1930s
Donald B. Hawkins ’38, of Orange Beach, Ala., formerly of Camden, Me.; Sept. 26. He was a retired vascular surgeon. He had a private surgical practice in Camden from 1952 to 1970. From 1970 to 1983 he was a staff surgeon at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Togus, Me. He was the author of several articles published in surgical journals and a member of the American Medical Assoc., the Knox County Medical Assoc., the Maine Vascular Society, and the New York Academy of Science. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed sailing and woodworking. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia; two stepchildren; two nephews; and several grand- and great-grandchildren.
Harold J. Rosenberg ’39, of Newton, Mass., and Palm Beach, Fla.; Nov. 20, after a brief illness. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and worked on the Manhattan Project before being honorably discharged. In 1945, he founded Rosecrest, a manufacturer of women’s clothing in Boston. He later founded New England Mackintosh in Brockton, Mass., manufacturing women’s pant coats. He retired in 1987. He enjoyed traveling. He is survived by his partner, Estelle Lesburg; a daughter; a sister-in-law; a niece; a nephew; and a brother.
1940s
Samuel M. Gourse ’40, of Pawtucket, R.I.; Oct. 15. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, he operated his family’s clothing business, The Hub, S. Gourse & Sons, in Fall River, Mass. He later worked at Paramount Line Inc. in Pawtucket as a personnel manager. He enjoyed drawing cartoons and taking photographs. He is survived by his wife, Bernice Markoff Gourse ’41; two daughters, including Judith Gourse Hoffman ’76; three sons, including Richard ’71, ’80 PhD; daughter-in-law Wilma Ross ’69; six grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; eight nieces and nephews; a sister, Natalie Gourse Prokesch ’44; and a sister-in-law, Gloria Markoff Winston ’48.
Alice Kutz Oster ’40, of Pawtucket, R.I.; Nov. 2. She taught for many years in the Providence school system. She was an advocate for children and adults with autism and was involved with the creation of legislation and programs for autistic children and adults. She is survived by two daughters; a son; seven grandchildren, including Laura Mullen ’96; and a great-grandson.
Andrew V. Santangini ’40, of Montgomery, Ala.; Jun. 3. He was a financial planner at First Alabama in Montgomery later retired from Franklin Securities Corp. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He received many awards and citations for his service. He was vice-chairman of the Montgomery County GOP and wrote their Statement of Principles that helped guide candidates. He is survived by two sons, two granddaughters, and two great-grandsons.
Walter B. Clarkson ’42, of Evanston, Ill.; Apr. 10. He was retired from his Clarkson Co. manufacturers representative agency. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by two daughters, two sons, a foster daughter, and two grandchildren.
Hinda Pritsker Semonoff ’42, of Providence; Nov. 20. She was a homemaker and volunteer. She was active in leadership volunteer positions in the National Council of Jewish Women, Jewish Family Services, the Jewish Federation, the League of Women Voters, Meals on Wheels, and the Miriam Hospital Women’s Assoc., and was a lifetime member of Temple Emanuel. After many years as a volunteer at Miriam, she was employed as director of volunteers. She was active in alumnae affairs and served as marshal at her 50th Pembroke reunion. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She is survived by three daughters, including Susan Semonoff Sagar ’68 and Judith Semonoff Flam ’74; two sons-in-law, including Stephen Sagar ’68; seven grandchildren, including Ezra Flam ’05; a great-granddaughter; a sister, Rena Button ’46; and several nieces and nephews, including Joshua Posner ’71, Bruce Posner ’73 and David Posner ’76.
Lanford Barrows ’43, of Cincinnati; Jul. 28, of brain cancer. He was a retired agent for New York Life Insurance Co., where he achieved membership in the Million Dollar Round Table. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Forces and a member of the Cincinnati Country Club, the University Club of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Tennis Club, and Lambda Chi Alpha. He enjoyed tennis, golf, squash, bridge, chess, sailing, and singing in the annual Follies at the Cincinnati Country Club. He is survived by a son and two stepchildren.
Bertha Cooney Garrett ’43, of Stevensville, Md.; Nov. 25. She was a homemaker and the last of four couples who were the developers of Queen Anne Colony residential community in Stevensville, Md. She is survived by six children and six grandchildren.
Frederick Irving ’43, of Amherst, Mass.; Nov. 13. He was a World War II POW and retired U.S. diplomat. After his plane was shot down while he was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps, he was interned as a POW in Stalag Luft III. He received the Purple Heart and several other military honors for bravery. He entered government service in 1946 as an economist in the Bureau of the Budget, where he participated in setting up the Marshall Plan. After joining the Bureau of European Affairs in the U.S. Department of State in 1951, in 1952 he was posted to Vienna as Deputy Director of Administration. From 1954 to 1956 he served as Deputy Executive Director for German-Austrian Affairs; in 1959 as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Economic affairs; from 1962 to 1964 as Executive Director of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; and from 1965 to 1967 as Executive Director of the Bureau of European Affairs. In 1972 he was appointed the ambassador to Iceland, where he was credited with successfully negotiating the retention of the NATO strategic naval base there. He served a year as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, International Environment, and Scientific Affairs prior to becoming ambassador to Jamaica in 1977. Upon retiring from the U.S. State Department, he joined the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He often talked to school groups and civic organizations about his experience as a POW and his efforts in the U.S. Foreign Service. He wrote Mr. President, Do You Think I Have Rocks in My Head? and had been interviewed by several prominent newspapers. He also served as chairman of the U.S. delegations to international, cultural, and scientific conferences, including the UNESCO Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies in Europe in 1972 and the International Committee of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology. For several years he was a member of the Interagency Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service and a member of the Board of Professional Development of the Foreign Service. From 1995 to 1996 he was president of the Foreign Affairs Retirees Association of New England. He was the recipient of the state departmnt’s Superior Honor Award in 1965 for his role in formulating an effective U.S. government international, educational, and cultural exchange program.He received the President’s Management Improvement Citation in 1970 for his leadership and participation in a management reform program for the state department and then the Agency for International Development Citation in 1977 for helping translate industry, government, and academic achievements in technology into practical applications in developing nations. At Brown he was a member of the fencing team. He is survived by two daughters; son, Richard ’74; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
John Lomartire ’43, of Westport, Conn., formerly of Decatur, Ala.; Oct. 31. While serving in the military he worked on a project to manufacture synthetic rubber for a year and for the remainder of World War II was a radar instructor in the U.S. Navy. After the war he spent several years as an applied chemist in the textile industry. He was an original member of Chemstrand, a maker of synthetic fiber in Alabama and Florida. It later became the Monsanto Co. After serving in several positions throughout the company, he was the head of fabric safety for the textiles division. He worked with government agencies researching and mandating safety standards, particularly for children’s clothing. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, was active in Westport civic issues, and enjoyed stock market forecasting. He is survived by a daughter; two sons, including Jonathan ’74; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
George C. Arnold III ’45, of East Greenwich, R.I.; Oct. 21. He was a retired findings factory manager at B.A. Ballou Co. in East Providence. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and a member of the Mayflower Society, the Quonset Davisville Navy Yacht Club, and the East Greenwich Veteran Fireman’s Club. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, big band music and singing in the choir at St. Stephen’s Church in Providence. He is survived by four sons, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Libero N. Cimini ’45, of Peabody, Mass.; Nov. 21. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he began a career with the General Electric Co. in Pittsfield, Mass., and eventually transferred to the jet engine and propulsion division in Lynn, Mass., where he spent the remainder of his career. He enjoyed spending time with his family, traveling, and listening to classical music. He is survived by his wife, Carol; two daughters; a son; a son-in-law; and three grandchildren.
