Alan David Miller ’42
My father, Alan Miller, died on Feb. 27, 2021, age 99. He came to Amherst in 1938 to be greeted by the notorious hurricane of that year and was the last survivor of his class. He lived in North; played his viola in the orchestra; was called “Inky,” because he used to put his fountain pen in his mouth; and made a number of good friends, whom he stayed close to over the years. He also taught all members of the family every Amherst song, his favorite being “Paige’s Horse.” After graduation, he headed to NYU School of Medicine.
He met life with passionate energy as a physician, musician, public servant and lover of literature and the arts. He had incisive intelligence, idealism and a lifelong commitment to working for a more just society. He enjoyed a very long career in psychiatry and public health, including 20 years in the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institute for Mental Health, 10 years as commissioner of the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene and 10 years as the associate dean for student affairs at Albany Medical College. He gave time and leadership to WAMC, the Capital Region public radio station and many other organizations. He was a violist, a sailor, an avid bicycle rider, a true egalitarian, a devoted father. For his 40th Amherst reunion, he rode his bicycle from Albany, N.Y.
He leaves five children—three from his first marriage and two from his 50-plus years’ marriage to Judith Immerman—and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
His love for Amherst led to a long family tradition of attending Amherst––two sons: Matthew ’68 and Dan ’85; two grandchildren (my kids): Katherine ’96 and Nathaniel ’01. And perhaps more to come.
—Matthew Miller ’68
Alfred C. Haven Jr. ’45
Alfred left this world peacefully on the morning of Oct. 7, 2020, in Sandwich, Mass. He had just celebrated his 97th birthday two weeks earlier.
Born in 1923, Al grew up in Albany, N.Y. He entered Amherst College in 1941, enlisted in the USNR V-12 program and was commissioned as an ensign, USNR, in June 1944.
Al was assigned to the USS LST 1030 and was deployed to the South Pacific, participating in the Luzon (Philippines) and Okinawa (Japan) invasions. Upon his return to the United States, Al re-entered Amherst College, from which he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Al entered MIT on the G.I. Bill, obtaining his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in June 1950. While at MIT, Al met fellow Ph.D. student Jane Hathaway, to whom he proposed after just six weeks of courtship. They were married in 1950 and subsequently had three children: Kenneth, Elizabeth and Julia ’84.
Al became employed as a research chemist at Merck & Co. in Rahway, N.J., and then at E.I. DuPont de Nemours in the Wilmington, Del., area in various research and development management positions, including three years’ assignment in Tokyo as technical manager for DuPont in Japan.
In 1984, Al and Jane retired and moved to Wellfleet, Mass., on Cape Cod, where he served as selectman and on various town committees.
Throughout his life, Al maintained a strong interest in science. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, holder of a number of chemical patents and an amateur astronomer who built his own telescopes.
Al’s quiet reserve belied a wonderful, wry sense of humor. He was keenly intelligent, kind and devoted to his wife and children. Al was predeceased by his wife, Jane, in 2017. He leaves his three children and five grandchildren.
—Julia Haven Malloy ’84
Donald S. Barber ’49
After a long and fruitful life, Don passed away at 92 on Dec. 9, 2020, at his home in Williston, Vt. Following college, he went to Tufts University School of Medicine before starting his internship at Maine General Hospital in 1953. In June of 1952, he married his first wife, Alice King, of Bloomfield, Conn., and they had four children during 26 years together. After her death, he married his longtime office nurse, Ida DeGoosh, a union lasting 36 years.
Don’s early medical training was interrupted for military service, and he served two years in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps. He then started his general practice in Billerica, Mass. (1957–64) before moving to Vermont, specializing in obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics, delivering many babies in Lamoille County. He was an attending physician at Copley Hospital in Morrisville from 1964 to 1986, when he retired.
Don had a passion for genealogy, spent hours researching family lines and wrote three editions of a book titled The Connecticut Barbers, about descendants of a Thomas Barber who lived in Windsor, Conn., in 1635. A multitalented scholar, Don will be remembered for his love of music, studying and playing the violin for almost 50 years in the Portland (Maine) Symphony and the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra. He played in various string quartets as well as the Cheshire (Conn.) Symphony Orchestra.
Sadly, he was predeceased by his first wife, his second wife, a son and his sister, being survived by only a brother in Florida. As Don said at our 50th reunion, “I hope to have a good many years left, because I like what I am doing with these years.” Fortunately for his community, he did. A life in full. —Gerry Reilly ’49
Gordon R. Ainsworth ’50
Gordon, 94, passed away on Feb. 1, 2021, in his hometown of Moline, Ill.
He was the fourth generation to run the family business, Dimick, Gould & Co., which made and distributed kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Founded in 1852 , the company started by fashioning wood products from logs floated down the Mississippi in partnership with Weyerhaeuser.
Years ago, Gordon was quoted in a local newspaper as saying the reasons the business had been in the family so long were that “product lines were changed about every 25 years and nobody wanted to buy it.”
In 1945, Gordon was drafted into the Army after attending Amherst for six months, following graduation from Western Reserve Academy. He returned to join our class along with his cousin Tom Getz ’50 (deceased), whom he grew up with. Gordon joined Phi Delta Theta.
Gordon spent a great deal of time at his family home overlooking Lake Michigan. He enjoyed walking the beach, golfing and taking outings with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Katie; daughters Jennifer (David) Van Hook and Sarah (Jerry) Fulscher; and two grandchildren. —John Priesing ’50
Richmond H. Grant ’50
We lost Rich Grant at the age of 92 in January of this year in Hamilton, Mont. Rich became more than an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator. In 1961 he also received his master’s in divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and proceeded on the dual path of educator and Anglican rector.
After Amherst and two years in the Army, Rich started teaching at Harvard High School (now Harvard-Westlake), his alma mater, in North Hollywood, Calif. Following divinity school, he returned to Harvard High School, plus a local rectorship, before moving to rural Montana. There he taught at the high school in the town of Corvallis, served as elementary school principal, retired in 1990 and continued until 2001 as rector of St. Matthias Anglican Church in Hamilton.
At Amherst, Rich was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, played freshman football, was on the tennis team for four years and got involved with the Masquers. Rich was a very loyal Lord Jeff.
In Montana, he relished backpacking the mountain trails with his students and sons. Fly-fishing and gardening were other hobbies.
Rich was preceded in death by his wife, Pam, and is survived by two sons, Jeff (Cathy) and Mark (Tara); four grandsons; and six great-grandchildren. —John Priesing ’50
Paul V. Hoyer ’50
Paul chose to spend his medical career in Billings, Mont. He practiced internal medicine and became medical director of the Billings Clinic, which today is the largest health care provider in Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. Along the way, Paul served the likes of Rocky Mountain College as director of student health and the Crow Indian Reservation. He retired in 1991 and continued his life in Billings.
He went to The Hill School and then enlisted in the Navy during World War II before joining our class and pledging Phi Gamma Delta. Paul was a fine wrestler, earning his “A” for three years. The University of Rochester is where he got his medical degree before interning at a hospital in Brighton, Mass. There, he met his wife, Fredrikke (now deceased), a visiting nurse from Denmark. Paul was also forever moved when volunteers, at significant risk to themselves, pumped air for 10 young polio patients in iron lungs when the power failed. His residency was at the University of Washington hospital.
