March 12, 2003: Memorials
John Leisenring Kemmerer Jr. ’33
John died Nov. 14, 2002, in Overlook Hospital, in Summit, N.J. He was 91.
John was a Princetonian through and through. He was unusually supportive of ’33 and the university. He earned a master’s from the U. of Utah and served in the Army during WWII.
He and his father and grandfather before him were coal miners, successively CEOs of the Kemmerer Coal Co. in Kemmerer, Wyo. After selling the company to Gulf, he established a foundation for the benefit of the town of Kemmerer, which his grandfather founded.
He created a scholarship endowment for top graduates from the Kemmerer, Diamondville, and Cokeville, Wyo.-area high schools to attend the U. of Wyoming.
John lived in Short Hills, N.J., until a recent move to Basking Ridge. He participated in many civic activities and was a member of the boards of numerous businesses related to mining and fuel. We will miss John and Mary Liz (who died several months before he did) very much at our gatherings. They always added a great deal.
John is survived by two daughters, Connie and Betty Gray, son John III, and six grandchildren. To them, the class extends its great sympathy.
The Class of 1933
Thomas Heffron Mettler ’33
Tommy, of Upper Nyack, N.Y., died Nov. 18, 2002. He was 91. He was the father of the class baby of ’33.
Tommy was an accomplished athlete both at Phillips Andover Academy, where he three-lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, and at Princeton. Later at Rockland Country Club he was golf champion in 1934 and 1936. He was a founding member of the Upper Nyack Field Club and a summer resident of Hulett’s Landing, N.Y., on Lake George.
After graduation he began his lifelong employment with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. Before retiring in 1976 he sold nearly $9 million in policy coverage. Northwestern Mutual Life was known as the “quiet company.” Tommy was not.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Carder; his daughter, Betsey Growney; and two sons, Tom ’57 and Jim ’66. He is predeceased by the mother of his three children, Jane Waterman Mettler. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the large family of this vigorous, loyal classmate.
The Class of 1933
Burton Crawford Dunn ’34
Burt, after a long and distinguished career as a petroleum geologist who was well thought of in the oil industry, died May 24, 2002, in Grand Junction, Colo. He was 90.
Burt graduated from the U. of Pittsburgh (his hometown) in 1936, and entered the oil business that spring, when he went to work for the Ohio Oil Co. in Tulsa. He moved from there to Wichita, Kan., and remained until 1947, when he entered the consulting field.
Burt was predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Jane Baucherle. Surviving are a son and a daughter, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. To them all, we extend our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Ernest Max May ’34
Ernie, class treasurer from 1974-79 and winner in 1975 of our Outstanding Achievement Award, died Dec. 6, 2002. He was 89. Over the years he became a passionate advocate for early childhood development, and in 1991 the Youth Consultation Service (YCS) named its special education center in Union City, N.J., the Ernest M. May Academy. Recently he received the Thea Bry Award from YCS for “a lifetime of service to others.”
Ernie’s leadership positions with charitable boards take a full page in the Who’s Who in the World. For example, he served as chairman of Montclair State College, executive vice president of Christ Hospital, adviser in applied professional psychology at Rutgers and honorary adviser in music at Princeton; he was a member of the National Committee on Nursing, president of the Summit Family Service Assn., Union County Mental Health Board, Overlook Hospital, and vestry of Summit Episcopal Church.
Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Betty Dewey; a sister, Helen Strauss; sons Ernie D. and Jim; daughter Susan; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. To them, we offer our sincere sympathies.
The Class of 1934
Paul Jacob Christner Jr. ’36
Paul died Oct. 7, 2002, in Lakewood, N.J. He graduated from the Silver Bay School in Lake George, N.Y. He transferred to Princeton from Geneva College. He left Princeton in 1933 during the Great Depression.
Throughout his middle and late years, Paul developed great affection for Princeton and our class. He and Emma, whom he married in 1939, attended many of our off-year reunions and our 25th and 45th. He was a member of our class executive committee from 1945-51, and contributed to AG for more than 50 years. His main occupation was that of an accountant. For 16 years he was comptroller of Sumco Engineering Co., and later supervised accountants at Lummus Co. He retired in 1981.
Paul’s community interests included being treasurer of the Commonwealth Club of Upper Montclair, N.J., a past chairman of the Community Chest of Cedar Grove, N.J., and a life member of the Montclair Dramatic Club.
Paul is survived by his son, Paul III ’68, daughter Lynn Fenelon, and five grandchildren.
The Class of 1936
George Rich Metcalf ’36
George, a longtime resident of Auburn, N.Y., died May 30, 2002. A graduate of the Northwood School, at Princeton he majored in economics and was a member of Key and Seal. He received his master’s from the Columbia Journalism School in 1938.
