February 25, 2004: Memorials
ROSWELL C. DUNN ’27
Ros died Oct. 6, 2003. Born in 1904 in Baltimore, he came to Princeton from the Gilman School. At Princeton, Ros was a member of the Daily Princetonian and Ivy Club, and performed in the Triangle Chorus.
After Princeton, Ros was with Alexander and Alexander Insurance Co., first in St. Louis and then in NYC. He was director and senior vice president of A&A when he retired, and also president of Adams, Holmes and Thorpe, Inc. He lived in Sarasota in his retirement.
Ros performed many services for the class and the University, including class insurance agent, negotiating the gift of the class insurance to Firestone Library at the 20th reunion, AG agent, vice president, secretary, class representative on the Graduate Council, agent for the Princeton Fund, and later for the Third Century Fund. Such was his identification with Princeton that he often introduced himself in the following manner: “I’m Ros Dunn, Princeton ’27.”
Ros’s wife, Emily, whom he married in 1929, died in 1998. He is survived by a son, Robert; three nephews, William K. Cromwell III ’46, Edward K. Dunn Jr. ’57, and Pierce B. Dunn ’72; and a great-nephew, Edward K. Dunn III ’84. The class extends its condolences to his family.
The Class of 1927
JOSEPH F. JOHNSTON ’27
Joe died of pneumonia Nov. 17, 2003. Born in Birmingham, Ala., he came to Princeton from St. Alban’s in DC and Episcopal HS in Alexandria, Va. He was a member of Quadrangle Club, the Nassau Herald board, the Polity Club, and the Law Club.
He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1930. From 1938-43 he served as general solicitor for Seaboard Railway. From 1943-46 he worked first for the federal government and then the Army, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel and earning the Legion of Merit. Then he joined Cabaniss and Johnston, his father’s law firm, in Birming-ham. Retiring in 1981, he spent increasing time at a second home near Richmond, moving there permanently in 1999.
Joe was an active supporter of Princeton, presiding over the Alumni Assn. of Alabama, and working as bicentennial chairman, area chairman for the $53 million campaign, regional vice president of the class, and class secretary. He held a commercial pilot’s license and flew his own twin-engine plane all over the country.
Joe married Elizabeth Whipple White in 1930. She died in 2001. He is survived by his son, Joseph Jr. ’54, a grandson, Samuel B. ’82, and a sister, Virginia Johnston Walmsley. The class extends condolences to them.
The Class of 1927
W. NELSON ABBOTT ’36
Nels died Nov. 18, 2003, in Provo, Utah; he was 89. At Princeton he majored in economics and was vice president of Dial Lodge. He left Princeton in his senior year because of a serious illness.
Early on he was employed by the Van Norman Machine Tool Co., Electric Autolite, Black and Decker, and Kaiser Shipyards. In 1942 he joined Westinghouse Electric Corp. In 1944 he enlisted in the Navy, attaining the rank of aviation electronics technician’s mate first class, and worked as an instructor in Chicago.
He was discharged in 1946 and returned to Westinghouse, where he held several marketing management positions around the country for various appliance divisions. He retired in 1973 after 30 years of service.
Nels enjoyed duplicate bridge, golf, and major sports events at Brigham Young U. He served St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Provo as a junior warden, senior warden, vestryman, lay reader, and chalice bearer. He enjoyed living at Cove Point Retirement Center in Provo.
In 1940 he married Opal “Monett” Rigby, who predeceased him in 1998. He is survived by several nieces and nephews.
Nels was a loyal Princetonian and classmate who kept in touch for many years with our class secretary.
The Class of 1936
JOHN GLASSON ARESON ’40
Jack died Oct. 21, 2003, after surviving a stroke two years earlier.
He was born and raised in Montclair, N.J., and attended Montclair State College HS before moving on to the Northwood School in Lake Placid, graduating in 1936.
