GS Class of 1961

Charles A. Peterson ’61 MAT, of Olympia, Wash.; Feb. 1. He was a science teacher for more than 30 years. He enjoyed singing, camping, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters; and four grandchildren. 

Lawrence E. Wright ’61 ScM, of Williamstown, Mass.; Jul. 20. He worked at Sprague Electric before moving to Williams College, where he was the director of the computer center and lecturer in computer science. He retired in 2000 as associate professor of computer science and department chair at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He was active in his community and served on several committees, including the Conservation Commission, the Rotary Club, Friends of the Milne Library, and the Williamstown Historical Museum, and he was a 30-year member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. He enjoyed solving puzzles, gardening, reading, canoeing, and playing squash. He is survived by his wife, Judith; a daughter; a son; and a brother-in-law.

Patrick F. Delaney ’61 MAT, ’64 PhD, of Leominster, Mass.; May 3, after a brief illness. He was an adjunct professor at College of the Holy Cross (Mass.) and an academic dean of students at Lindenwood College (Mo.) and served as vice president of academic affairs at Fitchburg State University (Mass.). He was a member of Rotary International and listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers. He enjoyed golf and the casino slot machines. He is survived by four daughters, three sons-in-law, four grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Anne C. Brooke ’61 AM, ’69 PhD, of Norfolk, Va.; Apr. 17. She taught classics at UC Santa Barbara and was an assistant professor of classics at Vassar College. For a time she moved to Wales, learned Welsh, and worked with teachers, parents, and local nursery groups. She produced Welsh workbooks, educational materials, and children’s books. She was a charter member of the National Museum of the American Indian, a longtime supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,  and an advocate for the Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary. She was an avid reader and writer. She collected books and always gave them as gifts. She wrote letters to family and friends on a weekly basis, and after visits, she enjoyed raising a white handkerchief as you drove away in a car, keeping it up until you passed from view. She is survived by a sister, a niece, and two nephews.

Thomas M. Jones ’61 MAT, of North Adams, Mass.; Jan. 17. He was vice president of finance & administration at North Adams State College, where he worked for 33 years until his retirement. Prior to North Adams, he worked in higher education administration at several other institutions. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and he enjoyed gardening and photography. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; two daughters; three sons; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Gwendolyn M. Hayes ’61 AM, of Arlington, Va.; Oct. 8, after she was struck by a car while in a pedestrian crosswalk. A talented craftsperson, she created a successful small business selling her handmade items locally in the mid-1970s and 1980s and was employed as a substitute librarian for Arlington Public Schools from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. Her interest in her family genealogy led her to compile, edit, and publish for family members Memories from My Crystal Ball and Letters from Abroad, the memoirs of her great-grandmother. She enjoyed spending time in her second home in the mountain town of Banner Elk (N.C.), and annual visits to Cape Cod. She was an avid walker and enjoyed  yoga and gardening. She is survived by her husband, David; a daughter and son-in-law; two sons; a daughter-in-law; and a granddaughter.

Steven C. Batterman ’61 ScM, ’64 PhD, of Voorhees, N.J.; July 9, 2021. He was a professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He consulted in the areas of accident reconstruction, occupant kinematics, vehicle dynamics, and biomechanics. He was elected to the American Academy of Forensic Science in 1976, promoted to member in 1979, and to fellow in 1985. During his service to the academy, he was elected engineering sciences section chairman in 1986 and to the board of directors and executive committee from 1987 to 1996, and served as AAFS president in 1995, receiving the distinguished fellow award in 2001. He was a reviewer for national and international journals and he joined the Journal of Forensic Sciences editorial board in 1987, work that continued until his death. He is survived by a son and grandson.

Rose Bokser Schwartz ’61 ScM, of New York City and Tarpon Springs, Fla.; Feb. 18, after a prolonged illness. She began teaching at the Bronx High School of Science shortly after meeting her husband. She left teaching to raise her family and returned to teach in the mathematics department at Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack, N.Y., in 1974. She remained in that position until 1985, when she was named mathematics department chair. She earned a second master’s degree in administration and retired from teaching in 1996 to begin as adjunct assistant professor at SUNY New Paltz, where she supervised math student teachers. She was a member of the executive boards of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State, New York State Association of Mathematics Supervisors, and Ten County Mathematics Educators Association. She had a zest for life and enjoyed traveling, cooking, and playing games with her granddaughters. She is survived by her husband, Sheldon; a daughter and son-in-law; a son and daughter-in-law; two granddaughters; and a sister.

