Gordon Hall III ’52
Gordon died Oct. 9. He came to Amherst from Deerfield in 1948. He lived on the fourth floor of Stearns, played his four-string guitar strung for his left hand, made Tug Kennedy’s freshman swimming team, became a DQ tenor and sang for the rest of his life.
His career was in commercial real estate, where he became a successful, respected developer/investor. He was passionate about nature conservation and became a dedicated trustee of numerous organizations.
He was a bionic man with multiple replacement parts but continued vigorous physical activities—downhill skiing until his knees said, “No más”; cross-country skiing on a trail near Jackson, N.H., that bears his name; a two-week canoe trip through uncharted Canadian backcountry; canoeing on the Allagash and Penobscot rivers.
The capstone to his outdoor world was his position as skipper of the sailboat Katabatic, which was the “boat to beat” in New England for more than two decades.
As life slowed, Gordon sailed with his wife, Taffy. He built several handsome pieces of furniture. From 1996 to 2004, he was president of the Berkshire Choral Festival. He published Satan in the Pulpit, a history of the Phillips family and the founding of the academies in Andover and Exeter. And, with Don MacNaughton ’65, he published Lord Jeffery Amherst, arguing that Lord Jeff was not an accomplice for any of the alleged misdemeanors.
Pervasive through all was his love of Amherst, where he was a pillar of purple for the class of ’52 and the College. He was chair of the College’s Amherst Fund and received the Medal for Eminent Service. He served as class president several times and, in 2022, was voted so in perpetuity.
Gordon was a man for all seasons. We’re thankful he was part of our lives. —Jack Vernon ’52
J. Paul Humphrey ’52
Paul died Dec. 13, 2021, in St. Augustine, Fla., where he and Joan, his wife of 68 years, had moved in 2005. Their family extends through three children and five grandchildren to include five great-grandchildren. They enjoyed many family holidays together, when Paul’s quips and sayings became a feature anticipated and repeated for the amusement of all ages. In keeping with Paul’s wishes, his family gathered at Jenny Lake in the Tetons for a private outdoor ceremony.
Born in Rochester, N.Y., Paul became the youngest Eagle Scout in the history of the Rochester Council. He was noted as an accomplished pianist, was adept with numbers and had an early interest in outdoor activities.
After his family moved to Manhattan, Paul graduated from George School in Newtown, Pa., which had doubled its student body with a corresponding decrease in Quaker student representation but retained the Quaker heritage of community service and decision-making and social justice.
Paul participated fully in his Amherst opportunities. He was one of only 14 in our class to major in American studies, which was too new a field of study to have its own formal faculty department.
He enjoyed fraternity life as a Theta Delt, was in the Glee Club and worked on the Amherst Student newspaper. He was on the wrestling team and lettered in soccer, earning a special highlight moment of fame by making the decisive pass to Ash Eames ’53 to put away Williams with the final score of a victorious 8–1 season.
Harvard Business School launched Paul into his successful business career, at first in sales but soon transitioning into investments with the purpose of assisting clients in financial planning for family and retirement. —Nick Evans ’52
George H. Edmonds ’53
George Edmonds died Oct. 8 at his home in North Andover, Mass., after a long battle with cancer. Born in Wyomissing, Pa., George excelled in high school academically and was a fine athlete, good at team sports such as baseball, as well as individual sports such as track, where he won state honors in the broad jump. George’s athletic versatility and academic prowess continued at Amherst, where he played freshman soccer and tennis, majored in American studies and graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.
To meet the military service requirement, George enlisted in the U.S. Army and served overseas in counterintelligence. Then he embarked on a lifelong dedication to teaching, earning his M.Ed. at Harvard and handling teaching stints at Governor Dummer and Thayer academies.
In 1959 he married Patricia Hope (MHC), also an English teacher. In 1961, they moved to Phillips Andover, where George joined the English department, assuming housemaster and coaching duties. Their first son was born that year (on George’s birthday), and their second son in 1964. For 20 years, George taught English and oversaw Andover’s search-and-rescue team, canoeing program and outing club. He also coached soccer and squash!
In 1981, George began another phase of his career, starting and leading school volunteer programs. He began by taking Phillips students to volunteer at the Lawrence Boys Club, then progressed to leading over 600 volunteers in 17 public schools.
After George and Pat retired in 1995, they read and traveled extensively. George wrote and published three books on the history of Wyomissing. When they moved to the Edgewood community in North Andover, George continued his passion of building and maintaining trails in the woodlands. Ever the path maker.
George is survived by Pat; their sons, Tom (Ann) and Geoff (Colleen); and three grandsons. —The Edmonds family and Rich Gray ’53
Francis B. Rainey III ’55
Fran came to Amherst in fall 1951, well known in central Massachusetts with a stack of newspaper articles about his athletic feats. He was an outstanding athlete in football, basketball and baseball. The Hartford Courant chose Fran as New England Pitcher of the Year in 1950. He had graduated that year from Buckley High School and then spent a year at Suffield Academy. Fran had turned down the opportunity to play pro baseball with the Chicago Cubs.
As an undergraduate, Fran’s major athletic accomplishment was as a pitcher on the Jeff baseball team. He was a member of Chi Phi fraternity and majored in English literature. Fran had fond memories of his Chi Phi brothers. He enjoyed rooming with Tommy Knight ’54 and especially Lee Hildreth ’55. Frank Downey ’55 said that, when Lee died in November 2016, Fran sent a note to Lee, which was read aloud at the funeral mass, saying, “Save me a seat.” They were the best of friends. During his college years, he met a student nurse in Hartford named Maureen. They were married in October 1956 and had three children.