Paul always enjoyed the outdoors. All through Amherst, he was a member of the Outing Club. In Montana, he skied, hiked, fished, canoed and kept a cabin in Red Lodge.
Paul left three children, Jeff, John and Kristin Telkamp, along with seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was 93 when he died in December 2020. —John Priesing ’50
Lowell W. Monroe ’52
Lowell “Bill” Monroe graduated from University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, then served two years in postwar Japan before Amherst. He joined Alpha Delta Phi and focused academically on psychology under Professor Koester.
Bill found the right job with the right company for a 33-year career with Alcoa in Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Debbie, a 1954 Wheaton College graduate, raised two sons to assure a family line extending today to great-grandson Cameron in Denver.
They moved to New Hampshire in 1998 to be closer to family in Maine and Massachusetts. At this transitional point in life, Bill declared his personal motivation: “Don’t get old; get busy.” And so he did. Already a master of tenor banjo, he joined a trio “playing the top 40 of the ’20s and ’30s” and a barbershop quartet. His reading choices were often nonconforming, as when he completed the entire works of O. Henry, “poems, letters and all.” He extended his educational reach by taking lecture courses on topics such as religion, climate change and geology. New Hampshire winters called for more than a snowblower, so Bill and Debbie joined other couples in “borrowing” friends’ ski homes for house party weekends of cross-country skiing and socializing. Bill became our Amherst class photographer, with much praise for capturing the joy we all felt at reunion and October dinners. Bill’s crowning achievement was crafting fine furniture in his extensive basement filled with every imaginable woodworking tool. This furniture is now his legacy in the homes of his family.
Bill coped with COPD for years, with increasing oxygen dependency, to the point where he could not attend our 65th reunion. Debbie was with Bill in his skilled nursing home facility in Concord, N.H., when he passed away on Jan. 11, 2019. —Dick Soder ’52 and Nick Evans ’52
Thomas F. Pick ’52
Tom Pick was a wonderful person who gave to Amherst College the Pick Readership in Environmental Studies. I was the Pick Reader from 2003 to 2006. During that time, I exchanged a number of letters with Tom about the environmental courses I was introducing to the curriculum—on fisheries, sustainable agriculture, invasive species and habitat destruction—and the students’ positive responses to them. I last saw Tom in 2014, when John MacLennan ’66 invited me to speak about my hummingbird research to the Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society. John also arranged for me to speak to the Sun Coast Chapter of Amherst alumni, and Tom joined us. I spent a wonderful day being driven around southwest Florida while Tom entertained us with his stories. I’ll cherish the experience forever.
Tom was the catalyst for the development of an environmental studies major at Amherst College. It is now the 10th largest major at the College and, in 2019, graduated more seniors than any of the science majors. Our graduates have gone on to careers in environmental policy, and quite a few of them have become professional environmental writers. All of this was made possible by Tom’s generosity. We in environmental studies will remember him well. —Ethan J. Temeles, Thomas B. Walton Jr. Memorial Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies
Sanford J. Schreiber ’52
Sandy died Jan. 12, 2021, after a long illness. He had been married to Carol for 57 years, with two daughters, two grandchildren and an illustrious career with roots in his Amherst courses.
Sandy graduated from Bronx High School of Science. He joined the Lord Jeff Club, with its focus on intellectual debate as a counterbalance to social life. He participated in squash, tennis and the rejuvenated Outing Club. He majored in psychology, a relatively small department at the time but drawing wide interest among our class. Frank Randall ’52 recalls Sandy mulling over his future prospects: “If you’re interested in little white rats and why they run, psychology may be for you … but don’t go into psychology if you think it will help you sell a seagoing yacht to the governor of Kansas.” So began a career demanding the most rigorous training and devoted to the benefit of others.
After receiving his master’s in psychology from Michigan, Sandy graduated from the University of Chicago’s medical school, interned at San Francisco General Hospital, completed his psychiatric residency at Yale School of Medicine and graduated from the Western New England Institute for Psychoanalysis.
Sandy’s career centered on serving in the Yale Department of Psychiatry’s clinical faculty and as supervisor for psychiatry residents. Further, he served as staff psychiatrist for the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and president of the WNE Institute for Psychoanalysis. He retired from private practice in 2018, knowing he had earned the respect and love of those he had served as educator, clinician and colleague. —Nick Evans ’52
David W. Blackburn ’53
David Wheeler Blackburn passed away on Dec. 12, 2020, from COVID-19. He loved his family, his dogs, his friends, summers in Maine, competitive bridge, dancing to Big Band music, the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, travel and good food. He loved people, and he loved life. He brought his joie de vivre and a love of learning to Amherst, earning honors in English and American studies and writing his thesis on Hemingway. Sophomore roommate George Edmonds ’53 recalls David’s many acts of kindness and afternoon bridge games. Later, in “the Barracks” of Theta Delta Chi, his roommates included Bazil Brown ’53, Blake Cady ’53 and Don Sutherland ’53. David and Bazil once hitchhiked in a snowstorm to see South Pacific on Broadway. At Mount Holyoke, he met his first wife, Anne McAvoy.
After college, he enlisted, serving in Army Intelligence (explaining a lifelong fondness for James Bond movies). Later he joined IBM, where he remained for 30 years, living in Pennsylvania, New Orleans and Virginia, always finding for his family the most fun things to do in each new place.
He eventually returned to Amherst to serve as director of fundraising for several years, before becoming an independent fundraising consultant in Connecticut. David and his second wife, Sharon Wilbourne Blackburn, enjoyed global travel and happy returns to Fairfield and their beloved Australian shepherds. He stayed committed to Amherst, serving as class agent, reunion chairman (three times), class VP and class president. In duplicate bridge, he achieved the rare rank of Gold Life Master.
In his last days, it was evident, even limited to phone calls, that David was living the Hemingway code of grace under pressure, always thanking the nurses and wishing them well, despite his difficulties. He took his leave as a true Amherst gentleman. He is survived, mourned and always loved by his wife, daughters, stepsons, nephews and grandchildren. —Barbara Blackburn-Tuttle ’79
Norman Gorbaty ’53
Norman Gorbaty was an artist, both graphic and fine, an artist of motion who was always in motion, even to his end. Over his life, he created many thousands of works, moving among many media, especially painting, sculpture and printmaking.
Norm prepared for Amherst at Stuyvesant (N.Y.) High School, participated in many activities, joined the Lord Jeff Club, majored in fine arts and won fellowships to study art at Yale. There, he earned a master’s degree, studying with luminaries like Josef Albers and Louis Kahn, writing his thesis on “Printmaking with a Spoon” and winning recognition for his prints in the Brooklyn Museum.
To support a family, Norm worked as a graphic artist for several years with Benton & Bowles Advertising and then in his own studio doing ads (IBM, Crest), magazine covers (Time), and major movie promotions, as well as illustrations for some 85 children’s books (Sesame Street, Step Into Reading).
In his double, and more significant, life, Norm devoted his love to the fine arts, creating thousands of works over 50 years without ever trying to mount a solo show. However, when Norm turned 78, his son and daughter-in-law encouraged and assisted him in bringing his works public through a variety of shows in the New York area. One curator praised Norm’s work as “rich and deep” and exclaimed that “it dazzles in its unfettered expression and amazes in its remarkable breadth.”
