Obituaries
1931
Eleanor Dow Grimm, Aug. 15, 2006
El Dow Grimm left 乐播传媒 and headed to Orono, where she earned a master鈥檚 in economics in 1933. For many years, she worked for the U.S. Children鈥檚 Bureau, retiring in 1987. Her husband predeceased her. She is survived by children Robert Grimm, Stephen Grimm, and William Grimm.
1933
Florence James Cyr, April 11, 2007
Fluent in several languages, with a major in German, Florence Cyr was just days away from departing Lewiston for Germany on scholarship when a massive fire destroyed large portions of Auburn. She immediately scrapped her plans and devoted the next few months to helping its victims, and realized that her future lay in social work. Valedictorian of her high school class, she graduated from 乐播传媒 with membership in Phi Beta Kappa. A native of Portland, she returned there in 1934 to take a joint position with the city鈥檚 welfare department and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA). She was offered a six-month scholarship to the New York School of Social Service, from which she graduated in 1935. She returned to Maine to work for FERA and then for the Works Progress Administration, which had taken over FERA. Throughout this time, she received several personal requests for her assistance at disasters around the country. Following her marriage to Lawrence Cyr, she held positions at the Children鈥檚 Hospital in Boston and the Harvard Univ. School of Public Health. In 1948 she received a master鈥檚 in social science from Boston Univ. Her husband died in 1993.
1934
Russell Henry Milnes, Feb. 25, 2006
With a degree in Greek and a knack for Shakespeare, Russ Milnes continued to perform while working in business in Manchester, N.H., where his two roles in Hamlet are said to have inspired the formation of a little theater group. Soon, however, he changed course and was awarded a bachelor鈥檚 of divinity from Hartford Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1941 at Pilgrim Church in Canaan, Conn. He served in the Army during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star. He returned to Pilgrim Church following the war and served as its pastor until 1964. He then moved to First Congregational Church in Bethel, Conn., where he served for 10 years until his retirement. From 1966 to 1971, he was the national chaplain of the 69th Infantry Division Assn. He was the grand master of Masons in Connecticut and governor of the Connecticut Society of The Order of Founders and Patriots of America during the early 1970s. His daughter is Margaret Milnes Bennett 鈥64. His cousin was Virginia Towns Abbott 鈥45, whose daughter is Melanie Abbott 鈥73. His wife, Vesta, predeceased him.
1935
Hilda Gellerson Bajema, March 17, 2007
For most of her life, Hilda Gellerson Bajema was a farmer. She and her husband, Garret, operated a 60-acre dairy farm in northwestern Washington state. She also had large vegetable gardens and became very involved in land use issues and shoreline management. In 1989, she cited pollution and greed as two of the issues that most concerned her. When they retired from their farm, she and her husband continued to enjoy organic gardening. Her cum laude degree from 乐播传媒 was in chemistry, and she added a master鈥檚 from Radcliffe in 1948, following a short teaching career in various towns in Maine and Connecticut. She worked in a laboratory at Smith College, researching ways to synthesize morphine. She and her husband opened their dairy farm in 1951. Hilda helped found the Whatcom (Wash.) Land Trust and served as a board member until 2005. The organization honored her by naming one of its reserves after her. She also was named an 鈥渆nvironmental hero鈥 by RE Sources, an environmental education organization in Washington, in 2005. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters and served on the board of the Bellingham (Wash.) YWCA. Among her survivors are her daughter, Beverly Bajema, and son, Robert Bajema. Her husband predeceased her.
John Willis Stahl, May 8, 2007
Baseball and bridge 鈥 those were the two activities that occupied Jake Stahl outside of class, depending on the season. After earning his degree in mathematics, he worked for a woolen mill and served in the Army in the Pacific during World War II. He returned to Camden, his home town, and began a 32-year career with the U.S. Postal Service there. Following retirement in 1974, he and his wife, Irvina, moved to Florida, where he was active in the homeowners鈥 association in his area. Besides his wife, survivors include sons John and Howard; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. His sister was Jeannette Stahl 鈥31.
1936
Mary Abromson Scolnik, March 9, 2007
The daughter of Russian immigrants, Mary Abromson Scolnik married the son of Russian immigrants, Samuel Scolnik 鈥33. With a degree in sociology, she went on to study at Michigan State Univ. and then worked for the Red Cross, first in Lewiston and then in Boston, while her husband was stationed nearby. Later they settled in Maryland, where her husband, an attorney, was a legal consultant to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. At 乐播传媒, she was active in the 4A Players, serving as president her senior year. Her husband died in 2004. Among her survivors are children Stephen and Louis and four grandchildren. Her brother-in-law is William Scolnik 鈥35 and her cousin through marriage is Louis Scolnik 鈥45. Her brother was Benjamin Abromson 鈥28. Another brother-in-law was Edward Scolnik 鈥39.
Annie Griffith Hadlock, April 3, 2007
Annie Griffith Hadlock started her college career close to her Somerville, Mass., home at Radcliffe, but soon transferred to 乐播传媒, where she earned an English degree. In 1968, she was awarded a master鈥檚 in English from UNH. She taught high school English for many years in a number of towns in Maine, primarily in Gorham. She opened a small business, Annie鈥檚 Antique Loft, in retirement, specializing in rare antique glass. She was active in her community, Kezar Falls, and was a charter member of the Kezar Falls Keswick Club, a charitable organization. Her husband, Harry, died in 1994. Her sister married Harry鈥檚 brother, Edmund. Among her survivors are sons Barry and Wayne and daughter Leigh Davis; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother Sidney Griffith Jr. and sister Ruth Hadlock.
Adele Testa Holmes, May 8, 2007
鈥溾楬appy Birthday鈥 was never sung so beautifully,鈥 said Adele Testa Holmes, recalling her friends surprising her with a birthday party in Rand Hall. And she would know: She was a musician and taught music for many years. She started college at Farmington Normal School, now UMaine鈥揊armington, but transferred to 乐播传媒 after one year. She graduated with a degree in history and government, and added a master鈥檚 in music education from the New England Conservatory in 1960. At 乐播传媒, she sang in a number of vocal groups and was captain of the basketball and volleyball teams. She grew up in Lewiston, and her family home on Russell Street is now owned by the College. As an alumna, she served as secretary-treasurer of the Hartford 乐播传媒 Club and president of the Portland 乐播传媒 Club. She was a member of the College Key. For 27 years, she and her husband, E. Roe Holmes Jr., owned and operated the Albonegon Inn on Capitol Island, near Boothbay Harbor, which provided employment for many of her students from South Portland. She was a member of the national council of the Woman鈥檚 National Farm and Garden Assn., a group dedicated to creating peace through cross-cultural friendships, Women of the Portland Symphony, and Portland Lyric Theater. She and her husband attended every show there, and frequently he was a member of the cast. He passed away several years ago. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews spanning several generations.