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

Leonard P. Fletcher ’61 AM, ’65 PhD, of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Mar. 22. He was recruited by the University of Waterloo in 1965, becoming the fourth faculty member of the economics department. He taught at Waterloo for nearly three decades, retiring in 1994. He founded the Caribbean Canadian Investment Club in 1974. Additionally, he was a founding member of the K-W Caribbean Canadian Cultural Association. He is survived by his wife, Hilda; three children and their spouses; four grandchildren; a brother; and several nieces and nephews.

Donald E. Miller ’61 AM, of Portsmouth, R.I.; Jan. 6., after a long illness. He was a successful university development officer, raising millions of dollars in funds for both the University of Michigan and Boston University. He was a world traveler and writer, visiting many countries on multiple continents, and had a special connection to the former Czechoslovakia. In 1967, he was a first-hand witness to the Prague Spring and, years later, had the opportunity to interview Vaclav Havel. Throughout the 1990s he lived part-time in Slovakia. He rescued cats and compiled many short stories about his animal companions in a book entitled Callie and Me. He was an avid swimmer and is survived by a sister, a brother, four nieces, and a nephew.

Conrad P. Caligaris ’58 AM, ’61 PhD, of Franklin, Mass.; Feb. 19. He was an economics professor at Northeastern University for 30 years. He had previously taught at Boston College and the University of Maine. He enjoyed spending time at the Franklin Senior Center, where he played cribbage. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, four sons and daughters-in-law, and 13 grandchildren. 

Richard J. Sederstrom ’61 MAT, of Agawam, Mass., and York, Me.; Oct. 18. He served the Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District for 43 years before retiring in 2005. He taught math and science at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School for 16 years and represented the science department as chair for two terms, as well as holding elective office in the Concord Teachers’ Association. For the next 27 years, he was director of personnel for the school system; then, he served a three-year term as president of the American Association for Employment in Education. He received the Priscilla A. Scotian Award for distinguished service in the field of recruiting and training teachers. He enjoyed coaching youth sports and playing tennis and cards, reading, rooting for the New England Patriots, and spending time with family and friends. He is survived by three children and their spouses, and six grandchildren.

J. George O’Keefe ’61 PhD, of Greenville, R.I.; Dec. 23. He was a professor of physics at Rhode Island College for 31 years. He retired in 1994. He was a member of several organizations and clubs, including the Smithfield Sportsmen’s Club, Saltwater Anglers and Gloucester Country Club. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; two sons; two granddaughters; two sisters and a brother.

James K. Whitney ’61 MAT, of Minneapolis; Aug. 10. He had a long career as an educator and coach in the Hopkins school district and was a World War II veteran. He is survived by three children; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Antonio R. Centore ’61 MAT, of Johnston, R.I.; Sept. 8. He was a history teacher and guidance counselor at Cranston East High School and football coach at Johnston High School until his retirement in 2010. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and is survived by three children and three grandchildren.

Donald D. Hook ’61 PhD, of Georgetown, Del.; July 6. He was a professor of modern languages at URI, Nebraska State College, the Univ. of Hartford, Central Connecticut State College, and St. Joseph College before joining the faculty at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., in 1977, where he also served for more than seven years as chairman of the department of modern languages and Literature. He was the author or coauthor of numerous books and articles, including Madmen of History. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was an avid target shooter and gun collector. He enjoyed gardening and swimming and is survived by a daughter; a son, Terence ’80; a daughter-in-law; a son-in-law; and three grandchildren.

John Cuniberti ’61 AM, of Englewood, N.J.; July 2. He began teaching at Saint Francis College in Brooklyn and continued to teach at Westchester Community College, where he remained as a professor of film for 49 years. He is survived by his wife, Marlene; four children; a daughter-in-law; and a grandson.