April 10, 2002: Memorials
Morris A. Mayers ’27
Kutch died at Monroe Village in Jamesburg, New Jersey, on Oct. 31, 2001, at age 95 following a series of strokes. Born in NYC, he came to Princeton from Columbia Grammar and majored in French. As an undergraduate, he took particular pleasure in translating poetry into colloquial English — particularly that of the lusty Roman poet Catullus. He rowed lightweight crew and later was a trustee of Princeton’s rowing association.
An amateur radio operator, his interest in electronics was useful in his Marine service during WWII and in Korea. As president of Display Lighting, Inc., he pioneered TV lighting, and later pursued a career with DuMont Television Network and with Visual Electronics, Inc. After moving to Princeton in 1957, he participated in local productions and cofounded a barbershop quartet group. President of the Class of 1927 at his death, Kutch served for years as reunion chair, with the enthusiastic support of his wife, Ros, who died in 1999. His many friends remember him for his gracious hospitality, his loyalty, and his delight in a good joke well told.
Kutch is survived by his sons, Alan E. ’54 and Kenneth E. ’58, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. The class extends its condolences to them.
The Class of 1927
GEORGE ALFRED BERKHEIMER ’34
George Berkheimer died Nov. 22, 2001, at his home in Manhattan of heart failure after a long illness. He was former chief of orthopedic surgery at Harrisburg Hospital and a clinical professor of surgery at Penn State Medical School in Hershey. When he retired in 1980, the hospital’s board termed him “a splendid man, industrious, conscientious, and dedicated.” To his family and friends he was “a gentle man with a wonderful sense of humor, and a devoted companion.”
In December of 1980 he took what he called “the most eventful and happiest step of my life” – marrying Margaret Polk Yates, a sister of the late Eugene Yates ’40. George and Margaret spent their time in NYC or traveling, and in the summer they lived on Nantucket.
A Fellow of the Am. Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a Diplomate of the Am. Board of Orthopedics, George was also a member of the Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier, Pa., the Nassau Club in Princeton, the Union Club in NYC, and the Nantucket Yacht Club. To Margaret we offer our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Carl Williams Peterson ’36
Pete died of cancer on July 25, 2001. He came to Princeton from Central HS in Scranton, Pa. Pete majored in chemical engineering and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year. He joined Tower Club, played rugby, and was a Daily Princetonian reporter. Pete was named president of the Princeton Chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and president of the Princeton Engineering Society.Pete served as class secretary (1961-71), AG class agent (1956-59), and secretary for Engineers of ’36.
After graduation, Pete worked for E. I. DuPont as a chemical engineer, sales manager, and manager of training. He retired in 1975, and moved to St. Croix, USVI, where he and Cathie lived for 19 years before moving to Walnut Creek, Calif.
As much as Pete loved Princeton and his classmates, he loved his family more. He leaves behind daughters Joan Poe (mother of Alison ’94), Ruth Peterson, Gwen Peterson, and Ann Simmons, son Carl Jr. ’64 *69, and four grandchildren. His beloved Cathie, wife of almost 60 years, died in Mar. 2001. Pete was indeed one of our greatest classmates. He will long be remembered.
The Class of 1936
GEORGE BOOTH DUNBAR ’38
George died Sept. 25, 2000. A resident of Wheaton, Ill., George prepared at Asheville School and Lake Forest Academy. At Princeton he majored in psychology, played freshman football, and joined Charter Club. Since graduation, there has been little news from George. He did not submit to our 50 Years Later book, but in our ’83, ’92, and ’98 directories, he is listed as retired and living in Evanston. His nephew, Bruce Dunbar Bridegroom, writes: “Uncle George never married and had no children, but he was the wisest, most entertaining, and most caring uncle imaginable. He was proud of his Princeton education, and never lost his desire to keep learning. Before his final bout with cancer, he was taking courses in theoretical physics at Northwestern U. If he were still here, I’m sure he would convey his best wishes to his fellow classmates at your forthcoming 63rd reunion.” The class is grateful to Bruce for his heartwarming tribute to George, and extends condolences to him and all surviving relatives.
The Class of 1938
WILLIAM ARTHUR EHRET ’38
Bill died Aug. 23, 2001, at The Medical Center in Princeton. Born in Trenton, he lived in Pennington before moving to Lawrenceville. Bill graduated from Lawrenceville School. He then entered Princeton but left in his sophomore year.