Frederick L. Cuff ’45, of Charlottesville, Va., formerly of New Haven, Conn.; Nov. 24. He was a career engineer at United Technologies Pratt & Whitney. He worked on the fuel cell technology that powered early space exploration, including the Apollo mission, and retired in 1987 as manufacturing manager. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. He was an avid sailor and enjoyed music. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren.
Barbara Cotter Morrison ’45, ’56 PhD, of New Providence, N.J.; Nov. 10. She was employed as a research assistant at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute before transferring to the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in Washington, D.C., where she continued to work in the field of underwater explosions. After receiving her PhD, she was an instructor at Fairleigh Dickinson Univ., a professor of mathematics at the College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey, and later a visiting fellow in the Department of Statistics at Princeton. She wrote articles published in scientific journals. Phi Beta Kappa. She enjoyed traveling and playing tennis, golf, and bridge. She is survived by two sisters, including Helen O’Neil ’45; a brother; and several nieces and nephews.
Edmund T. Peckham ’45, of Tempe, Ariz.; Nov. 1, after a brief illness. He taught history and served as an administrator at Rice Univ. and the Univ. of the Pacific. From 1967 to 1991 he was dean of students and vice president for student affairs at California State Univ., Northridge, where he retired in 1991 as Emeritus Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a daughter; two sons; grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Walter L. Giordano ’46, of West Orange, N.J.; Oct. 20. He worked at Western Electric in Kearny, N.J, then for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1950 to 1988, retiring as chief engineer. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Anna; a daughter; a son; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
J. Roger Dupont ’47, of West Warwick, R.I.: Dec. 6. He joined Affiliated FM Insurance Co., now known as FM Global Insurance, as a fire protection engineer. He later became engineer in charge of the New York City office, where he served for 10 years. He was reassigned as an account executive responsible for sales and servicing accounts while living inConnecticut and New Jersey for 25 years. Following retirement from Allendale Insurance in 1983, he was self-employed as an engineering consultant for 10 years. An avid fisherman, he obtained a captain’s license and provided fishing charters in local and offshore waters. He also earned his private pilot’s license and flew for recreation. He was a member of the National Fire Protection Assoc., the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assoc., and the Rhody Fly Rodders Fishing Club. He is survived by his wife, Esther; a daughter; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Paul A. Lucey ’47, of Orono, Me., formerly of San Francisco; Oct. 13, after a stroke. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and received his wings and commission in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Corsair fighter pilot. He was called again to duty during the Korean War. He remained in the Reserves and served as a commanding officer. He retired from the marines in 1974 with the rank of colonel. He then taught at Lowell High School in San Francisco and served as teacher and assistant principal for 30 years. After retiring, he volunteered for 24 years as executive director of the Lowell Alumni Assoc. After moving to Maine, he became active in Meals on Wheels, the Korean War Veterans Assoc., the U.S. Marine Corps League, and the Orono Old Town Kiwanis. He took classes and joined a writing group at the Orono library. He enjoyed watching baseball and playing golf. He is survived by daughter Gloria Lucey Vollmers ’73, son Paul G. Lucey ’79, three grandchildren, and a sister.
Lester H. Fox ’48, of Plantsville, Conn.; Nov. 14. After graduation he took a job as a broadcaster at a local Providence radio station. In 1950, after marrying and moving to Meriden, Conn., he became a local radio personality on WMMW. He later was the creative director at WELI in New Haven, Conn. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He enjoyed good food and travel. He is survived by a daughter, a son, a daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
John T. Nowell ’48, of Rehoboth, Mass.; Nov. 7. He was an engineer and land surveyor. He worked at the architectural and engineering firm of Robert Haig Associates in East Providence. He was corporator and later a trustee for the former Citizen’s Union Bank, now BayCoast Bank. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. He was an avid hiker and was a trail guide for the Appalachian Mountain Club for many years, having climbed four peaks of the Presidential Range and 64 of New England’s peaks. He also had his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying, in addition to sailing and cross-country skiing. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; a daughter and her wife; three sons; and four grandchildren.
Ronald W. Campbell ’49, of Duxbury, Mass.; Oct. 22. He was an engineer and had been employed with Hancock Industries (Mich.), Tecumseh Motors (Mich.), and Westinghouse Electric in both Pittsburgh and Dedham, Mass. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, past president of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, and chairman of the board of directors for Lars Andersen Museum and Duxbury Senior Center. He enjoyed his antique cars. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; five daughters; two sons; one daughter-in-law; two sons-in-law; five grandchildren; a sister, and two nephews.