At Princeton, Jack majored in history and was a member of Key and Seal Club. After Princeton he earned a master’s in history at Penn.
He then interrupted his teaching career for three and a half years to join the Army. After being discharged, he returned to the Montclair area to pursue his interests in books, music, history, and “collecting.” When he retired from teaching, he opened a store in Montclair called Yesterday’s Books and Records.
Jack was predeceased by his wife, Mary McIntyr Areson. He is survived by his cousins, Theodore Nevins Jr. ’40 and Nancy Nevins D’Anjou, and four nieces and nephews.
The Class of 1940
WARD STANLEY HAGAN ’48
Ward Hagan, who, although a tad older than most of us, was held in high esteem and great affection by many in our class, died of heart failure at the Medical Center at Prince-ton Dec. 4, 2003. He was 83. He and his wife, Patricia, lived in Princeton in recent years.
Ward was a native of Sioux City, Iowa, and came to us by way of Philadelphia and its Northeast HS. He was an Army Air Force cadet from 1941-43. At Princeton he was in Cottage Club, wrote for Theatre Intime, and graduated with an AB in English.
Ward began his career in advertising with Young & Rubicam, mostly in London and then in Montreal. In 1961 he joined Colgate-Palmolive. In 1970 he moved on to Warner-Lambert, where in due course he ascended to chairman and CEO, retiring in 1985. As an alumnus he served his cherished Class of ’48 as class agent.
To Patricia, and daughters Susan and Tracy, the class extends its condolences on the death of a very special friend.
The Class of 1948
EDWARD OGDEN TANNER ’48
Og died Dec. 7, 2003, at age 77.
Og not only served as secretary of ’48 for the 1958-63 term, but also crafted a career as a writer and editor. He spent 22 years with Time Inc. as an editor at House and Home and Architectural Forum, and as a senior
editor at Time-Life Books. Since 1973 he worked as a freelance writer producing many magazine articles and a score of books ranging from history to gardening to corporate profiles.
A native New Yorker and graduate of Deerfield, Og took his AB in architecture. He was active in varsity soccer and lacrosse, Theatre Intime, and Glee Club, and was president of the Nassoons. He was in the Navy V-12 at Princeton from 1945-47.
Og and Shirley McKeever were married in 1957. For more than 40 years they lived in New Canaan, Conn., where Og was on the board of the local library and the Nature Conservancy. He reported his golf game as hopeless but said, “I still love to play.”
Our condolences go to Shirley, son Brooks, and daughters Sarah and Wendy. We have lost a loyal friend.
The Class of 1948
GERALD SAMUEL TOMPKINS JR. ’48
Jerry died Nov. 15, 2003, in Greenville, S.C., where he had lived since 1947. His entire business career was spent with J. P. Stevens. He was plant manager of several mills before his retirement.
A native of Lewistown, Pa., Jerry came to us by way of Andover. He was in the Navy from 1944-46. His Princeton Club was Quadrangle. He and Mosie Gates were cocaptains of the soccer team. He graduated in June 1947 with an AB in economics. He earned a master’s in textiles at North Carolina State. Jerry was very active with Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville, serving on the vestry and as a junior warden.
Jerry’s first love was his family. He is survived by Caroline, his wife of 50 years; two daughters, Polly and Caroline; son Gerald III; and three grandchildren. Their loss is also that of the Class of ’48.
The Class of 1948
MILTON GROSVENOR POTTER JR. ’49
Grove was stricken suddenly by severe chest pain while attending a class symposium with his wife, Lorene, on Oct. 17, 2003. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but his condition remained unstable. He died of an aortic aneurism Oct. 18. He was 78.
Grove graduated from the Park School of Buffalo. He served as a bombardier in the Army Air Corps from 1943-45. While at Princeton, Grove majored in biology and was a member of Orange Key. He also worked as an interviewer for Audience Research Inc. He was a member of Charter Club.
