Amherst Magazine Justin C. Cordonnier '62

Dusty was a smiling, happy and enthusiastic guy who roomed next to me freshman year on Stearns 4. His dad was a nationally known urologist of the same name in St. Louis, who was well published. Dusty was gifted with a beautiful singing voice which to some extent he modelled on Johnny Mathis. At least the regular playing of Mathis LPs became something of a staple of corridor humor. St. Louis being a long haul he stayed with our family in Long Island over Thanksgiving. He was always spirited, kind, and enthusiastic.

Early that year he met Mary Paulson, a truly beautiful Texan from Smith. It was what Italians call "The Thunderbolt." Classic love at first sight, and he probably never looked at another woman while we were in college. She was the Prom Queen our Senior year, and they married shortly after graduation. Dusty was an enthusiastic member of Chi Psi, and a lead member of the DQ. He was a natural with a  great voice as noted above.

Dusty lost Mary in 1977 and communications with the college ended. Several personal outreach attempts, including the 50th, were not responded to, and one could speculate that the memories were just too painful. But in the end Dusty was fortunate to have been lucky in love twice, and is survived by his second wife of many years Donna, and their family.

Dusty had a great career in law, and came to be one of the lions of the family law bar in Missouri where he has a most successful practice. He had retired several years ago and ardently pursued his avocation of fly fishing around the country, until six months before his death from colon cancer in April of this year.

GEORGE CARMANY '62