A. Bernard Frechtman ’49, of Indianapolis, formerly of Armonk, N.Y.; Nov. 4, after a brief illness. He was a retired attorney. He had maintained a legal practice in both New York and Indianapolis, focusing on personnel, employment, equal opportunity, and franchising law. He consulted with more than 20 states as a draftsman for their employment agency laws and served as a member of the original White House Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity. He was active on the civil rights and antidiscrimination committees of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. From 1960 to 1966 he was president and trustee of the Valley Stream (N.Y.) Board of Education. He was a member of the New York State Labor Commissioner’s Ad Hoc Committee on Employment Agency Law and served as general counsel to the Assoc. of Personnel Consultants of New York State. He lectured throughout the United States and wrote several publications related to equal employment law practices, including Employment Agency Law: A Guide for the Personnel Professional. In 1994 he was inducted into the National Association of Personnel Services Hall of Fame. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He is survived by his wife, Merle; a daughter; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
John S. Leonard ’49, of Warwick, R.I.; May 26, after a long illness. He held various positions in local manufacturing over the course of his career. He enjoyed playing piano in local orchestras and entertaining in area nursing homes. He is survived by his wife, Edith; two daughters; two sons-in-law; eight grandchildren; a brother; and two sisters-in-law.
Ruth Anderson Turney ’49, of Lawrence, Kans., formerly of Bethel, Conn.; Oct. 9. She was employed by the Ferguson Library in Stamford, Conn., as a cataloger of music and foreign language materials. She was active in the Episcopal church in both Connecticut and Kansas, serving on several committees and on the executive council of the Diocese of Connecticut. She retired to Lawrence in 1994, revitalized the library of Trinity Episcopal Church, and was a volunteer librarian at the Douglas County Jail. She enjoyed art, music, and traveling with her husband on military history tours in Europe and the United States. She is survived by her husband, Austin, and a son.
1950s
Oscar P. Binder ’50, of Alstead, N.H., formerly of Farmingdale, N.Y.; July 7. He was dean and taught art at Francis Lewis High School in Queens, N.Y. His own art was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and he continued his artwork well into his 90s. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He is survived by a sister and nieces and nephews.
Alice Ruyter Drummond ’50, of Bronx, N.Y.; Nov. 30, from complications of a fall. She appeared on Broadway regularly in the 1960s and 1970s and was nominated for a Tony for her work in the Broadway show The Chinese and Dr. Fish in 1970. Her big break as an actress came when she appeared on the soap opera Dark Shadows in 1967. She later appeared on Where the Heart Is and As the World Turns. Over the course of her career she had guest appearances on sitcoms and dramas. Her first role in a feature film was a brief appearance in the 1970 Carl Reiner comedy, Where’s Poppa? She later appeared in several other films, including Ghostbusters, Awakenings, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Doubt, Furry Vengeance, and To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. At Brown she was a regular in Sock and Buskin performances. After graduating, she acted with a Wickford, R.I., summer stock company prior to moving to New York City. Phi Beta Kappa.
Thomas F. Quinn III ’50, of Villanova, Pa.; Jan. 24, 2016. A former employee of Triangle Conduit & Cable Co. in New Brunswick, N.J., he retired as vice president of national sales for C.C. Korns Co. in Johnstown, Pa. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy and was called again to service during the Korean War. He boxed in the old Madison Square Garden and was a middleweight boxing champion of the South Pacific fleet while in the navy. He had enjoyed coaching his children’s sporting teams. He was a member of Delta Upsilon. He is survived by his wife, Joan; five daughters; two sons; five sons-in-law; two daughters-in-law; and 20 grandchildren.
Eleanor Keily Uricchio ’50 of Valley Forge, Pa.; Oct. 26. She taught for a short time at Fox Point School in Providence before starting a family. She was involved with Brown, serving as a class president and reunion chairman. She is survived by a daughter, two sons, a daughter-in-law, five grandchildren, and a sister, Ruth Dugas ’45.
Carol Morse Spawn ’50, of Towson, Md., formerly of Philadelphia; Oct. 13, from complications of congestive heart failure. She began her career as a librarian in the rare books department of the Free Library of Philadelphia in 1957. After raising her children, she returned to the work force as archivist and head librarian at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. She was also president of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries and was an active member of the board of Friends Select School. She retired from the Academy in 1993. She enjoyed reading mysteries. She is survived by two sons, two grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
Dorothy Callander Treney ’50, of Basking Ridge, N.J.; Nov. 5. After graduation she worked at the American Embassy in Paris. She was later a French teacher at New Providence High School and then at Watchung Hills Regional High School, both in New Jersey. She enjoyed playing bridge and traveling. She is survived by three sons, three daughters-in-law, four grandchildren, and a brother.
Raymond W. Bergeron ’51, of Duxbury, Mass.; Nov. 13. He was a retired civil engineer. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He is survived by his wife, Sue; five children and their spouses; 13 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Joy Shuler Harbeson ’51, of Philadelphia; Oct. 24. She worked for many years at Citizens for Global Solutions, formerly known as the World Federalists Assoc., and with the American Friends Service Committee. In 2007 she received an award for her work as a peacemaker from the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement. She is survived by a daughter, two sons, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Edward V. Killeen ’51 of Stuart, Fla.; Dec. 5. He worked in advertising in New York City for a short time before founding Temple Yachts, a yacht-building business in Florida. Because of his considerable sailing skills, he was enlisted as skipper by William F. Buckley of the yacht Cyrano and sailed her to Bermuda and the Caribbean. Later he owned and operated a series of his own sailing charter yachts in the Virgin Islands and was president of Caribbean Enterprises Inc. Once on shore again, he started a printing business, Central Press Inc., in Hialeah, Fla. He continued to teach sailing at the Farragut Academy in Stuart. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is survived by eight children, nine grandchildren, and two sisters.