Grove received his medical degree from Columbia in 1953. He was one of three brothers, all obstetricians and gynecologists, who were the sixth generation of the family to practice medicine. Grove served as chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Millard Fillmore Hospital in Buffalo. After retirement he had a second career as a ship’s doctor.
In addition to Lorene, his wife of 50 years, Grove is survived by two daughters, Abigail Hutchinson ’78 and Rebecca Glikbarg ’83; two sons, M. Grosvenor III and David; 10 grandchildren; a sister, Molly Scheu; and brothers Ben and Paul ’55. The class will miss him and extends its sincerest sympathy to them on the loss of our highly respected class member.
The Class of 1949
RICHARD C. TORBERT ’49
Dick died Oct 7, 2003, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 75.
Dick prepared for Princeton at Columbia HS in Maplewood, N.J. He majored in history, and as a freshman won the Class of 1813 English Prize for Academic Freshmen. He was a member of Whig-Clio, the Glee Club, and was a solicitor for the campus fund drive. Dick was a member of Cannon Club.
Dick retired from Mellon Bank in Philadelphia, where he worked in public affairs. He enjoyed a job that brought him gratifying involvement in such disparate causes as adult literacy, library support, and organization of music festivals from Bach to jazz. After retiring he enjoyed pursuing educational activities.
Dick is survived by his wife, Sandy; sons Anthony and David; a daughter, Kimberly; and a grandson. The class extends its deepest sympathy to them on the loss of this caring and committed person.
The Class of 1949
ROBERT ALFRED BARRON ’51
Bob died of cancer Aug. 23, 2003, in Sarasota where he had retired in 1991.
He came to us from Washington Irving HS in Tarrytown, N.Y., as did his lifelong friend and classmate, Ed Reed. At Princeton he was a chemistry major, a member of Terrace Club, and played freshman football and basketball, and JV football. He was a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War.
Bob did graduate work at Fordham and at Trinity College, Dublin. For 35 years he was a professor of mathematics at the U. of Rhode Island. He married the former Elizabeth Schaffers and is survived by her and their four children, Deborah, Meredith B. Wittwer, Douglas, and Trevor; six grandchildren; his sister, Rosemary Sheridan; and two brothers, William and John.
The Class of 1951
HOWARD DAVID HERMANSDORFER ’53
Dave, a retired US district judge who was appointed to the bench by Pres. Richard Nixon in 1972, died Nov. 17, 2003, in his Ashland, Ky., home.
Coming from Huntington, W. Va., where he had graduated from the local high school, Dave’s field of study was English and his eating club was Campus. Senior year roommate Christopher Webber recalls that the love of Dave’s life was Vassar student Sally Powell, whom he dated while on campus and married in 1954.
Dave spent three years in Army intelligence and finished U. Va. law school in 1959. He then went back to Ashland to hang out his shingle. He was prominent in the Republican party and became a director of the National City Bank. The family lived on a farm that gave Dave much happiness. Back problems eventually led to surgery that necessitated relinquishing his judgeship.
He returned to private practice and found it “ever-changing and challenging.” He gave sound advice on local governmental issues. Sixth US Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Eugene Siler said Dave was “an excellent judge and just a super person.” We echo these sentiments and offer our sympathy to Sally, sons John David and Mark Douglas, daughter Katharine Cordle, sister Helen, and seven grandchildren.
The Class of 1953
WILLIAM THOMAS REYNOLDS ’55
Bill, an opera lover, died Oct. 20, 2003, of a heart attack as he climbed the steps of the Paris Opera House while on vacation in France.
A son of William Wynkoop Reynolds ’18, he attended public schools in Scranton, Doylestown, and Forty Fort, Pa. At Princeton, Bill was a student at the Woodrow Wilson School and a member of Terrace Club. Harvard Law School soon followed. As
legal counsel to various corporations, Bill handled numerous acquisitions, mergers, and investments.
