William Lees Atwood ’43
Unfortunately, I have no information about Bill’s career at Amherst. He left the College in the fall of 1942 when he joined the Navy to avoid the draft. Nor do I have any information of his service there. But he did return later to Amherst and graduated in 1947. So that information may be in their 50th year reunion book.
He married his wife, Marian, in 1949. They had two children—Mary and Susan. He had a successful career as a banker but left the banking business when he and a friend started a successful investment counseling firm.
Active in his community, Bill was a board member of the St. Luke Hospital for 20 years and a member and president of the St. Luke’s Foundation. He held high positions in the Episcopal Church. He also served as a board member of quite a number of community charitable organizations.
He was a highly respected and munificent citizen in the Kansas City area. —Monty Hankin ’43
Robert Winthrop Cummings Ellis ’43
Bob Ellis died on June 11, 2016. At Amherst Bob was a member of Beta Theta Pi. He played football his junior year, soccer his sophomore year and wrestling his freshman, sophomore and junior years. He sang in the Glee Club and was a member of the Loyal Sons of Hampshire his senior year. He received a B.A. in mathematics.
A navy flight pilot during World War II, he earned an M.B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
I have no information about his personal life after the war other than that he had two sons from his first marriage and is survived by his second wife, Marta.
Shortly before he died, he flew a World War II Piper Warrior over Venice Beach, Fla. His copilot was impressed with his flying skills. He had not flown since the war. —Monty Hankin ’43
Alden Vaughan Holmes ’43
Alden Vaughan Holmes, M.D., a captain in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, died on Aug. 13, 2015. At Amherst he was a member of Phi Gamma, ran cross-country freshman year, was on the intramural council his junior and senior years and was co-manager his senior year. Alden was a member of the Pre-Medical Club his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Following graduation he attended Western Reserve School of Medicine. From 1947 to 1988 he practiced medicine at various navy hospitals in the United States and around the world. While on duty in Japan during the Korean War, he met his future wife, Eleanor. They were married in 1952 and had eight children, all of whom have done very well.
Alden and Eleanor were longtime residents of San Diego, Calif., and after retirement they spent a lot of time traveling and backpacking. He was on the board of directors for the San Diego U.S.O. and was an avid supporter of Boy Scouts, serving as scoutmaster for more than 25 years. —Monty Hankin ’43
Murray “Mike” Silin ’44
Mike died on March 5. He was married for 65 years to Brenda, and they had three children: Diane Krasnick, Joe Silin and Amy Silin Freas. He is also survived by four grandchildren; a sister; and two sons-in-law.
In our 50th reunion book, he wrote that when he started in business, Silin Manufacturing Co. had one factory. When he retired, it had seven factories and sales had expanded 19 times.
“My grandparents and parents,” he wrote, “taught us as young children that a good life must be founded on ethical principles. At Amherst we young adults learned to live for love, truth and beauty, in that order. Experience has shown me that my parents and our teachers put me on the right track.”
One of Mike’s classmates remembers his penetrative and clearly expressed comments in a western literature section freshman year, and also remembers living near each other on the second floor of Morrow Hall, where they exchanged records of mid- and late-1930s African-American improvisatory blues and jazz.
“Mike was on a winning soccer team,” this classmate writes. “Then he was a navigator in planes out of England over the Continent at a time when you could hardly face the casualty rates. We saw each other over the years, one of the last times talking about his father, Joseph; when I spelled out Tyndale’s rendering, ‘… the Lorde was with Joseph, and he was a luckie fellowe,’ we burst into improvising luckie fellowe as our way of gratefully remembering his father.
“What a path Mike beckoned, imbuing it all with ironic but never bitter humor, a friend assuring friend that the tree of life endures war but is nurtured by peace.” —Andrew Foley ’44
Lloyd H. Conover ’45
My father, Lloyd H. Conover, died at the age of 93 on March 11, 2017, in Saint Petersburg, Fla.