He served in WWII as an Army first lieutenant in Fontainebleau, France. Bill then started as a foreman at Eastern Aircraft, a subsidiary of General Motors, and later made his career supervising the building of hotels and hospitals in the East and Midwest.
Bill’s son, William C. Ehret II, predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Raymond Ehret, a daughter, Penelope Stout, two sons, Robert W. ’67 and Prentice R., six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, a sister, three brothers, and nieces and nephews, to all of whom the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1938
William Henrich ’38
A prominent businessman and banker in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., Joe, as he was best known, died at 80 on Dec. 29, 1997, after a long illness. One of eight children, he came to Princeton from the Stony Brook School on Long Island, but departed at the end of our sophomore year to enroll at the U. of Chicago, where he earned a business BA in 1940. He was president of the Henrich Lumber Co. in Buffalo until its closing in the mid-’60s, when he became a vice president of the Buffalo Savings Bank. He retired in 1982.
He married Jane Metzger Stewart in Nov. 1936. They had three children: Phyllis H. Noell, Frederick K., and David Henrich. The class extends its condolences and warm good wishes to the family.
The Class of 1938
Philip Albert Loomis Jr. ’38
Phil, whom we honored with our Distinguished Service Award in 1978, was a notable legal scholar. He was Phi Beta Kappa at Princeton, graduating with highest honors in economics, and summa cum laude at Yale Law. In 1954 he became a special consultant to the Securities & Exchange Commission. He wrote the basic rules for stabilizing the prices of newly offered stocks, then became associate director of the Commission’s Div. of Counsel Trading & Exchanges. By 1963 he was the SEC’s general counsel, and in 1971 Pres. Nixon appointed him a commissioner. Briefly, during the Reagan Administration he served as acting head of the Commission, but suffering ill health he resigned in 1981 with three years still remaining on his term.
Phil won the Commission’s Distinguished Service Award in 1967, as well as the Natl. Civil Service League’s career service award in 1964 and the Judge Tom Clark Award of the Federal Bar Assn. in 1971. He served as a trustee of the Webb School, which prepared him for Princeton, and was an enthusiastic yachtsman. He died on Sept. 12, 1996. His wife, Maryanna Hunter Oliver, died in 1968. They had three children: Sara Mary, Philip W., and Margaret L. The class extends condolences and warm good wishes to the family.
The Class of 1938
FREDERICK MARTIN PORTER ’38
Fred died Nov. 7, 2001, in Holmes Beach, Fla. He came to Princeton from Summit [N.J.] HS, where he was active in dramatics and played hockey. At Princeton he majored in history, graduating with honors. He was a member of the Intl. Relations Club and of Dial Lodge.
During WWII he was a captain in the Army Transportation Corps. After graduating from Columbia Law School, Fred started his career as an associate in the New York law firm of Lord, Day & Lord; then was an attorney with RCA Communications. He later became assistant general counsel for Amstar Corp. He retired to Manatee County, Fla., from his home in Short Hills, N.J., in 1982.
Survivors include his wife, Christine, a daughter, Susan Brownlee, a son, Frederick W., stepsons, John Schilling and Christian Schilling, and four grandchildren, to all of whom the class extends its deep sympathy.
The Class of 1938
BURT EDDY TAYLOR JR. ’38
After a long illness, Burt Taylor died on Mar. 10, 1996. Burt grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., where his father headed a thriving real estate business. He attended Lawrenceville; his extracurricular interests were polo, swimming, and music. At Princeton he was a member of Cloister Inn, and majored in English. After graduation and a brief period in his father’s business, Burt joined the Navy in July of 1940, served in both the Atlantic and Pacific, was awarded the Bronze Star along with other decorations, and was released as a lieutenant commander in Apr. 1946. He then went to Denmark, where he married Doreen in Copenhagen.
Burt then rejoined his father’s real estate firm, eventually succeeding him as president, and followed that career until his retirement. A major hobby was travel, but Burt’s family took special joy in visits to a small island in Canada where they could fish, swim, and boat.
Aside from his real estate career, Burt’s legacy was that of a kind, thoughtful, generous, absolutely honest person. The class extends its heartfelt, though very tardy, sympathy to his widow, Doreen, their three children, and seven grandchildren.