In 1938 he established the Auburn Press Weekly, which he published until 1945. He was a columnist for 40 years for the Auburn Citizen Advertiser. During WWII he served in the European theater in a field artillery battery attached to the Sixth Armored Division as a first lieutenant. He was awarded the Silver Star and four battle stars.
George was chairman of Auburn’s Housing Authority. He served for 15 years in the New York State senate. He specialized in promoting housing laws. He also was active in mental and other health care issues. After retiring, he joined the board of managers of the New York State Charities Aid Assn. He wrote four books — two on Black history and one each on fair housing and busing.
George is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Ann Bradley Metcalf; sons Slade ’68 (whose daughter is Stephanie ’05) and Bradley; daughters Karen Sommer and Sandra Bertetti; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
The Class of 1936
John Clinton Snyder ’36
John was born in Clinton, Iowa, and died May 13, 2000. He prepared at Lake Forest Academy. At Princeton he majored in psychology and was a member of Tower Club.
During WWII he served with the Army Rangers, receiving a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross for action in Europe with the Third Army. He participated in the Patton forays through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and into Germany. Shortly after the war he made his home with his wife and three children in Glendale, Calif. For many years, John represented Pitney Bowes in sales and after retiring was an antiques dealer in the Glendale area.
Jean, his wife of 39 years, predeceased John in March 1978. His son, John II; two daughters, Judith Guich and Jean Zero; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild survive him.
The Class of 1936
William Madison Whittington Jr. ’36
Bill, a longtime resident of Greenwood, Miss., died Oct. 9, 2002. He graduated valedictorian of his Taft School class. At Princeton he majored in English, cum laude, and was a member of Charter Club. He received his law degree in 1939 from Yale.
He served four-and-a-half years in the Navy during WWII, including three detached duties in the Pacific theater. The rest of his service was as aide to the judge advocate general. His last rank was that of lieutenant commander.
Bill was a leading member of two churches in turn: the First Baptist Church of Greenwood and the Baptist Church of North Greenwood. He was a senior partner in the Greenwood law firm of Whittington, Brock, Swayze, and Dale. He served a four-year term in the Mississippi legislature. He was a longtime trustee of the French Camp Academy.
Bill was a past president of the Greenwood Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Greenwood Little Theater, whose playhouse bears his name, and the Mississippi Little Theater Assn.
He is survived by his wife, the former Mary Jayne Berrard, whom he married in 1945; daughters Jamie Pastreich and Anna Wong; a son, William III; a sister, Mary W. Davenport; a brother, Aven ’39; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The Class of 1936
WILBUR WELLES SQUIRE ’38
Will, a class regional vice president, died Oct. 31, 2002, after a brief illness, in Seattle.
He graduated from the Choate School. At Princeton he majored in biology, was a member of the Glee Club, and was treasurer of Court Club. He obtained his degree in civil engineering from the U. of Colorado in Boulder. He served in the Army during WWII.
Postwar, Will started a 30-year rail engineering career that began with the Denver, Rio Grande, and Western Railroad. He went on to work on mass transit projects in Toronto, San Francisco, and DC. After he retired, Will served on various transportation advisory boards in the Puget Sound area. However, according to his son, nothing was more important to him than mountaineering, along with his wife of 53 years, Jeannette.
Will was elected Kiwanian of the Year in Seattle in 1987, and volunteered with the elderly, homeless, and others in need in Seattle. Nominated as an “angel” for this work, Will’s compassionate activism touched many lives. He is survived by his wife; his daughter, Judith Sears; his son, Robert; and a granddaughter, Katherine, to all of whom the class extends condolences.
The Class of 1938
William Croft Bickel ’39
Bill died Sept. 17, 2002, of viral encephalitis in Pittsburgh. We last saw him at our 63rd reunion this past June, with his wife of 55 years, Minnette Duffy; his daughter, Minnette B. Boesel; and his granddaughter, Minnette W. Boesel. His wife, Minnette, a renowned portrait painter, painted Fred Fox ’39 with his beloved bicycle, and that portrait now hangs in Firestone Library. While they were at Reunions, Bud Wynne took all three Minnettes to the library to see the portrait.
During WWII, Bill served as a Corsair pilot in the Pacific with the Marine Corps, flying more than 60 missions, retiring as a major with the Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal. His corporate career with Gulf Oil spanned 32 years in Tulsa, Atlanta, DC, and other cities. After he retired, he came home to Pittsburgh, where he parlayed his love of the arts and music to become the managing director of Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts.
To Minnette, his daughters Minnette and Susan, and four grandchildren, we extend our sympathy as we say goodbye to our old friend with the words he always wrote to sign off letters to us: “Ever thine ’39, Bick.”
The Class of 1939
Francis William Brennan ’40
Frank died Nov. 26, 2002, in Azusa, Calif., after a lifetime of outstanding accomplishments. The NY Times stated, “He leaves a legacy as a model of integrity, honesty, courage, and faith.” The Caldwell Progress headline banner was “Public Servant.”