Lloyd entered Amherst as a freshman in 1941. He served in the military during World War II, marrying Virginia Rogers Kirk (Wheaton College ’44) in New Orleans just before shipping out to the Pacific.
Lloyd earned his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Rochester, and in 1950 he joined Charles Pfizer Inc. By 1952, Lloyd had invented the broad-spectrum antibiotic tetracycline.
This discovery grew from a hunch: Working with a team that determined the chemical structures of two other antibiotics, he intuited that one antibiotic could be chemically altered to produce superior antibiotics. It worked. Dad arrived home with a calm smile one night and happily pronounced: “Eureka!”
Tetracycline was for a time the world’s leading antibiotic, saving countless lives. Lloyd’s discovery opened the door to the potential of man-made antibiotics. A 1992 inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, he has approximately 300 patents in his name. He retired from Pfizer as senior vice president of Agricultural Research (England) in 1984.
Dad contributed much to his community. He was head of the Cub Scout pack, chairman of the town Planning and Zoning Commission and a guest lecturer at my daughters’ school. He established the Virginia Rogers Kirk Conover Conservancy in Connecticut in honor of our mother, creating a place of peace for future generations.
Dad was young at heart. I saw him bend down to a child’s level to listen to a secret many times. He always maintained a childlike wonder in the world. I am immensely proud of him.
Lloyd is survived by his wife, the former Katharine Meacham; four children: Kirk, Roger, Heather and Craig; six stepchildren; 16 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. —Kirk Conover ’69
Millens W. Taft Jr. ’45
Mel Taft passed away peacefully on March 6, 2017, with family by his side, just two months shy of his 95th birthday. He is deeply missed by his family and friends.
During Mel’s time at Amherst, he joined the Army Air Force for two years after his sophomore year. He flew the B-24 Liberator bomber on 35 missions over Europe and received a Purple Heart as well as an Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. Upon returning to and graduating from Amherst, he went to Harvard Business School, after which he began a long, successful career in the toy business as a senior vice president at Milton Bradley in charge of research and development.
Mel accomplished many things in his life, but what was so special about him was his sense of humor and his love for his family. He traveled the world with his wife, Charlotte, and they also enjoyed numerous family vacations with their children: Ted, Rick, Dave and Cindy, and ultimately their spouses and Mel and Charlotte’s 11 grandchildren. Two of Mel’s children, Ted and Dave, also attended Amherst.
And as Mel’s kids, all of us appreciated what a great role model he was, and reflected so many times on the many things we learned from him as we raised our own children and watched them grow and marry. We miss him but also will always remember fondly the many great times we had together and how much he impacted each of our lives. —Ted Taft ’73 and David Taft ’79
Robert G. Dunn ’48
Robert Gearhart “Bob” Dunn was born in Edina, Minn., on Jan. 25, 1923, and died in Princeton, Minn., on March 15, 2017.
At Amherst, Bob was a member of Theta Delta Chi, the football and wrestling teams and the Committee of 14. He entered the class of 1944 but left school to join the Marine Corps in the spring of 1942. He returned to Amherst in 1946 and graduated with the class of 1948. He was recalled by the Marines during the Korean Conflict. After that, he returned to Minnesota.
He married Mary Louise Caley in 1952, and they had five children. She died in 1969. Bob married Bette Hedenstrom in 1972.
Bob’s business career was in retail lumber and building materials. He sold his company, Inland Lumber, in 1989.
Bob served in the Minnesota House and Senate from 1964 to 1980. His interest was mainly in environmental issues, and he and his family planted at least 20,000 trees over the years. After 1980 Bob continued to hold positions in government, such as the chairmanship of the Waste Management Board and the Environmental Quality Board.
In retirement Bob and Bette spent time at their homes in Princeton and on the north shore and traveled the world.