Upon graduation, Fran began his lifelong career in the insurance industry, beginning with Hartford Insurance. In May 1967, he received a promotion and relocated to Oklahoma City. He spent the remainder of his life as an “Okie.” There he was an active junior football and baseball coach. Fran said that, although he was not born in Oklahoma, he was “Sooner bred, and when he died, he said he wanted to be Sooner dead.”
His children said Fran had an acerbic wit and sense of humor. His joke telling was legendary.
Fran never had a sour mood; he always looked on the bright side of life. Fran died on Aug. 5. —Rob Sowersby ’55
Irwin B. “Win” Robins ’55
Win died at his home in Israel on July 15. As an undergraduate he was a stalwart on the College’s soccer and squash teams. Win was a member of Psi U and a political science major, was in ROTC all four years and worked at radio station WAMF. He cherished two years in Professor French’s Italian class (only student last semester) and Professor Mishkin’s class in music. After graduation, Win spent two years in the Air Force before earning a law degree from Harvard in 1960. He married Sue Starkman in June 1958. They had been classmates since fifth grade.
Sue and Win then spent the next 50 years in New York City. He began his legal career in the U.S. Attorney’s office, worked for two law firms for 12 years, and then became general counsel for Volt Information Sciences, formerly his principal client. That sent him on business trips here in the States as well as overseas. These travels opened Win’s eyes to the beauty of our planet and led to his lifelong hobby of photography. His photographs were displayed at times in both Philadelphia and Chicago.
Around NYC, Win was active in sports, running in six NYC Marathons. Sue said he ran around the Central Park Reservoir at all times of the year, in all kinds of weather. He was active in his synagogue for many years and recorded books on tape for the Jewish Braille Institute. Win enjoyed reading books in his few leisure moments.
Having often visited Israel, in 2011 Win and Sue made their aliyah (moving permanently to Israel) to live near their daughters and families. Win continued his hobbies of photography, running and working out in a gym. In 2015, he developed Parkinson’s, which robbed him of most of the activities he loved. —Rob Sowersby ’55
Richard E. Strand ’55
Dick was one of six classmates from the Twin Cities area who gathered with the first class meeting in 1951. Sure, some of us called him “Dick,” but the majority called him “The Pink Whale,” probably because of his size, coloring and outstanding friendly personality. As an undergraduate, Dick was a beehive of activity. He majored in economics and was a member of Chi Psi.
It was in the activities area where “The Whale” excelled. He was involved with the baseball, football and wrestling programs, primarily as the team manager. This led to being a member of the managerial association. Dick was also active with the Masquers, Pre-Law Club, Amherst Student, WAMF and ROTC. It was through the latter that he spent two years in the Air Force, primarily as a squadron administrative officer at a base in Japan. Dick left with the rank of captain.
Dick’s business career was in the financial services field. After 14 years at White Weld, Dick focused on the planning and execution of developing and structuring finances for startup, early-stage and emerging-growth companies. You may have heard of Medtronics; he wrote several white papers on the subject and was highly regarded for his acumen in this area. Dick was a longtime member of the local Episcopal cathedral, serving in the vestry and its foundation, advising on investments.
In our 50th reunion book, Dick expressed how he cherished his Amherst education because of its intimate environment and nurturing culture. He appreciated the College’s gifted faculty and ease of access to valuable extracurricular involvement. We wonder if he had time to study.
After suffering a broken hip from a fall, Dick died on Nov. 4, just prior to surgery. He is survived by his wife, Joan, and a daughter. —Rob Sowersby ’55
Ronald L. Tonidandel ’55
Ron came to Amherst after compiling a fine academic record at his high school in Stafford Springs, Conn. There he kept busy studying the piano, being a newspaper boy and working in his parents’ hardware store. As an undergraduate, Ron played freshmen basketball, was a member of Theta Delt and was active with the Intramural Council and Pre-Law Club. His major was American studies. Ron noted that Professor Earl Latham had inspired him. Following graduation, Ron went on to earn a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Ron then spent his working years in Cleveland, primarily as a trial litigator. It was then that he took up playing tennis. At first it was for exercise and a change of pace from the action of court rooms. As his three sons grew,
Ron enjoyed teaching them the game he began to take seriously.
In 1997, Ron told me that he was retiring and moving to Florida to play professional tennis. This was like taking on a second career! Ron never accepted a half-hearted effort. He went all out at tennis, traveling the country half the year in his van, playing in the many tournaments that were available. That meant his weeks were full of drive, practice and play. His home in Sarasota was little more than a mail drop location!
When son Jeff became a fine player in his own right, he joined Ron in a very successful father-son duo. Together they won six national championships and were ranked #1 in the USTA National Father-Son championships for four years.
In 2021, Ron was diagnosed with amyloidosis. He told me there was no cure, just control. The complications lead to Ron’s death on Nov. 7 in Sarasota. He is survived by three sons and their families. —Rob Sowersby ’55
Victor S. Krupman ’56
Victor passed away in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 19, a day after his 88th birthday. Raised in Cleveland, he was one of four children, including a twin brother, Edward. He graduated from Heights High before entering Amherst in 1952. There, a poli sci major, he played football, wrestled and ran track. He also was in the law society and Intramural Council. He earned his law degree from Michigan in 1959 and moved back to Columbus to work for the Ohio attorney general. There he met Cookie Gelin, his irrepressible bride-to-be. Smitten, they were soon married.
In private law practice, Victor became counsel for The Limited, Inc., took them public and sat on their board. The athlete in Vic loved playing many sports, including tennis, skiing, swimming and his beloved Sunday-morning paddle tennis game. He had a particular passion for opera and was an avid reader and collector with a penchant for all things Western—especially Zane Grey novels and Navajo rugs.