He prepared at West Side HS in Newark, N.J. At Princeton, Frank majored in history, receiving departmental honors; he was on the debating team, football managerial squad, and was a member of Campus Club.
He spent three years in the Army (European theater), reaching the rank of captain; he was decorated as a hero with the Air Medal with three clusters. He then got his LLB from Harvard Law School in 1947.
Frank’s career was highlighted by serving as general counsel for the California Oil Co., and as counsel and secretary of P. Ballentine and Sons and J. Gallo Winery. He was recognized for his efforts in alcoholic beverage law by his election to vice president of the National Bar Assn. His public service record ranged from boys clubs to park commissioner to grand juries. The Princeton body also has recognized his generosity and loyal service; his classmates elected him their regional vice president.
Predeceased by his wife, Betty, and his son, Kirk, Frank is survived by his daughter, Judi; his son, Bob ’81; and grandchildren Alycia and Stephen. To them, his classmates extend their deepest sympathies.
The Class of 1940
Frank Robert Noonan ’41
Bob died of prostate cancer on Oct. 18, 2002, in Rochester, Mich. Born in Minneapolis, he attended the Blake School before graduating from Lawrenceville. With us for only freshman year, he transferred to the business school of the U. of Minnesota.
Bob was a founder of the Nesbitt Bottling Co. and then was president of North American Creameries, both in Minneapolis. Moving to the Detroit area in 1963, as vice president of Naegele Outdoor Advertising, he next became president of a division of Eller Outdoor Advertising. He left to start his own business, Robert Noonan Co. and then founded Media Six of Southfield, Mich.
Active in many civic and private organizations, primarily the United Way and the American Red Cross, he was president of Franklin-Wright Settlements and was very active in Kirk of the Hills Church in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Martha Larkin Noonan; two daughters, Lindsay McAuliffe and Lucy Noonan; two sons, Frank and Charles; as well as five grandchildren.
The Class of 1941
Max Truman Smith Jr. ’41
Red died Sept. 2, 2002, in Naples, Fla. A native of Wallace, Idaho., he graduated from Lawrenceville. At Princeton he majored in chemistry, joined Cannon, and roomed with Milton Brown the first two years, and for two years with Phil Christian, Bill Diver, and George Lewis.
Joining the Navy as an ensign in July 1941, Red served three years in the Bureau of Naval Ordnance in DC, and then served as executive officer of the Naval Ammunition Depot in Guam, before being separated as lieutenant commander in Mar. 1946.
Obtaining his master’s in mechanical engineering from Stanford in 1948, Red joined Standard Oil of California. Recalled to duty in the Korean War, he served 17 months as a commander in DC. He returned to civilian life as a manufacturers’ representative, also in DC. He moved to Naples during the 1960s and started a tax accounting business, which he sold in the late ’90s. Red was a member of the Naples Yacht Club and the Royal Poinciana Golf Club. Predeceased by his first wife, Gloria Goode Smith, in 1986, and then by his second, Peggy Dunn Smith, in 1989, he is survived by his nephews, Frederick and Phil White.
The Class of 1941
HENRY OTIS BONNAR JR. ’42
Hank died May 7, 2002, in Rockland, Maine. He came to us from Andover, where he was on the hockey, lacrosse, and swimming teams. At Princeton he was an honors student in the modern languages department and a member of Campus Club.
Hank left Princeton at the end of our junior year to join Bonnar-Vawter Fanform Inc., a business-form printer, in NYC. During WWII he participated in defense work, which Hank described in our 10th yearbook as “maintained in a secret classification.” In 1945 he married Eileen Hodge, who predeceased him. They had six children.
Hank’s entire business career was at Bonner-Vawter, where he advanced through sales and general management to president. His contributions to his industry included inventions of several new manufacturing processes. Beyond the business world, Hank was an eminent sailboat racer out of Marblehead, Mass.; he enjoyed hiking on the Appalachian Trail and photography. He was a wood carver with a legacy of creating “many beautiful eagles,” according to his daughter Erin.
The class extends its most sincere condolences to his children, Carl, Erin Cloutier, Susan VonKohorn, Joanne Woodman, Nancy Arbing, and Lucile Hanscom.
The Class of 1942
THOMAS BROWNING IRWIN ’42
Tom, our athletic, gregarious, and loyal classmate, died on Nov. 15, 2002, of cancer, in Westwood, Mass. Tom was born in Philadelphia and came to Princeton from Germantown Academy, where he excelled in athletics and was president of student government. He majored in classics and was a member of Ivy Club. Tom distinguished himself as an outstanding member of the varsity football squad and was a lifelong booster of Princeton football. His devoted services to Princeton included vice president of the Princeton Club of New Haven, district chair for AG, and an invaluable role on the committee of our Boston mini-reunion in 1997.