Occasionally academic, Norm taught and lectured at places like Yale and Cooper Union. For Amherst, he donated to the Mead Art Museum many photos and modern paintings he had collected from other artists.
Norman Gorbaty died on Sept. 26, 2020. Preceded in death by his wife, Joy, he left his son, Ben (Shelly), daughter Lisa (William), two granddaughters, one great-granddaughter and brother Leonard. —George Edmonds ’53
Robert T. Ward ’53
Bob Ward devoted his career to the teaching of physics and science education at a variety of colleges: Harvey Mudd, Williams, the University of Chicago and then for 25 years at the University of Northern Iowa. As he wrote, “I have spent most of my career working and thinking about teaching science, especially for those who do not plan to work in science.”
At Amherst, he majored in physics, won the prize for physics and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Later, he became a member of Sigma Xi. At Harvard, he earned his Ph.D.
Bob prepared for Amherst at Newton (Mass.) High School and came from a family of multiple Amherst graduates. He was a member of Phi Alpha Psi and participated in crew. Although he found the College’s recently established “New Curriculum” weak in science teaching, he highly valued the curriculum in general for providing a good general education to all students, especially in courses like English 1 and the sophomore American studies course, which emphasized process over content.
According to another obituary, after many years of teaching, “he retired to Santa Barbara, Calif., to enjoy rowing in the ocean, reading, gardening and walking various dogs. He loved travel.”
Bob died on Jan. 11, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Nina; his son, Nathaniel; his daughter, Emily; his stepchildren, Kathy, Christopher, Alex and Adrian; four grandchildren; his sister, Ann; and nephews and nieces. —George Edmonds ’53
Carl Rufus Apthorp III ’54
Carl Apthorp, class president (2004–09) and 50th reunion chairman, of Aurora, Ohio, passed away on Aug. 27, 2020, at the age of 87. He was born in Cleveland, grew up in Aurora and spent summers at Surfside, Nantucket, Mass.
Carl graduated from Western Reserve Academy in 1950 and Amherst in 1954. He majored in Spanish and was a member of Delta Upsilon. He was co-captain of the lacrosse team and a member of the swimming team, earning the “A” in both. He was a member of the AFROTC, and upon graduation he was stationed at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod with the 58th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the 32nd Air Division. He then received an MBA degree in 1958 from Harvard Business School. His business career included executive positions with Norton Co. in Worcester, Mass.; Zapata Corp. in Houston; and Green Thumb Products Corp., a division of Stratford, in Apopka, Fla.
Upon retirement, Carl was an active member of The Church in Aurora. A lifelong writer and poet, he also loved to sing, play piano and strum tunes on the banjo and ukulele. He was devoted to both the Western Reserve and Amherst alumni associations. Above all, he valued his many relationships with friends and family.
Survivors include his daughters, Lucy Leske and Jenny Paradis, both of Nantucket; nephew, Geoff Apthorp, of St. Augustine, Fla.; niece, Lisa Doyle, Newbury, N.H.; and four grandchildren, all born on Nantucket: Justine Paradis of Concord, N.H.; Liza Paradis of Leavenworth, Wash.; Colin Leske of Encinitas, Calif.; and Wyatt Leske of Plymouth, Mass. He was predeceased by a son, Carl Rufus Apthorp IV.
An outdoor celebration of Carl’s life was held at the Moebius Nature Center in Aurora on Sept. 5, 2020. —Lucy Leske and Jenny Paradis
Jonathan W. Leigh ’54
Jonathan, who passed away on Nov. 18, prepared for Amherst at Great Neck High School on Long Island. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and majored in economics in anticipation of a career in business. While at Amherst, he managed the skiing and sailing clubs and was the business manager of Sabrina, the literary, parody and art publication by students from Amherst, Smith and Mount Holyoke.
Jonathan succeeded his father in the family-owned, point-of-sale advertising business. In time, however, his greater interests were charitable and public service. In 1977 Jonathan joined the board of the Long Island Hearing & Speech Society, whose mission was the care of children with hearing and speech difficulties in metropolitan New York and Long Island. In 1984 he succeeded to the presidency of the society. Jonathan was a devoted advocate for screening newborns for hearing deficits. That became standard practice within the society’s operating area, and, with the recommendation of the American College of Pediatrics, it is now standard practice for almost all newborns across the nation. However, Jonathan’s greatest passion was that children who needed cochlear implants should have them, regardless of cost. In 1985 he also joined the board of the Northwell Health System, a giant network of hospitals in New York City and Long Island.
Jonathan and his wife, Bobbie, spent 58 summers in Saltaire on Fire Island, where Jonathan was a trustee and, for two terms, mayor, an almost full-time job. For many years he was also treasurer of our class.
Jonathan is survived by Bobbie, to whom he was married for 66 years; two children; and four grandchildren.
—Seth Dubin ’54
Meredith Price ’54
Meredith, known to us all in college days as “Curly,” died surrounded by family in a hospice near his home on Dec. 11. Born on Feb. 20, 1933, he spent his childhood in Washington, D.C., where he prepped at St. Albans School.
At Amherst, he joined the Glee Club, pledged Phi Delt and began his distinguished performance as goalie for the soccer team. Choosing to pursue an honors major in American studies, he was encouraged to write his thesis on segregation in his Washington, D.C., hometown. After he graduated, the U.S. Air Force claimed him for two years of active duty. In 1958, he found his true calling as a teacher at the Landon School in Bethesda, Md., and then received a master of arts degree in teaching from the Harvard School of Education.
Two years later, in 1963, Meredith began his 39-year tenure as an English teacher at Phillips Academy Andover. At Meredith’s retirement in 2002, an Andover colleague said that he had made “nearly four decades of significant contributions to the life of the school.” One of his most important contributions followed from the insights gained through his Amherst thesis. In his role as associate dean of admissions for 12 years, he brought to Andover a culture-changing number of promising students of color. He was head soccer coach from 1975 to 1986 and coach of lacrosse for almost his entire career.
Meredith is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Nancy Larkin Price; his son, Douglas, and his daughter, Amy (both Andover graduates); granddaughter Caroline; and grandson Andrew. His memory will also survive in the minds and hearts of all those who were lucky enough to be taught and coached by him, and all of us who enjoyed his company on the Amherst campus. —Tom Blackburn ’54
Alan F. Sandy Jr. ’54
Alan Sandy came to Amherst from Minneapolis, where he attended The Blake School. He joined Phi Alpha Psi and, as a pre-med, majored in psychology and biology. He played on the hockey team, was president of the Christian Association and was a member of the Choir, Glee Club and Chamber Singers.
Following graduation, Alan served in the USAF as a jet pilot and air traffic controller in Morocco and took the long way home, studying French at the Sorbonne and traveling 15 months through Europe, the Middle East, India, East Asia and Japan, no longer dedicated to medicine. He developed a lifetime interest in language and cultures, speaking French and having knowledge of Latin, German, Spanish, Hindi-Urdu and Mandarin.
Alan obtained both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English at UC Berkeley and joined the faculties of Princeton and UCLA, where he served on the university’s committee on war-related activities in the Vietnam era, and for most of his career as a professor of English, American and world literature at Sonoma State University in California. He was chair of the first committee on the rights of human subjects in research and became faculty adviser for five students from China, among the first students permitted to study in the United States after the Cultural Revolution.
