January 24, 2001: Memorials

G. Chester Doubleday '28

Chester died June 21, 2000, in Gladwyne, Pa. Loyal to Princeton, he was one of the class's longest and most generous donors to AG. He came to Princeton from Hotchkiss. In 1933, he married Mary Pat Helley, who died in 1995. As a v.p. with Ingersoll Rand Corp., he resided in Upper Brookville, Long Island, where he was active in community affairs. Among his clubs were Piping Rock, the Lunch Club, and the Downtown Assn. His strong ties to Princeton are illustrated in a daughter's remembrance of a chartered railroad car to take friends and family to football games.

Chester is survived by three daughters: Mary Pat Irons, Marguerite Buck, and Dorothy Massey, as well as eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. A grandson, Chester Irons, was a member of the Class of '81. The class extends sympathy to this great family.

The Class of 1928


Marselis C. Parsons Jr. '28

"Pardy," of Lyme, N.H., died following a brief illness. Before coming to Princeton, he attended St. Bernard's and Taft. After graduation, he worked on Wall St. from 1928-31, then for Sen. Royal Copeland before entering the foreign service in 1935. He served in the State Dept. and in numerous overseas posts, including vice consul (Naples), first secy. (Oslo), consul general (Johannesburg), and then as counselor of embassy and deputy chief of mission (Copenhagen). In recognition of his services to Denmark, the king awarded Pardy the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog.

Pardy is survived by two sons, Marselis C. III and Stephen '72, and two grandchildren. His wife of 45 years, Elinor Crow Parsons, died in 1987. Ray Theriault, to whom he was married briefly, also survives him.

The class extends sincere sympathy to the family.

The Class of 1928


Gerrish Thurber '28 *29

We report sadly that Gerrish died Sept. 6, 2000. For some years, he and his wife, Mary Catherine, resided at the Meadow Lakes retirement community in Hightstown, N.J. Gerrish came to Princeton from the Lawrenceville School and retained a special devotion to both institutions.

He earned a master's in English from Princeton and, for years thereafter, was Lawrenceville's librarian. During this period, he contributed articles to various library publications. He married Mary Catherine, a graduate of Wellesley College, in 1937. They were both music lovers. At Princeton, Gerrish was a member of the Society of Amateur Musicians.

Mary Catherine writes, "My late husband was one of a large Princeton family. His father, three brothers of his mother, his son, and recently his granddaughter, are all Princeton graduates."

To his wife, his son, and all the family, the class extends deepest sympathy.

The Class of 1928


GIBSON McCABE '31

Gib was born Mar. 11, 1911, in Brooklyn, N.Y. In addition, he lived at one at one time or another in Boston, Syracuse, Baltimore, Jackson Heights [Long Island, N.Y.], Scarsdale, Greenwich, New Canaan, and finally Ponte Vedra, Fla., where, on Aug. 5, 2000, he died from complications following a fall.

After graduating from the Tome School in Port Deposit, Md., Gib entered Princeton, where he was on the freshman tennis team, varsity tennis team, and was a member of Key and Seal. His first job was with the NY Times from 1931-35, when he joined the staff of Young American. His affiliation with Newsweek began in 1942, and, except for his service during WWI, he remained with Newsweek until he retired as pres. in 1975.

Gib is survived by two daughters, Margaret M. Cruger and Judith M. Goodchild, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. His first marriage, to Margaret M. Cruger, ended in divorce, and his second wife, Lydia Knight Bassett, died in 1994. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family.

The Class of 1931


FREDERICK M. WEISS '31 *32

Freddie died May 25, 2000, in Summit, N.J. He prepared at Newark Academy and, upon matriculation at Princeton, directed his studies toward a career in civil engineering.

Following graduation, Freddie went to work for the Harrison, N.J., branch of the Reynolds Metals Co., followed by employment with the Rowe Manufacturing Co. of Whippany, N.J. A member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, he turned out a large amount of published writing during the course of his career. He then went to work for the Port Authority of New York as a supervisor of technical manuals and standards, where he remained until he retired in 1971 as an executive engineer.