Elias Lewis Revey, June 16, 2007
With a degree in government and history and a master鈥檚 from Michigan, E. Lewis Revey went on to a career with the U.S. Information Agency, serving in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Washington, D.C. He was in Hungary during the revolution in 1956 (he spoke fluent Hungarian). He was a supporter of the Institute of International Education. His daughter is Barbara Revey Swenson 鈥68. He is also survived by wife Anne; another daughter, Patricia Revey Atkins; and three grandchildren.
1937
Lillian Staples Eves, July 18, 2007
After two years at 乐播传媒, Lillian Staples married James Eves 鈥35 in the 乐播传媒 Chapel, at a ceremony officiated by President Clifton Daggett Gray. They lived in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania before returning to Maine, where they both had grown up, to retire. There, she became a member of the Harpswell Garden Club and the Harpswell Historical Society. Following the death of her husband and daughter, Lois Paige, from cancer, she became a hospice volunteer. Among her survivors are son James; brothers Winthrop and Harold; six grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
1938
Anita Gauvreau McCauley, June 3, 2007
乐播传媒 widened all of her horizons, said Anita Gauvreau McCauley. A French major, she went on to earn a master鈥檚 in social work from Boston College. There, she met and married Vincent Paul McCauley. They enjoyed a marriage of 53 years until his death in 1997. She was an administrator of health and welfare agencies, primarily in Nassau County of New York where she was named Woman of the Year in 1976 and where she was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Award for outstanding community service by the North Shore University Hospital / Cornell Medical Center. During the 1960s, she was on the executive board of the League of Women Voters in Roslyn, N.Y. As recently as 2002, she was working in her field. Among her survivors are daughter Ellen McCauley Gross; three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter; brother Norman Gauvreau and sister Claudette Doran. Another daughter, Sheila, predeceased her. Her grandnephew is Leonard White 鈥07.
1939
Ruth Lewis Abrams, Sept. 25, 2006
Although she was active in Le Petite Academie, Ruth Lewis Abrams earned a degree in English. In 1942, she married Liegh Abrams, and they had one daughter, Nancy. Both survive her. Her brother was Jason Lewis 鈥37.
Dwight Reynolds Wood, April 8, 2007
Biology degree in hand, Dwight R. Wood earned his medical degree from Tufts Medical School and was a medical officer in the Navy during and after World War II. He received his certification in ob-gyn and worked for 20 years at the Hartford (Conn.) Hospital, then moved to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, working there until he retired. He was a member of the American Medical Assn., fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and of American College of Surgeons, member of New England Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, Hartford County Medical Assn., and the New London County Medical Assn. Among his survivors are wife Jane; children Deborah Lilly, Dwight R. Wood Jr., and Druscilla Kadel; stepchildren David D鈥橝nnolfo and Deborah D鈥橝nnolfo; sister Anne McDonald; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
1940
Nadine Garoutte Sturgis, April 4, 2007
Attending 乐播传媒 two years, Nadine Garoutte Sturgis enjoyed an eclectic career, working at various times for the Portland Public Library, Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Maine, and Gorham State Teachers College (now part of the Univ. of Southern Maine). She enjoyed sewing, knitting, and the Red Sox. Husband David and son William predeceased her. Among her survivors are children Dorothy Warner, David Sturgis, Timmy Sturgis, and Matthew Sturgis; brothers Robert Garoutte and Jim Garoutte and sister Mary Nelson; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Professor Rayborn Zerby and his wife, Beatrice Garoutte Zerby, were her uncle and aunt.
Bernice Lord Hulsizer, April 12, 2007
Bunny Lord Hulsizer suspected that she might be the oldest water aerobics instructor in the U.S. She led a dozen classes each week well into her 80s 鈥 and lost 30 percent of her weight doing it. Shortly after graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in French, she married classmate Robert Hulsizer; together they had four children. Following their divorce in 1960, she earned a master鈥檚 degree in library science from the Univ. of Illinois in 1965. She studied for her degree sitting at the table as her two youngest children did their homework. She was the librarian for the physics and astronomy departments at the Urbana-Champaign campus and contributed to research in library science. She was also a supporter of the public library in Urbana. She was elected to the College Key. Among her survivors are children Cynthia, Deborah, Ann, and Stephen 鈥64.
Barbara Rowell Kirkpatrick, May 24, 2007
She met her husband, Carl, on the dance floor in Presque Isle, where they both taught, and last year they celebrated their 65th anniversary. Barbara Rowell Kirkpatrick and Carl lived for 58 of those years in Windsor, Maine, outside Augusta, where she held several positions with the Social Security Administration. But she was better known around Windsor as the person who got things done. She spearheaded a campaign to raise money for a new gym at Erskine Academy; in turn, the academy made her an honorary graduate. She was a life member of the China Lake Chamber of Commerce and active in the Windsor Republican Committee, American Legion Auxiliary, and Eastern Star. She and Carl were honored as Citizens of the Year by the Modern Woodmen Insurance Co., and she was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by the Maine Assn. of Retirees. She also sang in church choirs and a women鈥檚 barbershop group and acted in local theater. A member of a poetry club and the Kennebec Valley Art Assn., her oil paintings were exhibited at several shows. She was a member of the College Key. She and Carl had three children: John, Suzanne, and Gordon. Other survivors include six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and sister Frances. Her grandson is Lucas Kirkpatrick 鈥02.
1941
Marguerite Mendall Wixon, Feb. 10, 2007
For 鈥淧ete鈥 Mendall Wixon, music was an important part of life while at 乐播传媒. She sang and played the flute, and continued to do so after graduation. Her degree was in sociology. Her nine-year marriage ended in 1957 with the death of husband Samuel. She returned to work and was a legal secretary in the Boston area for the next 27 years, retiring in 1984. Survivors include son Ralph; one grandson; and sister Jeanne Mendall Kauffman 鈥48. Her brother was Clarence Mendall 鈥45.
James Richard Walsh, March 2, 2007
鈥淥h, good,鈥 said Jim Walsh, learning that Fermat鈥檚 Last Theorem had been proved, in the 1990s. The theorem, that when n > 2 and a, b, c are non-zero integers, there is no solution to a3 + b3 = c3, plagued him for years. (His degree was in mathematics.) He played tennis at 乐播传媒 and was also active with the Newman Club. With the outbreak of World War II, he was sent to Annapolis, emerged as a so-called 90-day wonder, serving in the Pacific. After the war, he joined the faculty of Boston College as a philosophy instructor and became involved with the St. Benedict Center, a student center near Harvard, and was a major figure in the so-called Boston Heresy Case, in which he and two other BC professors, in April 1949, were dismissed for teaching their students the ancient Catholic doctrine that only Catholics can enter heaven. Jim was a member of the religious order associated with the St. Benedict Center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for 12 years. Never reinstated at BC, he went on to a career in sales, and retired early so that he and his wife, Betsy, could travel. She survives him, as do children Patricia Chadwick, David, Catherine Toomey, Margaret, and Veronica Snow; seven grandchildren; and sister Eleanor Leary.