Irving K. Taylor ’51, of North Kingstown, R.I.; Oct. 17. He was involved with historic preservation and land conservation. He was employed over the years at Harkness & Geddes in Providence and the Urban Design Group in Newport, R.I. He worked as a campus architect at URI from 1987 until his retirement in 2005. He was a two-time president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and a member of the Assoc. of University Architects. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Army. He enjoyed gardening, playing golf, and music, and for many years he hosted an early morning jazz program on WRIU. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte; two daughters; four stepchildren; 16 grandchildren; and a sister.
Phyllis Van Horn Tillinghast ’51, of Redding, Conn.; Sept. 30. Between 1958 and 1972 she served as an advertising sales executive with such magazines as Cosmopolitan, Saturday Review, and Travel + Leisure. She was active in professional organizations and served as travel and lecture manager of Friends of the Middle East Inc. She was an active Brown volunteer, holding positions as vice president and director of the Brown Club of New York, class president, trustee emerita, and the first female president of the Alumni Assoc. In 1987 she was the recipient of the Brown Bear Award. She enjoyed traveling and birding. She is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, and three nieces, including Susan Van Horn Fisher ’82 and Phyllis Van Horn ’85.
Davies W. Bisset Jr. ’52, of Narragansett, R.I., and Naples, Fla.; Oct. 19, after a short illness. After graduation he served two years in the Korean War before joining Amica Mutual Insurance Co. He rose through the ranks during his 43-year career at Amica and retired as senior vice president of underwriting. He was a lifelong member of Calvin Presbyterian Church in Cumberland, R.I., where he served in several roles, including deacon and a member of the Session and of the finance committee. He was a volunteer for the BAA and the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame and was a former president of the Brown Club of Rhode Island. He was also involved with many charitable, professional, and community organizations, including the Pawtucket Boys Club, Memorial Hospital, and the Society of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters. He enjoyed playing golf and was a member of Point Judith Country Club as well as a founding member of the Dunes Club, both in Narragansett. He was a former member of the Turks Head Club and Pawtucket Country Club. He enjoyed traveling and playing golf, particularly at St. Andrews and Muirfield, where he celebratied his 80th birthday with his sons. He is survived by his wife, Agnes; five children, including Davies III ’85, Andrew ’86, and Elizabeth Bisset Hoy ’88; son-in-law John Hoy ’93; 11 grandchildren; a sister; a niece; and a nephew.
Donald W. Burlingame ’52, of Lady Lake, Fla.; Jul. 4. He had a successful career as an advertising and marketing executive. He began his career in advertising management with Breck in Boston. He later went to Revlon in New York City and eventually became the international marketing director for Warner Lambert in New Jersey. After marrying and while living in New Jersey, he bought and restored a stone castle, which, he believed, turned out to be haunted. He then developed property in Costa Rica before moving to Newport, R.I., and eventually to Florida. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Phi Beta Kappa. He remained close to Brown classmates. He is survived by his wife, Carol; a son; and many friends.
F. Stanley Phillips ’52, of Southport, Conn.; Nov. 12. He was employed by McLean Trucking Co. in Farmington for 13 years before changing careers to records management consulting and founding his own company, Phillips Consulting Inc. in 1979. His company served clients worldwide. He was a member of the Assoc. of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) and helped to form four chapters in Connecticut. For 20 years he conducted seminars for the American Management Assoc. and ARMA throughout the United States. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Masonic Orders Sphinx Temple, the Frederick-Franklin Lodge, and the Fidelity-St. Johns Lodge. He was also a member of the Farmington Congregational Church, where he taught Sunday school for three years. He enjoyed sports, especially skiing with his daughter. He also liked baseball and sailing. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and a daughter.
John A. Lawlor ’52, of North Dartmouth, Mass.; Oct. 17, following declining health related to dementia. He was an electrical engineer for New England Telephone Co. in Boston and later worked for two years at their Bell Labs in New Jersey. In 1968 he began working for ITT in New York City. He left ITT in 1975 and, after moving to Massachusetts, became an independent engineer, which allowed him to travel the world. After retiring in 1999, he continued to travel widely. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and watching the Boston Red Sox. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Institute of Radio Engineers. He is survived by his wife, Dolores, and four daughters.
Arnold Sadwin ’52, of Cherry Hill, N.J.; Apr. 19, 2015, of complications following a heart attack. A practicing physician for 59 years, he was a former chief of neuropsychiatry at Graduate Hospital and assistant clinical professor of neurology and psychiatry at Penn. He was a pioneer in diagnosing and treating post-concussion syndrome. He coauthored Conquering Chronic Pain After Injury. He enjoyed playing the piano, sculpting, photographing, writing poetry, and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Sue; two daughters; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; four grandchildren; and a sister.
Robert L. Smart ’52, of Lincoln, R.I.; Oct. 17. He had a career as a civil engineer spanning six decades, working with such companies as M.A. Gammino Construction Co., Paragon Oil, Curran & Burton, Texaco, and Seaboard Construction Co. At Brown he was a member of the wrestling team and continued as a supporter. He was a recipient of the Friends of Brown Wrestling Award. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Lime Rock Baptist Church in Lincoln, where he served on the building committee, and was a member of Cumberland Post #14 American Legion and the St. John’s Masonic Lodge; he was an emeritus member of the Rhode Island Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is survived by his wife, Jean; a daughter; three sons; three daughters-in-law; a son-in-law; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Terry M. Townsend ’52, of Topsham, Me., formerly of Syracuse, N.Y.; Oct. 28, from complications associated with Alzheimer’s. He began his career as a mechanical engineer for the NASA Research Facility at Langley Field in Virginia before switching to the air-conditioning industry and joining Carrier International Corp. in Syracuse. His involvement in various industrial projects for the company enabled him to travel around the world. While living in Syracuse he was a member of St. David’s Episcopal Church, where he served as warden and vestry member. He was also on the board of directors for the Huntington Foundation and a member of Onondaga Golf & Country Club. He volunteered with the Mid-Coast Hunger Prevention Program and enjoyed hiking and skiing into his 80s. He is survived by his wife, Sara Devine Townsend ’52; a daughter; three sons, including Craig ’78; three daughters-in-law, including Catherine Fuerst Townsend ’79; a son-in-law; and nine grandchildren, including Caleb Townsend ’12.