Bill was a true New Yorker. He loved the life of the city, particularly its theater, art, concerts, and restaurants. Bill also loved the country. He hiked along the Appalachian Trail, and in England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. He did this while also owning a racehorse.
After he retired in 1996, this Renaissance man left the city behind for the country life of the Berkshires.
In addition to his wife, Kay, Bill is survived by his brother, David *75, and other family members. The class has lost a tall and gentle man, one at ease with the many paradises on the other side of Princeton.
The Class of 1955
WALTER G. SCHWENK ’57
Wally died Nov. 4, 2003, after a battle with disease that began in 1992.
He was born in Cleveland and graduated from the Pomfret School before attending Princeton. He majored in biology, graduating cum laude, and was a member of Cannon Club. He received his medical degree and had his residency at Johns Hopkins. In 1957 he married Judy Sturgis, to whom he was married for 46 years. They had four children and enjoyed a long life together.
After Johns Hopkins they headed west where Wally completed surgical training at the U. of Washington, followed by a nine-year fellowship at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.
In 1969 the Schwenks moved to Anacortes, Wash., where he initially practiced, and then to Coupeville and Friday Harbor, where he continued practicing medicine until he retired in 1992.
Wally loved sailing and boating. He competed in five ocean races from Victoria, British Columbia, to Maine and was winner in 1988 with his Santa Cruz boat named Ajax. The class sends sincerest condolences to his wife, Judy; children Linda, Karen, Andrew, and Pamela; and 12 grandchildren.
The Class of 1957
DAVID M. RANSOM ’60
David Ransom’s heart stopped Dec. 4, 2003, at a time when his life was filled with great happiness.
After 32 years of achievements in the Foreign Service, mostly in troubled Middle East hot spots, David retired after being honored for his service as ambassador to Bahrain with the highest civilian awards from both the Defense Dept. and the State of Bahrain.
David’s consulting practice with the Arabian Gulf States was well launched. He was frequently on the BBC, US, and Middle Eastern television networks commenting on US policy in the region. His farm’s weeds and bushes were mostly under control. His work on the board of the Rock Creek International School in creating an Arabic-English program was highly rewarding. David and Marjorie’s love for family and for their countless friends filled their welcoming home next to the Washington zoo with joy.
David’s greatest delights were rejoicing with his dear wife and Foreign Service career mate of 38 years, Marjorie, in the successes of their three lovely daughters, Elizabeth, Katherine Ransom-Silliman, and Sarah, and romping with his two young grandsons. To them and his brother, Cliff ’67, the class sends its deepest condolences.
The Class of 1960
JAMES C. WESTFALL JR. ’66
Jay Westfall died Oct. 17, 2003, at age 60.
After graduating from Montclair [N.J.] HS, Jay followed his father, James ’27, and brother, William ’62, to Princeton, entering with the Class of ’65. At Princeton he performed in the cast and orchestra of Gilbert and Sullivan productions, and played JV soccer and 150-lb. football, while majoring in English and taking his meals at Campus Club. He took a sabbatical after his junior year and returned as a member of ’66. Though he spent only his senior year with us, he remained loyal to’66 his whole life.
After Princeton, Jay taught one year at Montgomery Country Day near Philadelphia, then turned to writing and publishing, which he pursued for the rest of his life. He continued to work with young people, coaching soccer, football, and baseball in Montclair for many years. He also wrote an instructional booklet called “The Straight Line Batting Method.” Jay held numerous civic positions.
Writing was Jay’s passion. In addition to educational and legal publishing, and freelance writing, he regularly wrote about youth sports for the Montclair Times. He edited The Glory Years: The Winning Tradition of Montclair Football, and at the time of his death, was writing a book about his great-grandfather’s experiences as a Civil War battlefield physician.
Jay never married. He leaves his sister, Carol Westfall, to whom the class extends heartfelt sympathy.