1942
Leslie Dexter Green, April 18, 2007
Generations of Outing Club members have benefited from L. Dexter Green鈥檚 invention of putting a canoe rack on the back of a trailer. Just as many have trod upon the rug, with the Outing Club logo in its center, which he donated to the College as a student. He served in the Medical Corps during World War II and went on to a multi-faceted career: cattle rancher, funeral director, purchasing agent, real-estate broker, marketing vice president, among other jobs. He enjoyed organic gardening and traveling with his wife, Roberta, who predeceased him. He also was active in his church, serving as a deacon for 14 years. Among his survivors are daughter Martha and son David; and sister Eunice Barnes.
1943
Robert Hustis Archibald, Dec. 24, 2006
Bob Archibald was instrumental in developing the school guidance counselor system in use today. He served on the team that first determined certification standards in Massachusetts, and worked as a guidance counselor himself for 35 years. He augmented his 乐播传媒 degree in history and government with a master鈥檚 in education from Rutgers, and also studied at Boston Univ. He was an avid sailor and enjoyed sailing the Eastern Seaboard in his 32-foot ketch. He felt that the best sailing was off Maine 鈥 uncrowded and enough wind. When he was forced to retire from sailing due to arthritis, he and his wife, Marjorie, just stepped up their traveling schedule. His hobby was collecting political cartoons, which he shared with local high school history classes as a way of sparking classroom discussions. He also told the students about life in the 1920s and 1930s, much to their amazement. 鈥淭hey wondered why we didn鈥檛 die of boredom with no televisions, cell phones, computers, etc.,鈥 he said. When they moved to Williamsburg, Va., he got to know the restored colonial village there very well. In 乐播传媒 affairs, he hosted interns through the Career Discovery Internship Program. Survivors include his wife; children Nancy Kravitz, Judy O鈥橞rien, Richard, and David; seven grandchildren; and sister Priscilla Mayo.
Pamela Beattie Dotter, Feb. 9, 2006
Pamela Beattie Dotter left 乐播传媒 and went on to graduate from Cornell with a degree in chemistry. She then received an R.N. degree from New York Hospital and was head nurse on the surgical floor. There, she met Charles Dotter, and they married in 1944. Dr. Dotter was a pioneer in medicine. He invented angioplasty 鈥 both the procedure and the word. He also developed the first coronary stents. His advances made it possible to treat heart disease without major, open chest surgery, and he looked at radiology as a tool to treat patients rather than just diagnose them. She worked with her husband at the Univ. of Oregon, where he was chair of the department of radiology, and published several papers with him as well as several of her own. He died in 1985. Among her survivors are children Jane, Jeffrey, and Barbara.
Anna Bendtsen Parent, May 17, 2007
Anna Bendtsen Parent left 乐播传媒 and received a nursing degree from Central Maine General Hospital School of Nursing. She married Robert Parent 鈥42; they had attended high school together in Lewiston. He passed away in 2005; his sister was Doris Parent Lawrence 鈥35. Survivors include children William, Robert, and Muffett Dulac; and seven grandchildren.
Lois Oliver Dickston Brown, June 15, 2007
Fluent in French and German, Lois Oliver Dickston Brown taught for a few years following graduation. She was a United Airlines hostess, one of the first hired after airlines did away with the requirement that hostesses be nurses. Later, she ran her own cheerleading supply company. Her last job was her favorite, it seems: She traveled around California testing fire alarm systems in drugstores. In 1991, she wrote, 鈥淚 am still testing fire alarm systems despite the fact that I have flooded two warehouses, one lunchroom, and one photographic department in four different stores.鈥 Her first husband, Scott Dickston, died in 1990. She married Preston Brown in 1992. He survives her, as do sons Douglas Dickston and Mark Dickston; sisters Ruth Allen and Jean Leiserson and brother Warren Oliver; and three grandchildren.
Arnold Richard Stinchfield, Jan. 31, 2006
Graduating with honors in government and history, Arnold Stinchfield served in the military during World War II and earned a master鈥檚 in education from UMaine鈥揙rono. He taught at South Portland High School and later joined the faculty at Western Connecticut State Univ., where he was an assistant professor of history. At 乐播传媒, he was active in debating. His sister was Evelyn Stinchfield 鈥39.
V-12
Charles Doehlert, April 13, 2007
Chick Doehlert studied at Haverford, Middlebury, and 乐播传媒 before receiving his degree from Haverford. He received an M.D. from the Univ. of Pennsylvania and, during the Korean War, was the physician on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1955, he earned a master鈥檚 of science from the Univ. of Minnesota. He practiced internal medicine and taught at Wisconsin鈥揗adison for 36 years. He spent his vacations tracing routes of European explorers, including three trips north of the Arctic Circle and one in Siberia. He retired in 1991, and enjoyed the winters in Sarasota, Fla. His first wife, Betsy Wallace, died six days after he did. His second wife, Mary Church, died in 1999. Survivors include children Candy Simmons, Dave Doehlert, Douglas Doehlert, and Susan Kielb; stepdaughters Laurel, Emily, and Gwynne Church; six grandchildren; and sister Margaret Barovich.
Daniel James McCarthy, May 8, 2007
Daniel McCarthy was in V-12 training not only at 乐播传媒 but at Harvard and Northwestern. He served active duty as a code room officer. He graduated from UMass鈥揂mherst and earned a master鈥檚 from Boston Univ. He joined the North Andover (Mass.) school department as principal of a four-room school, teaching eight grades. He served as principal of two other North Andover schools during his career, and also served two terms as the superintendent of schools. He organized the first adult-education program in North Andover. He and his wife, Barbara, moved to Brunswick in 1987 and to Topsham in 1998. Besides his wife, survivors include son Daniel; brother Charles; and two grandchildren. Another son predeceased him.
1945
Howe Morris, June 9, 2007
During World War II, Howe Morris was a major in the Marine Corps and served in the Pacific. He and wife Barbara White Morris 鈥42 settled in Cape Elizabeth and he worked for various companies that produced envelopes and business forms. He retired as vice president of George Business Forms Inc. in 1974. At 乐播传媒, he was editor of The Garnet and president of the Spofford Club. His degree was in history and government. Survivors include children Alan and Jennifer; three grandsons; and four great-granddaughters. His brothers were Robert 鈥39 and John 鈥41. His sister-in-law was Ruth Nuckley Morris 鈥42. His niece is Judith Morris Edwards 鈥65, whose husband is Stephan Edwards 鈥65.