The Class of 1938
HERBERT DOANE VAN SCIVER ’38 *39
Herb died Aug. 31, 2001 at Bryn Mawr Terrace nursing home outside Philadelphia. He prepared at Trenton [N.J.] HS. At Princeton he majored in electrical engineering, graduating with honors, and added a master’s degree in 1939. In our 50th yearbook Herb observed that he was increasingly proud of his Princeton education, “especially as I see the lack of depth exhibited by current graduates of many other colleges.”
Herb joined the Budd Co. in 1939 and remained there his entire career. With two others he formed the Budd Nuclear Energy Division, and later he established the Budd Materials Research Laboratory, of which he was director on retirement in 1982. He was granted 19 patents in industrial process control and computer design.
Herb was a member of St. Asaph’s Episcopal Church in Bala Cynwyd for over 50 years, receiving the Bishop’s Award for service there. He loved photography, and judged science fairs at the Franklin Institute.
Herb’s wife ,Eleanor, died in 1974. He is survived by his daughter, Gretchen Losson, and three grandchildren. To them the class sends sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1938
JOHN THEODORE KING III ’40
Johnny (“Jack” was the nickname that stuck) died Nov. 2, 2001, in Baltimore from complications of pneumonia.
Jack prepared at Boys Latin and Gilman Schools. At Princeton he was on the wrestling and lacrosse teams, joined Charter Club, and majored in psychology.
Jack was a decorated WWII veteran of the D-Day Invasion. Balkoski’s Beyond the Beachhead contains an interview with Capt. Jack. He equates the crossing of the Vire River and the seizing of the village of Auville with the Charge of the Light Brigade. Jack had his men form a single skirmish line to wade the 80-yard river into machine gun fire. Jack was seriously wounded and after recovery, he was promoted to major to fight again.
In 1947 he joined what was to become Baltimore Gas and Electric for a lifelong career as an executive. He was active on many civic and church boards.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Betty; a son, John; a daughter, Elizabeth Leighton King Wheeler; a sister, Virginia King Whittlesey; two brothers, James ’47 and (Dr.) Joseph ’41; three grandchildren, and two stepgrandchildren. To them his classmates extend their sincere condolences.
The Class of 1940
DEWITT C. VAN SICLEN ’40 *51
Dewitt died Sept.25, 2001, in Houston, where he had been a resident for nearly 50 years.
He prepared at Flushing HS in New York, following his relative, Robert Ditman Van Siclen ’27, to Princeton. He majored in geology, graduating with highest honors, while being elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi. He earned his MS in 1941 (U. of Illinois), and returned to Princeton after the war to receive his PhD in geosciences in 1951.
Dewitt was a member of Tower Club, Whig-Clio, and varsity crew. In 1939 he was the national champion in single sculls.
During WWII he served in the Air Force with tours of duty in the Mediterranean and European Theaters. Recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict, he was discharged as a captain.
Early in his business career he was an oil exploration geologist in Texas for various companies. In 1959 he joined the U. of Houston as a professor of geology, receiving many awards in recognition of his contributions to the science and society.
Dewitt is survived by his wife, Beverly; his daughters, Mary Van Siclen Coelho and Sally Van Siclen; sons Henry and Clinton; six grandchildren; a brother, Wallace, and a sister, Emily Van Siclen Hengeveld. To them the class extends its sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1940
Lawrence Drake ’41
Larry died Aug. 30, 2001, in Gladwyne, Pa. Born and raised in Warrenton, Va., he prepared at St. Paul’s School. His father was in the Class of 1897.
Majoring in modern languages, he was a member of Ivy, and roomed freshman and sophomore years with Tony Duke, and junior and senior years with Sandy Laughlin.
During WWII, Larry served in the Field Artillery, spending two years in the Philippines and New Guinea. He was discharged as a major. After service, he earned his master’s at the U. of Pennsylvania architecture school. Larry went into practice in Philadelphia, finally semiretiring to his home in Phoenixville, Pa. He is best known for his design of churches in the Philadelphia area, including St. John’s Lutheran Church in Phoenixville and St. Mary Magdalen in Media. He also designed the Wissahickon Skating Club. Larry was elected planning commissioner and then supervisor of Schuylkill Township.
He is survived by his wife, Cassandra F. Drake, two daughters, Erin Gray and Amanda Austwick, two grandchildren, and four step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jane Emmet Drake.
The Class of 1941
Shelton Pitney Jr. ’41
Shel died on Oct. 21, 2001, after a long illness. Son of Shelton Pitney ’14 and grandson of Mahlon Pitney 1879, he graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy.