Freddie was a member of the board of directors of the US Varnish Tile Co. in Paterson, N.J., and was active in the PTA and Fathers' Recreational Council in Summit.

Surviving are his wife, Charlotte Seabolt, one son, Frederick M. Jr., one daughter, Marilyn C., and four grandchildren. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family.

The Class of 1931


WILLIAM WETTACH '31 *33

Bill was born Mar. 13, 1910, in Pittsburgh and died 90 years later on June 28, 2000, in Ohio Valley Hospital, Kennedy Township, Ohio.

Early in life, Bill attended the Arnold School, forerunner of Shadyside Academy, where he was active in sports, continuing through Princeton, after which he played a bit with a minor league baseball team and a semi-pro football team. Academically, he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical engineering at Princeton and a doctorate from the U. of Pittsburgh. His father, C. D., started his own paint company during the 1930s, and, of course, Bill went to work for his father at the W. W. Lawrence Paint Co. As an expert in paints and varnishes, he moved from company to company, ending up with Reichold Chemical Co., from which he retired in 1980.

Surviving are his sons, Thomas C. and William J., three granddaughters, Christine, Heidi, and Tracy, and one stepdaughter, Barbara Bennitt Meyer. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family.

The Class of 1931


William Hocker Drake '32

Bill Drake died Apr. 15, 1996. He was 87. He prepared at Montclair Academy and the U. of Florida. He was on the track squad and the cross country squad at Princeton and was a member of Colonial Club. He was pres. of Draco Products Co., Goleta, Calif., a plastic manufacturer.

He is survived by his wife, Lillian Usher Drake, a son, William H. Jr., and two daughters, Nancy and Minda, to whom the class sends its condolences.

The Class of 1932


Calvin Procter Wallis '32

Calvin Wallis died June 28, 2000. He was 89. He prepared at William Penn charter School. At Princeton, he was assistant manager of the gym team, Triangle B, and was a member of Arbor Inn.

His brothers, Allen Jr. '25, J. Wallis '20, and M. Roos '31 are deceased. His comments in our 50th anniversary book tell his story: "After 30 years of medical mission work in Guatemala in the service of God and the United Presbyterian Church, Tillie and I are happily settled in a retirement village, Westminster Gardens [Duarte, Calif.]. I have a California medial license and work part-time providing medical services to my fellow residents."

Calvin is survived by a son, Richard W., and two daughters, Caroline and Edith, to whom the class sends its condolences.

The Class of 1932


Edgar Moore Finck Jr. '37

Faithful reuner and football and lacrosse game attendee Ed Finck died Oct. 29, 1999. His wife, Janice, had predeceased him, but he left stepdaughter Donna Dotsch, son Ed III, and several grandchildren.

At Toms River [N.J.] H.S., Ed was on the basketball and baseball teams, debating panel, publications board, and student government council. He majored in psychology at Princeton and was on the freshman swimming and lacrosse teams and then on the varsity lacrosse team with Stony Stollenwerck that tied for the national collegiate championship in 1937. He was also v.p. and sports director of Court Club.

After graduation, Ed worked with Phelps Fenn and Co. as a statistician before being a house master at Girard College in Philadelphia and entering the Merchant Marine for four years, ending up a lt. j.g. and having traveled on liberty ships to India, Australia, and England. By 1947, he was a "detail man" for US Vitamin Corp. promoting sales to physicians of pharmaceutical products. His final stop was the Deal Variety Store in Deal, N.J. He was also a member of the Ocean Township board of education.

The Class of 1937


Julian L. Nugent Jr. '37

Globe trotter, US foreign service officer, and lawyer Julian Nugent died June 23, 2000. He is survived by a daughter, Joan. His wife, Janet, and another daughter, Julie, predeceased him.

Julian came to Princeton from Lawrenceville and on graduation went into diplomatic service as vice-consul in Mexico City and in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, before he became second secy. at the US Embassy in Santiago, Chile. He then was transferred to Karochi, India. Before 1968, he was also in Pakistan, Australia (first secy.), Canada, Buenos Aires, Argentina (counselor for political affairs), where he remarked that the streets lined with orange trees reminded him of Princeton, Asuncion, Paraguay (counselor of embassy), and Washington, DC. He then turned to law, mostly in criminal litigation until he retired in 1984 because of worsening asthma.