Virginia Towns Abbott, May 14, 2007
For 21 years, Ginny Towns Abbott shared her expertise in social work with 乐播传媒 students as a career advisor through the Office of Career Services. She worked for several adoption agencies at the beginning of her career, and then became a psychiatric social worker. After she retired, she helped adopted children connect with their birth parents. She transferred to 乐播传媒 after one year at UNH and graduated with a degree in religion. Her degree in social work was from the Univ. of Connecticut. Prior to earning that degree, she studied at Andover Newton Theological School, expanding on her 乐播传媒 degree in religion. It was there she met her husband, the Rev. John Abbott. Her daughter, Melanie Abbott 鈥73, wryly recounts that her mother loved 乐播传媒 so much that she was reluctant to 鈥渟hare鈥 it with her. In addition to her husband and daughter, her survivors include son Timothy and cousin Margaret Milnes Bennett 鈥64, whose father was the Rev. Russell Milnes 鈥34.
1946
David Taylor Brigham, Feb. 15, 2007
A cum laude graduate with a degree in economics, David Taylor Brigham was a debater and student council president. He earned an M.B.A. from Pennsylvania and a certificate in advanced graduate studies from Boston Univ. Following service in the Army during World War II, he worked as a personnel administrator at several large companies and then as an administrator of adult education at Bentley College. Following retirement, he became the director of the Woburn (Mass.) Evening School. In 乐播传媒 affairs, he was class president and active in the career advisory network. He and his family enjoyed many summers at their lakeside home in New Hampshire, where the Saturday barbeques often included three generations of 乐播传媒 graduates. The adjoining cottage was owned by Alden Sears 鈥46, David鈥檚 college roommate, and their respective sons are classmates Jeffrey Brigham 鈥75 and Doug Sears 鈥75. Other survivors include his wife, Evelyn; his daughter, Deborah Roy; three grandchildren; and classmate and cousin, Barbara Varney Randall.
Beverly Stevens Grimes, March 25, 2007
Bev Stevens Grimes left 乐播传媒 after one year and graduated from the New England Baptist Hospital nursing program. In 1945, she married John Grimes 鈥43. She was active in civic organizations, church groups, and charities, including serving as an election official and in Rotary. She was a member of several garden clubs and a skilled craftswoman. For many years, she worked as a model in Portland for Schlosberg Furriers and Porteous, Mitchell & Braun and for Jeannette鈥檚 Sea Shore Shoppe in Rye, N.H. Her husband died in 1984. Survivors include daughter Joyce Grimes Ricklefs 鈥69 and son Alan; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Josef Henry Wiehr, Aug. 31, 2004
Josef Wiehr attended 乐播传媒 before graduating from the Univ. of South Carolina. He also earned a master鈥檚 in German and a master鈥檚 in education from Michigan (where he became a lifelong fan of the hockey team). He taught German at Westminster College in Pennsylvania, Valparaiso Univ., and Oakland Community College, from which he retired. He was coauthor of a primer on learning German. Among his survivors are children Josef C. Wiehr and Carolyn Wiehr and four grandchildren. His wife, Beatrice McLarren Wiehr, died in 1991.
1948
Jean Patmore Loughridge, Jan. 29, 2007
Although she left 乐播传媒 after two years, Jean Patmore Loughridge characterized her 乐播传媒 experience as very valuable and said it taught her 鈥渢o thirst for knowledge.鈥 She and her family lived in New York and then California, where she worked as a payroll supervisor and was active with her husband, Don, in remote-control airplane clubs. Besides her husband, her survivors include sons Barry, Scott, and Bruce.
1949
Janet Mellor Foley, June 10, 2007
Jan Foley enjoyed two careers. The first was in chemical research, at Esselen Corp. in Boston, at the Solid Propellant Information Agency in Maryland, and at the applied physics lab at Johns Hopkins. She returned to school and was awarded a master鈥檚 in teaching from Brown in 1963. She taught chemistry at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in Massachusetts, and retired from this second career in 1991. She said that 乐播传媒 not only gave her the skills to make a living, but also the skills to live. Survivors include daughter Mary Jane Foley and son David Foley; stepdaughter P. Alexa Foley; and seven grandchildren.
1951
Beverly Jones Lohfeld, April 14, 2007
After graduating with a degree in English, Bev Jones Lohfeld spent a summer month in Europe on Professor Rayborn Zerby鈥檚 trip and the rest of the summer exploring on her own with classmate Jean Johnson Bird. She called that trip 鈥渁 valuable culmination鈥 to her college years that added 鈥渄epth and perspective鈥 to her class work. Upon her return, she moved to New York City to be an office 鈥済ofer鈥 at J. Walter Thompson Advertising. She did well enough to enter its copywriting training program, but instead returned to 乐播传媒 to become the director of the news bureau. During the 1960s, several of her poems appeared in poetry anthologies, the result of juried competition with poets such as Mark Van Doren and May Sarton as judges. She continued to write throughout her life. Following her divorce from Charles Lohfeld 鈥50, she taught in the writing program at USM and then was a circulation assistant in the library at Westbrook College. Survivors include children Lynne Lohfeld and John Lohfeld; one grandson; and a dear friend, Susan Moyes Baydur 鈥76.
Christina MacGregor Richards, Feb. 23, 2007
Her parents wanted her to become a telephone operator, but Chris MacGregor Richards had other ideas. Not only did she earn a degree in biology from 乐播传媒 but she went on to earn a doctorate from the Univ. of Illinois. She married fellow biologist Lawrence Richards, and the two pursued careers in academia and research. In fact, her research led her to discover a species of frog she named Hyperolius cystocandicans, endemic to Kenya. She also has a frog parasite named after her: Prototheca richardsi, a distinction she viewed as a 鈥渄ubious pleasure,鈥 and of which she wrote, 鈥淪o however my genes scatter or wither in the unforeseeable future, my name will live on.鈥 For 20 years, she ran the amphibian laboratory at the Univ. of Michigan and then moved to a research position at Wayne State. In 1996, she won a National Science Foundation Career Development Award, and turned to the molecular phylogeny of frogs, a field she had long been interested in. Her research took her to all parts of the world, including a year in Kenya and several months in Japan and in Pakistan. Her husband predeceased her; survivors include children Andrew F. Richards and Christina Foxcroft; two grandchildren; and brother Jack MacGregor.