Bob is survived by his wife, Bette; children Ruth (Steven) White, Susan (Chase) Van Gorder, George (Donna) Dunn, Libby (Nathan) Query and Bill (Sara) Dunn; stepchildren Mary (Roland) Leirmo and Bob (Sara) Hedenstrom; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He will be missed. —Celeste Ringuette W’48
Marshall W. Neale ’48
Marshall Weston Neale was born in Stamford, Conn., on July 16, 1925, and died in Guilford, Conn., on Oct. 26, 2016.
Marsh belonged to Theda Xi at Amherst. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1943 to 1946.
After leaving Amherst, Marsh went into news work as a reporter for UPI in New York. He moved from news to public relations with Waksman and Walworth, a New York firm specializing in food public relations. He was there from 1949 to 1983 and rose to the level of executive vice president. Marsh joined another food public relations firm, eventually becoming a partner and later the owner of the firm, known as Lewis and Neale. He retired in 1990.
In addition to representing a great variety of food companies and food trade associations, Marsh served his client, the American Spice Trade Association, as director of information for 40 years. He was known as “Mr. Spice” in the food editorial world. He lectured, wrote extensively and was a spokesman on every aspect of spices. He continued to represent the Trade Association in his retirement as it senior public relations counsel.
Marsh married Ruth Kilburn in 1949. They have three daughters: Karen, Susan and Sally; and four grandchildren. In retirement, Ruth and Marsh pooled their talents and began crafting shorebird decoys, which they sold for the benefit of their church.
He will be missed. —Celeste Ringuette W’48
James D. Brophy Jr. ’49
My pal Jim Brophy died March 25 in Greenport, Long Island, near his longtime home in Southampton. He seemed to be an English major all his life. He came to Amherst after two years in the U.S. Navy and was inspired by Professor Armour Craig to consider a career in teaching. A natural with words, Jim was my choice for the position of class secretary.
He earned an M.A. in English from Columbia and went to France with a Fulbright. There he married Betty Bergen (Smith ’51), who was doing her senior year in Paris.
When they returned to his hometown of New Rochelle, N.Y., he took an instructorship position at Iona College for what he thought would be a brief period—and taught there for 41 years!
Betty and Jim earned Ph.D.s at Columbia. She began teaching at the College of New Rochelle. They bought a home in Harrison, N.Y., and settled in for long, successful teaching careers. They spent four different sabbatical years in London.
Two of Jim’s best friends were fellow Phi Psis Ward Burns ’50 and Don Roberts ’49. The last time I saw Jim was at Don’s memorial service.
When he retired in 1992, Jim expected to continue with literary criticism, especially on John Milton. It did not work out quite that way, since the house in Southampton needed a bit of attention—like adding five rooms and two baths to accommodate visiting children and guests.
Jim and Betty spent a month every winter in Florida. Later travels included Elderhostels in India and Germany.
Jim was predeceased by his wife and a son in 2011. He is survived by four children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Jim was a quintessential college professor—bearded, beloved, warm and an inspiration to hundreds of students—and a classmate we admire and shall miss. —Gerry Reilly ’49
Francis R. Welles ’49
Frank died March 16 in Cary, N.C. Born in New York City in 1924, he grew up in Lexington, Va., where his father was a professor at VMI.
He joined the U.S. Army infantry after high school and participated in heavy combat in Germany and Belgium. He was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valorous service and retained a lifelong interest in World War II and military history.
After graduating from Amherst, where he was president of Chi Psi, Frank settled in Raleigh, N.C., and worked for the Standard Oil Co. before starting the Welles Co., an agricultural dehydration plant in Wake County, with his brother Paul, that lasted more than 20 years.
He was later involved in auto parts and insurance businesses and became a keen personal investor and stock market expert. He was a member of the Raleigh Kiwanis, treasurer of Meals on Wheels and chairman of the Ravenscroft school board. Frank was a strong supporter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Frank was interested in economics and politics and was conservative in both. He also maintained a strong concern for the conservation of natural resources. Although an avid runner, his passion was sailing—cruising and racing—which he had learned as a boy off Buzzard’s Bay, Mass., where his family had a summer home. As an adult, he sailed for 40 years from Oriental, N.C.
