Deceased August 13, 2014

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50th Reunion Book Entry


In Memory

I was saddened to hear that Dick Kozera died suddenly in August 2014. Dick and I were Chi Phi roommates; he was a chemistry major. Although he came across as serious-minded, he had both a sharp wit and a warm heart. Dick was an avid golfer and lover of classical music, especially when played by the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Dick was from Hadley, well within striking range on weekends, and I went home with him several times. His parents were wonderful people, and they took me in—I felt like they were almost my adopted parents; maybe they felt sorry for me, being a displaced Virginian. Dick’s father was a club manager.

Dick had an interesting career, starting with Yale Med School after Amherst. He reported to me in an email that “my class had only 80 students, so about one-third the size of Amherst’s class, but I sensed a certain professional distance from the faculty, although they were more than willing to carry on conversations related to education and career.” Following Yale and earning his M.D., Dick began his residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, then joined the U.S. Navy for a two-year stint; he was sent to Danang, Vietnam, then to Boston Naval Hospital, where he completed his residency in internal medicine, later specializing in endocrinology. Dick ended up as executive associate dean at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, focusing on administration and training of new doctors.

Dick married Virginia (“Ginny”), a lawyer, in 1972, and they had three children: Leslie, Brian and Matthew. Ginny died in 2002. Dick reported in 2012, “Have a friend Tina (platonic) who has been a physician, a dancer and now a therapeutic horticulturalist.”

Dick leaves behind three grandchildren: Paige, Josephine and Avery.

John Whitney ’61

50th Reunion 

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After graduating from Amherst, entered Yale University School of Medicine, graduating with an MD '65. Began residency in internal medicine at University of Cincinnati Hospital. After two years, entered the US Navy. Detailed to First Marine Division in 1968-69, serving as a battalion surgeon just outside Danang, Vietnam. Returned to Chelsea (later Boston) Naval Hospital l969-70.Then back to Cincinnati to finish the medicine residency, do a two-year fellowship in endocrinology and then a chief residency in medicine. Remained on the faculty at UC, active in both internal medicine and endocrinology. Served as Chief of Medicine at the Cincinnati VMfC and Associate Director of  the Department of Medicine at UC. Was Director of UC's internal medicine residency. Did the usual academic stuff including research, patient care and consultation, but gradually gravitated to education and administration. Married Virginia Utter (Ginny) in 1972, who was then a lawyer at the second largest firm in Cincinnati (who says doctors and lawyers can't mix?). Three children: Leslie, now working in human services; Brian (married  with a child, Paige, born in October 2009), now a policeman in the county seat and just having completing his Master's work at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia with a 4.0 GPA; and Matt, working in the office of a small construction firm as project manager and estimator.

In 1987 was recruited to Temple University School  of Medicine as Senior Associate Dean, essentially running the dean's staff. Have remained at Temple through the present, holding various decanal titles, including Acting Dean on 3 separate occasions (that alone tells you that I avoided the dean's job like the plague). Have stopped individual practice and consultation, although I continue to attend in a teaching clinic. Most time is spent  in administration. Still working full time, and having occasional thoughts about retiring, but not in the foreseeable future. Ginny died a few years ago after a long illness, but the rest of the family is doing well. After a long absence, I returned to golf (deteriorating steadily) and music (more listening and appreciating than performing, although I have had my Steinway living room grand rebuilt). So things are, in general, going well, even in these troubled economic times."

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