Alan was a bird watcher, antiquarian book collector, gardener and girls’ soccer coach for many years.
Alan had a lengthy decline from Alzheimer’s disease and died on May 23, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Voloshin, Ph.D.; son Joseph (Vivian); daughter Rachel (John Rush); sister Susan Sandy Curtis; grandchildren Olivia and Dylan; and several devoted nieces, nephews and good friends. He was predeceased by his brother, the poet Stephen Sandy. —Hank Tulgan ’54
William F. Towle ’54
Our class and Amherst lost a good friend when Bill Towle passed away on Feb. 4, 2021, in Tennessee. Bill shared a room with Bill Taft ’54 and me at the Beta house our last two years at Amherst. Hugh Silbaugh ’54 joined us senior year. Silbaugh was witty, Taft studious and Towle fun-loving: a down-home Mr. Good-Natured Guy.
Born and raised in St. Paul, Bill was a passionate Minnesotan. I still hear echoes of his favorite song, “Let Me Be Your Salty Dog,” sung vigorously with other Minnesotans in our fraternity. Pre-med at Amherst, Bill was well-liked by all, evidenced by the fact that he was president of our fraternity and our class—positions earned through popularity and capability rather than politics.
Bill married the love of his life, Stephanie Hazelrigg (Mount Holyoke ’54) and enjoyed 65 years of bliss with her until his passing, leaving behind a grieving family of four daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
After Amherst, Bill served in the U.S. Army as an agent with the Counterintelligence Corps from 1956 to 1958, then returned to civilian life to pursue a career in health care management. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Minnesota and went on to hold senior executive positions at Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Roosevelt, Ascension St. Thomas and King Faisal (Saudi Arabia) hospitals during a 33-year career. Subsequently, he involved himself in volunteer capacities for several different nonprofit organizations in the health care field. In addition to being a family man, he was an advocate of health care as a human right rather than a privilege.
For those of us who knew Bill, nothing is more appropriate than the words of William Shakespeare: “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, / All losses are restor’d, and sorrows end.” —Dean M. Laux ’54
Fredric M. Hertz ’55
Fred Hertz and I both went to the High School of Music & Art in NYC, where we became close friends. We were both art students, but we also made 8mm films. Our most ambitious movie was The Treasure of Forest Hills, our version of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, filmed in the hilly woods of rural Queens. As chief editor of our high school class newspaper, Fred signed off his editorials as “Freditor.” He kept that sobriquet all his life, as his email address.
At Amherst, we roomed together freshman year. One of the reasons we went to Amherst was that they had a freshman musical show. We got to write that show—The H is Silent. I wrote the songs, and Fred wrote the script. It was a smash hit in College Hall! Sophomore year came, and somehow our lives went in different directions. I wish I could describe Fred’s Amherst activities, but we simply lost touch.
After college, his life is best summed up by his son Tom, a successful TV series producer: “My father excelled in many of the ‘behind the scenes’ areas of New York show business: booking folk acts, producing albums, writing songs (“Hootenanny Granny” rose to No. 14 on Billboard’s country chart). He worked with Bob Zimmerman before Bob changed his name to honor poet Dylan Thomas.” When Fred’s wife died, he moved to L.A. to be closer to his son and family. Tom told me Fred came to every “table reading” of every show and never missed a taping.
In 2002, I ran into Fred while I was jogging in Pacific Palisades Park, and we reconnected. Every time I came to California, I’d have a drink or dinner with him. In the end, we were friends once more. —Walter Marks ’55
Peter Lee Kline ’57
Peter was well-known to all of us as undergraduates for his dramatic talents. Indeed, his dramatic career started at age 15 when he organized the Lyric Theater Co. of Washington, D.C. In 1978, he was co-founder of The Victorian Lyric Opera Co., which continues to this day, performing mostly Gilbert and Sullivan operas, of which Peter was a great enthusiast.
But Peter’s career was as an innovative educator, first as a teacher of drama but later as a practitioner, administrator and trainer of teachers in his system of Integrative Education. He taught his methods in several major American cities and around the world, extending the principles of his system to major corporations. His body of writing includes 16 books on both theater and teaching strategies.
His heavily attended virtual memorial service included extraordinary testimonials from former students and colleagues, as well as his three daughters, about his beneficent influence on their lives and the ways in which he had opened the world to them.
My own close acquaintance with Peter was in the last years of his life. Our classmates in the D.C. area have lunch together four times a year. Peter and I, who live within a few blocks of each other, drove to the restaurant together and enjoyed, as long as he was able, wide-ranging conversations, not to mention renditions of G&S songs. Peter always had interesting ideas about education, theater and human relationships. His ideas were sometimes unusual but always worthy of consideration.
Peter is survived by Syril, his wife of 31 years; three daughters; two stepsons; 12 grandchildren; and two brothers. —Bob Shoenberg ’57
Quentin Roosevelt Hand Jr. ’58
Quentin Roosevelt “Q.R.” Hand Jr., a member of the Harlem and San Francisco Black Renaissances who chronicled the contemporary Black experience in the Americas through verse and music, died of cancer on Dec. 31, 2020, at the age of 83.
Leaving Amherst freshman year, Q.R. was drawn to the Black Liberation and Black Arts movements, celebrating Black pride and culture. He wrote, “My real education began in the civil rights / Black power—then on to human liberation movements(s), anti-poverty programs and human service programs.”
In San Francisco, Q.R. began writing and performing poetry that he described as “a combination of jazz, rhythm and blues and just talk” at beat-era bistros frequented by the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and Arlo Guthrie. Q.R. co-founded Word Wind Chorus, a performance-poetry ensemble accompanied by an experimental saxophone. By day, he worked as a gifted Mission District mental health counselor, able to relate to the addicted, conflicted, friendless and depressed.
Q.R. published four books of poetry, i speak to the poet in man (Jukebox Press, 1985), how sweet it is (Zeitgeist Press, 1996), whose really blues: new and selected poems (Taurean Horn Press, 2007) and out of nothing (Black Freighter Press, forthcoming in 2021).
In 1996, Q.R. and point guard John Ross co-edited We Came to Play! Writings on Basketball (Atlantic Press), a collection of more than 60 stories, essays, articles and poems on basketball by an eclectic mélange of players, writers, poets and celebrities, including John Edgar Wideman, Woody Allen, Bill Russell and John Updike.
Describing Q.R. as a “visionary,” the late poet Reginald Lockett wrote that Hand’s poetry “traverses the terrain of form, music and language,” calling it “poetry that is political in intent and spirited in execution and defies any comparison to any literary predecessors or contemporary schools of thought.” —Ned Megargee ’58
Warrick C. “Rick” Robinson ’58
In August 1997, Rick Robinson, who died Jan. 5, 2021, composed his own In Memory piece to be used in Amherst magazine at the time of his death. Lightly edited for length and clarity, this is what he wrote:
Warrick C. “Rick” Robinson was born in Chicago on March 2, 1936. The only child of Warrick D. and Irene M. Robinson, he spent the first 11 years of his life in La Grange, Ill., until his parents moved to Long Island in 1947.