Predeceased by his first wife, he is survived by his loving wife and companion of 33 years, four children, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He was known for his kindness, practicality, faith in God and devotion to his family, all of which were noted in the celebration of his life last March in Cary, N.C. Our class had a number of gentlemen of whom we can justly be proud. —Gerry Reilly ’49
Richard D. Denison ’51
Dick Denison died in April 23, 2017, after a short illness. He was my friend.
After Amherst Dick went through Coast Guard OCS. He was assigned to a ship in San Diego, rising to become a skipper. In 1952, Dick married Katherine Redmon, the charming love of his life. In San Diego for Dick’s last year of service, they began their 61-year marriage: a “magical time,” Dick told me.
In 1953 Dick began a successful career in finance in Chicago. He started in a securities firm. He had senior positions at Quaker Oats and at Hines Lumber Co. Later Dick became an investment banker, as a partner of First San Francisco Corp. He did deals into his 70s. Along the way, early in his career, he earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Dick was an active volunteer. He tutored children in the Holy Family School in a distressed part of Chicago and served on local boards and for the Boy Scouts. A religious man, Dick was an active member for 35 years of the Kenilworth Union Church.
Dick was devoted to Amherst and to the idea of the liberal arts. He was a regular at 1951 reunions and at the annual 1951 class dinners in New York.
Dick and Kathy spent vacations with family at their second home at White Lake in Michigan. Dick sailed with skill and played routine golf. Recently, Dick and Kathy rebuilt their Michigan home so their heirs could enjoy it.
In 2013 Kathy died from a fast-moving cancer. Dick took care of her, largely alone, in their Winnetka home. After Kathy’s death, Dick moved to a nearby retirement home.
He left behind four children, Tom, Charlie, Steve and Molly; 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. —Phil Alexander ’51
John Jones Frautschi ’51
John’s obituary is posted on the college In Memory site, which we commend to you. This brief memorial complements the Madison, Wis., tributes to his achievements and generosity with specifics from classmates
How did John Frautschi get to Amherst? Many Amherst students were legacies and in pipelines to campus. For others the key was Admissions Dean Bill Wilson. John came aboard from a Colorado Springs prep noted for snow skiing and from a family of iconic Wisconsin grads, e.g. president of the alumni. Yet Wilson was able to sell John on Amherst’s providing a reach beyond existing positions.
John was especially devoted to STEM studies, sailing, skiing and Theta Delt. From Amherst, John headed for a B.S. at Carnegie Tech, foremost in graphics and printing.
Conscripted by the army, he was sent to Ft. Belvoir to apply his knowledge to formidable printing requirements in the military. With such a diverse background, John started with the Democrat Press, turning out statehouse jobs. In that era of growth and rapid technical innovation in print, John made significant and repeated adaptations.
His company was renamed Webcrafters to brand the new technology applied. The product line went national in quantity and quality of text books, with supplements. As publishers and politicians inked adoptions for school systems, many turned to Webcrafters to print and bind text packages; your Amherst kin may have used these colorful texts in their own studies.
John’s employees, who had generous pay packages, revered him. His devoted brother Jerry managed a key investment, his wife’s smash hit, American Girl. This educational hallmark few Amherst homes lack.
John’s marriage and family were made in heaven and his son Kip ’85 is an able Amherst grad. John could not escape adversities, especially as his dear copilot Mary succumbed to cancer too early. —John Kirkpatrick ’51, Dick Sexton ’51 and Charlie Tritschler ’51
L. Dodge Fernald Jr. ’52
The “Dodger” left us March 1, 2017. It’s hard to accept that such clarity of mind could be taken hostage by “Oldsheimers,” as he called it. Few of us have been so steadily committed to a set of life values. In Puritan times it would have been deemed a sense of “calling.” Dodge was called both to teach psychology and to coach soccer whenever possible.