He dedicated time to Amherst College alumni relations and his great class of 1956, along with fundraising and board leadership for the Leukemia Society and Jewish Family Services, always with consummate kibitzer and hostess Cookie by his side as the quintessential entertainer.
Predeceased by Cookie, he is survived by Marla Krupman (Dan Bernstein) of Chicago; Andrea Krupman (Joe Powell) of Columbus; and Jeff Krupman (Robin Reilly) of Sausalito, Calif. No grandkids, but a host of grandpets; like his dad before him, Victor never met a dog he didn’t like. He was loved by many friends and family and will be forever missed. —Peter Levison ’56
Harry J. Lehman ’57
Harry J. Lehman passed away on Oct. 5. He grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated from Shaker Heights High School. At Amherst, he was a member of Psi Upsilon and served a term as its president. He had an early interest in public service, as a member of the Harlan Fisk Stone Law Society and with majors in political science and American studies. During college, he secured an internship on Capitol Hill at a time when there were only four Congressional interns.
Harry went on to Harvard Law School and then a served a tour with the Army Reserves. He led a life of distinguished service as a Cleveland attorney and legislator, serving in the Ohio House from 1970 to 1980, where, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he spearheaded major pieces of legislation. Named “most effective legislator” by Columbus Monthly magazine on multiple occasions, Harry worked diligently across the aisle with colleagues and governors from both parties.
After leaving the legislature in 1980, Harry helped found the Jones Day office in Columbus, where he was a partner until retirement. He served on many state boards and commissions, appointed by both Democratic and Republican governors, allowing him to continue to engage in public service. Harry was a bar examiner and an adjunct professor at Ohio State’s college of law, where he taught a class on legislation.
Harry was married to Linda Rocker, then for 42 years to Patty Steele. He is survived by Patty; his children, Sara (Mike) Laskey, Adam (Belinda) Lehman, Matt (Julie) Lehman and Ali (Kevin) Schill; and seven grandchildren. Harry was known for his boundless curiosity, dry wit, intelligence, warmth, intense work ethic, and dedication to his constituents and clients. —Sandy Gadsby ’57
Peter S. New ’57
Dr. Peter Stayer New passed away on April 11, 2022.
Born in Macon, Ga., Peter spent most of his childhood in Tampa, Fla., and attended George School in Newtown, Pa. (class of 1953). He graduated from Cornell Medical College in New York in 1961 and completed postgraduate work at Vanderbilt University. He settled in Gloucester, Mass., where he started the Cape Ann Medical Center and married Elizabeth Gayle Stickney in 1981.
Peter retired to Punta Gorda Isle, Fla. His interests were racing his S2 7.9 sailboat, which he “moored” in front of his house; playing tennis at the Isles Yacht Club; and captaining a team at the Peace River senior men’s tennis league. While in Florida, he worked for the Veterans Administration.
His great passion was racing at Eastern Point Yacht Club, having competed in several regional and national championships. He also played in the YMCA men’s basketball league and the Gloucester adult basketball league.
In addition to his love of sports and nature, Peter was known for his knowledge of medicine, his dancing, and his charm and wit. He was extraordinarily fond of puns and plays on words. He was involved in a great practical joke at Amherst that involved Limburger cheese.
Peter was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Shires Stayer, and father, Frederick Winburn New; stepfather Dr. Aaron E. Margulis; stepfather Dr. Irvin E. Hendryson; youngest son, Patrick Buckingham New, of Santa Fe (d. 2011); and numerous beloved dogs and cats.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Elizabeth Gayle (Stickney), and sister Elizabeth Weld Nolan of San Francisco, as well as his children Bob New of Swanville, Maine; William Edwin New of Tuckahoe, N.Y.; Christian Veator of Apex, N.C.; and nine grandchildren. —Howard Bellin ’57
Clement F. Springer Jr. ’57
Clement F. “Clem” Springer Jr., longtime resident of Winnetka, Ill., passed away on Aug. 5 at his assisted-living home in Tequesta, Fla. Born in Chicago, Clem was the son of Clement F. Springer Sr. and Ruth Springer (née West).
Clem grew up in Winnetka, where he was a student with the first kindergarten class to attend Crow Island School. He graduated from New Trier High School in 1953. He liked to say that his first job was as a soda jerk at Walgreen’s in Winnetka, with “emphasis on the soda.”
At Amherst, Clem majored in American studies. He then went to Northwestern University’s law school, where he earned his J.D. in 1960. After six months of active duty with the U.S. Army, he joined his father’s LaSalle Street law firm of Springer & Bergstrom, which became Springer & Carstedt with eventual merger with Defrees & Fiske in 1984.
Clem married Mary Jo “Jody” Springer and is survived by his four children, Catie (Anita Holstad), David, Andrew (Sandra Margarita) and Robert Springer; two grandchildren, Luis and Paul; his special friend, Ginny Jensen; his sister, Ruth Anne Sorsen; and his five nieces and nephews, Cole, Scott, Liz, Jenna and Robbie.
Clem was known by his friends and family as a friendly, smart (of course) and sociable person. He was also an active leader and volunteer for various organizations. —Howard Bellin ’57
John Braman Pendleton ’58
John B. Pendleton, who died on Sept. 26, packed three careers—law, education and writing—into his long life.
John was born to Erma Faye Stoecker and Leonard Thurstone Pendleton ’23 in Bronxville, N.Y.
After graduating from University High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, John matriculated at Amherst, majoring in English and pledging Beta Theta Pi. He won freshman numerals in soccer, sang in the Glee Club and was ACAA president. After graduation, he spent a year working in Amherst’s admission office before earning his law degree at the University of Michigan in 1962.