At Princeton, Shel majored in modern language, ran cross-country, played hockey, and was a member of Cottage. His roommates were Bright, K.B. Schley, Tomlinson, Ned Ross, Keep, Kilduff, and Lanahan.
From 1941-49, Shel served in the Navy, returning to inactive duty as lieutenant commander in 1949. During WWII, he served in South America, the Caribbean, Casablanca, and the Philippines. After service, Shel went into banking, first with Central Hanover Bank, and then for many years as a senior officer with Lionel D. Edie and Co. in NYC. An avid sailor, including cruising and ocean racing, he was a member of the New York Yacht Club and Corinthians, of which he was a past master. Shel was very active in Boy Scouts, and was a master at bridge.
Surviving are: Jean Gorman, his companion of 18 years; a daughter, Anita Fiorillo; three sons, Shelton Pitney III, David Pitney, and Maxwell Marston; his brother, James ’48; as well as five grandchildren. We shall miss this lovely gentleman.
The Class of 1941
John Wooten Moore ’46
Jack died Oct. 28, 2001, of a heart attack at his home in Creve Coeur, Mo. He joined the class in June 1942, served in the Air Corps from 1943-46, flying B-29 bombers in the Pacific, and graduated in 1948 with honors in economics.
His career was in manufacturing, first in plastics in Linesville, Pa., then as founder of Swan Corp. in St. Louis, making bath and kitchen products. He was a fisherman, horticulturist, history buff, and arts patron. His farm was a center for wildflower prairie cultivation. He was a trustee of the St. Louis Zoo.
Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Terry, sons John and Wesley, daughter Harriette Warren, brother Thomas, and four grandchildren. We share in sorrow their loss and salute a loyal classmate.
The Class of 1946
William Fisher Newbold ’46 *48
Bill died Sept. 13, 2001, of emphysema at his Mt. Desert, Maine, home. His winter home was in Sarasota, Fla. Schooled in Philadelphia, Pa., at Episcopal Academy and St. George’s School, R.I., he earned a Princeton graduate engineering degree in 1948, and an engineering degree at Clemson. His WWII service was in Guam (1943-46) with Army Engineers.
He worked for Honeywell, Inc., Fort Washington, Pa., and held patents in electrical engineering. In Chestnut Hill, Pa., he headed a youth group known as the Orange El, and worked in the community association for racial welfare. Skilled in sports, he enjoyed tennis, squash, and soccer.
Bill’s second wife, Elinor Kemper, died in 1999. Surviving are his first wife, Ellen Van Pelt Wells, sons, William F. Jr. and David, six grandchildren, and four step-grandchildren. Another son, Fitz-Eugene, died in 1998.
The class joins the family in remembering a fine citizen and loyal Princetonian.
The Class of 1946
JOHN P. DORST ’47
John died Apr. 17, 2001, of a brain tumor. He was 72. He came to Princeton from South Kent School. He also attended Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., and received a medical degree from Cornell U. School of Medicine in 1953. During WWII, he served as an engineer in France, the Philippines, and Japan.
John had a distinguished medical career. He was a prolific researcher who studied genetic bone disorders, and was the director of pediatric radiology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center from 1966-90.
He was considered the world expert on recognizing the numerous different forms of bone abnormalities that caused dwarfism. A colleague commented, “Dr. Dorst was deeply committed to children and never lost sight of the patient behind the image.”
John had a sharp sense of humor and delighted in puns and wordplay. He was an ardent devotee of opera and an accomplished ballroom dancer and cross-country skier. He also sailed off the coast of Maine and the Chesapeake Bay.
John is survived by Marcia, his wife of 51 years, two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren. To the entire family the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1947
Jesse Greer Bell Jr. ’49
Jess died Apr. 7, 2001, of a heart attack, at age 73. He came to Princeton from Exeter, and majored in English, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He was a member of the Bridge Club.
After graduation Jess worked for a year as an editor for Prentice Hall in NYC. He then entered the Army, and attended language school to learn Chinese. He used his skill to break a Chinese code, and served the balance of his Army service in Korea.
He then joined Stanford U. Press, where he remained until his retirement in 1985. At Stanford he served as acting director and associate director. Jess also was active in the Assn. of American U. Presses, and was a member of the board of directors. With Wilfred Stone, he coauthored Prose Style: A Handbook for Writers.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce Kachergis, three sons, Rex, Jed, and Michael, a daughter, Catherine, and three stepchildren.