He did a great deal of prisoner assistant work and enjoyed horseback riding and canoeing.

The Class of 1937


John M. Smyth '37

Described by Roger Barrett as "the most widely-beloved man I have ever known" and a third generation in the family furniture business, Johnny Smyth died Aug. 7, 2000. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Judith, sons John Jr. and Andy, daughters Judy and Malinda, and nine grandchildren.

At the Canterbury School in New Milford, Conn., Johnny was into publications and golf. At Princeton, he was on the boxing squad and was a member of Tiger Inn. His grandfather founded the family furniture business in 1867, and Johnny first intended to be a lawyer. After Northwestern U. school of law, a brief practice, and almost four years in the Navy commanding a gun crew on a liberty ship in American and European waters and then a destroyer escort in the Pacific, he won a Presidential Citation for performance in the Battle of Leyte Gulf when his little ship torpedoed a heavy Japanese cruiser in 1944.

After WWII, he became secy. of the family business, managing its finances, and rose to pres. in the 1960s. He maintained a constant and extensive involvement in civic activities.

The Class of 1937


Daniel F. Sullivan Jr. '37

Dan died July 11, 2000. At Far Rockaway [N.Y.] H.S., he was involved in swimming, student government, and the Honor Society. At Princeton, he majored in economics, was on the swimming team, and was a member of Cannon Club.

After graduation, he worked for the Travelers Insurance Co. as an underwriter until entering the field artillery, seeing action in the Normandy, France, Ruhr, and Central Germany campaigns, winning the Bronze Star and being discharged in 1946 as a maj. In 1944, he fathered twins Danny and Larry. They joined daughters Emily (who predeceased Dan, as did Larry) and Anne, and later, sons Jimmy and Peter. Wife Virginia predeceased him in 1981. They shared seven grandchildren.

He was with Atlantic Mutual and then Detroit Ins. Agency and retired in 1981 as a v.p. of Alexander & Alexander.

He was a member of the Garden City Assembly, of our executive committee, and was active in the Community Chest, the Advisory Committee for Education, and AG.

The Class of 1937


NEIL FOSTER CAMPBELL '43

Neil died of natural causes at his home on Oct. 23, 2000. He was 79.

He grew up in Beverley Hills, attended Webb School there, and prepped at Phillips Exeter Academy before entering Princeton.

Neil served his country during WWII as a lt. j.g. in the Navy in the Pacific Theater of operations.

He enjoyed a successful business career as a financial advisor and proudly served on numerous civic boards.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jean, a daughter, Christy Walters, two sons, Neil Jr. and Thomas, three grandchildren, and two nieces. To the entire family, we send our most heartfelt condolences.

The Class of 1943


JOHN R. CARTER '43

John died on Nov. 25, 2000, at the age of 79.

A political activist in Albermarle County, Va., for the last 26 years, John left his mark on the community in many ways. A Long Island, N.Y., native whose business career encompassed executive positions with a Long Island bus line, John served in the Navy during WWII. He was well known and highly respected on Long Island, where he wrote for state and local newspapers, ultimately founding a conservative political movement that lives today.

According to the obituary in the Charlottesville [Va.] Daily Progress, John was Cyrano de Bergerac and Don Quixote rolled into one, "writing critiques and lampooning the day's issues, tilting his lance at county government windmills. When his self-described voice of reason couldn't be heard over the din of the political wilderness, he ran for office."

To all John's survivors, we offer our deepest sympathies on their loss.

The Class of 1943


GEORGE QUINFORD PALMER '43

George died Sept. 15, 2000, at the age of 79 following a short illness.

A longtime resident of New York, George became a voluntary expatriate when he moved to Worcestershire, England. He prepped for Princeton at St. Marks School and served with distinction in the Army during WWII.

Survivors include three children, William and George Palmer and Isobel-Diana Palmer Corr-Smith, three sisters, Isobelle Dunning Palmer, Ruth Palmer Blanke, and Katherine Palmer Bailey, and his companion, Patricia Simmons.