John began his 35-year legal career at an established firm in Concord, N.H., and later founded firms of his own. In addition to engaging in litigation, John served on New Hampshire state commissions, authored important legislation, and was president of the Rotary Club and the youngest-ever president of the New Hampshire Bar Association.
John was a dedicated family man. After he and his first wife divorced, John cared for their four children. In 1980, he married Betsy Carruthers, who had six children of her own. Together they raised the 10 children in their merged families. Sadly, Betsy died two months after John.
John had always wanted to teach. In 1996, at age 60, he quit the law and accepted a faculty position at Proctor Academy, a private, coed boarding school. For the next decade, he taught English, coached soccer and tennis, and—most challenging—served with Betsy as dorm parents to 12 teenage girls. Summers, they traveled and sailed.
Upon retiring from Proctor in 2006, John focused on writing, composing character studies and vignettes as well as poetry. He also researched his family history dating back to 1634. In 2017, he published his autobiography, Together. —Ned Megargee ’58
Colin C. Dickson ’59
Colin Dickson died May 21, 2022, at a retirement home in Fort Collins, Colo., from complications of dementia. He held two graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania: an M.S. in physics and a Ph.D. in Romance languages.
Janice (Lind), his wife of 56 years, explains that, while working at the Frankford Arsenal, Colin felt “there was no lyricism, no humanity in physics, so he went back to Penn to study Romance languages.” By then, he had met and married Janice.
They had met the old-fashioned way, “at a party in Philadelphia, making eye contact across a crowded room,” she recalled in a telephone conversation. She then found out his route home from Penn and arranged to walk her dog near his bus stop. “I stalked him,” she said.
Colin spent more than 30 years as a professor of French at Washington College in Chestertown, on the eastern shore of Maryland, until his retirement in 2003.
He and Janice moved to Fort Collins in 2014 to be near their daughter, Erica (Keith Hupperts), and their two grandchildren.
Colin was an avid fly-fisherman; a modern-day hunter-gatherer who filled the family freezer with venison and collected edible weeds (not that kind!); and a skilled mycologist who foraged for mushrooms. He was also a jazz enthusiast and completely self-taught pianist who assembled a trio that played gigs in local bars and for weddings and funerals.
Jackson Bryer ’59 recalls running into the Dicksons at a Kennedy Center opera performance and bonding over their shared love of music, especially opera. “Once, when we were at the Kennedy Center, Colin sat down at an untended piano in a deserted room and played beautifully. He was a gentle, kind, talented, unpretentious soul,” Jack recalls, “whose company I enjoyed very much.” —Claude Erbsen ’59
W. Nicholas Knight ’61
Dr. W. Nicholas Knight passed away on Oct. 23 at Broad Reach Liberty Commons in Chatham, Mass, after a short illness. Nick is loved by his four children and their spouses: Nate and Kristen Knight, Jessica Knight and Steve Connors, Portia and Moses Calouro, all of Orleans, Mass.; and Polly and John Lynn of Edwardsville, Ill. Nick, with his sense of fun and his pride in their activities, will be missed by his grandchildren: Alex, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Kathy, Gabriel, Ethan, Lauren and Beatrice. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Susan Harrison, and his second wife, Diane Lowline Hawley Sanborn. He will be missed by his partner, Lynn Reisenleiter.
Nick was a popular professor of English, first at Indiana University Bloomington, then at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and lastly at Missouri University of Science and Technology (previously University Missouri Rolla). He earned his B.A. in English from Amherst, M.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and Ph.D. from Indiana University. Three of the known signatures of William Shakespeare were discovered or authenticated by Nick.
He knew his students well, encouraging them in their endeavors and writing. He made college more accessible by teaching community college courses at night, sponsoring the Black Student Union, taking senior citizens on field trips to St. Louis, teaching Shakespeare in prison, and mentoring English majors whose parents thought they should major in engineering.
His works include his book Shakespeare’s Hidden Life and his off-Broadway play The Death of J.K. He was active in Arts Rolla, the Rotary Club and the National Endowment for the Humanities. —Polly Lynn
John S. Parks ’61
John Parks died on Dec. 23, 2021, following a long battle with cancer. He fought bravely, but in the end he went peacefully in his sleep with his wife by his side. John spent his life as a clinician in pediatric endocrinology and was an emeritus professor with tenure at Emory University School of Medicine. He will be remembered for his tireless work guiding and nurturing the pediatric endocrinology careers of generations of fellows. His patients and their families will remember Dr. Parks as a kind and caring physician with endless energy to figure out even the most puzzling of problems. As his family, we will miss him beyond words. He was a devoted and loving husband and father but, above all, the greatest PopPop of all time. He is survived by his wife Sydney Waddell Parks. John was predeceased by his wife Georgia Bigley Parks.
At Amherst, John stood out because of his great size and deep voice but especially for his warmth and humor. Bert Rein ’61 recalls hobbling with a sprained ankle ahead of John and Ted Savage ’61. Perhaps frustrated by the delay, John picked Bert up and carried him to the next floor. John was awarded the Meiklejohn Prize in American studies. He was a member of Scarab and Sphinx, president of the Student Council and captain of the track team, where his events, of course, were the hammer throw and shot put. —Stephanie Parks Webb and Charley Updike ’61
Laurence F. Sheehan ’61
Laurence Francis Sheehan, writer, died on Sept. 24 at his home in Ashfield, Mass.
Larry was born in New Haven, Conn., to Albert Thomas Sheehan and Helen (Doughan) Sheehan. He was the youngest of three sons, later joined by a sister. He majored in English. His was the first creative writing thesis to be accepted in the department. From 1962 to 1965, he served in the U.S. Army’s 766th Intelligence Corps, stationed in France.
