May 15, 2002: Memorials
ROY H. SNYDER Jr. ’30
Roy died Dec. 15, 2001. He was 92.
Roy prepared at Tome School and Marston U. School. At Princeton he was a member of the Glee Club, the Gun Club, and the soccer team. He was vice president of Cloister Inn and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
During WWII he served as controller of the N.J. Shipbuilding Co. After the war he worked as an accounting specialist and financial analyst. He was a member of the Philadelphia Inst. of CPAs, the American Inst. of Accountants, the Financial Analysts of Philadelphia, and the Merion Cricket Club.
He is survived by his wife, Millicent Lennig Snyder, a son, Roy H. Snyder III, two daughters, Anne Prichard and Elizabeth Goodby, and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, John. The class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1930
George Webb Constable ’33
George Constable died of heart failure in a hospice in Towson, Md., on Jan. 19, 2002. He was 91. George, who lived for almost 50 years on a 125-acre farm in Monkton, Md., was also a brilliant lawyer who practiced in the firm of Wright, Constable and Skeen. He was a constant supporter of Catholic institutions all his life and a 40-year member of the boards of the Baltimore Museum of Art, Good Shepherd Center, and the College of Notre Dame of Baltimore.
George was a Renaissance man who enjoyed sailing while reciting Chaucer from memory and giving instructions to his crew. He had a quiet sense of humor and a penchant for puns. He wrote a beautiful book of cantos. George loved to farm, and landscaped a stream with stone tablets with biblical sayings. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elizabeth, five children, 19 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
The Class of 1933
Frank Millin Mellinger ’33
Frank died Nov. 25, 2001. He was 91. He was born in St. Mary’s, Pa., and became a longtime resident of Madeira, Ohio. After receiving an engineering degree from Princeton, he earned a master’s in 1941 at Carnegie Tech. He later taught soil mechanics at the U. of Cincinnati. He was director of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Laboratory Division, from 1953-70. Much of his work focused on the construction of solid airfield surfaces. Frank and his wife, Helen, were married 53 years. They had three children, Louis, Christine, and Ron, six grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. They also sponsored Ghirmei and Asmeret Haile from Eritrea, whom they considered their own children. Frank was a member of the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years.
Touching tributes to Frank were sent by a nephew, Jim Todhunter, and a granddaughter, Jess. Frank will be missed by many.
The Class of 1933
HENRY BURGESS THIELBAR ’34
Hank, our esteemed vice president for AG and class agent, died Feb. 7, 2002, in Charlottesville, Va., where he’d lived for the last 25 years, after a long illness.
In 1999 Hank was honored at the Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville by the establishment of the Henry B. Thielbar Leadership in Governance Award, of which he was named the first recipient. Actively involved in the governance of Martha Jefferson entities since 1986, he was vice chair of its successful 1989-92 capital campaign and served on and chaired its resource development committee. He wrote that the hospital was “the only place where I can be legitimately classified as a VIP.”
Hank’s business career was as a partner in Stein, Poe and Farnham, investment counselors, whose NYC office he managed for 26 years, and from which he retired in 1984.
He was married in 1938 to Falvia Pittroff. The couple had one daughter, Joan, and three sons, Frederick ’65, Peter, and Robert ’69, who survive, as do 11 grandchildren. To them all we extend our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Henry Clay Evans Johnson ’36
Clay died Apr. 24, 2001, at his Lookout Mountain, Tenn., home. He was 89. A graduate of Hotchkiss, he joined Cap and Gown. He left Princeton after his sophomore year.
During WWII he served in Europe as a Navy lieutenant commander. Clay spent his career with Interstate Life and Accident Insurance Co. He became president in 1946, succeeding his father, and stepped down in 1972. Interstate merged with Gulf United Corp. in 1980, and Clay retired in 1984 as a director and chair of the executive committee. He was president of the Hamilton County Memorial Hospital Assn. from 1946-84. The cancer center there bears his name.
He was married to Betty Mead Smartt, who died in 1980. He is survived by his wife, Gene Beasley Johnson, daughters Barbara Prickett, Elizabeth J. Patton, a son, H. Clay Jr., seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Clay lived a most productive life.
The Class of 1936
John Anthony Strazza ’36
Jack died May 14, 2001. He was 86. A graduate of Bloomfield [N.J.] HS in 1933, he transferred from Georgetown to Princeton, where he majored in biology. In 1940 he received his medical degree from Cornell. After an internship at the Jersey City Medical Center, he served there as chief of residence during WWII before establishing a private practice. A beloved, skillful physician in Bloomfield for 54 years, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award from that town and the N.J. Medical Society’s Golden Merit Award for distinctive service.