After his WWII assignment to Philadelphia Army Ordnance, most of Tom’s business life was in sales with North American Smelting Co., following several years as sales manager at US Pipe and Foundry. He retired as a manufacturer’s representative in 1997 to spend more time with his 14 grandchildren.
Tom was a member of the Society of Diecast Engineers and American Foundrymen and of the Dedham Country and Polo Club; he was past president of the Old Lyme Country Club.
To his wife, Elizabeth (Cooke), brother Henry ’47, his two sisters, four children, stepchildren, and grandchildren, the class expresses its profound condolences.
The Class of 1942
Thomas H. Pollock ’43
Tom died on May 23, 2002, at the age of 81. He died quietly in his sleep, after having suffered from Alzheimer’s for several years. He worked for the Navy Department in Philadelphia for many years, retiring in 1984. Following his retirement, Tom and his wife traveled extensively throughout Europe, Africa, and the US. Ardent golfers, the couple passed many happy hours on the course until Tom was physically unable to continue playing.
Tom is survived by his wife, the former Donna Hart, and one daughter, Tricia Pollock Henry. To the family, we extend our deepest condolences.
The Class of 1943
Henry Stuart Patterson II ’44
Henry died Dec. 1, 2002. He came to Princeton from St. Mark’s and majored in economics. A member of Ivy Club, he roomed with Bob Kean, Jack Dozier, Jerry Johnson, and Tom Wellington.
He saw active service in the Army Field Artillery and was discharged as a first lieutenant. First employed by Dun & Bradstreet, he was president and director of Elizabethtown Water Co. most of his life; he chaired the executive committee of United Jersey Bank.
Henry was elected mayor of Princeton Borough for four terms, during which the municipal building was constructed, the library enlarged, and the school system merged with that of the township.
He also served as a commissioner for the State Commission of Investigation under both Governors Byrne and Kean. He was a member of the Rutgers U. Board of Overseers.
He and his late wife, Suzanne, had two sons, Henry III and Michael; two daughters, Abby Ann and Lucy; and seven grandchildren. We send them our sincere condolences.
The Class of 1944
Robert A. Wieman ’44
Bob died in a car accident on Nov. 22, 2002. Coming to Princeton from Lawrenceville, he majored in chemical engineering, contributing to the Princeton Engineer. A member of Key & Seal Club, he roomed with Christy Wilson and Joe Fox.
After graduation he worked on the Manhattan Project and at Oak Ridge in both a civilian and military role; he was present at the tests on Bikini Atoll. After discharge he studied at Michigan and was employed by DuPont, but he decided to enter the Presbyterian ministry, enrolling at Princeton Theological Seminary. After ordination he served in Rahway, N.J., where he was active in civil rights issues, and in Levittown, N.Y., where he opposed the Vietnam War and apartheid; he retired as a pastoral associate at the church in Ewing, N.J.
He, his wife, Vergene, and their children enjoyed mountain hiking, travel, opera, and Princeton sports. He was the son of one of Princeton’s most famous football coaches, and three of his sons attended Princeton. In good health at the time of his accident, he was planning to work on our 59th reunion.
To Vergene; his sons, Lawrence ’75, Allan ’78, Paul ’81, and Robert; his daughter, Elizabeth; and eight grandchildren, the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1944
Ralph Emerson Davis Jr. ’46
Ralph died Nov. 13, 2002, of pneumonia near his home in Vail, Colo. Born in Pittsburgh, he prepped at Mercersburg Academy to enter Princeton in engineering. He left for Navy V-12 at Cornell, becoming an ensign and graduating there in 1945. Married to Mary Skelding that year, he moved to the family cattle ranch in Boonville, Mo. Skiers, the couple had a condominium in Vail, and moved there in 1973. Ralph was a ski instructor and also enjoyed fishing, hunting, tennis, and private flying.
Ralph served on the board of Vail Valley Medical Center and was president of its foundation. He also promoted founding a cancer center in Edwards, Colo. His wife died in 1995. He is survived by sons Ralph III and Paul, daughter Nancy, and five grandchildren. To them all, the class extends its sympathy.
The Class of 1946
Aubrey Kenneth Gorman ’46
Aubrey died Aug. 26, 2002, of lung disease in Rockport, Maine, near his Camden home. A Baltimorean, he prepped at the Gilman School.
Joining the Air Force in 1943, he became a first lieutenant P-47 fighter pilot, earning the Air Medal for 21 missions over Italy and the Balkans. After Princeton, Aubrey became a reporter for the Baltimore Sun but left to join the Rouse Co., the redeveloper of Baltimore Harbor. Aubrey served as president of Enterprise Development, a Rouse venture to assist poor people to enter business. Aubrey was a lifelong avid fisherman in Alaska, Montana, Boca Grande, and Maine.