He attended elementary school in East Norwich for two years and transferred to Oyster Bay Public Schools in eighth grade, graduating from Oyster Bay High School in 1954. At OBHS, Rick was on the staff of the school paper (then The Purple-and-Gold), sophomore class vice president and a member of the National Honor Society. He participated in football, basketball and track. He twice won the New York State long jump championship, in which he still holds the OBHS record. In recent years, he had been active in various projects
concerning the history of the high school.
Rick received his B.A. degree in American studies from Amherst in 1958 and his M.A. the following year. At Amherst, he was co-captain of the track team and a member of the cross-country squad. He was a cartoonist for The Amherst Student and a member of Theta Xi.
For 30 years, Rick was a sports columnist and feature writer for the Oyster Bay Guardian, an active trustee and past president of the Oyster Bay Historical Society, a former trustee of the Oyster Bay–East Norwich Public Library, verger of Christ (Episcopal) Church and a trustee of the Richard F. Crawley Memorial Foundation, comprising former OBHS athletes, as well as being a member of the OBHS Athletic Hall of Fame.
He is survived by four children and six grandchildren. —Rick Robinson ’58
Robert Holt Allen ’60
“Bob Allen was a brilliant man and regular guy,” wrote Terry Farina ’60. “We became friends as freshmen, then as AD fraternity brothers and finally as roommates senior year. Bob was a serious student (magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa), but not to the exclusion of engaging in various non-academic misadventures.
“Following graduation, several AD classmates pursued higher education in the Bay Area. Bob was within shouting distance at UC Berkeley, taking the prerequisites for medical school. He graduated from medical school at Washington University, where he met Nancy, his forever sweetheart and wife of 55 years.
“Bob moved to Colorado, where he directed the hematology division of the Health Sciences Center of the University of Colorado. This was a boon to my wife, Bev, and me. Bob and I saw each other with some regularity, skied, attended Denver Broncos football games and had the fun old friends have together. Bob was a wonderful husband, father and grandpa, leading a full life and devoting his exceptional talents to benefit others.”
John Deutch ’60 added that “Bob Allen ’60, David Bradford ’60, Bob Johnson ’60 and I roomed together junior year and spent that summer as research assistants at Amherst’s Merrill Center for Economics. Bob was surely the most pleasant of this foursome, since I never saw him without a smile. His character and intellect were special. I loved him and will miss him sorely.”
In his 50th reunion memoir, Bob wrote that his Amherst liberal arts education in philosophy and economics made it possible to explore being a lawyer, CPA and psychiatrist, before deciding to be a “practicing physician, teacher and biochemist” only after graduation. It set the stage for his groundbreaking 200 scientific research papers and 16 patents regarding diseases caused by vitamin deficiencies that are still the gold standard for their diagnosis and treatment. —John Deutch ’60, Terry Farina ’60 and Dick Weisfelder ’60
Gordon Corcoran Baldwin ’60
In his 50th reunion essay, Gordon described his life as “surprisingly unconventional,” given his upper-middle-class upbringing. After Amherst, he tried Harvard Law School before moving on to an M.A. at the Graduate School of Design. “Expeditions to Warhol’s silver factory in New York” diverted him from further architectural studies, but he used his drafting skills, making and exhibiting “pen-and-ink drawings of imaginary buildings.”
“Attracted to the blossoming of a new social order in California,” he moved west, continuing his drawing while living for eight years in Bolinas, where he worked as “a gardener or bartender for income” between exhibitions. His drawings decorated the “covers of poetry books and magazines and sold reasonably well.” Thereafter, he managed a bookstore in Taos, N.M., with time out “for a year at the American Academy in Rome,” where his drawings had earned him the Rome Prize. A “falling-out with the bookstore owner” and “rupturing romance” led him to New York, where he managed Kelly Edey ’59’s townhouse.
Gordon’s life changed in 1984 when he got the opportunity to inventory a photographic collection for the Getty Museum. He rose from being a registration assistant to appointment as an associate curator in the photography department in 1994. He curated 11 exhibitions and published several noteworthy books, including Architecture in Photographs (2013), which revisited themes from his graduate school days. Working for the Getty permitted him frequent travel but “not affluence.”
After retirement in 2005, Gordon moved to Palm Springs, Calif., where he became an independent curator, working closely with the Palm Springs Art Museum on “a collection of Robert Mapplethorpe’s art world portraits.” His “baldwinsolo” email handle marked his “newfound independence.”
Art Caponi ’60 summed up Gordon’s essence as “very smart, interesting and engaging,” traits certainly embodied in Gordon’s remarkable life trajectory. —Art Caponi ’60 and Dick Weisfelder ’60
Charles S. Andrews ’61
Charlie Andrews died on Dec. 23, 2020, of congestive heart failure. He was born left-handed and was left-side-dominant all his life. (It was very important to him that this be noted in any memorial.) His wife, of 55 years, Connie, and their son, Patrick, survive him.
Charlie was born in Middlebury, Vt., and spent his summers in West Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He insisted he remain a member of the class of 1961, despite his leaving Amherst for three years in the Army.
He was a classmate of Stu Snyder ’61 and Bill Julavits ’64 at the University of Maine School of Law, after which he worked for Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Skowhegan and Presque Isle, Maine.
He then moved his family to Reston, Va., where he worked for the AAA, retiring in 1998. His third career was as a bus driver for the Fairfax County Public Schools. This was his favorite job “of all time.” Asked how long he planned to drive a school bus, he replied: “Until they rip the steering wheel out of my clutching hands.” He retired in 2019!
Known as “Chuck,” he drove the difficult routes. He loved working with children, following them from elementary to high school. He coached a girls’ basketball team known as “Charlie’s Angels.” He was particularly fond of working on student plays and was noted for encouraging youths to take on roles that reflected their abilities, not their gender stereotypes.
Charlie’s sports knowledge was encyclopedic. He was also interested in politics and government and often listened to oral transcripts of Supreme Court cases.
He was a very active member of the Emmaus United Church of Christ. Dream jobs he didn’t pursue were working on a railroad, being a substitute math teacher and being a truck driver. —Patrick Andrews and Paul Bracciotti ’61
Theron M. Hatch III ’61
Ron was my roommate at the Beta house with Bill Slights ’61, Bruce Walker ’61 and Bill Goodhue ’61. He was an excellent athlete and a good student with a great disposition and quiet wit. He majored in geology and lettered in varsity football and crew.
Upon graduation from Amherst, Ron went on to the University of Pennsylvania Dental School, then opened his practice of general dentistry in Bridgton, Maine, where he was highly respected and loved by his patients. He became an integral part of this small community. Everyone knew him.
The love of his life and soulmate was Brooke. They complemented each other and were always together. Ron and Brooke were married when Ron was in dental school. They biked and crewed together almost to the very end of Ron’s life. They had a large family, with five children and 12 grandchildren.
At several of our class reunions, you knew Ron was there when he led us around campus with his trumpet playing, which was not very good. It must have improved, however, as he was in the Bridgton symphony. Ron did switch to the baritone, which he played proficiently.
Ron and I had great conversations over the years. Last year I tried to visit him in Florida, where he wintered. Unfortunately, that plan was foiled by COVID. All of us who knew him loved his warmth, humor and compassion. One of Amherst’s finest, Ron fought valiantly against myeloid dysplasia. Even when he felt bad, he radiated optimism.