Nlogha Enwelum Okeke, July 18, 2007
Nigerian native Dr. Nlogha 鈥淒ennis鈥 Okeke had to build his hospital twice: once before the 1967鈥70 Nigerian Civil War and once after it. The first time around, he built the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre in Enugu after a high-ranking medical official challenged him to build a private hospital that would prove that medical care could be of high quality in Nigeria. In the prewar years, Okeke formed the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, the first in Nigeria, became its first president, and went on to be president of all of the Chambers of Commerce in the country. He was also chair of the Eastern Nigeria Arts Council (later called the Biafra Arts Council) and active in Rotary. Trapped by the blockade of Biafra by the Nigerian government in 1966, he and his family fled to the United States when the fighting ended in 1970, returning six years later. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 forget your own people,鈥 he said of his decision to close his successful surgical practice in New Bedford, Mass., and return to his native country. But the hospital had been looted and burned. All of the medical equipment was gone, all the patient records were destroyed, the only medical library in Biafra was in ruins, and all of the donor records were missing. He set about rebuilding the hospital, efforts hampered by the shambles of the economy. His dream was to transform it into a state-of-the-art diagnostic facility. The hospital, the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre in Enugu, continues to work toward that goal. A cum laude 乐播传媒 graduate with a degree in biology, he earned his medical degree at Boston Univ., which awarded him the Humanitarian Award in 2005. Survivors include wife Ifeoma; daughters Ona and Ifeoma and sons Nnanyelu 鈥82 and Emeka; brother Obiukwu Okeke 鈥55; nieces Ifeyinwa Okeke Ngnoumen 鈥73 and her husband Dieudonne Ngnoumen 鈥71, and Okechukwu Okeke 鈥87. His brothers-in-law are Raphael Onyemelukwe 鈥63 and James Onyemelukwe 鈥67.
Dale Wynn Roth, May 16, 2007
Dale Roth graduated with a degree in economics and immediately joined what is now Exxon and worked there until he retired in 1985. He was an avid New York Yankees fan, and followed UConn鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball team. Survivors include wife Barbara; sons Scott and Michael; a granddaughter; and brother Ronald. Another son, Wayne, predeceased him.
David Story Whiting, Oct. 9, 2006
Some called him 鈥淲hitey,鈥 but others might remember him better as 鈥淐ol. Dixie Dave,鈥 the successful Mayoralty candidate in 1949. He was the son of an alumna, Ethel Cutts Whiting 鈥13, and the father of an alumnus, John Whiting 鈥78. He was a teacher, principal, and coordinator, primarily in the Newton (Mass.) public schools. He served in the Army in World War II. His degree was in government and history, and he went on to earn a master鈥檚 in public school administration at Boston Univ. in 1957. He wrote and published elementary school science curricula through the Carnegie Foundation early in his career. He sang with the Neponset Choral Society and volunteered at the prison in Norfolk, Mass. Survivors include wife Dorothy; children John, Mark, and Anne Hall; and five grandchildren.
1952
Roland Hard Gardner, March 14, 2007
Roland Gardner attended 乐播传媒 and the Univ. of Bridgeport. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany, and served in the Signal Corps as a cryptographer. In 1961, he established a land surveying company that continues under the leadership of his son, Roland Jr. He was active in VFW and the Masons. Survivors include wife Shirley; children Roland Jr., Wayne, Cheri Freundt, and Jennifer Muth; and seven grandchildren.
1953
Guy Henri Giboin, May 21, 2007
Guy Giboin served in the Army during the American occupation of Japan after World War II. With his degree in physics, he worked as an engineer with aircraft companies in California, including Lockheed and Aerojet General. He retired from McClellan Air Force Base in 1988. Survivors include wife Mary; foster son David Cheney; and sisters Marcelle Irish and Georgette Tierney.
1954
Roy Allen Craven Jr., Feb. 22, 2007
Economics major Roy Craven built a successful career in banking. He was with Irving Trust Co. (now part of Bank of New York) in New York City until 1976, when he moved to Greenwich Savings Bank, also in the city, where he served as president. In 1988, he moved to Twin Cities Federal Savings and Loan in Minneapolis, where he was president. In retirement, he bicycled from Vancouver, B.C., to San Francisco, from Kittery to Eastport, up Cadillac Mountain, and throughout the Netherlands. In 2000, he fulfilled a longtime dream of owning a bookstore when he and wife Ruth Barkman Craven 鈥55 moved to Essex, Conn., and purchased the Clipper Ship Bookstore. She survives him, as do sons David, Lee, and Scott.
David Elliot Dick, Feb. 21, 2007
By 1974, David Elliot Dick had gone from college tennis star to convicted felon. With his father-in-law, Robert Waldman, he built a real estate empire in Massachusetts that turned out to be little more than a Ponzi scheme that bilked 7,000 people out of $34 million. His kinder, gentler reincarnation as David Elliott, piano player and teacher, was complete by 1990. He divorced his first wife, Ann Waldman, and cut off contact with family and friends. He traveled around Central Florida teaching piano to anyone who wanted to learn, and was reputed to have people playing their favorite songs after a one-hour lesson. He called his teaching the David Elliott Piano Fantasy Course, and promised 鈥渘o boring scales or exercises.鈥 He liked to teach the entire family, not just the student, and testimonials from students on his Web site marvel at how easily they learned to play. In addition to a degree in psychology from 乐播传媒, he held a master鈥檚 in public relations from Boston Univ. His second wife, Judy, whom he married in 1998, survives him, as do his first wife; twin daughters Wendy Gould and Karen Young; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; stepdaughter Wendy Bryan and stepson Jody Bass; and seven step-grandchildren.
Peter Merrill Knapp, July 10, 2007
As a journalist, Pete Knapp鈥檚 beat was the world. From his desk on the editorial page of The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass., he brought news of foreign affairs to local readers, building a network of freelancers and foreign exchange journalists that of rivaled larger papers. He also was the paper鈥檚 classical music critic, working five days at the editorial desk and then reviewing concerts all weekend at Tanglewood, writing them up at home Sunday evening before starting the week again. While serving in the Army counterintelligence corps in Austria and Berlin in the mid-1950s, he got his first taste of 鈥渞eal鈥 journalism (he鈥檇 been editor of The 乐播传媒 Student) when assigned to be the features editor of the weekly newspaper that served the Berlin command. More important, though, it was in Berlin that he met his wife, Christa Birnbaum. Through her, he was able to experience Europe as an 鈥渋nsider,鈥 and they enjoyed a life of international travel, opera, and ballet. In 1973, he won a citation for excellence from the Overseas Press Club of America 鈥渇or perceptive treatment of foreign affairs in a series of editorials.鈥 Following his retirement in 1996, he continued to write music reviews for both The Patriot Ledger (also writing a weekly column on South Shore issues) and for The Boston Globe. Survivors include his wife; daughter Merrill and sons Andreas and Tristan; four grandchildren; and sister Deborah Adams.