William V. Aznavourian ’53, of Providence; Nov. 13. He worked at General Electric before moving to the Foxboro Co. as a sales engineer. He retired in 1985. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Church, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and the Knights of Vartan. He is survived by two nieces and a nephew.
Winsor L. Chase ’53, of New London, N.H.; Oct. 9, from congestive heart failure and pneumonia. After serving as a translator for the U.S. Army Security Agency in Frankfort, Germany, he returned to the United States and worked as a CPA in Rhode Island. He moved to Wrentham, Mass., and worked for Crosby Ashton Valve & Gage as a comptroller and later as a partner and financial vice president. In 1989 he moved to New Hampshire and was involved in a variety of consulting jobs. He was a member of the Kearsarge Area School Budget Committee, treasurer of the Upper Valley Music Center, and an active member of SCORE in Lebanon, N.H. He enjoyed camping, hiking, skiing, bicycling, tennis, and horseback riding. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; three sons, including Peter ’85; nine grandchildren, including Cecily Chase ’18; and a sister.
Duane R. Clarridge ’53, of Leesburg, Va.; Apr. 9, of cancer. After serving in the U.S. Army for two years, he was recruited by the CIA and served with that organization for 33 years. During his Agency career he was posted in Kathmandu, Nepal; New Delhi; Istanbul; Rome; and Washington, D.C. In 1986 he was a driving force in the creation of what was then called the CIA Counterterrorist Center. The Center was credited with several major successes under his leadership. After reports about Iran-Contra began to circulate publicly, he left the CIA in 1988 and went to work for defense contractor General Dynamics as a director of international marketing. In 2008, after being called in to help free a New York Times reporter kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan, he set up a private intelligence network called the Eclipse Group, which provided information about threats to U.S. personnel and facilities in Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya. In 1977 he published a memoir, A Spy for All Seasons: My Life in the CIA, co-authored with Digby Diehl. He was a member of Delta Phi and enjoyed reading and wood carving. He is survived by a daughter, two sons, five grandchildren, and two nieces.
Janet Hunt Crull ’54, of Granger, Ind., formerly of South Bend, Ind.; Nov. 10, following a brief illness. She briefly taught second grade in Providence before completing a paralegal program and working part-time for Barnes & Thornburg Attorneys. She was an active member of the Christ Child Society, the South Bend Country Club, and the South Bend Bridge Club; she served on the Junior League Board. She is survived by her husband, Merrill; a daughter; a son; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Fredric D. Frigoletto Jr. ’54, of Wellesley, Mass.; Oct. 31, following a short illness. He was a physician who began practicing at the Boston Hospital for Women, then Brigham and Women’s, and finally Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). In 1993 he was named the Charles Montraville Green & Robert Montraville Green Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MGH. He authored more than 200 papers and books, including research projects for the National Institutes of Health and served as president of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Washington, D.C. He is survived by his wife, Martha McKay Frigoletto ’59; two daughters; two sons-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
Allan W. Halladay ’55, of Bristol, R.I.; Nov. 8. He was the owner and treasurer of Halladay Inc. Advertising and Printing, in East Providence for more than 50 years before retiring. He was an accomplished photographer and exhibited his work at the Providence Art Club. He was active in several community organizations, including the Toast Masters and the Rhode Island Commodores, and was past president of the Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I. He enjoyed skiing, boating, and golf. He is survived by his wife, Roseann; two daughters; two sons; two daughters-in-law; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister.
Richard L. Palombo ’55, of West Warwick, R.I.; Nov. 18, 2015. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; a daughter; and three sons.
Barbara Fruehauf Bristol ’56, of Peabody, Mass., formerly of Lynnfield, Mass.; Nov. 5, of a heart-related illness. She taught at Memorial School in Middlebury, Conn., prior to marrying and settling in Massachusetts. She was an active member of West Congregational Church in Peabody, Mass., and a member of the church’s Mission Committee. She enjoyed listening to classical music, gardening, outdoor activities, and traveling. She is survived by her husband, David; a son, David Jr. ’83; a daughter-in-law; two granddaughters; a brother; a sister-in-law; and 10 nieces and nephews.
Robert A. Norton ’56, of Damariscotta, Me.; Oct. 28. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Navy and later joined the family business, Eastern Industrial Oil, supplying oils and chemicals to the leather industry. He was an avid sailor and raced a Finn in the 1968 Final Olympic Trials. He was a member of both the Boston Yacht Club and the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club. He was an active board member of the YMCA in both Marblehead, Mass., and Boothbay Harbor, Me. He also enjoyed skiing and hockey. He is survived by his wife, Kitty; two daughters; four sons; two daughters-in-law; five grandchildren, including Robert III ’14; and two sisters.
Lalla Peterson Goodwillie ’56, of Corpus Christi, Tex.; Sept. 4. She worked at the Chilean consulate in Chicago for a short time and was later involved in real estate. She enjoyed reading, playing bridge, cooking, and traveling. She is survived by her husband, John; a daughter; two sons; a son-in-law; and four grandchildren.
Joseph H. Sproul Jr. ’57, of Waverly, Pa.; Oct. 15. He was president of H.B. Sproul Construction Co. and Sproul Realty. He was active in his community and served on several boards, including Geisinger Health System, Northeastern Bank of Pennsylvania, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Blooming Grove Hunting & Fishing Club, Glenmaura National Golf Club, and Penn Millers Insurance Co. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a member of the Church of the Epiphany. He is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; five grandchildren; a sister; and a brother-in-law.
Mary Smith Wittkamp ’57, of Allendale, N.J.; May 15. She is survived by her husband, Jack; a daughter; a son; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and four grandchildren.
John A. Bloom ’58, of Auburndale, Mass.; Nov. 2, from complications of diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. He taught and coached wrestling and soccer at Worcester (Mass.) Academy, rising through the ranks as chairman of the history department, founder of the Urban Affairs program, and headmaster. He left the academy in 1985 to work in property management at Church Park, but returned to education administration as the development director at Austin Preparatory School in Reading, Mass. He retired in 1996. He was active in civic organizations in Worcester and Boston, including the Worcester Human Rights Commission and the Boston YMCA. He enjoyed traveling and the Boston Red Sox. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; five children, including sons Derek ’81 and Grant ’85; 10 grandchildren; a brother; and a sister-in-law.