He and his first wife, Valerie Harms, moved back to the United States, where he worked as an editor at Golf Digest before turning to freelance editing and writing. He published humor pieces, essays and stories in The Atlantic and elsewhere. He wrote and edited books on sports and gardening and co-produced a series of design- and lifestyle-focused titles, beginning with The Sporting Life: A Passion for Hunting and Fishing. Larry’s most recent books include After: A True Story of Love, Loss, Grief, and the Solace of Remembrance—a memoir about his life after the death of his second wife, Carol Sama Sheehan—and Animal Tales: Fables of Fur, Feather, and Fang.
A passionate and inspired gardener and an avid reader, Larry also played tennis, mulled over the merits of Bordeaux and, in general, had fun with friends all his life. Never a snob, Larry was yet a man of great erudition, wisdom and wit, known to make kids, postal workers and all who crossed his path gasp and/or laugh with his perceptive, sometimes biting commentary.
Larry is survived by his children and their families: Aurelie Sheehan (Reed Karaim) and Alex (Pippa) Sheehan; his grandchildren, Alexandra, Lexi, Derrick and Taylor; and his sister, Kathy Baur. —Aurelie Sheehan
John A. Woodcock ’61
John A. Woodcock was an award-winning English professor; astute photographer; active volunteer; and loving and much-loved father, brother, friend and husband. John’s intelligence, broad curiosity, and warm and gentle nature touched many people’s lives. He died on his 82nd birthday, Jan. 13, 2022.
John grew up in Huntington, Long Island, and attended Millbrook School, followed by Amherst College. In 1962, he married Joan Ames and enlisted in the Army. They were posted to the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan, where John spent three years decoding Russian transmissions.
In late 1965, John earned a Ph.D. in English literature at SUNY Stony Brook. During this time, he and Joan became actively involved with the fledgling Environmental Defense Fund, then based in Stony Brook and working to halt the use of the pesticide DDT.
John next joined the English faculty at Indiana University and, while there, also offered courses and lectures in the departments of physics, biology, psychology, political science and the history and philosophy of science, as well as the schools of law, public and environmental affairs, education and music. During the 1990s, he was an editor for the syndicated NPR series A Moment of Science. In 1997, IU awarded John the Lieber Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching.
As a volunteer, John taught autobiography/life-writing courses and served on the IU Health system’s ethics, palliative care and hospice care committees. He served as a pro bono photographer for many organizations, including Flashes of Hope and IU Health. With his second wife, Peggy Woodcock, whom he married in 1990, John created an introductory photography course for homeless individuals. In Egypt in 2011 during the Arab Spring, John documented the first graffiti art on the streets of Cairo and created a photo exhibit that traveled across the United States. —Steve Ames
Robert W. Anthony ’62
Possessing an infectious sense of humor, Bob had a great tenor voice that enlivened many concerts with the Glee Club and the DQ.
After graduation from Amherst and then General Theological Seminary, “Father Bob” was ordained an Episcopal priest and served several parishes in Connecticut and Rhode Island. After semi-retirement, he became an interim priest on Cape Cod before fully retiring in 2021.
Bob was married to Mary Ann (Lytle) Anthony (MHC ’64) for 58 years. They had two sons, David and Jeffrey (named after then-politically-correct Lord Jeff!), and four grandchildren. Bob and Mary Ann sang together in several groups. Bob loved life and people and had an impish side. Tim Evers ’62 remembers when he and his wife went skinny-dipping with Bob and Mary Ann behind their family cottage on Cape Cod. Larry Beck ’62 remembers Bob joining the Smith Amherst Chamber Singers for a 1961 European tour and becoming the group’s lead cheerleader.
At the same time—despite being surrounded by nonbelievers—Bob was very clear about his commitment to enter the Episcopal ministry. You had to respect that.
Skip Friedrich ’62 says, “My memories of Bob began when we showed up to Pratt Pool freshman year for the swimming team. As it evolved, Bob and I competed head-to-head all season in 50- and 100-yard freestyle. Our competition became the basis of a friendship which continued for four years as swimmers, roommates and fraternity brothers.”
We sorely missed Bob this past reunion, having always relied on him as choregus and pastor-at-large for the ’62 flock. Singing with Bob, competing with him or living with him, we all have the memory of a friend, jovial and thoughtful, with a good heart and sense of humor, who never lost the devilish spirit of the young boy within him. —Tim Evers ’62, Skip Friedrich ’62 and Larry Beck ’62
Robert A. Rosenbush ’63
Bob Rosenbush died June 22, 2022. A graduate of Madison High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., Bob co-captained the varsity track team with Bernie Sanders! At Amherst, Bob majored in economics and was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity. After Amherst, he studied at American University, receiving an M.A. in Latin American studies in 1967. A decade thereafter, he received an M.A. in psychology from Antioch University, where he later taught.
Throughout his life, Bob constantly searched for, as he put it, “a path to fulfillment.” He pursued a career in which he strove to meld conventional psychological disciplines with non-academic teachings: Erich Fromm and the Buddha, Carl Jung and Mother Meera, cognitive science and Rumi. Partway through his journey, he entered a monastery as a resident, performing monastic services for seven years before returning to the material world. For almost 40 years, Bob provided psychological services, psychotherapy and spiritual counseling to those in need, primarily in the greater San Francisco area. After taking a break, he proudly let his friends know in 2015 that, after months of hard work on his part, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences had reactivated his professional license.