1955
Nishan Jim Kechejian, May 25, 2007
Nish Kechejian attributed his success to 乐播传媒 and to Milt Lindholm 鈥35. He was accepted into 乐播传媒 right out of high school, but chose NYU instead. After struggling for two years, he wrote to Dean Lindholm to ask if he could still come to 乐播传媒. He went on to graduate cum laude with a degree in biology and then earned his doctor of medicine from Georgetown. He had a long career as a surgeon in the Boston area. In a three-page essay he wrote in 1999 about his heroes, Dean Lindholm was first and biology professor William Sawyer was second, because Sawyer arranged for him to be a teaching fellow at Bowdoin while waiting for acceptance to medical school. His third hero was sociology professor Anders Myhrman and his wife, Mildred Beckman Myhrman 鈥30, who let him write his thesis in their attic, and who introduced him to Rita Basmajian, whom he would marry in 1958. 鈥溊植ゴ College and my three heroes have played a significant role in my development as a student, as a physician, as a husband, and as a community servant,鈥 he wrote. In addition to maintaining a private practice in Brockton, Mass., he taught at the medical schools at Tufts and Boston Univ. In the early 1980s, he was physician to boxing champion Marvin Hagler, who lived in Brockton. He served as chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine in the late 1990s. He considered politics his 鈥渟econd job,鈥 and served on the Brockton town council for many years. In 2001, he and brother Sarkis 鈥59 pledged $1 million to build a memorial and museum in Washington, D.C., commemorating the Armenian Genocide. He served as a fellow trustee of the Armenian Assembly and was instrumental in forming a political action committee concerned with issues important to Armenian Americans. With his brother and two of his sons, Gregory 鈥80 and John 鈥86, he established a scholarship at 乐播传媒 to provide financial assistance to students. In addition to his wife, brother, and two sons, he is survived by his other children, Paul, Peter, Steven, and Ruth Lenahan; and 10 grandchildren. Another son, Mark, predeceased him.
Rosemary Geldart Kelley, April 12, 2007
In the years before 鈥渁ccessibility鈥 became the building standard, Rosemary Kelley blew down barriers. Born with cerebral palsy, she also overcame cancer and diabetes. She graduated with a degree in sociology and then headed off to Boston Univ. School of Social Work, only to discover that the profession was not for her. She took a secretarial course instead and worked at Tufts Medical School and Harvard Medical School. In 1975, she received a master鈥檚 in library science from Simmons and returned to Maine to work in the library at the Univ. of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her survivors include her aunt, Evelyn Kelley; a niece and a nephew, and several cousins.
1956
Robert West Gillette, May 10, 2007
Bob Gillette believed in participating in government. He served five terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as well as serving on many local boards in Pembroke, Mass. 鈥淲hen a person can serve his fellow man and himself and his community at the same time, a personal effort in this direction is a pretty worthwhile thing,鈥 he once exhorted local real estate professionals. Following graduation with a degree in government, he served in the Marines. He worked for several insurance agencies, as well as for New England Mutual Life Insurance Co. He was a partner in Hannon-Ryan Insurance Agency. While in the state house, he chaired the subcommittee on rural development, and was instrumental in passing the Ducks Stamp Bill, the Agricultural Development Rights Bill, and the Scenic Rivers Bill. He was a member of the Massachusetts chapter of Ducks Unlimited, serving as treasurer, and was a national trustee and state chairman. He was named Man of the Year in conservation by the North River Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield, Mass., and once received the annual state award from Ducks Unlimited for 鈥渙utstanding effort on behalf of waterfowl.鈥 Among his survivors are second wife Jacqueline; first wife June Ryan Gillette 鈥55; children Robert West Jr., Suzanne West, and Sarah Anderson; stepdaughters Debbie Stauble, Karen Barry, and Jennifer Mann; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and brother Richard West 鈥53.
1957
Philip Henry Kenney, Feb. 24, 2007
Philip Kenney went to work for B.F. Goodrich after graduation, but left for a stint in the Army. He had started a career that made use of his degree in chemistry, but following the Army, he earned an M.B.A. from Wharton School at the Univ. of Pennsylvania and entered a bank management program. He became a financial analyst and worked as a securities analyst at Tri-Continental for two years before becoming an investment analyst at H.C. Wainwright & Co. In 1987, he was named executive vice president of the American Institute of Management. At 乐播传媒, he played football, ran track, and was vice president of the Lawrance Chemical Society.
1958
John Paul Campbell, June 23, 2007
鈥淚f you鈥檙e reading this, Mr. Campbell: Thanks!鈥 That was said by actor Robin Williams in a newspaper interview as he described part of his inspiration for the character he played in Dead Poets Society. John Campbell had been Williams鈥 history teacher at Detroit Country Day School, and the actor drew on those memories to create the memorable character. John Campbell taught at the school for 28 years. He was also the wrestling coach and chaired the social studies department. Wesley Shim 鈥93, who attended the school, recalls him as gifted teacher 鈥 鈥渃olorful and controversial.鈥 In addition to his 乐播传媒 degree in history, he also had a master鈥檚 from the Univ. of Louisville. His former wife is Judith Muzio Campbell 鈥61. Survivors include children Anne, Susan, and Alec; and six grandchildren.
Susan Jane Rayner, March 25, 2007
Susan Rayner was a writer and editor who wrote for a number of publications. In the late 1960s, she sold manuscripts of five children鈥檚 books. She also wrote regularly for the monthly magazine Travel World News. She wrote on a Reunion survey: 鈥淎lthough I鈥檝e met many people, a few of whom were smarter than I, I have never met anyone with a better college education!鈥 A member of the Christian Science Church, in 2001 she became a Christian Science practitioner, a specially trained person who helps others deal with problems or illness.
1960
Rudolph Vegomry Smith, Feb. 9, 2007
Records fall easily in track and field, but two of Rudy Smith鈥檚 still stand as the best ever by a 乐播传媒 athlete. Both set in 1958 on the outdoor track, his times of 21.44 in the 200-meter dash and 47.04 in the 400-meter dash have yet to be bettered. His time of 21.31 in the 200 meters on the track at Hamilton College still stands as the best recorded at that school. His time in the 400 meters is half a second better than the current NESCAC record. (NESCAC records go back only to 1971, when the conference was formed.) He was a key figure in 乐播传媒鈥 37 dual-meet winning streak. Twice he won the Hillman Trophy as the most valuable performer in Maine track meets. He was class vice president during his junior and senior years and upon graduation, he received a College Club watch, along with his equally stellar teammate, N. John Douglas 鈥60. In 1992, he was inducted into the Auburn-Lewiston Hall of Fame. In his retirement speech, legendary track coach Walt Slovenski recalled how the crowd would roar when Rudy prepared for a race. 鈥淧eople from the library and the dining hall would hear the noise and drop whatever they were doing and rush over to see the action.鈥 With a degree in biology, he became a research chemist, first at Eversharp & Schick, then at Clairol, and finally, in 1965, at the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. He eventually became the assistant plant manager. Following retirement, he started his own company dealing with janitorial supplies. Among his survivors are wife Faith and children Gregg and Lisa.