Charles V. Dedrick ’59, of Jacksonville, Fla.; May 12. He was a professor at the Univ. of Northern Iowa from 1971 until his retirement in 2000. He was an accomplished pianist and enjoyed daily crossword puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; a daughter; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
Lynn Wilcox ’59, of Bath, N.Y.; Oct. 8. He worked with the Veterans Administration in New York City and later in Bath. He was a volunteer driver for the Disabled American Veterans and was involved in the Champagne Whirl-A-Ways square dancing group. He is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters; two sons-in-law; five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
1960s
Margaret Bull ’60, of Lindsey, Ohio, formerly of Gardiner, Me.; Jun. 27. She is survived by a daughter.
David J. Fischer ’60, of San Francisco; Nov. 22, of cancer. He was a career diplomat. He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1961. Over the span of his 30-year career, he lived in Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Nepal, Tanzania, and the Seychelles. A monumental point in his career was participating in the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty Talks with the Soviet Union and assisting with German reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1991 he moved to San Francisco and began a second career as the executive director of the World Affairs Council, where he served until becoming Diplomat-in-Residence at San Francisco State Univ. in 1998. A narrative of his diplomatic career is chronicled in an oral history archived at San Francisco State. He was an accomplished cook and enjoyed dining and conversation with friends. He is survived by his wife, Pamela; a daughter; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; three grandsons; and a brother.
Angus M. Green ’60, of Naples, Fla., formerly of New York City; Oct. 13. He was an investment banker at Merrill Lynch before moving to Dean Witter Reynolds, where he ran the Private Placement Group. He later founded Arrowhead Capital in New York City before retiring in 2000 to Naples. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the St. Andrews Society, the Circumnavigators Club, and the International Men’s Club. He enjoyed tennis, golf, bridge, and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen; a son; three grandchildren; and a brother.
Edward G. Rundquist ’60, of Providence, formerly of New York City: Nov. 15. He was a former vice president of Fischer-Harrison, a management consulting firm in Manhattan. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He is survived by his companion, Elaine Behr; a sister; a brother-in-law; and two cousins.
Lucinda Bruner Bryant ’62, of Denver, Colo.; Oct. 6, after more than two years surviving cancer. After raising a family she earned MBA and MS health administration degrees and a PhD in health and behavioral science. She joined the faculty of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics at the Univ. of Colorado School of Medicine and participated in the creation of the Colorado School of Public Health in 2008. She retired in 2014 as an associate professor in the departments of community and behavioral health and health systems, management, and policy. She is survived by a daughter; a son; her ex-husband, Peter Bryant; and nieces and cousins.
Rolf Marshall ’63, of Alexandria, Va.; Oct. 5. He served more than 27 years in the U.S. Navy as a surface warfare officer in weapons systems acquisitions and operations research and analysis, including five years with the Sealift Programs Division on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. Following his retirement in 1991, he received his law degree and spent the next 20 years in the Washington, D.C., offices of Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP, practicing maritime and international trade law and regulation and legislation, and representing clients from across domestic and international industries of naval service. He was a member of the Navy League of the United States, the National Defense Transportation Assoc., the Naval Institute, the Virginia State Bar, the Army Navy Country Club of Arlington, and the International Propeller Club of the United States, where he served as president from 2008 to 2011. He is survived by two children and their spouses, three grandchildren, and a sister.
Elaine Evans Hart ’66, of Billerica, Mass.; June 17, 2014. She is survived by her husband, John; a daughter; two sons; two daughters-in-law; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; three sisters; and eight nieces and nephews.
Theodore J. Przystas ’67, of Pasadena, Calif.; Feb. 12, 2016, of Parkinson’s disease. He was an accomplished postdoctoral fellow and researcher at the Univ. of Southern California and retired from Price Waterhouse Coopers as a senior research associate. He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast. He enjoyed spending time with family. He is survived by cousins.
Robert F. Szul ’68, of Kapolei, Hawaii; Oct. 13. He entered the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and retired as a reservist in 1999. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, and other commendations for his dedication and bravery. He later worked for IBM before retiring in 2013. In retirement he volunteered at Ford Island as a docent and educator for the children’s program. He was honored as their 2015 Volunteer of the Year. He is survived by his wife, Gail; a daughter; a son; a daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; a sister; and a brother-in-law.
1970s
David N. Walcher ’72, of Kittery, Me., formerly of Salem, Mass.; Feb. 15. After Brown he studied at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church. He also was a former operations manager at Harbor Sweets Inc. in Salem. He was a member of Salem’s Grace Episcopal Church, where he sang in the choir. He also sang with the Paul Madore Chorale. From 1954 to 1978 he spent summers at the Chautauqua Institution in New York and performed in musicals and sang bass with the Ticket Takers, a barbershop quartet. He enjoyed traveling. He is survived by two stepchildren, five grandchildren, a sister, and former wives Linda Harding and Susan Sawyer.
John A. Colnon ’73, of Chicago; Aug. 9. He was founder and president of Corporetum Development Corp., a real estate development firm. He was on the board of directors of Albank Corp. He enjoyed playing golf and spending time with family. He is survived by his wife, Christine; two daughters; a son-in-law; seven siblings; and many nieces and nephews.
Elizabeth Cohn Morris ’75, of Chicago; Dec. 5, of breast cancer. She worked in development for both the Univ. of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and served as director of the Chicago International Film Festival. Most recently she was the director of major gifts for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she dedicated her life to the protection and preservation of women’s rights. For more than 25 years she advanced the mission of Planned Parenthood, including serving as the chair of Planned Parenthood of Chicago and, until her death, as chair of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. She is survived by her husband, Gareth; daughter Madelyn Morris ’08; son-in-law Daniel Goldberg ’07; and two sisters.
Richard E. Joslin ’75, of Delray Beach, Fla.; Mar. 20, 2016. He is survived by his brother Jeffrey ’80.