Jack was an accomplished drummer, playing in several jazz orchestras. At Princeton he played in the band and in the Triangle Club’s orchestra. He was an excellent golfer, and director and player of the North America Medical Golf Assn.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen, sons Harold, Bruce, John III, Paul, Christopher, and daughters Christina Wakeman, Donna Wakeman, Gale Dreschler, Nona Bernesley, 21 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
The Class of 1936
EDWIN F. RUSSELL ’37
Ed died on Dec. 22, 2001, at his Hobe Sound, Fla., home. He wrote in our 50th reunion book, “Journalism and publishing have been my entire career.” He first joined the Newark Star-Ledger and later became associate publisher. After WWII, he purchased three newspapers in Harrisburg, Pa., and combined them into The Patriot News. In the ’60s, he held several positions with Condé Nast, including publisher of Vogue. He was later president of Newhouse’s Metro-Suburbia.
In 1941, he was summoned to active duty by the British after enlisting in the Royal Navy prior to the U.S.’s entry into the war. He later transferred to the Navy and served on Eisenhower’s staff. In 1952, he chaired Pennsylvania Citizens for Eisenhower. In Oct. 2001, Ed was the only American able to attend the Greenwich, England, dedication of a plaque honoring Americans who served with the Royal Navy during WWII.
He married and later divorced Lady Sarah Spencer-Churchill, a relative of Sir Winston Churchill. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, four daughters, Alexandra Churchill Birch, Consuela Russell, Jacqueline Williams, and Serena Balfour, and 10 grandchildren. The class sends its sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1937
ROBERT EARLE ANDERSON JR. ’38
Bob died in Destin, Fla., on Apr. 4, 2001, after a long illness. He came to Princeton from Exeter and after Princeton graduated from Yale Law School.
In WWII he served on the Radford, the first destroyer back to the Philippines, and went through the picket line off Okinawa, where his ship was repeatedly attacked by kamikaze bombers. After the war, he practiced law for a Wall Street firm, then went to Sylvania as house counsel. Sylvania became GTE and Bob became its general counsel.
Bob retired early. He and his wife, Barbara, took their four children on a sailing trip around the Pacific. Ultimately, they made their home on Virgin Gorda, which served as home base for their many blue-water cruises up and down the Atlantic. After many years, they relocated to Destin.
Bob is survived by his wife, their children, Peter, Michael, Timothy, and Susan Figler, and nine grandchildren, to all of whom the class sends its sympathy.
The Class of 1938
Henry PlauchÉ Dart III ’39
Harry died Oct. 23, 2001, in New Orleans. Harry had practiced law in New Orleans for 28 years when he retired in 1981. He then moved to Tucson, where he pursued his lifelong passion for science, studying astronomy, geology, and other scientific subjects at the U. of Arizona. A strong critic of Einstein’s theory of relativity, he developed an alternative that he wrote up and presented at professional meetings. Perhaps this awesome challenge had its beginning in his Princeton years, when rounding a corner at top speed (he was a track man) one day, he almost ran over Einstein. In WWII Harry was an antiaircraft officer in the Pacific. In 1953 he settled into the family law firm.
He married Warreene Tutt in 1947, and they raised two daughters and two sons, who survive, as do 10 grandchildren and two sisters. Like them, we hate to lose this friendly and talented man. We offer our sympathy.
The Class of 1939
Raleigh Hansl Jr. ’39
Butts died Oct. 2, 2001, at a nursing home in Denver, a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. A longtime resident of Potomac, Md., Butts gave up his home there shortly after his wife, Janet, died in 1992. He later married Montine Brown and they moved to Vail.
Butts was an energetic, self-starting entrepreneur. After WWII service in landings at Anzio and southern France for which he was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star for pulling a wounded man away from enemy fire, he began his own company in 1947. In the late ’70s he and a team of scientists designed and marketed the multiple inoculation trays now standard in hospitals and medical research. His firm Micro Media was sold to Smith-Kline Corp. in the late ’80s. Butts found time to serve as our class treasurer, and took a leading role as producer of the retrospective show performed by our classmates at our 50th reunion.
To Montine and his sister, Barbara, we offer our sympathy.
The Class of 1939
Robert Joseph Sullivan ’39
Sully died of cancer Nov. 21, 2001, at the Medical Center at Princeton. He never lost his sense of humor, honed in his days as managing editor of The Tiger. He was regularly called upon at our annual reunion dinners to close the proceedings with his latest joke. As an Army 1st lieutenant in Winnipeg, Canada, during WWII, he met and married Janet Rossini. They moved to Princeton in the late ’40s, where he became chair of the zoning board and a charter member of the Bedens Brook Club. He was also a member of the Nassau Club and the Nassau Gun Club. In his 45 years with Lenox Inc., Sully became vice president of sales and marketing and spearheaded award-winning campaigns that gained Lenox its reputation in fine china. He represented Lenox during the design and production of the White House china service for Pres. and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.
For many years Janet and Bob were generous hosts for class reunion receptions beside the pool in the garden of their Princeton home. To Janet, their three children, and five grandchildren we offer our sincere sympathy and thanks for the life he shared with us.