The class extends its sincerest sympathy on their loss of this scholarly gentleman.
The Class of 1949
Harry G. A. Seggerman ’49
Harry died May 19, 2001. He was 73. Harry came to Princeton from St Paul’s. At Princeton he majored in English, and was a member of Quadrangle Club. He was a former member of the Alumni Council.
Harry started his career as a securities analyst at Dominick and Dominick on Wall Street, and subsequently worked for the Capital Research Group. He then became president of the Japan Fund. He was cofounder and vice chair of Fidelity Pacific. In 1992 he founded Intl. Investment Advisors, which manages the Korea Intl. Investment funds. During the years from 1962-82, trusts managed by Harry rose about 75 times in per-share net value, as measured by Lipper Analytical Securities.
Harry is survived by his wife, Anne Crellin Seggerman, four daughters, Patricia, Marianne, Yvonne Seggerman Beauregard , and Suzanne, two sons, Henry and John, a brother, and four grandchildren. The class extends its deepest sympathy to them all for their great loss.
The Class of 1949
Ralph Barker Wilson Jr. ’49
Ralph died May 10, 2001, in Tryon, N.C., of lung cancer. He was 73. He came to Princeton from Exeter and majored in politics. He was a member of Terrace Club, the photography club, and advertising manger of the Nassau Sovereign.
After a stint in the Army after graduation, Ralph went to work for Goodyear. He left that job for auto racing, working first for Volkswagen, then Saab, and then Alfa Romeo, where he retired as director of marketing in 1992. He retired to Tryon.
Ralph is survived by his wife, Barbara Cheney Wilson, a son, Ralph Barker Wilson III, a daughter, Jane Lee Wilson, and two sisters. The class extends its sympathy to them.
The Class of 1949
Hoyt Hayes Thompson ’50
Hoyt died Aug. 21, 2001, after a brief illness. He lived in the Kansas City area virtually his entire life, graduating from the Pembroke-Country Day School there. At Princeton he majored in modern languages and literature and was a member of Colonial.
He joined the Townley Hardware Co. in 1954, became president in 1977, and retired in 1983. He served on the executive committee of three industry associations. Devoted to community and to politics, Hoyt called himself “a midwestern conservative.” He was development director of the Kansas City Symphony Foundation and chair of the local United Way. Board memberships included the Metropolitan YMCA, Pembroke-Country Day School, and United Missouri Bank of Kansas City. An active Republican, he served on the city council and as mayor of Mission Hills, Kan. An avid hunter, Hoyt served as president of the Kansas City Country Club, as did his father.
The class extends its sympathy to his wife, Barbara, son, Webster, daughter, Deborah, two brothers, and four grandchildren.
The Class of 1950
Richard Yorke Remley ’54
Richard Remley died Aug. 18, 2001, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., of complications from surgery. Born in Washington, Pa., Dick attended Royal Oak HS, Michigan. At Princeton, he majored in engineering. He was a member of Quadrangle Club and freshman crew. After graduation he served in the Marines as a captain. Subsequently, he was employed at IBM. After retiring in 1993, he became a computer instructor at St. Charles (Mo.) Community College. He was a longtime volunteer at Goodwill Industries and an active member of St. Anselm Parish.
The class extends its sympathy to his wife, Nancy, their daughters, and 16 grandchildren.
The Class of 1954
William E. Studdiford III ’54
William Studdiford died Oct. 21, 2001, in Brick Hospital from pneumonia. Born in New York, he prepared for Princeton at St. Bernard’s and South Kent schools. He majored in history, was a member of Key and Seal Club, the manager of the varsity swimming club, and active on the advertising staff of the Tiger. He left Princeton at the end of his second year for active duty in the Navy, and served on the USS Leyte during the Korean conflict. An electrical engineer, he worked at Bell Laboratories for 33 years, retiring in 1989. At Bell, he worked on the Telstar Satellite project. He was an active member of the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Assn., serving as commodore 1993-94, Scouts, the Bay Head Soccer Assn., and a vestry member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Bay Head, N.J.
The class extends sympathy to his wife, Johanna, son, Andrew, daughter, Elizabeth ’84, two sisters, and two grandchildren.
The Class of 1954
William C. Barnard ’57
Bill died of a heart attack Oct. 4, 2001. At Princeton, Bill majored in politics, joined Cap and Gown, and was active in 1AA basketball, St. Paul’s Society, Pre-Law Society, WPRB, the Campus Fund Drive, and Phi Delta Phi. He graduated cum laude and received a law degree from the U. of Michigan in 1961.