1961
Susan Harris Brown, June 17, 2007
Sue Harris Brown taught school in Wethersfield, Conn., East Brunswick, N.J., and Westbrook, Conn., taking a break to raise her children. At 乐播传媒, she was a psychology major. She was a cheerleader (co-captain her senior year) and worked on the Mirror. Her husband, who survives her, is classmate W. Scott Brown III. Other survivors include children Mary颅ellen Butler, Mark Brown 鈥87, and Laurie Russo; five grandchildren; brother-in-law Thomas M. Brown 鈥63; and nephews Winfield Brown IV 鈥89 and Gregory N. Brown 鈥94. Her father-in-law was W. Scott Brown Jr. 鈥27.
1963
David Moats Compton, May 1, 2007
His slogan was, 鈥淢aker of fine sawdust and quality kindling since 1997,鈥 a sideline David Compton enjoyed at the retirement home he built in Buckfield. A teacher and author, he graduated with a French major and served in Army intelligence, an experience that inspired one of his four novels, A Filthy Business. He earned a master鈥檚 degree in French literature at Brown and taught 30 years at Suffield (Conn.) Academy and four years at Hebron Academy, and many of his teaching experiences found their way into his novel Claxton Hall. It was his wife, Janet Suomela Compton 鈥63, who encouraged him to try writing novels. Prior to his four published novels, as David wrote on his Web site, 鈥淚 turned out four short ones in the genre of VDF (Very Derivative Fantasy) before I had a Vision commanding me to burn or otherwise dispose of them, because, as the Voice said, 鈥榯he world has Pestilences enough.鈥欌 Along with his wife, his survivors include daughter, Kirstii Compton.
1967
Bonney Nickerson Ford, June 19, 2007
Her daughters called Bonney Nickerson Ford an 鈥渋nspired artist and activist.鈥 She created jewelry, visual art, and textiles, sometimes out of yarn she spun herself. She worked for Allstate Insurance Co. as an assessor, and for Dutch Mill Bakery as director of research. Survivors include daughters Jennifer and Kathryn; parents David 鈥42 and Constance Blaisdell Nickerson 鈥45; aunt Martha Blaisdell Mabee 鈥42; and sisters Betsy LaRowe and Becky Bianchi. Her ex-husband was the late Jonathan P. Ford 鈥64 and her grandfather was Leo W. Blaisdell 鈥12, whose brother was Raymond Blaisdell 鈥19. Her uncle was Irving Mabee 鈥42, and a cousin was Anne Blaisdell Purinton 鈥52.
1968
William Henry West Jr., April 6, 2007
Bill West was an All-New England tackle in prep school who played football at 乐播传媒 until sidelined by an injury. An economics major, he worked for several banks in the Boston area as assistant treasurer and assistant vice president before joining Savings Bank Life Insurance in 1998 as its sales manager. Survivors include wife Eileen Palmer West; sons William and Paul; and brother Jeffrey.
1971
Douglas Alan Rice, March 16, 2007
Doug Rice died doing what he loved: climbing mountains. He climbed all over the world, including five years in Peru, where he met his wife, Gloria Caceres. He also climbed in Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska. He was also interested in astronomy and traveled to Africa and other places to watch eclipses. Returning from Peru, he held a succession of positions at various colleges, settling happily at Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon in 1994. He taught Spanish, French, English, English as a Second Language, and astronomy. At BMCC, he built a telescope, the largest in the area. In 2005, he moved to the College of Southern Idaho, and it was on Borah Peak, the highest mountain (12,662 feet) in Idaho, that he died. In addition to his bachelor鈥檚 in English from 乐播传媒, he held a bachelor鈥檚 in education from Idaho and a master鈥檚 in Spanish from Illinois. His master鈥檚 thesis was a review and rating of large Spanish-English dictionaries; one of his hobbies was studying dictionaries, and he sometimes lectured on them. He also lectured on coins, especially on how history could be seen through the images different cultures put on their coins. Survivors include son Neal Patrick; parents Donald and Mildred Rice; and sisters Joanne Bossert and Janette Gustafson.
1972
Pamela Gordon Hartshorn Carr, April 21, 2007
After one year at 乐播传媒, Pamela Gordon Carr transferred to Plymouth State, where she was awarded a bachelor鈥檚 in elementary education and a master鈥檚 in education. She was a 25-year volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America, and received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award a local volunteer can receive. Most recently, she was the director of lay ministries at her church in Dillsburg, Pa. Survivors include husband Malcolm 鈥淛ack鈥 Carr; sons Eugene, Malcolm, and Benjamin; parents Clarence and Mary Jane Gordon; and three sisters, Kathleen Gardner, Jessie Rae Wentworth, and Emily Jane Wells. Brother Clarence Jr. predeceased her.
1973
Roscoe Lee Jr., Jan. 29, 2007
A football player, Roscoe Lee lettered all four years at 乐播传媒 and received the Senior Honor Award for football. He was a sociology major and a dean鈥檚 list student. At the time of his death, he was living in Southfield, Mich. His survivors include sisters Mary Kinsey and Louise West and brothers William Green and Thomas Green. Another brother, Joseph Greene Jr., predeceased him.
1983
George Richard Krohne Jr., May 29, 2007
In the mid-1960s, at the age of 20, George Krohne walked into his first newsroom. Right away, he felt at home in the business of telling the stories of people in his community. Fifteen years later, after graduating from 乐播传媒 with a sociology major, he wanted to have a more direct impact on those lives, so he changed careers, focusing on helping people with learning and developmental disabilities. He oversaw the creation of the hear Me now! 鈥 Maine鈥檚 first preschool for children with hearing disabilities 鈥 including helping to secure a $1 million grant to start the program. He served as executive director of several nonprofits, including Southern Maine Parent Awareness, and led adult and community-based education programs. A major professional success was helping Janet Pratt, a Maine school bus driver who suffered a severe brain injury after a fall. 鈥淔or some reason, they hit it off like gangbusters,鈥 his wife, Roberta Scruggs, told the Portland Press Herald. 鈥淪he learned her entire language again. To come back like that it was amazing. She was a part of our family.鈥 An avid fisherman, he enjoyed paddling on the many small ponds around Buckfield, where he lived. In the mid-1980s, he was an adjunct instructor in writing at the College. Including his wife, survivors include sons Kurt and Daniel; mother Christine Krohne; and sister Alyson Keane.