Married for 40 years to Jacquelin Woods, who died in 1988, Aubrey was father of a son, Arthur, who died at age 30; and four daughters, Powel, Jacquelin, Sally, and Mary. He married Alice Gorman in 1991, who, with his daughters and her three children and 10 grandchildren, all survive. Aubrey’s father was Douglas 1903. Princeton brothers were Douglas ’35, Edmund ’36, and Arthur ’38. With his wife and family, the class mourns his passing.
The Class of 1946
William Willett Holzwarth ’48
Bill died at his home in Hawaii, on Nov. 14, 2002, of cancer. He and June had enjoyed our Napa Valley mini-reunion the previous spring. They had homes in both Walnut Creek, Calif., and in Honolulu.
Bill was a graduate of Mercersburg Academy. At Princeton he was business manager of Theatre Intime, a member of Cannon, and graduated in June 1950 with his degree in history. He was in the Navy from 1945-46.
With his first wife, Elizabeth, he had three sons. After earning an MBA at Harvard in 1952, Bill went to work for Kaiser Aluminum. He retired as the company’s corporate director of hourly compensation and benefits in 1996. At that time he married June Anderson and worked with her in residential real estate in Hawaii.
Hank Hunt, Nick Ifft, and Bill staged an annual fishing, eating, and tall tales outing every autumn for the past two decades. They fished the Yellowstone Basin and the Henry Fork of the Snake River in Idaho. It was reported that the fish grew bigger and the tales taller every year. Bill returned for our 40th and 50th reunions.
The class extends its heartfelt condolences to June, William Jr., Clinton, and David.
The Class of 1948
Klaus Wilhelm Hueper ’48
The class lost a sprightly member with the death of Klaus on Oct. 15, 2002. He had pulmonary fibrosis. He had retired early from Fannie Mae following several heart attacks.
Klaus joined us in 1945 from Scarsdale [N.Y.] HS. He served in the Army in Italy from 1946-47. At Princeton he was a member of Court Club and on the advertising staffs of the Daily Princetonian and of the Nassau Sovereign. He graduated with a degree in politics.
After two years at UVA Law School and a couple of minor jobs, he found his way to a career in real estate. He was with Acacia Mutual Life Insurance and with B. F. Saul Real Estate Investment Trust prior to joining Fannie Mae as national manager of appraisals. He received many industry honors and published widely in the field.
Klaus was active in local DC community affairs and was on the vestry of St. David’s Episcopal Church. After surviving a major heart attack, Klaus adopted as his anthem the peanut vendor’s song: “I don’t want to set the world on fire, I just want to keep my nuts warm.”
Klaus’ first marriage ended in divorce. In 1980, Klaus married Katherine, who survives him. To her and to Paul, his son with his first wife, the class offers its heartfelt condolences.
The Class of 1948
LEROY FRANTZ JR. ’49
Lee died on Oct. 5, 2002, of pancreatic cancer. He was 74. He came to Princeton from Deerfield Academy and served in the Army from Sept. 1946-Mar. 1948, and then again during the Korean War. Lee majored in economics, was in the Flying Club, Orange Key, was active in several capacities with WPRB, and was a member of Cap and Gown Club.
After graduation Lee had two careers in business. The first was with International Flavors and Fragrances, where he was chief financial officer and area chief for Latin America and the Far East until he retired in 1974. His second, which lasted 25 years, was as president of Marina America, a large marina and boat repair facility in Stamford, Conn.
Lee remained active in flying, sailing, and politics throughout his working life. At about the time of our 50th reunion he retired to Washington, Conn., where he lived until his death.
Lee is survived by his wife, Sheila; two sons, Ted and Scott ’82; and three daughters, Stephanie, Joan, and Heather ’00. The class extends its sincere sympathy to them all on their loss.
The Class of 1949
BRYANT NORTHCUTT ’50
Buck suffered a cerebral hemorrhage at his Fairfield, Conn., home, and died at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, on July 7, 2002.
Coming from the Staten Island Day School to Princeton, Buck started in engineering, but changed to psychology and graduated cum laude. Soon after graduation he joined Spring Mills, working in textile product development, sales, and marketing for more than 19 years. He was one of the prime movers in establishing “wash and wear” fabric performance standards.
Buck entered management consulting in 1975 and retired some 20 years later. Seeking “new stimulation,” he enrolled at Southern Connecticut State and earned his master’s in library science at age 70, specializing in reference work. At our 50th, Buck wrote that “throughout my entire life, I loved to act and sing, even at age four.” He was one of only four freshmen accepted into the Princeton Glee Club and sang with it for four years. He sang at Southport Trinity Episcopal Church and for more than three decades with the Fairfield County Chorale.
Our sympathy goes to his wife, Jan, who shared his devotion to singing; his children, Diana Lee Angstadt, Jeffrey, and Douglas; brother Sumner; and five grandchildren.
The Class of 1950
ALBERT J. REDWAY JR. ’50
Jim died from the aftereffects of pneumonia at George Washington Hospital in DC, on Oct. 28, 2002.