The Class of 1939
Wolfgang Joseph Thron ’39
Wolf died of emphysema on Aug. 21, 2001, in Boulder, Colo., his home since 1954. He was professor of mathematics at the U. of Colorado until he retired as emeritus professor in 1985. A renowned mathematician, he was a member of the American Mathemat-ical Society, earned an award from the Royal Norwegian Society of Science and Letters, and was honored with the U. of Colorado Medal. He was also an exquisite wood sculptor and avid art historian. He was a member of the Religious Society of Friends. Wolf married Ann Lukach in 1953. Ann died in 1991 but their five children survive: three sons, Jonathan, Peter, and Rajinder, and two daughters, Penelope Thron-Weber and Karin, and five grandchildren. On several occasions, they all traveled as a family when Wolf took teaching assignments in Germany, the Philippines, and India.
To all his family who remember him as a generous man of intense integrity, loving and adventurous, we share their high regard and offer our sincere sympathy.
The Class of 1939
JOHN R. BROOKS ’40
J. B. died from complications from heart surgery on Dec. 20, 2001, at the U. of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester.
J. B. prepared at Hackley School and Choate School. At Princeton, he majored in modern languages, was a contributor to Tiger and Lit, and was a member of Tower Club.
During WWII J. B. served in Great Britain and Germany as a 1st lieutenant in the Air Force, earning the Presidential Unit Citation. His postwar career began with the US Foreign Service as vice consul in Germany and Italy.
Later he managed a consulting firm in NYC, dealing with federal and corporate entities on images and effectiveness of foreign operations. His interests were mountain climbing, swimming, sailing, opera, and the Lake Champlain Committee, a New York conservation group.
J. B. is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary Gilman Curtis, two children, John W. and Lila C. Brooks, and a brother, William. To them his classmates extend their sincere condolences.
The Class of 1940
ELLIOTT RAMSEY DRAKE ’40
Scholar, Army officer, writer, director, winner of prestigious awards for pioneering radio and television production — that was our Bud, but he frequently said that he was really born to be a father.
Bud died on Jan. 6, 2002, at a Florida hospital. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Audry, his five children, Ellen, Al, Dave, Jeff, and Peter, and three grandchildren.
He prepared at Pingry, and at Princeton majored in English literature, graduating with departmental honors, and was a member of Triangle Club, Theatre Intime, and Cloister Inn. During WWII, Bud was a decorated 1st lieutenant who was stationed in England.
His early career was with Mutual Broadcasting System in NYC, writing and directing radio dramas, launching such stars as Tony Randall and Eva Marie Saint. During 1951 he wrote mini-dramas for the Kate Smith show for NBC. His breakthrough show was the Sunday Night Monitor, a live news presentation, for which he was given the George Peabody Broadcasting Award.
Along with his 30 years of pioneering work, Bud managed to work in AG, time at golf, tennis, and photography and as Little League manager. To his grieving family, his classmates extend their sympathies.
The Class of 1940
THEODORE F. FENSTERMACHER ’40
Ted died on Nov. 16, 2001. Whether facing the German high command as chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials or the summits of mountains or the ski trails of Ski-40 mini-Reunions, Ted was indomitable.
He prepared at Blair Academy, graduating from Princeton with honors in history. An active undergraduate, he was on the board of the Princetonian; a member of Whig-Clio, University Orchestra, and Glee Club; and manager of the cross-country team.
Ted earned his law degree at Yale in 1943 and was admitted to the New York Bar, joining what became Folmer, Ryan, Fenster-macher and Yesawich. After Nuremberg, his general law practice was characterized by Ted as “having a penchant for taking on unpopular [and, more often than I like, losing] causes — including hosting Ralph Nader ’55, who said I was the only Princetonian who ever invited him to his home!”
His wife, Nancy, died at age 46 in 1967. He is survived by his daughters, Wendy Robin and Lucy, his son, Fredric, and two grandchildren. To them his classmates extend their sincere condolences.
The Class of 1940
FREDERICK D. FOOTE ’40
On Dec. 20, 2001, we lost one of our most popular, loyal class leaders: President 1946-50, Class Agent for AG, Schools and Scholarship Committee member.
Fritz prepared at Hotchkiss. At Princeton he majored in English; played baseball (in 1939 he appeared in what reportedly was “the first-ever televised sporting event”); was news editor of the Princetonian, on the Nassau Herald board, the Student-Faculty Association, and president of Cap and Gown.
He had a lifelong interest in sports and all things nautical. Fritz toured the Pacific theater with the US Navy from 1942-45 as a lieutenant senior grade. Later he was a tugboat captain in New York Harbor. In recent years he joined three close friends for an Atlantic crossing on a 46-ft. ketch.
Fritz’s postwar career with US Steel included executive positions in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland, where he was active in many civic affairs. He and his beloved wife, Sally, retired to their home by the sea in Castine, Maine, where their pattern of public service and giving continued.