Calvin A. Michael ’78, of Mount Vernon, N.Y.; Oct. 12. After completing his residency in psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Columbia Univ. Medical Center, he was licensed to practice in New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Louisiana. He enjoyed listening to jazz and R&B music, playing tennis, and traveling. He is survived by his mother; two children, including Taylor Michael ’17; and eight brothers and sisters.
1980s
Jason A. Abady ’88, of Ashland, Va.; Oct. 15, of a heart attack. He worked in real estate for Keller Williams. He was an accomplished violinist and a former member of the Brown Orchestra. In addition to classical music, he enjoyed writing and was the author of Battle at the Overland Trail. He is survived by his parents, Paula and Herman Abady; a sister; and a brother.
G.S.
Woodrow E. Johnson ’39 ScM, ’42 PhD, of Garden City, N.Y.; Aug. 1, 2015, after a brief illness. He was employed with Westinghouse Corp. as a designer of nuclear reactor systems for defense. He is survived by his wife, Leonita Garriluk Johnson ’43; four children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Carl E. Pearson ’49 PhD, of Issaquah, Wash., formerly of Seattle; Aug. 8. He was a professor emeritus of applied mathematics at the Univ. of Washington. During his career he taught at Harvard and the Technical Univ. of Denmark. He also worked at the Arthur D. Little Co., Sperry Rand Co., and the Boeing Co. He retired after 25 years at the Univ. of Washington, where he taught in the aeronautics and astronautics department and was instrumental in founding the applied mathematics department. He was the author and coauthor of several books in applied math. In 1992 he moved to Issaquah, where he remained professionally active for many years. He is survived by a daughter, two sons, a grandson, and a brother.
Robert A. Tucker ’51 AM, of Glen Gardner, N.J.; Oct. 23. He was a security analyst at Bankers Trust in New York City before moving to Beneficial Management Corp. as an assistant to the president in 1954. In 1969 he became CFO and in 1980 was named a member of the office of the president. He retired in 1985. In 1965 he started Stonegate Standardbred Farm, a breeding and boarding facility for harness racing horses. He was a trustee of the Hodson Trust, the Peddie School, and Drew Univ. He was vice president of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture and chairman of the New Jersey Sire Stakes. He served as director of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Assoc. of New Jersey and the Hambletonian Society. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially hiking, hunting, fishing, gardening, boating, and playing golf. He also enjoyed reading. He is survived by his wife, Lauren; three daughters; three sons; two daughters-in-law; three sons-in-law; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandsons; and a sister.
Donald E.G. Malm ’54 AM, ’59 PhD, of Ashland, Ore.; Sept. 17, 2015. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Hughes Malm ’60 AM.
Norman E. Williams ’54 ScM, of Iowa City, Iowa; Oct. 24. He joined the faculty at the Univ. of Iowa in 1957 and taught general zoology and animal biology. He retired in 2001 after 44 years as a faculty member in the zoology and biology departments, having supervised many PhD students and hosted scientific visitors from around the world. He wrote numerous scientific papers, including a paper he published in 2006 in retirement. He was president of the Society of Protozoologists for one year and was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, Olivia; a daughter; and a son.
Barry D. Bort ’56 AM, ’60 PhD, of New Paltz, N.Y.; Aug. 28, after a long illness. He was professor of English at SUNY New Paltz. He retired in 2007. He was a member of the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Sierra Club. He enjoyed hiking and traveling. He is survived by his partner, Victoria Hazel, and four children.
Carl E. Krumpe Jr. ’56 AM, of Exeter, N.H.; Nov. 1. He taught at Roxbury Latin School in Massachusetts for a year before joining the faculty at Phillips Academy in Andover. During his 38-year tenure he served as a faculty member in the classics, history and English departments, as well as chairman of the classics department. He enjoyed music and related activities, including hosting a classical music radio program, giving recorder lessons in adult education programs, and serving as an organist and choir director at three local churches in Andover. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by six children, including Catherine Epstein ’84 and Anna Krumpe ’84; and 10 grandchildren.
Stuart G. Levine ’56 AM, ’58 PhD, of Lawrence, Kans.; Oct. 29. He was a musician, a teacher and an editor. At Brown he played in the marching band and helped design half-time shows. In addition, he played professionally the French horn for the Rhode Island Philharmonic and hosted a radio show called “Portfolio,” which aired on WXCN and WPFM in Providence. In 1958 he joined the Univ. of Kansas faculty and helped found the American studies department and the American Studies journal, which published its first issue in 1960. He authored numerous articles covering subjects within his American studies field. He also contributed to many books and served as a book reviewer. He was author and/or editor of seven books about Edgar Allan Poe. In 1968 he was coeditor of The American Indian Today, winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Award. His book of short stories, The Monday Wednesday Friday Girl, won the Gross Award in Fiction. During his teaching career he was awarded five Fulbrights, which enabled him to travel the world. In retirement he continued to play in the City Band and was a founding member of the Lawrence Woodwind Quintet. He is survived by his wife, Susan; a daughter; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a sister.
Barbara Cotter Morrison ’56 PhD (see ’45).
Lewis T. Claiborne ’61 PhD, of Dallas; Nov. 23. He had an extensive career at Texas Instruments until his retirement in 1989. While at TI he served as branch manager, research manager, and finally director of Strategic Technology Resources for the Corporate Research and Development group. He was involved in several projects related to nanoelectronics and helped to establish a spatial light modulator program for early versions of High Definition TV displays. In 1990 he started working at Loral Vought Systems until 2001, at which point the company became part of Lockheed-Martin. There he served as senior consulting engineer and director of research and worked on several sector and corporate integrated program teams. He retired in 2011. He was past president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers group on Sonics and Ultrasonics, chairman of the program committee for the 1972 Ultrasonics Symposium, a lecturer for the IEEE Outstanding Lecture Series in 1974, and a member of the American Institute of Physics. He was an active member of the church choirs at Spring Valley UMC and Northway Christian Church and played clarinet and saxophone in the Town North Concert Band. He enjoyed writing and singing. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; two sons; and three stepchildren.