To the entire family, we offer our deepest and most heartfelt condolences.

The Class of 1943


RICHARD W. BARCLEY '44

Dick Barcley died in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Oct. 9, 2000. He came to Princeton from Columbia H.S. in South Orange, N.J., following his brother, Robert '42. He majored in French but left early in 1943 to join the Air Force; he graduated in 1947 and did postgraduate work at Babson College.

For much of his life, Dick was in the family manufacturing business, but, in 1960, he and his brother launched a home building and development business in the Tampa Bay and Disney World areas. He was an avid tennis player and a member of the Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Betty, a son, Richard, three daughters, Betty, Barbara, and Karen, 10 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. To them, his classmates send their sincere regrets.

The Class of 1944


ANTHONY HILL KELLY '44

Tone died while on vacation in Italy on Sept. 21, 2000. Son of Eugene Kelly '09, he came to Princeton from Sioux City Central H.S. His brother, John '35, and his uncle, John '08, were also Princetonians. At Princeton, he was a member of Dial Lodge and the Triangle Club and majored in biology. His roommates include Hayden Bradford, Henry Reusch, and Gordon Whitman.

After his discharge from the Navy, he served a surgical fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, having received his MD from Northwestern and an MS from Minnesota. He served as pres. of the St. Joseph Hospital medical board in Sioux City and of the Mercy Medical Center as well as of the Sioux City public library board. He did medical volunteer work in Afghanistan.

His wife, Sally, died in 1993; they did not have children. To his family, his classmates send their regrets.

The Class of 1944


EDWARD BARR McENERNEY '45

Ed died on Nov. 26, 1998, but the class did not receive notification of his death until this year. Ed, a native of Bridgeport, Conn., entered Princeton from Horace Mann School. He became a member of Elm Club, but WWII interrupted his Princeton career. He became a communications specialist with the 134th Communication Squadron, seeing service as a lt. in both France and Germany. Ed returned to Princeton and received a degree from the school of public and international affairs in 1947 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He then joined the CIA in Washington, DC. Ed later returned to the Bridgeport area and became employed by the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell in NYC. Although he retired from the firm in 1988, he remained a consultant with them until his death. Ed advised us that one of his main retirement occupations was to renovate houses, an enterprise for which Princeton had not well equipped him but which he enjoyed as he educated himself in the arcane requirements of building renovation.

Ed is survived by his wife, who continues to reside at their Stratford, Conn., home. The class extends its sympathy to her.

The Class of 1945


WALKER McKINNEY '50

Walker died of acute leukemia on Aug. 20, 2000.

A graduate of the Hill School, Walker majored in economics and was in the NROTC program. He and his roommates, Bill Apgar, Sam Howell, and Tom Lowrie, were members of Tiger Inn. As the NY Times stated, "Walker will always be remembered for his indomitable spirit and joy of life."

After naval service on a destroyer and a stint with his family business, he decided that commercial real estate investment would be his lifetime career. His McKinney Corp. was successful and provided him the challenge of managing his properties.

Walker loved to travel and visit his many friends. He enjoyed hiking the Appalachian Trail with Sam Howell and walking with his group in the Boston area. Whenever possible he would walk in Manhattan, where he lived.

Always the considerate host, Walker delighted in playing the piano when entertaining. Walker valued longtime friendships from his school days and his hometown of Muskegon, Mich. All will miss his joyful personality and personal integrity. The class sends its sincere sympathy to his brother, Donald, and to the rest of his family.

The Class of 1950

William Powell Urschel '56

Bill, a resident of Santa Barbara, died on Apr. 12, 2000. He joined us during sophomore year as a transfer from Oberlin, majored in biology, and became a member of Cap and Gown.

Bill received his MD from Columbia P&S and served in the Navy from 1960-70, attaining the rank of comdr. He then entered private practice and was the chair of the urology departments at Cottage and Saint Francis hospitals. He retired in 1989 and spent extended periods of time in Sherbome, Dorset, England, and Newport, R.I.

