men Eating Out) fellowship of friends enjoying shared meals, laughter, and good company. He is survived by three sons and two granddaughters. 

Kenneth E. Liffmann ’51, of Cranston, R.I.; Aug. 17. After completion of studies at Tufts Medical School, he began his medical practice serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force in Maine. After his military service, he returned to Rhode Island and practiced surgery at Rhode Island Hospital for 40 years. He was a former member of the board of directors of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. He is survived by wife Deena Brodsky Liffmann ’56, three children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

William “Bill” Emerson ’51, of West Lebanon, N.H.; Aug. 19. As an ROTC student, he was assigned to North Korea and was an assistant navigator in the U.S. Navy. Upon honorable discharge, he worked at Union Carbide for 37 years before retiring. For more than 35 years he played piano at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He is survived by wife Connie Emerson and five children and their spouses.