I met Bob (aka Bush) as a fellow resident of Morrow at the start of freshman year, and we became close friends thereafter. Random events I remember: watching the 1969 moon landing together with our housemates at a Fire Island summer rental; spending a magical New Year’s Eve with my wife, Joan, and Bob and his first wife, Amanita, at an Oakland blues club; attending Bob’s second wedding amid a circle of redwood trees in Marin County on a 100-plus- degree July day; and his celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with our closest friends and family. RIP, Bush, one of the sweetest guys I’ve known. —Mark Meyerson ’63
Norman D. Newell ’64
Norman David Newell of McCordsville, Ind., passed away on Sept. 22 after a long fight with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He was surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Northampton, Mass., to Hamilton and Faith Newell. He grew up in Amherst, attending Amherst High School and Amherst College, where he majored in economics. Throughout his life, he credited his excellent writing and editing skills to English 1 and 2. He served the College on the Committee to Elect Trustees. From a young age, Norman worked at the family printing business, Hamilton I. Newell, Inc. He began sweeping the floors, eventually taking over the business from his father. During the decades when Newell Printing printed The Amherst Student, he enjoyed getting to know the editors.
Norman married Marion Eshbach on July 4, 1967, and had two children. He made it clear to me at an early age that he would not support my matriculation at Williams or Wesleyan.
Norman was active in the Amherst community, serving as a Town Meeting representative, on the finance committee, and in several service and nonprofit organizations.
Sports, especially baseball, were Norman’s favorite hobby. He grew up a Boston Braves fan, finally forgiving the Red Sox for driving the Braves out of town during the 1967 Impossible Dream season. He was a softball player into his 50s and still took the extra base during a Vintage Baseball game in his 70s.
Norman and Marion moved to Cape Cod in 1997 after retiring from the printing business. They lived in Eastham for 15 years before moving to Indiana in 2010 to be closer to their grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marion Newell; children Aimee E. Newell ’92 and Nat Newell; two granddaughters; and four siblings. —Aimee E. Newell ’92
Kenneth W. Sawyer ’66
The Rev. Ken Sawyer passed away on April 24, 2022, surrounded by the love of his wife, Carol, and their two children, Amy and Becca. A 1970 graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Ken served for 38 years as the minister and, thereafter, as emeritus for an iconic New England church, the First Parish in Wayland, Mass. A frequent visiting lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, he served as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Ken also ministered to us at the College, first to his five roommates in Pratt and soon to his 28 English 1–2 classmates. While the rest of us struggled to complete writing three essays a week, his gentle humor, keen insights and spare writing showed us the way, including in one two-pager that helped persuade his girlfriend, Carol, to join him as his partner for life. Ken also offered his unique voice to all as a lead “Bad Guy” D.J. on WAMF. When we six roomies joined Chi Phi, he shared his caring, joy for life and way with word and song for three more years.
At our 25th reunion, he gathered the class of ’66 together in Johnson Chapel to heal the wounds left by the Vietnam War to those who walked out in protest at our graduation and those who didn’t, to those who served in the war and those who didn’t. That Sunday morning, he offered a homily based on the “Senior Song,” and we shared good memories, wry humor and, yes, tears for our classmates who had, by then, fallen too young.
Our Rev. Sawyer’s work, words and care still remind us: “Now we’re bound by ties that cannot sever, All our whole life thro’.”
Brother Sawyer, rest in peace. —Paul Dimond ’66
John E. McCloskey III ’67
John lived life intensely and lovingly. For 30 years, he worked in investment banking, an unplanned direction, residing in his treasured Manhattan. The arts in New York sustained his love of music, begun in a high school jazz ensemble. Always ready to introduce newcomers to the city with grand tours, several years ago he delighted us with a stroll on Manhattan’s High Line, the elevated greenway planted on an old railroad spur.
John practiced healthy cooking, so I was honored when he would call to consult me.
After John’s passing, we learned more about his remarkable life. He served in intelligence in the Philippines and Vietnam, teaching himself (and others) Vietnamese and decoding communications. On base, he starred in a production of Mr. Roberts. After his service, John roamed a number of countries, including Indonesia, India and France, where he stayed to work. Love of travel continued throughout his life. He studied German in Germany and admired the dependability of anything manufactured there.
John was unpretentious, even as he was adept at commenting on any topic a conversation could conjure. He loved reading mysteries and the news, researching and learning new things. He wrote poetry and worked on a novel. He’d bring film noir DVDs when he visited. Family was his priority—he was devoted to his four Lithuanian grandparents and helped care for his parents in their last years. We were blessed to have John live with us during his final months. He loved his two nieces, big-heartedly helping them with college. He doted on aunts and stayed close to cousins.
Later in life he practiced meditation, which calmed his spirit and pace. He introduced me to the monk Thich Nhat Hanh’s unifying, calming spirit. John manifested gratitude in all he did. He was confident, nurturing, supportive and generous. —Janet McCloskey Carlisle
G. Parke Rouse III ’67
G. Parke Rouse III died Oct. 19, 2019, in Philadelphia, near his hometown of Gladwyne, Pa.
He was my fraternity brother at Psi U. He helped with fraternity management and recruitment and was elected chapter secretary as an undergraduate. Parke was a “green dean” in the Amherst College administration after graduation. In 1972, he earned a master’s in business administration at Penn and, while there, served as alumni president of the Psi U chapter in Philadelphia.
Parke started a successful business, Titan Business Systems, while he was at Amherst and continued as its head long after graduation. He devoted his later years to volunteer service for the Church of Christ, the oldest Episcopal chapter in Philadelphia, where he was administrator for the Diocesan Health and Welfare Benefits Trust.