Always proud of his Princeton connection, Bill's cars had personalized license plates - P-TIGER. The bookmarks from his memorial service pictured a tiger's head and quoted St. Paul: "I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith."

Bill is survived by his wife, Virginia Byers Urschel; three sons, William Jr. '78, Zachary Thomas Wilde (formerly known as Thomas Gorman Urschel), and Edward M.; his mother, Loma Urschel Struck; a daughter-in-law, Alexandra Halsey Urschel '78; three grandchildren, Augustus, Aurelius, and Meredith; a brother, Harold C. Jr. '51; a sister, Anne; and five nephews and nieces who were all Princetonians. The class extends its sympathy to them all.

The Class of 1956


DAVID ANTHONY COLE '61

David died Apr. 16, 2000, of pulmonary fibrosis. Born in Charleston, S.C., he came to Princeton from Lakeside H.S. in Seattle. At Princeton, he majored in philosophy, lettered in soccer, and took his meals at Colonial. He then earned master's and doctoral degrees in critical theory at Brandeis, where he met his wife, Susan. They married in 1963.

After teaching English at the City U. of New York for nine years, David took up his life's passion and embarked on a career in art that brought him worldwide recognition. His artist's books and correspondence art can be found in private and institutional collections around the world, including the Getty and the Museum of Modern Art.

He is survived by Susan, pres. of Montclair State U., his children, Simon '89 and Alexa, daughter-in-law Laura '89, and a granddaughter, Sonia. With them, we mourn the passing of our classmate.

The Class of 1961


John HARLIN GRIMES '61

John died at his home in Bahama, N.C., on Mar. 19, 2000. Born in Lexington, Ky., he graduated from Henry Clay H.S. At Princeton, he was a premed biology major, joined Quad, and was active in the band, orchestra, and the Savoyards. John roomed with Pete Pettibone, Walt Fowski, and Jon Hlafter.

Following medical school at Northwestern and residency at Duke, he was on Duke's medical staff until 1977, when he entered private practice in urology at Durham County General Hospital while remaining on the Duke Medical Center faculty. He returned full-time to Duke in 1998, where he remained until lung cancer incapacitated him last year. Active in professional organizations, John also had an active career as a flutist and singer and served two terms as pres. of the Durham Symphony.

Memorial services were held in the Duke U. Chapel and in Furry Creek, British Columbia, John's beloved retirement home.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Sharon Schildein Grimes, two sons, John and William, a grandson, his sister, Susan Walden, and his brother, Dr. Allen Jr. '59. We join them in mourning the passing of our classmate.

The Class of 1961


DAVID H. JOHNSTON '61

David died at 61 of cancer on July 6, 2000. He entered Princeton from the Ambler [Pa.] Joint School and received an AB in economics. He later earned an EdM in counseling and took doctoral studies at Penn.

At Princeton, he was pres. of the Savoyards and was a member of the NROTC and Court Club. His closest friends in the class were Frank Towne, Jay Salley, Brice Cox, and the late Mike Madden.

Following service in the Navy, he spent his early career in education as a teacher, guidance counselor, and administrator. In 1981, he became a training consultant for Achieve Global, formerly Xerox Learning Systems, of Wayne, Pa., remaining there until his death.

David had a particularly strong interest in traveling. He traveled around the world in 1968 and visited all but two US states. Two weeks before his death, he visited England for a family reunion.

David never married but had many cousins and friends who will miss him. We join them in their grief.

The Class of 1961


Graduate Alumni

Robert Gordon Hallwachs *42 *41, English, Jan. 2, 2000

Lloyd Manning Wells *55, Politics, Jan. 4, 2000

Allen Goldstein *67, Jan. 9, 2000

William Joseph Morris *51 *50, Geology, Jan. 10, 2000

Clifford Ambrose Truesdell *44, Mathematics, Jan 14, 2000

Donald Charles Archibald *30, Physics, Jan. 18, 2000

Simon Larach *55 *51, Chemistry, Jan. 20, 2000

Howard Ruben Bloch *64, Economics, Jan. 25, 2000

Harols Treadway White *39, Physics, Jan. 29, 2000