Bill cofounded Sommer and Barnard, which now employs 60 attorneys in Indianapolis. Widely respected for his work on business, environmental, antitrust, and securities law, he was deputy attorney for the state of Indiana and listed in Best Lawyers in America and Who’s Who in American Law.
The class extends sincere best wishes to his wife, Lynne, children, Laura, Peter, Sarah, Elizabeth, and David, and six grandchildren.
The Class of 1957
Fulton Edwin Massengill ’57
Ned died on Oct. 14, 2001, of cancer. He came to Princeton from Newark Academy. At Princeton, he participated in lacrosse and was a member of Ivy Club and ROTC. An Air Force pilot assigned to the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, he was active during the Cuban missile crisis. His entire business career was spent with Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Co. in NYC, where he was a first vice president in the institutional equity sales and research departments.
A 30-year resident of Short Hills, N.J., before moving to Morristown, and an avid golfer, Ned was seven-time club champion at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, NJ, a member of Pine Valley Golf Club, and a member of the N.J. Senior Golf Association. Ned loved Princeton and his college roommates and friends, and he regularly attended class functions and Princeton sports events.
Our class extends its deepest sympathy to his wife of 42 years, Helen, to his children, Lisa, Michael, James, and Robert, his brother James and his eight grandchildren.
The Class of 1957
Richard Raymond Gratton ’68
After a prolonged battle with depression, Dick died on Feb. 7, 2001 — a belated casualty of the Vietnam War. He was 54. Memorial donations may be made to the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Dick came to Princeton from the Webb School. He majored in biology, was an excellent rugby player and an enthusiastic member of Tiger Inn. In 1969 he was commissioned in the Army, and served in the 5th SFGp in Vietnam 1970-71. He was awarded the CIB, the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He married Susan Dougherty in Jan. 1972.
He received a master’s in environmental science from Rutgers in 1974. From 1976-85, Dick worked for Pacific Telephone in San Francisco, then opening Smallfrys, which he operated from 1985 forward.
Dick was a voracious reader with a special interest in espionage, both fiction and nonfiction. He was a superb tennis and chess player, and an avid hiker, especially to Mount Tamalpais near Sausalito.
The world is a poorer place for Dick’s passing, and the class extends to his mother, Olga, sister Barbara, former wife, Susan, and daughters, Allison and Christine, its deepest condolences.
The Class of 1968
José M. Berrocal ’79
José Berrocal died of thymic cancer on Oct. 25, 2000, in the presence of his mother and his best friend, Bill Ford ’79. Bill and Dr. Jon Simons ’80 worked tirelessly to help José wage his courageous battle.
José was a highly regarded partner with James D. Wolfensohn & Co., later Bankers Trust, specializing in restructuring and M&A advisory work with Latin American companies. José earlier served as counselor to the governor of Puerto Rico, and as president of the Government Development Bank in Puerto Rico. He was a much-respected figure in Puerto Rican politics.
A Woodrow Wilson School economics major, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and did groundbreaking independent work on a national consumption tax. Much of his undergraduate life centered around Ivy Club, where he served as treasurer. He attended Nuffield College, Oxford, as a Marshall Scholar, then went to Yale Law School, where he was on the Yale Law Review.
No description of José’s life would be complete without mentioning his role as trusted counselor to nearly everyone who reached out for a dose of Berrocal wisdom. José gave much to his friends, his family, and his country. He will be missed greatly. The class extends its sympathies to José’s family.
The Class of 1979
Christopher D. Mello ’98
Christopher Mello perished aboard American Airlines Flight 11 on Sept. 11, 2001. Chris was born in Greenwich, Conn., and grew up in Rye, N.Y. At Princeton, Chris majored in psychology, was vice president of Cottage Club, played rugby, and was a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, and the 21 Club. Chris was an avid golfer and a member of the Apawamis Country Club in Rye and the Rye YMCA. After graduating from Princeton, Chris became a financial analyst at BT Alex Brown, and then moved to Boston to work for Alta Communications.
Chris is survived by his mother and father, Douglas and Ellen Mello, his brother, John Douglas Mello ’95, his grandmother, Alice Mello, and an entire Princeton class of extended family and loving friends. You will always be in our hearts and thoughts.
The Class of 1998