At the time of our 25th reunion, Ron wrote that he was proud to be part of the class of 1961. Now it is time for all of us to say how glad we are to have had Ron Hatch as a classmate. May you rest in peace, Ron. —Mark R. Levine ’61
Peter L. Rogers ’61
Pete Rogers died on July 7, 2020, in hospice after a long illness. Suzi, his wife of 52 years, predeceased him. They are survived by their two children and their families. Pete had lived in Chelmsford, Mass., for many years, where he was a long-standing member of the Central Congregational Church.
He had a very active, self-directed and independent career. At Amherst he majored in behavioral psychology. With several moves, he established what would be his career in technical design, sales and ultimately his own company in the field of orbital welding equipment.
Pete finishes his piece in the 50th yearbook with: “As I conclude this, I am picturing myself in the studios of WAMF in the basement of Walker Hall, spinning vinyl records for ‘Nite Owl’ until 1:00 a.m. You know I’d do it again tonight if I could!” Pete was devoted to WAMF.
Joe Brecher ’62 says Pete spent almost all of his time either studying in a classroom on campus or at WAMF, always wearing his freshman beanie. Pete said he liked the ancient technology, because it presented him with never-ending challenges.
Paul Steinle ’61 says Pete was in love with radio and used his impressive skills, dedicating “thousands of hours keeping WAMF on the air. He pitched in from day one in that cavernous basement of Walker Hall, which he knew like the back of his hand.” He rose to chief engineer in no time. He was the classic WAMF rat and was chiefly responsible for keeping the station’s transmitter “cooking.” Dave Bornemann ’61 says that, in order to see Pete, you had to go to the station.
Bert Rein ’61 recalls Pete as low-key and a solid student: “I’m not surprised by the many contributions he made to his community.” —Paul Steinle ’61, Joe Brecher’62 and Paul Bracciotti ’61
Robert D. W. Landon II ’62
Robert D. W. Landon II ’62 passed away in Naples, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2021.
He is survived by Peggy, his beloved wife of 55 years; son Robert D. W. Landon III ’89 (K. Keith); daughter Anne L. Dannacher (Gregor); grandchildren Kirby L. Johnson ’18 (Paul ’17), Claire H. Landon, Charles L. Dannacher and Caroline A. Dannacher; and brothers Gregory C. Landon ’71 (Catherine) and Dr. Jeffrey C. Landon (Mary Jill).
Bob was born in Binghamton, N.Y., to Eve Landon and Robert D. W. Landon ’37. At Amherst, he was a member of Kappa Theta, played folk songs on the guitar and sang in the Glee Club. Traditional College songs such as “Paige’s Horse” were his favorites, and he enjoyed singing with current students and alumni when he returned to the campus. Especially cherished memories were singing to his family in the audience at the end of the Glee Club Senior Recital in spring 1989 and singing on Pratt Field at the Amherst-Williams Game in fall 2014.
Bob was a talented trusts and estates lawyer and a longtime member of the esteemed American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC). Community engagement was important to him; his work to protect the environment through the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and his commitment to expand health care access through the Foundation Committee of the NCH Healthcare System are just two examples.
Bob was a loving husband and father and adored (and was adored by) his four grandchildren. He taught them all to love boating and how to operate watercraft from 14 feet to more than 35 feet. He enthralled them playing a favorite folk song, “Fennario,” on his guitar.
As he wrote to one grandchild: “Family is great. If you are lucky, you have nice people to share important times … and … experiences for a lifetime.” —Gregory C. Landon ’71, Robert D. W. Landon III ’89, Anne L. Dannacher and Kirby L. Johnson ’18
Stewart S. Richmond ’62
Stewart S. Richmond died on Jan. 10, in hospice, of Parkinson’s disease. I met Stew in 1957, when we both were summer exchange students in Greece. We got to know each other well during a week-long end-of-summer stay in Paris.
When we were both accepted at Amherst, we decided to room together, starting in Stearns and later at Alpha Delta Phi.
Early in our first year, I introduced Stew to my good high school friend from Wilmington, Carolyn Lewis, a freshman at Mount Holyoke. They hit it off, dated all through college and were married in 1962. I was best man and later became godfather to their firstborn. We each had two sons and a daughter; each of our daughters went to Amherst.
After college, medical school and residency, we were both “recruited” into active duty, I with the Army Medical Corps and Stew with the Air Force. We both spent a year in Vietnam, and good fortune fell upon us when Stew was assigned to join my medical unit in Chu Lai. We spent two and a half weeks together in Chu Lai (before I rotated back to the United States), watching movies, drinking beer and occasionally dodging rockets and mortars at night.
Stew practiced internal medicine in New Hampshire his entire career. A leader in his medical community, he was beloved by his patients. He established the first satellite of Dartmouth’s Hitchcock Clinic.
Stew’s passions were his family (three children, five grandchildren), travels around the world with Carolyn, reading mysteries and individual sports (skiing, biking, marathons, golf).
His classmates have described Stew as “gentle, engaging, positive”; “a good example of friendship, intelligence, goodness”; and “one of the good guys.” These attributes continued throughout his life.
Stew will be missed by many: colleagues, family, friends. I will miss him terribly. —Larry Beck ’62
Saul M. Yanofsky ’62
Saul Yanofsky died unexpectedly on Feb. 2, 2021. As Saul’s Amherst fraternity family, we join in expressing our deep love of Saul and our sympathy for his wife, Nancy; their three children and spouses; and six grandchildren. See DignityMemorial.com for wonderful comments along with the obituary, written by Nancy and their children, that appeared in The New York Times.
The foundation for Saul’s impressive achievements and work, locally and nationally, was a clear and unwavering sense of purpose, pursued with brilliance and an open heart. From the moment he decided to get his Ed.D. at Harvard, Saul was committed to bringing about substantial change so that all students would receive high-quality education. This commitment motivated him to work in challenging environments serving underserved students.
He brought to every moment in his life compassion, commitment to justice, integrity, clarity, gentle directness and a sense of humor. As superintendent of schools for 12 years in White Plains, N.Y., Saul was revered. Walking down the street with Saul in White Plains, one would witness many people warmly hailing him. All with whom he interacted knew that he deserved their trust and respect even when they differed with him. Those of us who have been so fortunate in being close to Saul over decades, highlighted by our group gatherings over the last 15 years, know well all of these qualities of Saul. He softly, gently, beautifully touched every one of us. That touch lives within us and motivated us to submit this In Memory as a group.
Saul and Nancy, sweethearts since 16 and married for 58 years, were as one in raising three beautiful children and in delighting in their grandchildren.
Saul, we are profoundly grateful for all of our time with you and carry you in our hearts. —Saul’s Amherst ’62
Fraternity Family
John J. Detterick ’63
John Judd “Sandy” Detterick, who died Feb. 16 in Denver, almost didn’t go to Amherst. The family story is that, after admission to the College, he had second thoughts and was reluctant to climb aboard the train that pulled into a station in northern New Mexico in the late summer of 1958.
But he did take that train to Amherst, where he majored in English, joined Beta Theta Pi, played football for a year and rowed crew for three.
Sandy took a year off from Amherst for travel in Europe, which failed to take place. Threatened with being drafted into the Vietnam War, and too late to return to Amherst, he spent a year back in Las Vegas at its Highlands University.