In addition to Sally, his wife of 51 years, he is survived by four children, Katherine, Elizabeth, Virginia, and David, five grandchildren, and two stepgrandchildren. To them we extend our sincere condolences.
The Class of 1940
EDWARD HOLLOWAY JR. ’40
Ed devoted his life to the service of others and his family before he died on Dec. 28, 2001. And this was his own benediction: “Through it all remains our love for Princeton.”
At Princeton he majored in politics, graduating with departmental honors. He was on the 150-lb. crew and a member of Elm Club.
During WWII, Ed taught history and artillery at West Point. After the war he got his degree from Yale Law School in 1947, joining his father’s — later his own — law firm, where he stayed until he retired.
Ed remained an active Army reservist until 1971, retiring as a colonel. He was also governor of the Society of Colonial Wars, a lifelong Mason, trustee and secretary of the Browning School.
His first devotion, though, was to his wife, Gail, and family; his spare-time interests were skiing, tennis, travel, and music. To Gail and his daughter, Hope, Ed’s classmates extend their sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1940
JACK C. PATERNO ’40
Our Pat, formerly of Greenwich, Conn., died Jan. 26, 2002, at Mount Holly, N.J.
Preparing at Riverdale Country School, he followed his relatives Joseph ’32 and John ’35 Campagna to Princeton. He majored in history, graduating with departmental honors, was football manager and on the Tiger business board, in Catholic Club, and Elm Club.
An Army field artillery officer during WWII, he served in the Aleutian Islands. His civilian career was in real estate investment, president of Paterno Bros. since 1946.
Pat expressed his strongest enthusiasms for his family and outdoor activities, establishing impressive numbers for his classmates to equal: his marriage of 62 years to Ruth MacInnis, his 10 children and 21 grandchildren. A member of Greenwich, Oyster Harbor, Westchester, and Woodway Country Clubs, he had five aces to his credit. He was also a yachtsman and Civil War buff.
Pat is survived by Ruth; five sons, Jack, Jr., Barry, Robert, Peter, and Gregory; five daughters, Jacqueline Kirby, Babetta Ferris, Melissa Schori, Cynthia Cody, and Christina Smith — and 21 grandchildren. To all of them, his classmates extend their sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1940
Douglas Bonner Bowring ’41
Tom died on Dec. 30, 2001, in Atlanta. Born on Staten Island, he graduated from St. George’s School in Newport, R.I. At Princeton, he joined Colonial Club, was manager of the crew, and graduated with honors from the School of Public and International Affairs. He roomed with L. R. Page, Goodfellow, Holland, Longcope, Huston, Wainwright, and Moss. During WWII, Tom served in the Air Corps as a weather forecaster, separating as a warrant officer.
After graduating from Harvard Law in 1948, he joined NYC firm Haight, Deming, Gardner, Poor, and Havens, as did Tallman Bissell. They both retired as partners in 1973.
Tom moved to Edgartown in 1975. A sailor, he owned a Vixen 34. A vestryman of St. Andrew’s Church, also a member of the Edgartown Yacht Club, the Edgartown Golf Club, and the Edgartown Reading Room.
Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth; two daughters, Sally Joy Anderson and Lisa, as well as four grandchildren.
The Class of 1941
Philip Harrison Confer ’41
Phil died Jan. 7, 2002, after a long illness. A native of Long Island, he attended St. Paul’s School in Garden City, and then graduated from Andover. At Princeton, Phil majored in economics, joined Campus Club, was on freshman track, played 150-lb. football, and twice won the 145-lb. boxing championship.
Entering the Navy in Sept. 1942 a commissioned ensign, Phil served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific theaters, separating as a lieutenant in 1945.
After service, he first went into automobile sales but then joined his family’s summer camp for children, Forest Lake Camp in the Adirondacks, retiring in 1985 after serving as director for 30 years. He was succeeded by his son, Gary.
Phil is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mabel “Sally,” his daughter, Nancy Fagerness, his son, Gary, and one grandchild.
The Class of 1941
Louis Apgar Pyle Jr. ’41
On Jan. 14, Lou died at home from cancer. A native of Jersey City, he prepared at Newark Academy. At Princeton he majored in philosophy, joined Tower, and was an outstanding gymnast. He roomed with Malcolm Forbes ’41 and then Sterling Hutcheson ’41.
After graduation Lou began medical school, but left after Pearl Harbor to join the Navy, where he served with distinction as communications officer. He was separated as a lieutenant. Lou returned to graduate from Columbia U. in 1950. He then took his residency at the U. of Oregon.
He practiced as a pediatrician for 18 years in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., before beginning his outstanding career in university health and sports medicine at Princeton. He retired as director of health services and an officer of the university. Space precludes listing all of his many achievements and his national recognition, but suffice it to say, Princeton has lost a wonderful son.
Predeceased by his wife, Janet, he is survived by his daughters, Sally and Elizabeth, his son, Thomas ’76, two brothers, and five grandchildren.