He graduated from St. George’s and served as an Air Force flight engineer during WWII before entering Princeton in 1946. Jim and fellow veterans Mike Vialls and Bob McKay accelerated their aeronautical engineering program and graduated in 1949, but all elected to stay with our class.
He spent 33 years with McDonnell Douglas, retiring in 1982 as corporate vice president, eastern region. In DC for most of his career, he followed firsthand the advances in aeronautics sparked by development of the jet engine, the rocket, and the computer.
Jim kept himself busy in retirement. He chaired the committee charged with building the Warrenton-Fauquier [Va.] Airport and took an International Executive Corps assignment with a Czech aircraft company. He formed an aerospace consulting business with Charlie Forsyth ’45 and continued consulting until his death.
One of his avocations was flying a single-seat glider at regional competitions. In recent years he and his wife started a beef cattle-breeding business.
Our condolences go to Tilda, his wife of 53 years; children, David, Jake ’74, Kate Rosenfield, Nini, and Jon; four siblings; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
The Class of 1950
Gregory H. Parker ’55
Greg died at home on Oct. 9, 2002, from complications of multiple myeloma. Born and reared in Worcester, Mass., he lived in the Chicago area for 19 years before retiring to Mattapoisett, Mass., in 1996.
Greg attended North HS in Worcester. At Princeton he majored in chemistry, joined Campus Club, and played several IAA sports. His roommates included Bill Eddy and the late Glenn Foss.
Greg received an MBA from the U. of Rhode Island. He later graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard. He was an executive in the metals industry, serving for many years as president and CEO of Bliss and Laughlin Industries Inc., a Chicago-based company that he took private and then public. He had previously been employed by Union Carbide, Texas Instruments’ metals division, and as president and COO of Copperweld Industries Int’l.
Greg was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He was also a fine person and role model to those who knew him: competitive, organized, quietly strong, focused, and caring. He is survived by Betty Alden Parker, his wife of 45 years; daughters Amy E. Cook, Sarah, and Ruth M. Finch; and seven grandchildren. To all of them, we extend our deepest sympathy.
The Class of 1955
Jerry R. N. Brisco ’59
Jerry, or “Breeze,” died on Feb. 19, 2002. He was living in Tempe, Ariz., at the time. The cause of death is unknown.
Born in Summit, N.J., Jerry grew up in Milwaukee and prepared for Princeton at Milwaukee U. School, where he captained the tennis team, lettered in football and basketball, and worked on student publications. At Princeton, Jerry was sports editor of the Daily Princetonian his junior year, and vice chairman his senior year. His weekly sports column, “Brisk Breezes,” entertained us for three years. Jerry ate at Tower Club, where he served as IAA chairman.
Jerry served in the Army, then earned an MBA from Harvard. This launched an impressive business career that progressed through management of Burdine’s Department Store in West Palm Beach, Fla.; management of his own retail chain; vice president of Hang Ten International, a major licensing company; and general manager of Mervyn’s, a retailing affiliate of Target Corp., in Phoenix. Always active in politics and community affairs, Jerry served the Chamber of Commerce, United Fund, and the Princeton Schools Committee.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Barbara; two sons, Robert and Joseph; four daughters, Julie, Eileen, Sarah, and Candice; and a sister, Gail Schaefer, to all of whom the class extends its condolences.
The Class of 1959
Esteban J. Karplus ’59
Steve died April 11, 2002. He was living in Scarsdale, N.Y., at the time. The cause of death is unknown.
Steve was born in Vienna, Austria. He prepared for Princeton at St. Andrew’s Scot School in Olivos, Argentina, where he played varsity soccer and captained the softball team. At Princeton, Steve played freshman soccer and belonged to the Hispanic Club and Wesley Foundation. He left Princeton at the end of his freshman year to enter the Buenos Aires Law School.
We know little of Steve’s career after he left Princeton. Our 10th reunion yearbook lists his residence as Buenos Aires, Argentina. An entry in our 35th reunion yearbook indicates that he was the senior managing director for General Sekiyu, an affiliate of Exxon Corp., and was living in Tokyo. Steve is survived by his wife and four children, to whom the class extends its condolences.
The Class of 1959
George G. Thouron Jr. ’59
George died Feb. 13, 2002, at St. Simons Island, Ga., after a long illness.
He grew up in Wilmington, Del., and prepared for Princeton at St. Paul’s School. He was a fourth-generation Princetonian, having been preceded by his great-grandfather, his grandfather, and his uncle. At Princeton, George majored in psychology, enrolled in Navy ROTC, ate at Colonial Club, roomed with Mike Elliman, Locke McLean, and Charlie Richards, and graduated with honors.