At his memorial service, which Jerry Calvert ’67 and Peter Dustin ’67 attended, the church’s rector praised Parke’s helpfulness and specifically mentioned that he had updated their computer system and hand-entered the names of each member. Parke never married but was a generous supporter of the Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pa., from which he graduated in 1963. Parke is remembered by his classmates as not being memorable.
This was his choice; he usually avoided center stage. Parke lived according to his own pathways but was nonetheless engaged in the world around him and made positive contributions to the well-being of many others. —Bill Fischel ’67
Wyatt Eugene Harper III ’68
“A wonderful friend, with such an uplifting spirit and boundless energy.”
“I cannot think of anyone with such a grand spirit.”
Variations on those words came from several classmates receiving the news that Wyatt Harper died on July 25, 2022. Wyatt brightened the lives of everyone around him, charging through life with a smile and a mission to embrace every moment.
“I loved Wyatt’s positive attitude,” said one classmate. “I appreciated how gawky he was on the basketball court and in life.” If you told Wyatt he was gawky, he’d agree. Goofy jokes suited him, and in more recent years his hilarious stories delighted fellow Deke alumni in Zoom gatherings, where he would conclude by saying, “I just love all you guys.”
Born in Florida, Wyatt came to Amherst from a high school in California. After graduation, he entered Army training as a paratrooper and signal corps officer, in the latter role helping to protect villages in Vietnam against attacks. Then, moving to Tennessee, he earned a master’s degree in psychology, administered a mental health clinic and carried on a private practice. With his Army training in electronics, he also started a company that specialized in computer data communication and conducted business in Radio Shack stores, of which he owned a couple. Licensed as an instrument-rated pilot, he flew on cross-country business trips. In recent years, he did psychological evaluations for police and firefighting candidates.
With wife Eileen and their son, Wyatt Jr., he ran a tennis program for children in Dickson, Tenn. He served in the Army Reserves with the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, retired at the rank of major and was commander of his local American Legion post. He also played the lap dulcimer. He and Eileen celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary last year. We miss him. —Dave Davenport ’68, Bob Warrington ’68, Dick Salem ’68, Jim Lynch ’68, Richard Neugass ’68 and John Stifler ’68
Frederick C. Goggans ’71
Rick Goggans passed away peacefully while sleeping on Oct. 31. He loved and found pride in his association with Amherst. He never fully understood his almost obsessive fascination with and loyalty to the place and the people he met there. “I applied on an intuitive basis and have never been able to answer the question why I picked Amherst College,” he wrote. “I guess it picked me.”
Tom deBree ’71 first saw him on the fourth floor of Pratt and found the “kid from Texas” with cowboy boots and a faint drawl “uncommonly at ease in himself.” He wore his boots quietly, with warmth, humor, kindness, gentle and unmistakable intellectual acuity. Rick had a ready capacity for friendship across a wide spectrum of classmates. Rick often counseled Tom on enjoying life. “He knew how to have fun.”
Rick shared a house in Belchertown senior year with ’71 classmates Mason Daring, Sandy Stott, Tim Quill, Randy Parten and David Nathan. Rick became known as “Drifty Fred” because he glided smoothly and slowly through halls and campus paths. Henry Goldman ’71 didn’t know Rick well in college, but they bonded while seated next to each other alphabetically at graduation. Over the next 53 years, they became friends, spending hours with whiskey, discussing life’s pleasures and vicissitudes. Henry, and others, noted an air of mystery about Rick.
After Baylor Medical College, a psychiatry residency at Stanford and many years practicing psychiatry, Rick’s final years were in Camden, Maine, serving as medical director of the Harvard-affiliated McLean-Borden Cottage residential addiction treatment facility.
He leaves wife Catherine, sons Nick and Ryan, a sister, two grandchildren and many grateful patients and close friends.
Rick always followed the advice he gave in our 50th reunion book: “Focus on gratitude and compassion.” He will be greatly missed. —Steve Playe ’71
William R. Kendall ’71
Bill passed away in June 2022, the final result of the brain trauma and other injuries suffered in a terrible car accident in 2017. While he recovered somewhat from the crash, he never regained the characteristic energy of mind that made him such a lively personality. His condition saddened his many friends from Amherst and elsewhere, and we all grieved for the Bill we had known.
He grew up in Stroudsburg, Pa., and worked at a law firm there after graduating in 1976 from the University of Pittsburgh law school. He remained close to high school friends. In 1978, Bill married epidemiologist Annette Stemhagen, DrPH, and after a short stay in New Jersey, they settled in the Philadelphia suburbs to raise their daughter, Carolyn ’08. After a successful career in law and banking, Bill retired in 2012 “to pursue his true hobbies,” as his newspaper obituary read, “locating the best chocolate chip cookie in the Tri-State area; taking Fiona, his Scottish terrier, through the car wash; and sharing political chain emails.”
Bill was devoted to his family. He read all his daughter’s college papers (even those on ancient Greek literature), loved walking grandpups Troy and Lucy, purchased and traded cars “for” Annette but really for him, and handled all his mother’s major and minor crises. He was a fiercely loyal friend and easily befriended everyone from the dry cleaner to his daughter’s college professors. Bill loved good chocolate, Napoleon Bonaparte and his mount, and obscure Roman generals. He read biographies, wore fly-fishing vests but never once ate fish, collected paper napkins and used weed killer not always on weeds. He was an original, a quondam philosopher and a free-spirited conservative. He has already been much missed. —Tom Smith ’71
Thomas E. Maynard ’72
Tom Maynard passed away Sept. 1 in Hartford, Conn., from a rare form of leukemia after a valiant struggle, with his wife at his side. Tom graduated from Amherst with honors in English and went on to careers in education, then business and then back to education.