There he met Bobbye Ann Schulze. Their marriage of 58 years began after Sandy graduated with the Highlands class of 1963. They raised a family of two daughters and two sons: Elizabeth Ann, John, James and Mary.
Sandy rose from bank teller in Las Vegas to head one of the largest financial conglomerates at the time, Sears Financial Corp. in Chicago. In his mid ’50s, Sandy became head of the board of pensions for the Presbyterian Church USA. In 1998 he was elected executive director of the council of its General Assembly.
In 2006 Sandy retired to Las Vegas. He hiked, joined the search-and-rescue organization and preached as a lay minister. In 2014 he received a diagnosis of cancer and six months to live; instead, he survived another six active years.
Sandy loved the outdoors. After graduation he took fraternity brothers Jim Tashjian ’63 and the late Dave Perry ’63 on a 60-mile hike through the Pecos wilderness to Albuquerque, an adventure Jim fondly remembers. Fittingly, Sandy’s memorial service was held outdoors in Las Vegas in the spring. —Neale Adams ’63
John M. Hay ’63
Our dear friend John Hay died on Dec. 19, 2020, of complications following heart surgery. John is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol Squire Hay; his children, Katherine Hay, Margaret Hay Howson (and Philip) and Matthew Hay (and Michelle); his much-loved six grandchildren; and many friends.
John was born on March 10, 1941, and spent his youth in St. Louis, attending St. Louis Country Day School before Amherst. His strong Amherst friendships—many from the Valentine East breakfast crew—lasted all his life. Two of John’s many passions were religion and drama. He was Claudius in Hamlet at Amherst, improvising in perfect iambic pentameter once when he forgot his lines. He earned his M.A. in divinity in 1968 and his M.F.A. in drama in 1972, both at Yale. John taught drama at Simon’s Rock College of Bard and was the minister of the Mount Washington Church of Christ, building a house in that small Massachusetts town and forging with its people a lifelong bond. Later John was minister of the Congregational Church of Salisbury, Conn., and then senior minister of United Church in New Haven, Conn. After his retirement, John served several Connecticut churches as interim minister and practiced Jungian counseling.
John was enthusiasm itself. He believed passionately in the power of the spirit to transcend and ameliorate human pain and frailty. He helped countless students, parishioners and friends with their lives, always listening with loving patience and inspiring many to serve others. He became a sculptor late in life and was always bold, taking up, with serious purpose, travel, sailing (at Silver Bay on Lake George), hiking, canoeing, bicycling, house building (two houses!) and astronomy. John lived life fully. Those who lived it with him shared in its joy. —Hans Bergmann ’63
Jeffery G. Derge ’65
Jeff Derge passed away late last year. He came to Amherst from Aspinwall High School in Pittsburgh. After graduating cum laude in chemistry, Jeff went on to get his Ph.D. at Duke University. He joined the National Cancer Institute, where he managed special projects, including AIDS research, and worked with several human genomics projects, including the Cancer Genome Atlas. He retired in 2007.
Jeff’s family was always his focus, and he spent many years working in leadership in the Boy Scouts. The Derges owned a Delaware beach house, where Jeff could fix anything. He was also known as “Chef Jeff” for his culinary skills. In retirement, Jeff and wife Dorrie enjoyed numerous cruises on smaller lines—no Carnival Cruises for Jeff! They moved to State College, Pa., to be close to their grandchildren and enjoy hiking the area, as well as at numerous national parks, often with their beloved dogs. He expanded his basketball favorites from Duke to Penn State in salute to the new surroundings.
Jeff is survived by Dorrie and by his two children, Gillmer and Katharine, as well as grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is remembered by his classmates as quiet but sociable and, above all, a dedicated student who became a most useful scientist. —Paul Ehrmann ’65
Richard M. Sims III ’65
I first met Rick when we were freshmen. We were both “West Coasters” and bonded immediately. Moreover, one of us was smart, and both of us were crazy—valued qualities at that time. Rick was the ultimate embodiment of a Northern Californian: liberal and embracing the avant-garde. But whereas Amherst and education itself were a complete mystery to me, Rick could discuss any subject and present arguments that others considered worthy. His views were sought out.
Rick came to Amherst from a public high school in Marin County. After Amherst, he attended Harvard Law, where he hated the first year, but then did well. Rick performed at the annual law school show, playing the villain. Following Harvard, Rick returned to the West Coast and joined Vista, which led to a memorable night on sentry duty at the San Francisco Black Panthers’ headquarters. Next, Rick was legal counsel to progressive Sheriff Richard Hongisto. His career led him to a seat on the Third District Court of Appeals in Sacramento with work and colleagues he truly loved.
Rick’s last years were made difficult by melanoma and treatments for the disease. His wife, Linda, cared for and helped him beyond human capabilities, because she truly and deeply loved him, and he truly and deeply loved her. He is survived by sons Peter and Christopher. I will never know—no one will ever know—a better friend than Rick Sims. —Tim Savinar ’65
Edward M. Posner ’68
Ed Posner, who died Feb. 19 after his extended battle with ALS, was quietly a hero of mine. He rarely called attention to himself, but if you spent any extended time with him, his singular presence clearly emerged. He was a master of the pithy, penetrating or provocative comment. In that regard, he might have even been called an agitator. His wife laughingly recalls his habit on longer drives of ignoring all the liberal broadcasts—those closest to his own politics—to find the Rush Limbaugh types so he could rail at and eviscerate their bombast.
Shortsightedly, at Amherst, I initially believed Ed was uninterested or shunned athletics until I discovered his incredible commitment and dedication to crew. He was part of the small contingent, six of our class, from the greater Philadelphia area. Despite his substantial infirmities from ALS, when John Amsterdam ’68 was memorialized in June of 2019, Ed and his wife, Mary, couldn’t have been more gracious and generous to my wife and me on our very brief return for the service. Ed Lynn ’68, Peter Nutting ’68 and I are left to carry that Philly torch.
In addition to Ed’s compelling dedication to good works, he was also an extraordinarily talented lawyer. That perception was confirmed on his last visit to Los Angeles, where he had multiple interviews and depositions on his last large matter scheduled. Unbeknownst to me, his disease had reached the point where, during that trip, he was compelled to withdraw from the case. Instead we spent the time on three wonderful catch-up meetings on our lives post-Amherst.
Ed adored his wife; his daughters, Katharine and Cynthia; his grandchildren; and his dogs. He will be sorely missed. —Bill Hastie ’68
Owen Michael Cassidy ’71
Mike passed away in Winchester, Ohio, in December 2015 in the loving hands of his brother Patrick. He was survived by his mother, Joan, a sixth-grade art teacher who was affectionately known by Michael’s friends as “Mama Cass.”
We remember Michael as a freshman in Pratt. He was intense, creative and generous, with jet black hair and sharp Irish features. He was an accomplished actor and artist who had your head spinning with arguments in late-night bull sessions. Michael had more charm, poise, worldliness and (apparent) confidence than any of his Amherst comrades, along with being killer handsome. Small wonder he was catnip to women, with his electric smile and gentle laugh. He learned how to fence while letting others toil on the Pratt playing fields.