Following graduation, George served aboard a Navy destroyer for two years. He remained in the Naval Reserve for 17 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander. George joined the Philadelphia advertising firm of N. W. Ayer in 1962, then moved to the brokerage business in 1968, retiring from Merrill Lynch in 1992 and settling in Sea Island, Ga., where he enjoyed fishing, golf, and tennis. Other activities included sky diving and flying.
Married three times, George was single at the time of his death. He is survived by his daughters, Kathryn and Meredith, his son, Gray, and two sisters, to whom the class extends its condolences.
The Class of 1959
Gilbert p. Johnson ’60
Gil died Aug. 27, 2002, from an apparent heart attack. He was playing golf at the time.
Born in Wilmington, N.C., he grew up in Lumberton, N.C., where he attended school before matriculating at Lawrenceville, Princeton, and Duke Law School. At Princeton, he joined Cap and Gown, majored in history, and was captain of the golf team.
Gil began his career as a lawyer for Chadbourne & Park in NYC, and had also worked in the legal department of the First Boston Corp. He had owned a real estate development company in Westchester since 1983. One of our class’s outstanding golfers, he was a board member and the club champion of the Stanwich Club in Greenwich. He is buried at the First Presbyterian Church in Lumberton, N.C.
Gil is survived by his wife, Eleanor Cullen Johnson; his daughter, Mary-Craig Wells; grandsons James and Graham Wells; and his brother, James. The class sends its condolences to them and to the many friends Gil made throughout his life.
The Class of 1960
Howard Olson ’65
Howard died of liver cancer on Jan. 22, 1997, while awaiting treatment at the U. of Chicago Hospital.
After Princeton he attended Georgia Tech on a Callaway Foundation Fellowship and then earned a PhD from the U. of Manchester in textiles, which led to work with NASA’s Ames Research Center in San Francisco, developing fabric components of the space suit for astronauts. At the time of his death he was an associate professor at Georgia Tech in the School of Textile Fiber Engineering. Prior to that he served as associate chair for facilities and student affairs and was deeply involved in the construction of the new building for that department.
An Eagle Scout, Howard continued his scouting activities through his adult life and was named Educator of the Year in 1977 by the Society of Professional Engineers. He also served for a number of years as secretary-treasurer of several textile industry associations.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his daughter, Laura Ann; a sister, Margaret; and a brother, Wayne. To all of them, the class sends its condolences on their loss.
The Class of 1965
Robert Quincy Baker III ’66
Quincy died at his home in Coshocton, Ohio, on Sept. 21, 2002.
At Princeton, Quincy was an electrical engineering major, a member of Whig-Clio, and a member of the Pistol Club. After completing a master’s in engineering at Columbia U., Quincy returned to Ohio to earn a JD at Ohio State U.
He then returned to his hometown of Coshocton and joined the firm of Frase, Weir, Baker and McCullough as an attorney, where he worked for his entire career. At the time of his death Quincy was the village solicitor for the town of West Lafayette.
Quincy was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Ohio Bar Assn., the Coshocton Bar Assn., the Pomerene Center for the Arts, and the Coshocton Gun Club. He was a Republican. He was also a board member of Camp Echoing Hills and a past president of the Coshocton City Council.
Quincy is survived by his brother, W. Richard Baker, and two sisters, Phyllis Weih and Karen Mitzner. To each of them, the class extends its sympathies.
The Class of 1966
Jordan Taylor ’66
Jordan died Jan. 6, 2001, in Vienna, Austria, after suffering a massive heart attack during a squash match. Jordan and his wife, Kyoko, had moved to Vienna in 2000, when he was appointed senior vice president, international credit management, at Bank Austria.
He was an accomplished international banker, whose banking career had begun immediately after he graduated from Wharton Business School in 1970. Fluent in German and in Spanish, Jordan lived four years in Frankfurt, six years in London, two years in Madrid, one year in Milan, and was thoroughly at home in Vienna.
Originally from Yarmouth, Mass., Jordan was a strong and valued member of our class. His father was a member of the Class of ’30. At the time of his death, Jordan was maintaining the ’66 website from a server in Europe, and he had personally taken many of the pictures of classmates and class functions that are posted there now. Jordan had one son, Marshall Taylor. The class extends its sympathies to Kyoko, Marshall, and to Kyoko’s two children, Ichiro and Susan Lambe.
The Class of 1966
James Taylor Adams ’69
Jim died Oct. 16, 2002, in Lawrenceville, N.J., of a cerebral hemorrhage. A 1965 graduate of the Lawrenceville School, Jim had been a teacher there for 25 years. He served the school in an extraordinary range of capacities, including English master, assistant varsity basketball coach, housemaster, and assistant headmaster. He was honored with the Class of 1965 James T. Adams Chair for Distinguished Teaching.
A native of Oneida, N.Y., Jim received a master’s in English from Boston U. He was a former director of Lawrenceville’s camp for underprivileged inner-city students.