He was a multifaceted student. An honors graduate from high school, Tom attended Amherst with help of a scholarship and played rugby and baseball. He also played in the rock band Cicero Weede alongside Gary Heard ’72, Mansur Abdullah’75 (formerly Victor Richardson) and several others. Above all, Tom had an unquenchable thirst for learning and intellectual growth. Perhaps this explains why he earned a doctorate in education in 2021, after retirement.
Tom is remembered by those who knew him as a decent and well-rounded person and a solid competitor. He was extremely good-natured, thoughtful and measured in his response to all things. His wide, engaging smile always put me at ease.
When I approached Tom about helping me call classmates for our 50th reunion, he enthusiastically agreed. This was just a few months before his leukemia was diagnosed. He attended our reunion in June, but just on Friday night, when I last saw him. His illness took a turn for the worse that evening, and he was driven to a Hartford hospital early Saturday morning by Ron Marinucci ’71 and Mike Marino ’71, who were celebrating their belated 50th reunion. Tom and I spoke again in August. He sounded good over the phone and was optimistic about the planned stem cell therapy.
Tom is survived by his second wife of 32 years, four children and seven grandchildren. —G.D. Clamurro ’72
Jesse S. Burkhardt ’78
Jesse “Goose” Burkhardt passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Cambridge, Mass., home in October.
He came to Amherst from St. Paul’s School and quickly became a core part of the fourth-floor James freshman crew known as the “Boys.” Jesse and the Boys rushed together at Chi Phi, where he was often found at Wednesday-night taps, leading discussions on Buddhist philosophy or the Grateful Dead. Jesse took his time to complete his degree, graduating with the class of ’80. He lived the last two years at Theta Xi, where he met Dave Hamer ’81, who married his sister Betsy and became his Cambridge neighbor and friend.
Jesse made his career in the IT industry, working in software development and web design, and was an early investor in the dot-com boom, riding that wave.
Jesse was inquisitive and adventurous, traveling the world on extended trips to remote regions of Latin America and Asia, even working in Japan. He was a connoisseur of good food, wine collector, talented guitar player and passionate fan of jazz and rock, especially The Beatles, once even meeting John and Yoko. Jesse also cultivated a large, diverse circle of like-minded intellectuals in Cambridge.
Jesse remained close to the Boys, coming to our gatherings on the bayou in Louisiana (where he canoed in the dark with the alligators), ski trips in Colorado and Italy, and the Dead’s “last” shows in California. He was a consistent presence at our class reunions, the last of which, in 2018, was so memorable, with all our Chi Phi brothers attending. It was also the last time that most of us saw Jesse in person.
Jesse always had a wide smile, a witty quip and the biggest heart. The world is a lot less interesting without him in it. —Don Moses ’78 and Tom Pratt ’78
Kurt A. Schwarz ’79
What can you say about a guy who graduated with highest honors while also being one of the best beer pong players in history? We lost Kurt on Sept. 22 following an accident in his home.
Kurt was a brilliant thinker who dedicated his life to helping the underdog. After graduating from Amherst summa cum laude in both political science and sociology, he earned a master’s degree from Princeton and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas law school, where he served as executive editor of the Texas Law Review. Following a clerkship with Judge Barefoot Sanders of the Northern District of Texas (where he met his wife-to-be, Claire), Kurt entered private practice.
Throughout his career, Kurt applied his substantial energy and intellect to the causes of justice. He served on the board of the Texas chapter of the ACLU for 10 years (five as chair), and he argued many cases on behalf of those whose civil liberties were in jeopardy. Kurt was appointed by the Department of Homeland Security to chair a committee of experts charged with investigating conditions at federal detention centers housing asylum seekers, advising how they might be improved.
Beyond his commitment to justice, Kurt had three driving passions in his life: dogs, food and music. He was happiest standing on a lakeshore, throwing tennis balls for his beloved Labradors to gleefully retrieve. Kurt loved to prepare elaborate meals for family and friends to such an extent that, when undertaking a kitchen renovation, he and Claire installed two dishwashers.
Kurt was a steadfast supporter of Amherst and a dedicated brother of DKE. To this day, whenever we hear Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years,” the years dissolve and Kurt’s face appears, reveling in the opening chords, the beer, the pong and an inevitable victory. —Peter Friedrichs ’79 and J. P. Dunn ’79
Julia A. Powell ’95
Julie died on Oct. 26 at home in upstate New York. We met freshman year, when she lived above me in James. I remember noting her intelligence, sardonic wit and creativity. We hit it off right away.
Julie double-majored in fiction writing and theater. We occasionally read each other’s writing, and I reviewed a show she was in for The Amherst Student. (I wrote that I didn’t like the play very much, but that Julie gave, by far, the best performance. I think she found a perverse pleasure in that.)
After college, by chance, we both moved to Queens—her to Long Island City, and me to Astoria. Over shared lunches, she told me about her unhappy day job working for the city and a blog she started in 2002, called the Julie/Julia Project: she was cooking every dish from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
After Amanda Hesser wrote about Julie’s blog in The New York Times, it took off. It introduced Child to a new generation and established food blogs as a new form—though Julie didn’t post recipes. The blog was about her journey, chronicled in her typically caustic, frustrated voice. But it also conveyed a love of food and how it binds us together. She brought food writing down to earth.
The blog became a bestselling book, which became a movie, Julie & Julia. Amy Adams played Julie, though without the acerbic tone that, in my opinion, made the blog and book so appealing.
Julie published Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession in 2009. In 2018, she and husband Eric moved to Olivebridge, N.Y. Julie struggled with her writing but was dedicated to her cats and dogs.
She died far too young, and I’m one of many who will miss her. —Dan Saltzstein ’95