1984
Laura Jean Biscoe, June 16, 2007
In 1997, over lunch at an Auburn cafe, Laura Biscoe explained to a 乐播传媒 Student reporter the experience that would inspire her work as 乐播传媒鈥 longtime volunteer coordinator. During her junior Short Term, she and her roommate served Meals on Wheels to two elderly sisters in the community. The students not only delivered food but also picked flowers for the sisters and bought them clothing at Kmart, and Laura continued a correspondence over the summer. 鈥淚 wanted to continue that sort of work. It energizes me as much as anything,鈥 she told the Student. 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 about changing the world, but if you can help one person I think you could call it a good day.鈥 At 乐播传媒, Laura majored in English, wrote her thesis on Thomas Hardy, played varsity softball, and served as field hockey manager. After graduation she lived in the Boston area, working at the Concord (Mass.) Bookshop as a book reviewer and buyer and then at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, doing coursework at the university鈥檚 Graduate School of Education. A member of the College Key, Laura served on the College staff from 1992 to 2005, as volunteer coordinator and later as director of summer programs and special projects. She moved to Cambridge, Mass., in 2006. Active in the Lewiston-Auburn community, she chaired the Androscoggin Volunteer Assn. Her work at 乐播传媒 and in the community was always marked by thoughtful, indefatigable action, such as her characteristic response to the historic January 1998 ice storm. Answering a call for help from a neighboring town that had been without electricity for more than a week, she helped to deliver firewood to local residents and mobilized 乐播传媒 colleagues to check on the elderly. She is survived by her parents, John and Carlyn Biscoe of Yarmouth, Maine.
1998
Benjamin Colby Tassinari, April 28, 2007
His CD of sea chanties, Wind in the Rigging, blended both of Ben Tassinari鈥檚 biggest passions: music and marine biology. At 乐播传媒, he sang with the Deansmen and played in many musical groups. In 1996, he was part of a string quartet that played with Mstislav Rostropovich when the cello virtuoso received an honorary degree. He worked at the Catalina Island Marine Institute teaching children marine biology and ecology. His CD is still used at the institute. It was there that he earned his captain鈥檚 license. He returned to New England to work on the Endeavor, a research ship operated by the Univ. of Rhode Island, and sailed to Barbados, Iceland, Newfoundland, Norway, Turkey, and France. His favorite clothing was a wet suit. Survivors include parents Robin and Anne Tassinari; siblings Kate, Sam, Meg, Jessica, Oliver, Cynthia, and Alex Tassinari; and several nieces.
Former Faculty
Peter Paul Jonitis, June 9, 2007
Peter Jonitis was a professor of sociology at 乐播传媒 from 1953 to 1967. His area of specialty was the Middle East, and he advocated for good relations with countries in that region. He also researched issues pertaining to Lithuanian immigrants, being a second-generation Lithuanian American himself. While at 乐播传媒, he was appointed by the governor to the Board of Visitors of the Maine State Prison in Thomaston, and in 1965 he reported on issues concerning developmental disabilities in the state. During 1959鈥60, he was on sabbatical, teaching at the Friends School in Ramallah, Jordan. In 1968, he became chair of the sociology department at Florida Southern College. In 1982, he reported on the Quaker contribution to early American penology for Haverford College; he was a member of the Society of Friends and a recorded minister. His undergraduate degree was from Clark Univ., and his doctorate was from the Univ. of Pennsylvania. Survivors include wife Elizabeth; daughter Karen Rhoda; four grandsons; and two great-grandchildren. Son Peter Paul Jonitis Jr. predeceased him.
Richard Colt Williamson, June 20, 2007
Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of French Dick Williamson, a man of zeal, a master teacher at all levels of French language, literature, and culture, and a charismatic catalyst of 乐播传媒 community, died in his sleep, in Shippensburg, Pa., on route to Louisville, Ky., with his wife, Deborah, to compete in bicycling events at the National Senior Games. Williamson was, for his faculty colleagues, always 鈥渃onsistent and masterful at pulling us…into the larger good,鈥 said Associate Professor of French Kirk Read in 2005. As coach of the men鈥檚 hockey club early in his 乐播传媒 career, Williamson provided for his players 鈥渢he entree into adulthood鈥 said Wilson Ring 鈥79 in 2005. Inside and outside the classroom, he offered students 鈥渁 window to a much larger world, the example of flexibility and resilience, and so many other fundamental but intangible gifts,鈥 said Patrick Murphy 鈥79. He was inducted into the 乐播传媒 Scholar-Athlete Society in 2006. A decade-long chairman of the Department of Classical and Romance Languages and Literatures, he created and directed the Fall Semester Abroad Program in Nantes, France. Later in his career, he had become increasingly interested in the wider community of French-speaking communities, and visited Martinique and Senegal frequently. His final official teaching moments, in 2005, were spent in Morocco leading 15 Short Term students with a colleague, Paqui Lopez. Williamson earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from Yale, where he played hockey as an undergraduate and captained the team his senior year, and earned a doctoral degree from Indiana Univ., where he played for and coached the club hockey team, which won the Big Ten Club Championship twice during his tenure. He edited Moliere鈥檚 Les Femmes savantes (New York: Hippocrene Books, 1996), and co-edited Toward a New Integration of Language and Culture (Middlebury, Vt.: Northeast Conference, 1988). The French government, in gratitude for his teaching French language and literature in the United States, named him Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Acad茅miques in 1997. In 2005 he received the Sister Solange Bernier Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME), a nonprofit organization that promotes and improves the teaching and study of foreign languages and cultures. He was president of the Auburn School Committee in the early 1980s. An avid cyclist (among the many activities he pursued with joy) who competed annually in Senior Games and trained year-round, he was highly admired by fellow cyclists. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like he missed out on anything,鈥 his friend and fellow cyclist John Grenier told the Sun Journal. 鈥淗e was doing what he loved, always.鈥澛營n 2006, Williamson completed a 600-mile trek with two 乐播传媒 seniors, John Bauer and Kate Gatti, who had cycled from Fort Myers, Fla., to meet him in Pennsylvania and ride together to Maine. Survivors include wife Debbie;聽children Dustin, Chris, Vanessa, and Melissa; one grandson; sisters Holly Fenster and Peggy Merrill; and a niece. He was predeceased by a daughter, Jessica, and his parents, MacLean and Marion Williamson.