The Class of 1941
WILLIAM BUSH JR. ’42
Bill died Dec. 25, 2001, in Sanford, Fla., of a heart attack. He retired as Seminole County engineer several years ago. A wonderful man of many talents, Bill will always be remembered fondly by his family and friends for his artistic gifts. His whimsical cartoons were published not only in the Princeton Tiger, but also in The New Yorker.
Coming to Princeton from Westtown School, Bill majored in mechanical engineering and was a member of Quadrangle Club. During the war he was an aviation volunteer specialist in the Navy. Remaining in the naval reserve after the war, he retired as lieutenant commander. After working for the DuPont Co. in Philadelphia for several years, he moved to Sanford and was a commercial vegetable grower before becoming county engineer. He also operated an engineering partnership. Bill was civic-minded and a member of many organizations.
Predeceased by his wife, Bethy, Bill is survived by his daughter, Molly, his son, Brad, and by his three grandsons, to all of whom the class extends its profound sympathies.
The Class of 1942
JOSEPH WARD HOOPER JR. ’43
Joe died of a heart attack at his home on Jan. 19, 2002. He was 80.
He attended New Hanover HS, the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and graduated from Princeton cum laude. Harvard Med School followed, then residencies at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Emory U., and Medical College of Va.
Joe enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a physician. He was admitted to the American College of Surgeons, and board- certified by the American Board of Urology. Joe had a special interest in pediatric urology, lecturing on this specialty nationwide.
Following his retirement, he continued active in the Wilmington [N.C.] community, as well as local and state politics.
Joe is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nell, five daughters, Nell, Margaret Turner, Louise Jones, Christian, and Nancy Morrison; a sister, Louise Wilson; and 12 grandchildren. To the entire family, we extend our most heartfelt condolences.
The Class of 1943
WILLIAM A. MARTIN ’43
Bill died Jan. 26, 2002, of a heart attack. He was 81. An NYC native, Bill graduated from Princeton in Jan. of 1943 and was commissioned an ensign in the Navy in June. He became a career naval officer, participating in the Normandy invasion aboard LST 497. Later duty stations included LST 74, hospital ship USS New Haven during the Korean War, Newport News, Casablanca, Richmond, and various NROTC college units. He retired in 1968 with the rank of commander.
Bill taught chemistry at Wesley College, Dover [Del.], from 1968–83. His community interests were varied, ranging from volunteering at a Delaware hospital to lay reading at Christ Church to participation in the Retired Officers Assn.
Bill leaves his wife of 55 years, Jean, daughter Susan Biagini, and two granddaughters. To the entire family, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies.
The Class of 1943
JOHN W. AALFS ’44
John died on Nov. 27, 2001. He had been living for some years in the DC area.
He came to Princeton from Sioux City, Iowa, and majored in economics. He joined Tower Club and was active with Triangle, the Nassoons, and Glee Club. He roomed with Hirschberger ’44 and Douglas ’44.
After a start in business he went to Union [N.Y.] Theological Seminary and was ordained a United Presbyterian minister in 1950; he served parishes for 32 years in many states, the last 17 years as pastor in New Bedford, Mass.
To his wife, Margaret, and his children, Linden, Mark, and Thomas, his classmates send their sympathy.
The Class of 1944
H. BRYCE ROBERTS ’44 *50
Bryce died on Oct. 4, 2001, after a year’s battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Coming to Princeton from Loomis-Chaffee School, he majored in politics and was active with the St. Paul’s Society, the Colophon Book Club, and the Arts Group. He graduated in 195o, having served in the Army during WWII with the OSS. His life’s work was as an architect, principally with Butterfield & Associates and Russell, Gibson and Vondohlen. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, who says that Bryce regarded his years at Princeton as among the most cherished periods of his life. He is also survived by his daughter, Julie, and a grandson, Jared. To them all his classmates express their sincere regrets.
The Class of 1944
GRANT E. SCOTT JR. ’44
Grant and his wife, Marion, died Nov. 27, 2001, when their single-engine plane crashed outside Evansville, Ind. Grant had refueled there on his way home to Olean, N.Y., from a Thanksgiving gathering in Mesa, Ariz. Trying to return to the airport, he piloted his plane away from homes in the area.
Grant came to Princeton from Exeter and majored in engineering. He played competitive squash, was a member of Charter Club, and roomed with Peck, D. Scott, and Holland. After employment with Wright Aeronautical, Allis Chalmers, Klipfel Valves, C.H. Wheeler and Nu-Tone, he came to Olean to work for Clark and for Zurn, forming his own business, Scott Rotary Seals, in 1958.
He was a member of the vestry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, singing in its choir; of the Airplane Operators and Pilots Association; and many other organizations.
He and Marion are survived by seven children, Janet, Grant III, Clifton, Virginia, Katherine, Gordon, and David, and nine grandchildren, to all of whom the class extends its sympathies.