He served four years in the Navy, 1952 to 1956, mostly in the Mediterranean. In 1955 he married Marjorie Maxwell (Mount Holyoke ’54). Lucky guy! He opted for an academic career in clinical and educational psychology, taking his Ph.D. at Cornell in 1960. He taught at Cornell and Wellesley, chaired at Bowdoin and, for many years, was an administrator of Harvard Extension Programs and a senior lecturer in the psychology department there.
He included coaching in this career whenever possible. His coaching is testified to by hundreds, his skill as a teacher of very large introductory psychology classes by many hundreds, if not thousands, more. His several psychology books and his reprinted introductory text, Psychology in Six Perspectives, showed what a skillful teacher of a complex subject matter he was. Of great value to Dodge and his family were his two separate appointments as Fulbright Senior Lecturer in Spain.
Condolences for his loss to Dodge’s extended family, but especially to his grandchildren—Tyler, Alexa, Lucinda, Liam, Ann Foster and Max—for whom he has been and will be such an important influence. But perhaps we had better harken to Dodge’s preferred response to life’s challenging moments: “Congratulations,” then, to you all, family and students alike, on having had as a part of your lives such an extraordinary husband, father, brother, grandfather. And last, but surely not least, teacher and coach! —Jim Fernandez ’52
Arthur L. Porter ’52
Art Porter, my father, died on March 25. Art was from Amherst and a graduate of Deerfield. He majored in psychology and belonged to DU. After Amherst, he joined the NSA. In 1971, Art made a change to the direction and purpose of his life, becoming a Peace Corp Volunteer in Malaysia.
Upon returning, Art joined UNICEF, as chief of supply operations. He took on many assignments to advance the mission of UNICEF.
In 1989 he married Michele Nezereau. They retired to Michele’s hometown in France, where they enjoyed hosting friends and family. Art continued to love and read about history, keeping up with Amherst and discussing politics.
Art is survived by four children from his marriage to Elizabeth Rundquist: Scott (Marcy), Karl (Kristen), Ted ’84 (Jennifer) and Laura (Irwin), and grandchildren Ethan, Gideon, Seth, Sam, Andrew, Alison, Ben and Sam.
Dad loved a good story, and his heartfelt laughter told you so. Hank Kreuter ’52 shared the following story:
“DU had a British-India party with all the brothers dressed up as officers. Art and I had the idea of going to ROTC to try to arrange arriving with our dates in military vehicles. We arrived in jeeps, troop carriers, even a tank, all driven by ROTC staffers, who enjoyed themselves as much as we did. The upperclassmen had to recognize that their young pledges at least had imaginations!”
I visited with Dad just prior to his passing. That time with him was a gift, even if some of it was spent discussing the inanity of the “Lord Jeff” removal. Dad was a true man of Amherst: a native of the town, son of the dean of the college and a Lord Jeff. Above all else, Dad thought of others before himself. —Ted Porter ’84
Richard A. Ikle ’53
Richard A. “Dick” Ikle died on Jan. 16, 2017.
Following Amherst and time spent as a naval officer in the Korean War, Dick earned a J.D. from Columbia University. As a partner at Thacher, Proffitt & Wood, he specialized in real estate law. He was instrumental in moving the firm from their offices at 40 Wall Street to the newly constructed Two World Trade Center in the 1970s. He loved watching the ships in New York Harbor from his perch on the 40th Floor.
Dick joined the Resolution Trust Corp. in 1989. When the RTC duties were assumed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in 1995, Dick moved to Washington, D.C., to embark upon the third chapter of his professional life. He continued to work at the FDIC until just after his 83rd birthday (60 years after graduating from Amherst).
His own words from the 50th reunion best describe his zest for life and learning: “Living in paradise—the greater Washington, D.C., area. Over 50 museums, most of them free. A 13-minute metro ride to my office. Less than an hour’s drive to my cabin in the woods or to my sailboat. About a two-hour drive to either the ocean or the mountains.”