The Class of 1966
RODMAN FURNALD ’67
Rod Furnald died June 4, 2002, from complications of MS.
A graduate of Belmont Hill School, he majored in religion at Princeton and was a member of Colonial. He was involved in Trenton Tutorial, the Keycept Meal Program, and Orange Key Guide Service. Life in Dodge-Osborn with the “Hamilton Liberals,” a four-year core of roommates Gus Escher, Adrian Humphreys, Sadler Poe, Don Eggleton, and Bill Woodward, provided one of his most memorable experiences.
After graduating magna cum laude, Rod taught English at Choate. Following a master’s in education at U. Mass-Amherst, he taught at Polytechnic School and Chandler School, both in Pasadena, Calif. He received a master’s in clinical psychology at USC, then returned to Massachusetts.
Rod became engrossed in classical music after contracting MS. The Internet was his connection to the outside world. MS eventually took his sight and eliminated what independence he had. Family and roommates were in touch.
Rod did not marry. He is survived by his sisters, Lindsey F. Cadot and Stacey Koch Davis; brothers Stephen and Clinton ’77; aunts Lydia W. Rotch and Helen M. Rose; four nieces; two nephews; and three cousins.
Donations in Rod’s memory in support of MS care may be made to: The Boston Home, 2049 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA 02014.
The Class of 1967
JOHN C. TAIT ’67
John died in Ottawa Aug. 10, 1999, after a lengthy illness.
He held many significant positions with the Canadian government since 1972. Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien described John as a “distinguished public servant who provided the government with the highest quality advice and counsel. [His] talent and dedication propelled him rapidly into the senior ranks of the government, earning the abiding respect of colleagues along the way. The integrity and professionalism he displayed throughout his 25-year career were in the finest traditions of the public service of Canada. And he will be greatly missed.”
Described in the Ottawa Citizen as “the perfect public servant,” John was regarded as one of the strongest intellects in Canadian public service, and his advice was often sought on difficult issues of integrity, values, and ethics. A Woodrow Wilson School graduate, John was an officer of Campus Club and on the Daily Princetonian business board. He studied politics and economics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and received a law degree at McGill U.
Some may remember John as a reserved person with a good sense of humor and a penchant for fun. To those who knew him well, he will be remembered as a gentleman and loyal friend.
We offer our sympathies to his widow, Sonia Plourde, and his family.
The Class of 1967
Graduate Alumni
EDWARD A. MOULTHROP *41
Edward Moulthrop died in Atlanta Sept. 23, 2003. He was 87.
Doubly gifted, Moulthrop achieved success in two fields. After earning his Princeton degree in architecture, the New York native taught at Georgia Tech, and later practiced at Robert and Co. as lead designer.
Concurrently, Moulthrop pursued an avocation for wood turning. In 1962 he won first prize at the Arts Festival of Atlanta for a wood bowl and began showing his work.
Like many polymaths, Moulthrop applied skill gained in one métier to the other. A modernist in architecture, he applied the same clean design to his bowls. He had a sensual feel for his materials and a “sixth sense” for the beauty hidden in ordinary chunks of wood. In 1976 he gave up architecture to devote himself to wood turning.
A pioneer in his second career, Moulthrop made many of his own tools, and developed polishes and preservatives to enhance wood. His bowls can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, as well as in museums across the country and around the world.
Moulthrop is survived by his wife, Mae, three sons, and five grandchildren.
ARDAS OZSOGOMONYAN *65, Chemistry, Nov. 17, 2001
CAMILYNN I. BRANNAN *90, Biology, Oct. 15, 2002
STANLEY MARTIN *28, Modern Languages and Literatures, Dec. 23, 2002
OSCAR S. ROTHAUS ’48 *58, Mathematics, May 24, 2003
GERHARD RAYNA *65, Mathematics, June 24, 2003
PATRICK A. PUTIGNANO *81, Woodrow Wilson School, Sept. 13, 2003