The Class of 1944
Peele Beebe ’46
Peele died Jan. 13, 2002, in Santa Barbara, Calif., of lung cancer. A graduate of Brooklyn Polytechnical School, he played football and rowed crew. He spent three years in the US Army Signal Corps, serving in the South Pacific.
Married to Ann Wilson in 1947, he moved to California and engaged in a career in real estate. He enjoyed boating and dogs, serving on the local humane society board. He is survived by his wife and their two daughters, Leslie Ann and Nancy, and two grandchilden. The class extends its sympathy to them.
The Class of 1946
Robert Louis Massey ’46
Bob died Jan. 8, 2002, of pneumonia. He had moved back to his native Caldwell, N.J., area from a home in Stamford, Conn., where he was active in the International Executive Service Corps. from 1985-89.
Bob came to Princeton from Lawrenceville, playing 150-lb. football and majoring in economics. He spent 1943-46 in the Navy, then returned to graduate in 1947. After working as a steel company representative out of NYC, he switched to advertising in 1960, working with Ogilvy & Mather, then in his own firm, Massey Advertising.
An energetically loyal Tiger, Bob enjoyed amateur dramatics, jazz drumming, and teaching literacy and the Bible. Married in 1949 to Jane Hocker, whom he later divorced, he raised two daughters, Anne and Susan, and a son, Robert. They and seven grandchildren survive. We join them in sympathy.
The Class of 1946
WILLIAM N. JAYME ’47
Bill died on May 18, 2001, at his home in Sonoma, Calif., of emphysema. He was 75.
He came to Princeton from Peabody School in Pittsburgh, Pa. He spent WWII in Texas, writing radio shows for the Army. He returned briefly to Princeton and then spent 20 years in NYC working for Time-Life, CBS, and McCann-Erickson and writing humor pieces for Esquire, Harper’s, and New York magazines.
In the late 1960s, Bill moved to California and formed a lifelong professional and personal partnership with Finnish graphic designer Heikki Ratalahti. As Jayme Ratalahti, Inc., they created promotional materials for some 35 upscale magazines, including Bon Appetit, Mother Jones, Smithsonian, and Civilization. To widen readership for Psychology Today, Bill devised a personality quiz for potential readers, the response to which was very high. In 1989 he received a lifetime achievement award from the Direct Marketing Assn.
In addition to his partner, Bill is survived by a brother, J. Phillip. To them both, the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1947
WILLIAM HAMLIN NEELY ’47
Ham died from advanced bladder cancer at home in Allentown, Pa., on Sept. 18, 2001. He was 76.
Descended from a long line of illustrious Princetonians, Ham came to Princeton from Lawrenceville. During the war, he was in the Navy V-12 program and served in Alaska, where he entertained in Bob Hope’s USO show. Ham wrote musical scores and production numbers for the great Triangle shows of 1946–48. A gifted pianist, his high camp, midnight solo performances on Prospect Street are still remembered by many.
Ham graduated from Dickinson Law School and practiced for 50 years in Allentown, where he was renowned and feared for never using any notes on direct examination.
The class has lost one of its most brilliant, creative, and colorful members. He is survived by his wife, Irene, three sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His sister, Jean, and brothers, Stuart ’51 and James ’48, also survive him. To the entire family, the class extends its deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1947
Herman Dibert Baumer Jr. ’49
Joe died Mar. 7, 2001, of lung cancer. He was 73. He prepared for Princeton at Haverford and served in the Navy from July 1945 until July 1946. At Princeton he majored in English, was a member of Charter Club and assistant business manager of Triangle.
After graduation Joe began with Guinness Stout as a salesman and then ended up on Wall Street as a trader with AMEX. He also had a seat on the NYSE, which he maintained until his death. Joe’s major outside interest was cooking, and he and his trading partner owned NYC restaurant Baumer and Brooks. He also coauthored a cookbook.
Joe is survived by two sons, Christopher ’80 and Anthony ’90, a daughter, Tracey Fox, and seven grandchildren. The class extends its sympathy to them on their loss.
The Class of 1949
William Mason Beekley III ’49
Mason died Aug. 20, 2001 in Beverly Hills, Calif., of complications from prostate cancer. He was 74. He prepared for Princeton at Kingswood. At Princeton he majored in economics and was a member of Colonial Club. Mason was on the ski team, an editor of the Daily Princetonian, in the Glee Club, and chair of the 1949 Nassau Herald. He was a loyal Princetonian and class member.
Mason founded Beekley Corp. in 1952 and remained with it until his death. An entrepreneur, he invested in or contributed to the invention of proprietary information products, used by more than 9,000 hospitals for diagnostic radiological procedures. In 1991 Mason was honored as CEO of one of the most successful businesses in Connecticut. He also founded the Intl. Skiing History Assn. and the Beekley Intl. Library of Skiing Literature. He was known for his many philanthropic activities in New Hartford.