Inspired by the philosophy of his Swiss uncle, Dick was a Lebenskünstler, a master of the art of living. His life was a skillfully choreographed masterpiece. He read voraciously and traveled to the end. The last years of his life were enriched by many happy adventures he shared with his longtime partner, Joyce Halverson.
Dick valued not just education but true learning and often spoke about how he would love to see his granddaughter, Olivia, attend Amherst. Olivia was admitted to the Amherst class of 2021 the day before he would have turned 87. —Lisa Ikle Gieger ’85, P’21
Paul C. Schmidt ’53
Upon the death of Paul Schmidt, his devoted wife, Mim, wrote a memorial salute that began: “We called him Mr. Indestructible. But after rebounding from multiple health crises, his heart—his good, good heart—said, ‘Enough, set me free.’”
Paul died on March 18, three days short of his 86th birthday. Paul and Mim lived in San Francisco, the end point of a life journey that began for Paul in Philadelphia, where he graduated from William Penn Charter School. At Amherst, Paul majored in psychology and was a member of the Lord Jeff Club.
Those who knew Paul at Amherst will not be surprised by two characteristics Mim wrote about. He was, she said, “something of radical” and greatly enthusiastic about whatever he was doing.
She said Paul had a “lifelong empathy for the disadvantaged and advocacy for social justice,” always ready to sign peace petitions and join protests.
He was, Mim continued, “always Mr. Exuberance. A friend once remarked, ‘Paul is like the ocean,’ seeming often to envelop those around him with his high spirits, warmth and good cheer.”
After Amherst, Paul worked for a Philadelphia laboratory that made television films of medical procedures for doctors, followed by an advertising stint in San Francisco.
He then obtained a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and joined an organization called Youth for Service, working with street gangs. When funds dried up, Paul set up a business of his own called Pak/Ship. After time in Japan and Hong Kong, Paul and Mim returned to San Francisco. In those years, Paul found success in investing in the stock market.
Concluding, Mim wrote: “For over 50 years, I was the grateful recipient of his joy, love and devotion.” —George Gates ’53
Stewart A. VerNooy Jr. ’54
Stewart VerNooy died peacefully at home in Venice, Fla. He was a third-generation Amherst graduate and went on to earn his medical degree with honors from Jefferson Medical College.
Stu was a member of Delta Upsilon and active in the Amherst Glee Club. His love of music stayed with him his whole life, and he and I attended many performances put on by the Saratoga Opera Company.
Stu lettered in lacrosse at Amherst and joined the Air Force ROTC program; he stayed in the Air Force until 1966. He did his residency at Tripler Grant Army Hospital in Pearl Harbor, where he was promoted to chief internist.
After resigning his officer’s commission, Stu moved his family back to Cortland, N.Y., his hometown, and started a private practice. He was the founder and director of Cortland Rural Health Services, and he served as the medical director of the Cortland Memorial Hospital.
He was a patron of the arts and was one of 23 charter members of the Cortland Repertory Theatre, which opened its doors in July 1972.
Stu is survived by his wife, Ursula Neff-VerNooy; three daughters: Jennifer, Rebecca and Emily; and a son, Stewart VerNooy III. —David Tapley ’54
Jevne D. Baskin ’55
Jev died peacefully on May 6, 2017, following a spate of medical challenges over the prior nine months. He came to Amherst from West High School in Minneapolis, where he was president of his class. An economics major, he joined Alpha Delt fraternity, where he served as president and helped with the Chest drive.
After graduation, Jev returned to Minneapolis, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a stockbroker for nearly 20 years with two Twin Cities-based firms, advancing to being an assistant manager at one firm. In the mid-’70s, Jev switched careers, becoming a manufacturer’s rep and working for himself. Jev was a success selling a variety of holiday items to many businesses in the Upper Midwest, including Target.