Parker G. Marden ’64 AM, ’66 PhD, of Topsham, Me., formerly of Canton, N.Y.; Oct. 7. A professor of sociology and anthropology, he taught at Cornell Univ.; St. Lawrence Univ., where he was department chairman; and Beloit College, where he served as dean of academic affairs. His career culminated at Manchester Univ., where he served as president for 11 years. In 1975 St. Lawrence Univ. presented him with the Babcock Award for outstanding service to students. He conducted numerous workshops on demography and population policy and was widely published in the field. Phi Beta Kappa. He is survived by his wife, Ann; a daughter; a son; a brother and sister-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Ming Wu ’65 ScM, of Woodbridge, N.J.; Oct. 26. He began working at General Electric in 1975 then joined the Hamamatsu Corp. in 1977 as a SPIE corporate member and remained there for the rest of his career. He represented Hamamatsu at numerous SPIE conferences and exhibitions and for many years chaired the annual Projection Display Conferences. He enjoyed watching sporting events, reading, and listening to classical music. He is survived by a sister, a brother, and several nephews.
William C. Wardlow ’68 MAT, of Newport, R.I.; Oct. 20. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., before moving to Newport to work as a civilian personnel officer at the Navy Education and Training Center. He did overseas tours to Argentina, Japan, and Spain. He retired from NETC in the late 1980s and then worked selling tickets at Hammersmith Farm. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He is survived by three daughters, a son, a son-in-law, four grandsons, a sister, a brother, several nieces and nephews, and his former wife, Loretta Marchese.
Cora L. Gibbs ’72 AM, of East Providence, R.I., formerly of Amherst, Mass.; Sept. 29. While living in Amherst she was active in Amherst College’s Mead Art Museum and the New England Committee of the American Assoc. of Museums. She was awarded the 1984 Amherst College Medal for Eminent Service. In 1983 she was named director of the Newport Art Museum and moved to Newport. Upon retiring in 1991, she was the recipient of the Governor’s Arts Awards for her lifetime services to arts education in Rhode Island. She had also served as curator of education at both the RISD Museum of Art and the Newport Art Museum, and was active in arts, education, and civic organizations for more than 50 years in the New England area. Additionally, she was past president of the Newport Rotary, served on the Trinity Church Tricentennial Committee, and was a board member of the Friends of Touro Synagogue, the Bristol Art Museum, the Newport YMCA, the colonial Dames, and the Rhode Island Historical Society. She is survived by a daughter; three sons, including James ’72; two daughters-in-law; a son-in-law; six grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Guy N. Lefebvre ’75 MAT, of North Kingstown, R.I.; Oct. 9, of esophageal cancer. He worked in several capacities over the course of his career, including the insurance industry and the real estate industry, but especially for environmental preservation. He was a certified arborist and most recently was director of development at Largess Forestry in North Kingstown. He served on several governmental organizations, including the Pawtuxet River Authority, of which he was the director, the Rhode Island Environmental Policy Council, the Rhode Island Tree Council and Watershed Stewardship Program, and the Rhode Island Rivers Council. He was also a member of the North Kingstown Democratic Committee and served on the North Kingstown Arts Council. He is survived by his partner, Cynthia Trainer; his mother; a brother; a sister-in-law; and two nephews.
Wesley C. Gibson ’86 AM, of San Francisco, formerly of New York City; Dec. 4. He was the author of the novels Shelter and Personal Saviors and the memoir You Are Here. For the past 10 years, he was a professor of creative writing in the MFA program at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, having taught previously at such institutions as New York Univ. and Vassar. He was the fiction editor of the literary magazine Bloom, and he contributed literary and art reviews to a number of publications including the Village Voice and the New Art Examiner. He is survived by his mother, two sisters, a brother, a sister-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and seven nieces and nephews.
Brian S. Robinson ’87 AM, ’01 PhD, of Orono, Me.; Oct. 27, after a long illness. He was an associate professor at the Univ. of Maine, holding joint appointments in the Department of Anthropology and the Climate Change Institute. His research focused on northeastern archaeology. For many years he led the Univ. of Maine Archaeological Field School sited around Machias Bay. He is survived by his wife, Ann; two sons; his parents; two brothers; several nephews; and a niece.
Faculty
Jacob Neusner, of Rhinebeck, N.Y.; Oct. 8. He was a religious historian and a renowned scholar of Jewish rabbinical texts. In 1962 his study of one of the most important Jewish sages, A Life of Yohanan ben Zakkai, was the beginning of a career that would last five decades. He published more than 900 books devoted to history, source analysis, comparative religion, and legal theory. He also edited and translated numerous Jewish rabbinical texts, including the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds. He was the recipient of 10 honorary degrees and academic medals, including the Medal of Honor from the Collège de France. He was the first person to serve on the both the National Council on the Humanities and the National Council on the Arts. His interest in comparative religion and interfaith understanding led him to write many books on Christianity, including The Bible and Us: A Priest and a Rabbi Read Scripture Together (1990) and A Rabbi Talks with Jesus (1993). His books were published mostly by academic presses and bought by libraries and institutions. He has been called a fierce polemicist; his outspokenness caused him to make enemies over the course of his career. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard in 1953, then spent a year at Lincoln College, Oxford, before studying at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, where he was ordained a Conservative rabbi. After a year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he studied the Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary, earning a master’s degree in Hebrew letters in 1960. He arrived at Brown in 1968 after teaching at Dartmouth. At Brown he was a prominent figure for both his scholarly knowledge and his abrasive behavior. He did not allow students to take notes in his class, but instead gave them his notes. He was appointed University Professor and the first Ungerleider Distinguished Scholar of Judaic Studies in 1974. In 1981 he wrote “A Commencement Address You’ll Never Hear” for the Brown Daily Herald, blasting colleagues. A year later he left the Department of Religious Studies and became founding codirector of Brown’s Program in Judaic Studies, from which he resigned in 1985. He retired from Brown on June 30, 1990, with emeritus status and began teaching at the University of South Florida. He joined the faculty at Bard College in 1994 and founded the Institute for Advanced Theology. He retired in 2014. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; a daughter; three sons; and nine grandchildren.