Mason is survived by four daughters, LizaLee Kremer, Lorie Cheney, Sayer Wardell, Frances, and five grandchildren. The class extends its deepest sympathy to them.
The Class of 1949
Gordon Barret Miller ’49
Barry died Mar. 25, 2001, in a hospice in Cincinnati of cancer. He was 73. He came to Princeton from Hill School, was a member of Cap and Gown Club, the Tiger, and WPRU.
Barry started his working life in the firm Gordon B. Miller & Co., founded by his father. The firm was in the recognition industry, providing awards and programs to Fortune 500 companies. He then spent time as an account executive with firms in the Chicago area. In 1977 he returned to Miller & Co. as chair and CEO until he sold the company to Josten’s, Inc. He is remembered by one class member as highly creative.
Barry is survived by three daughters, Lisa Condon, Lauren Barrett, and Jennifer Metzger, and a brother, John Miller II ’57. The class extends its sympathy to them.
The Class of 1949
Mel C. Carney ’50
Mel died of heart failure in California on Dec. 8, 2001. He grew up on Chicago’s North Shore, coming to Princeton from New Trier.
Mel served on the freshman governing council and on the Orange Key governing board his junior and senior years. A Quadrangle Club member, he graduated from the Woodrow Wilson School with honors. He received a master’s in modern European history from the U. of California at Berkeley.
From 1951–53 Mel served in Korea, receiving the Bronze Star for meritorious service. In 1953 he returned to Chicago to join the First National Bank training program. By 1962 he was vice president, then the youngest in the bank’s history.
He left the bank in 1963 to pursue a writing career and eventually moved to Beverly Hills. Unsuccessful as a writer, he became a real estate investor in Laguna Beach, where he moved in 1976. Mel loved ships, traveling the world in the ’80s and early ’90s, when he spent more than 500 nights at sea. Our condolences go to his friend of 28 years, Richard L. Burns, and his brother, Thomas Carney and family.
The Class of 1950
Everett Frank Jr. ’50
Ev died of a heart attack in Bryn Mawr, Pa., on Nov. 17, 2001.
He graduated from Hotchkiss School and served two years as a Navy radar operator. At Princeton, he was a member of Quadrangle Club, a managing editor of the Princetonian and secretary of the Undergraduate Council.
In 1955 Everett received a Harvard MBA and began a 26-year career with Scott Paper Co. He retired in 1981 as vice president for corporate planning. He then became the founding director of the Nonprofit Management Development Center at LaSalle U. After he retired in 1996, he continued consulting until 1999. Everett’s colleagues have established two endowments to celebrate his legacy and support his interest in the learning disabled.
Everett was a vestryman at St. Asaph’s Episcopal Church, where he was a member for 25 years. Many will remember him for his sense of humor, love of piano-playing, and for his frequent hikes in the White Mountains.
Our deepest sympathy goes to Joan, his wife of 45 years, his daughters, Sarah Conner and Margaret Van Steenwick, his son, Everett William, and his sister, Ruth. His father was the Class of 1915.
The Class of 1950
Samuel L. McSorley III ’50
Sam died on Sept. 27, 2001, in Chestertown, Md. Sam was a true gentleman, kind and generous, who was everyone’s best friend.
Prior to coming to Princeton, he attended Lake Forest [Ill.] Academy and served in the Air Force from 1944 to 1945. At Princeton he played football as a freshman, majored in economics, and with his roommates Bill Winters and David Aubrey belonged to Tiger Inn. In his sophomore year he married Dorothea Mendinhall. Sam and Dolly were originally from Wilmington, Del., but spent as much time as possible after Princeton at their family place, “Damsite,” on the Chesapeake Bay, where they enjoyed entertaining friends. Most of Sam’s working career was spent in the gas business with stops in Michigan, Houston, Indiana, and lastly the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
The class extends its sympathy to Dolly, his wife of 53 years, daughters Ruth Anne Taylor and Nancy Hoffman, son Ted, and eight grandchildren.
The Class of 1950
ALAN LOCKHART CAMPBELL ’51
Alan died of bone cancer Aug. 14, 2001, at home in Falls Village, Conn. He came to Princeton from St. James School. He rowed on the 150-lb. crew, roomed with Dick Carrigan ’50 and Jim Robertson ’50 and then with Dan Anderson ’51 and James Beuchner ’50. A history major, he was graduated cum laude and was a member of Cap and Gown.
Alan was in the Foreign Service for 10 years, serving in New Delhi, Calcutta, Naples, Tel Aviv, Saigon, Hue, and Washington. For the next 15 years he was involved with JDR III Fund Asian cultural exchanges, during which time he became interested in East Indian batik designs.
With the encouragement of his mentor, Sister Parish of the fabled NYC decorator firm of Parish-Hadley, he established his own company, Alan Campbell, Inc., specializing in textiles and wallpaper. He was active in Trinity Church and was former president of the American Friends of the Attringham Society. Alan is survived by his sisters, Marion Strong and Jessie Sibert, five nephews, and a niece.