Charlie Kopp ’55 remembers Jev, saying, “I was a roommate and fraternity brother of Jev for three years at Amherst. At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, Jev Baskin was a gentle giant with a heart of gold. Jev was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Not only nice, he was also a devoted family man and a truly fine human being with warmth, character, class and integrity. His picture in the memory bank of my mind shines as brightly today as it did the day we graduated in 1955. Jev was that kind of a unique and wonderful man.”
In 1969 Jev married Patricia Kantor, a fourth grade teacher. He would often stop by Patti’s classroom to run off copies for her and interact with the students. They all loved Jev. He and Patti had a boat where they spent hours relaxing and entertaining. They also enjoyed bicycle riding. Jev was simply a hard-working common man. He is survived by Patti and their three daughters, all of whom spoke highly of him at Jev’s memorial service.—Rob Sowersby ’55
Robert R. Eckardt ’55
Bob came to college from Port Washington High School on Long Island and was almost immediately a true Amherst man. He played basketball and pledged Theta Delta Chi, to the great benefit of that fraternity and its members. He later became a rush chairman and recruited three following classes. During his Amherst years he traveled with his brothers on classic road trips to Florida and later to Colorado. After graduation, he served three years in the Air Force.
When his tour was over, Bob joined the staff of The New Yorker. They assigned him to travel the southern states and eventually to work out of Atlanta. He married Judy Neely, with whom he parented four children. They became a devoted Georgia family. In 1977, he switched to a career as a financial consultant, which continued until his semi-retirement.
In December 1991 Judy died of cancer—a sad and devastating blow. As life went on, Bob had the great good fortune to meet and marry Eve Foy, whom he described in our 50th reunion book as “a wonderful, beautiful and talented Southern lady.” They lived together for 21 years, which restored him to a good life. Eve described Eck as loving his dogs; bluegrass music; ragtop cars; Aspen, Colo.; and the beach. Bob and Eve attended our reunions as well as an annual get-together in New York City with Theta Delt brothers and their wives.
Bob was devoted to his church, children, grandchildren and community. The list of organizations and interests is almost endless. He loved and participated in many sports, particularly skiing, basketball, swimming and tennis, which he played up to the end of his life. In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution obituary, his life was called “extraordinary.” Indeed it was. And he will be a fond memory. —Jan Farr ’55
François Steeg ’55
In September 1953, fresh off the boat and speaking little English, a young Frenchman, who grew up in Normandy during the German occupation and Allied invasion, got off the train in Northampton. François Steeg was heading to Amherst for his junior year on a scholarship established by the family of Guy Levy Despas, a French student who attended Amherst and was killed during World War II.
François was met by Hod Moses ’55, which began a lifelong friendship between the two men. François quickly adjusted to his new environment, living at Chi Phi. After his successful junior year, the College provided a scholarship for his senior year, and he graduated with the class.
After service in Algeria with the French Army, François worked for Proctor & Gamble in Europe. He ended his career as president of Jacob Suchard, the international coffee and chocolate company headquartered in Zurich.
François’ love for the College was evidenced by his frequent returns for reunions and family visits. In 2002 his entire family celebrated François’ 70th birthday with a dinner at the Lord Jeff. Son Antoine spent a year at Amherst as an instructor, and in 2011, his grandson spent a year at Amherst, also as a Levy Despas student.
In 1998 the Moseses, Moultons, Painos and Steegs took a memorable barge trip in Burgundy, preceded by dinner at the Steegs’ Paris penthouse apartment, followed by a few days at his farm in Normandy. Other vacation trips followed.
Although a French citizen, François resided for many years in Switzerland and had recently moved to a seaside suburb of Lisbon.