Sadly, genetics dictated his fate. In our sophomore year, Michael suffered a mental breakdown, precipitated by drugs, and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. A few of his classmates tried to help Mike get treatment, visited him in psychiatric hospitals over the next few years and then lost touch. He spent most of the rest of his life in institutions.
We prefer to remember him in those heady days of 1967 when we were embarking on the exhilaration of an Amherst freshman experience. —Doug Abbey ’71 and Michael’s Pratt friends ’71
John W. Keene Jr. ’72
After a brief but fierce battle with cancer, John died this past February at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Born in Boston in 1951, John attended Phillips Exeter Academy and wrestled under Ted Seabrooke. He joined Psi Upsilon at Amherst, where he was a tireless contributor and leader, and was elected president of the fraternity in his senior year. Those of us who knew him well will remember him for his unwavering dependability and his dry sense of humor. He had a big smile and a contagious laugh that filled the room.
After majoring in physics at Amherst, John worked as a systems engineer for IBM, where he met his wife, Dottie. He went on to become a computer consultant and software developer for D.H. Keene Associates, the company he and Dottie formed together. John had strong relationships with colleagues all over the country and developed a reputation for crafting creative solutions to information management challenges, primarily in the public sector and for nonprofit organizations.
John is survived by wife Dottie; daughter Julia; son Charlie; four grandchildren; and countless friends, colleagues, clients, former students and extended family members. He will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him. —Robert L. Beatty Jr. ’73
Stephen K. Yardley ’72
Stephen Keyes “Sky” Yardley passed away in Shelburne, Vt., on Feb. 23, 2021, after living with dementia since 2015. Raised in Needham, Mass., he arrived at Amherst with the class of ’72.
Steve Strimer ’72 recalls the affection and admiration he had for Sky: “Sky seemed to be walking the walk of what an aspirational hippie life might look like.” Sky left campus senior year and embarked on a journey of discovery that took him to California, British Columbia, Hawaii and the Appalachian Trail. His never-ending life of wanderlust provided an education as deep as any college could offer. In 1973, he moved to Frog Run Farm, a commune in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, where he reveled in learning hands-on skills, farming, building and tinkering.
Sky began delivering produce to the Corner Café, a vegetarian restaurant in Randolph, Vt., in 1984. There he met Jane Dwinell, the café owner, who became his beloved and best friend; in 1985, they embarked on their life journey together. Sky and Jane built their off-grid homestead, Full Moon Farm, in Irasburg, Vt., where they raised two children, Dana and Sayer. While homesteading and parenting, Sky attended Woodbury College in Montpelier, Vt., and became a family mediator, a career that built on his lifelong attention to conflict resolution and healthy relationships.
Sky was a curious, playful, easygoing and loving partner, parent and friend. His greatest joy, beyond spending time with family and friends, was being in the natural world: working in the woods, hiking or skiing mountains or floating on the water. He loved music—especially playing the piano and enjoying the live music of New Orleans—and he had a song for every occasion.
The class of ’72 extends its heartfelt sympathies to Jane and the rest of Sky’s family. —Eric Cody ’72
Eve B. Goldberg ’84
Eve Berenblum Goldberg, my beloved mom, passed away on Dec. 27 after a brief illness. Her heart was an endless fountain of kindness and warmth, as many of you have shared in your notes describing fond memories from your Amherst days.
Eve grew up in Greenwich, Conn., where she was a varsity swimmer and basketball player at Greenwich High School. She worked after school at Outdoor Traders, where she was first introduced to the retail industry. At Amherst, Eve majored in English and founded the Interracial Forum to address issues of prejudice and discrimination. After graduating, she began a career in in New York City, working at Abraham & Strauss, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Brooks Brothers as a department manager. In 1991, she married importer Brett Goldberg—my dad—and they moved to Greenwich, where I grew up.
Eve was selfless, spreading so much light with her enormous heart, kind nature and deep empathy. For over two decades, she was an extremely active member and volunteer at Greenwich Reform Synagogue, serving as publicity chair and co-president, and at the United Jewish Association, as president of Women’s Philanthropy, for which she received the Women of Valor Award in 2014. She also served for many years on the Anti-Defamation League’s Connecticut Board and, in 2007, won ADL’s Daniel R. Ginsberg Humanitarian Award. Most recently, Eve served as board secretary of the Council on Aging in South Egremont, Mass.
She was a talented painter. She was an avid swimmer and triathlete and developed a passion for kayaking. She also had an impressive knack for crossword puzzles.
I know how much Eve loved her classmates and how joyful she sounded after reconnecting with everyone at reunions and Amherst events. Thanks to all who have reached out to our family to share memories. —Isa Goldberg ’17
Robert F. Gooden III ’14
Robert F. Gooden III passed away suddenly on Jan. 19, 2021. His death comes as a shock and a heartbreaking sadness to all who knew him and were lucky enough to call him their friend.
At Amherst, Rob began with the class of 2013 and quickly became a beloved member of the soccer team. As Coach Justin Serpone said, “Coaches aren’t supposed to have favorites, but Rob was one of mine.” Despite his immense skill, Rob was humble and friendly, disarming any sense of rivalry that might have arisen due to his soccer talents. His teammates remember Rob as one of the best, a natural who was “smarter than 99 percent of players on the field.”
Beyond the pitch, Rob was a compassionate, devoted friend who was known to be a great listener, someone who would bike or drive hours to be with you when times were tough or would happily catch up on the phone at a moment’s notice. Time spent with Rob was filled with laughter and his enthusiasm for delicious food, whether he insisted on cooking for the group or dining at his latest favorite restaurant. His passion for pizza and his love of ice cream were well-known amongst all of his friends, and many of us recall epic meals with Rob at great pizza joints or ice cream parlors. We are devastated at his death.
Rob was a 2021 MBA candidate at Goizueta Business School of Emory University. He is survived by his parents, Frank and Tonya Gooden, and his sister, Jordan. —Tian Buzbee ’13
Thomas B. Raskin ’17
Tommy was a very good student and an excellent research assistant. But what I remember most is that he was an unfailingly nice young man. He was kind, considerate and a good listener. And he had a lovely sense of humor. —Professor Francis Couvares
The best way to honor Tommy now is to be like him: caring, attentive, loving and unafraid to challenge people to be better. —Carey Hiuhu ’17
Tommy had the uncanny ability to know exactly when he was needed and exactly how to help. —Keshav Pant ’17
We were moving furniture in our suite. One of us turned to find Tommy holding a broken armrest. He looked anxious. The chair had been on its last days and had been broken previously, but Tommy, often consumed in academics, did not know that. His innocent concern that he had done something wrong brings me back to the simple joy of having Tommy in my life. —Ricardo De La Torre ’17
Tommy inspired us to act compassionately. He exuded positive energy, a feature compounded by his characteristic giggle, a telling manifestation of his personality: it was tender, respectful and confident. —Liam Fine ’17
The only thing more striking than Tommy’s remarkable intellect was the warmth that he carried it with. —Cristian Navarro ’16
Tommy knew how to care for others, and to care for them well, not because we deserved it but because we were human, which Tommy always said was a hard thing to be. He took the most tragic parts of the
human condition seriously, and it laid the foundation for all the goodness of his nature but also the intense sadness he felt for those who suffer.
—Tess Frenzel ’17
Remembering Tommy is to honor the hope he so powerfully embodied. —Andrew Drinkwater ’17