A memorial service, held in the Edith Memorial Chapel at Lawrenceville on Nov. 16, was attended by a number of classmates. Mike Fremuth ’69, who spoke at the service, reflected on the gift that Jim’s life represented. Jim’s wife of 30 years, Joanne, captured it all eloquently: “Jim was a good man and, by all accounts, he made a difference. He loved his life.” He is survived by his mother, Esther; his daughter, Jennifer Adams; his son, Jared; sister Ann Garwig; and brother Stephen. Jim and his family were well known for their community service.
Our class joins many friends and admirers in mourning Jim’s passing.
The Class of 1969
Steven M. Greenbaum ’73
Steve died March 28, 2002, near Princeton, ending a life-spanning association with the university. Born to an American military family in Heidelberg, Germany, Steve’s first contact with Princeton, at age four, was during his father’s enrollment as a graduate student. His “Army Brat” childhood led to attendance at a different high school each year: Fontainebleau and Versailles in France; Honolulu, Hawaii; and McLean, Va.
As an undergraduate Steve was an aspiring serious writer, and he made an initial mark by being awarded the 1971 Francis Biddle Sophomore Prize for his essay on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Sonnet. The essay was described as “an imaginative and substantial piece of work.”
Steve spent eight years in Paris writing, absorbing the rich culture of Paris, and teaching English. His near-native fluency in French and Italian led to commissions to translate from the author’s literary English into a comparable level of French such works as William Blake’s challenging “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.”
In 1985 Steve returned to Princeton to begin what would be a 15-year association as a member of the university library staff.
Steve is survived by his father, Bernard *56, and his brother, Mark.
The Class of 1973
Bradley A. Richards ’75
Brad Richards died Jan. 20, 2002, of a brain tumor. He was 48 and lived in Montclair, N.J.
Brad came from Minneapolis to Princeton, where he majored in politics and was captain of the men’s ice hockey team. He went on to play semipro hockey in Sweden and Germany and served as the university’s assistant coach before taking a position with the Citizens League from 1978-83. He had a 19-year career with Medtronics, the medical device company, most recently as regional cardiovascular director.
Princeton friends remember Brad as an inspirational athlete and leader, possessed of a fine intellect, a true scholar-athlete before the term became overused. Devout and generous, he had an easygoing temperament and an unusual ability to listen and empathize, coupled with a contagious sense of humor. These qualities, along with Brad’s persistently positive outlook on life, boyish charm, and unbounded enthusiasm, will always bring a smile to those who knew him.
Brad is survived by his wife, the former Kathryn Anderson; his daughters, Alyse, Sydney, and Faith; his mother, Barbara Richards, of Minneapolis; two sisters; and a brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Bradley A. Richards Memorial Scholarship at Montclair HS to assist college-bound student-athletes.
The Class of 1975
Philip W. Morrison Jr. ’82
Phil died of cancer on Nov. 4, 2002. Raised in Bethlehem, Pa., Phil was a summa cum laude graduate in chemical engineering. A gregarious extrovert, he joined Elm Club, played ultimate Frisbee, rowed freshman crew, and roomed with Rich Bagger, Dave Kuhl and Greg Silvestri.
After Princeton, Phil earned his PhD from UC Berkeley, worked in contract research, and then entered academia. In 1993 he joined the faculty of Case Western Reserve U. A gifted teacher, mentor, and acclaimed scholar, he received Case’s “Top Prof” award and an NSF Career Award. Phil’s recent focus on globally significant problems included the safe destruction of chemical warfare agents and the removal of atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Phil’s friends will remember him as one of the nicest and most brilliant people they knew. He was always willing to tutor classmates, and he was enthusiastic, well-rounded, and had a smile that could light up a room.
Phil is survived by his wife, Nancy Antonsen, daughter Andrea, son Ian, his father, Philip Sr. ’55, his mother, and five brothers and sisters, including Faith ’83. Memorial donations may be made to the Chemical Engineering Dept., CWRU, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106.
The Class of 1982
John W. Ressner ’84
John died on Jan. 9, 2003, in NYC from complications following a stroke. He was 41.
John graduated cum laude with a double major in computer science and electrical engineering, and received his MBA in finance from Columbia Business School in 1988.
John worked as executive vice president, director of research, and portfolio manager in the fixed income division of the Capital Group Co. He served on the boards of Capital Research Co. and Capital Intl. Research, Inc.
Those who knew and loved John felt his gentle but powerful passion for life in his pursuits outside work. He was chairman of the Alumni Schools Committee in Manhattan for five years prior to his death and graduated from the French Culinary Institute in 1994, where he trained in the art of pastry- and chocolate-making. He was a devotee of amateur astronomy, physical training, the Mets and the Jets, and wine. He supported many arts organizations and nonprofit institutions, including Princeton, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Opera.
He is survived by his wife, Laura, and his mother, Natalie G. Ressner. The class extends its deepest sympathy to both.
The Class of 1984