The Class of 1951
JOSEPH FRANCIS GOLDEN JR. ’53
One of Princeton’s finest baseball players, Joe died suddenly of cardiac arrhythmia Jan. 7, 2002, at his Teaneck, N.J., home.
A left-handed first baseman, Joe entered from Penn Charter. He captained the freshman team and the varsity his senior year, when he won the batting title and led P.U. to the EIBL championship. Joe also swung a big bat for the Philadelphia Athletics before grad school and the service. In 1958 he became Len Milberg’s partner at Milberg Factors in NYC and remained there throughout his business career. An all-round athlete, Joe had a low golf handicap and shone on the tennis court. Because of his dedication to Princeton’s baseball program, he received the Robert L. Peters ’42 Award. Both Peters and Joe were members of Cottage Club.
Our condolences to his wife, Eileen; daughters Mary Fran Sponseller, Eileen W. and Susan Del Rio; son William; and eight grandchildren. Eulogist Len Milberg said Joe never forgot where he came from and always remembered his friends.
The Class of 1953
CHARLES AUGUSTINE ROONEY JR. ’53
After courageously battling a long illness, Charlie died in Somerville, N.J., Jan. 11, 2002, a day after his 71st birthday. Charlie pulled a strong oar for the frosh crew and rowed with the varsity. He roomed with John Wright and was in the Pre-Law Society. He was in the Right Wing Club, secretary-treasurer of the Interclub Committee, and president of Colonial. There, he and his wife-to-be, Anne Duffy, were high-spirited hosts for club parties. After serving as a lieutenant in the artillery and receiving his LLB from Columbia, he practiced law with his father and later headed the firm. Following Anne’s death, Charlie became reacquainted with her good friend Eileen McCoy, a widow, and they had planned to be married. Among wives and classmates at Charlie’s funeral were his friends Janet and Cowles Herr, and Cowles gave a heartfelt eulogy. Survivors include children Katherine, Charles A. III ’79, Margaret, and Brian, brother George, sister Carolyn Rojack, and fiancée Eileen McCoy.
We say so long to Charlie, he with the big heart and wry wit. He never gave up and never gave in. He just finally gave out.
The Class of 1953
Richard W. Brenner ’54
Dick died Jan. 9, 2002, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC. Born in Jersey City, Dick prepared for Princeton at Lincoln HS. At Princeton, he majored in biology. He was a member of Campus Club and an announcer for WPRU. He served as president of the Pre-Medical Society and secretary of the Hillel Foundation. He then graduated from Columbia Medical School, specializing in thoracic, vascular, and pediatric surgery. His office was in Summit, N.J. He was a captain in the Air Force, clinical professor of surgery at Columbia, and director of surgical education at Overlook Hospital.
The class extends its sympathy to his wife, Judith, son, Andrew, daughter, Jill, two grandchildren, and his sister, Judith Church.
The Class of 1954
John David Easton ’55
John Easton died of melanoma July 28, 2001, at the Medical Center in Princeton. Born in Trenton, he was a longtime Hopewell Township resident.
John came to Princeton from Trenton Central HS, where he was an outstanding athlete and active in student government. At Princeton, he majored in electrical engineering, joined naval ROTC, and participated in the Orange Key program. John was an exceptional defensive player in basketball and led the baseball team as captain our senior year.
John served in the Navy and enjoyed a brief professional baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies. He then worked with Public Service Electric & Gas Co., retiring in 1995 as southern division manager. He was highly respected by his business and community associates, and was known for his intellectual curiosity and friendly manner.
John was deeply devoted to his family and particularly enjoyed hosting his grandchildren at the family vacation home in Cape May. He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, and birding.
John is survived by Nancy, his wife of 46 years, daughters Kathy Easton and Susan Muncie, sons J. David Jr. and Robert, and seven grandchildren. The class sends its deep sympathy to them all.
The Class of 1955
Robert Nozick *63
Robert Nozick died of stomach cancer on Jan. 23, 2002, in Cambridge, Mass. He was 63.
Nozick, one of the nation’s most influential philosophers, was the Joseph Pellegrino U. professor at Harvard, a position awarded to distinguished individuals whose path-breaking work crosses the boundaries of different disciplines. Nozick wrote Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974); Philosophical Explanations (1981); The Examined Life (1989); The Nature of Rationality (1993); and Invariances: The Structure of the Objective World (2001). Anarchy, State, and Utopia won the National Book Award and was named by the Times Literary Supplement as one of “The Hundred Most Influential Books Since the War.”
Nozick was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and received his A.B. from Columbia College. A former member of the radical left who was converted to a libertarian perspective as a graduate student, he was never comfortable being referred to as an ideologue. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including the Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association in 1998, which described him as “one of the most brilliant and original living philosophers.”
He is survived by his wife, Gjertrud Schnackenberg, and his two children, Emily and David.
The Graduate School