François died on April 20 after a short illness. He was a valued classmate, and it was a pleasure to call him our friend. —Hugh Moulton ’55
Robert B. Young ’55
Bob died March 31, 2017. He grew up in Summit, N.J., where he was active in his church youth group and with the Boy Scouts. At age 14 he attended the World Peace Boy Scout Jamboree, alone, in Paris. At Amherst Bob was an economics major, a member of Phi Gamma Delta and on the freshman swim team, and he enjoyed building stage sets for performances at Kirby Theater.
Former roommates Bill Burleigh ’55 and Jack Anderson ’55 remember Bob was chosen to speak at one of professor Arnold Collery’s economics classes, the only one to be selected. In their Phi Gam study room, Bob had playbills and/or record albums on the walls from popular stage plays of the time. Midway through senior year, Bob married Mary Jane Parker, a senior at Mount Holyoke, and moved with her to G.I. Village to close out their respective college careers.
After graduation, Bob spent four years as an officer in the Coast Guard before joining the Stanford Research Institute. Bob was loaned to the Ford Foundation in the mid-’60s and spent the next seven years in Southeast Asia as an economic adviser. There the family explored the region, mainly by hiking.
However, Bob always wanted to be an entrepreneur. In 1972 he founded Pineland Development Corp. and was able to secure a license from California to operate an outdoor recreation business at Collins Lake. This 1,200-acre property attracted thousands each year to enjoy fishing and water sports. He retired in 2004 and turned operations over to three of his children, who live and work at the facility.
Bob had a deep Christian faith. He was active with his church leadership, serving as church treasurer. The Youngs had four children of their own and also adopted three others. Mary Jane died in 2009. —Rob Sowersby ’55
Don F. Fenn ’56
Don and I spent the last 20 years of his life together. We met at the right time in our lives. His children were grown and making their impact on the world. Don was verbal, analytical and musical. He frequently amazed me with his often brilliant, iconoclastic ideas.
After Amherst, he did his military service and then got an M.S.W. at UC Berkeley. He was a psychologist in private practice in Oakland for 38 years, helping many clients turn their lives around. He had three children: Denise, now the principal flutist and director of the Chapel Hill Symphony and a project director for an environmental companyPaul, an internationally acknowledged green energy expert; and Evonne, who was sadly killed in a small plane crash in 2000. He has five grandchildren.
In addition to his psychology career, he always wanted to write and to compose music. He wrote 15 books and several plays (one of which was performed Off-Broadway), and was teaching himself to compose music and write songs on his keyboard.
People say that it is not easy being married to a psychologist, and indeed it is true that nothing is ever simple with them, but in times of trouble there is no better friend to have. I miss him every day of my life, but I am so glad to have walked together with him on his journey through this life. —Ellen Dreibelbis
John Q. Griffith III ’56
As one has come to expect at our advanced age(s), the unwelcome news continues quite unabated. The latest victim of the Grim Reaper in my neck of the woods is the good John Q. Griffith III, known to one and all simply as “Griff.” Griff lost his cara sposa, “Cassie” just last year, and had not been up to snuff since. His best friends at Phi Delt were Herb Pasternak, M.D. ’56, and Dave Pilcher, M.D. ’56—all amongst the dearly departed. Only John Elsbree ’56 and I seem to have survived.
A chemistry/biology major at Amherst, Griff’s entire career of 30-plus years was with Sun [Oil] Co. Inc. down along the Delaware River in or near Marcus Hook, Pa., where he was the longtime manager of the Fuels Division, with major concerns about the environment and natural resources: coal, fuel oil and, of course, other petroleum products.
Before and after he retired, he and Cassie had a neat cottage in South Bethany Beach, Del., where they both earned well-deserved reputations as accomplished crabbers in the abundant nearby bays. His advice to us in 2006: “If you want to do it and can afford it, do it now. Later may never come!”
R.I.P., old friend. —George C. “Skip” Corson Jr. ’56
Bruce McMullan ’56
The McMullan family is saddened to have to announce the loss of a loving husband, father, grandfather, “Uncle Bugs” and a wonderful mentor and teacher besides. Bruce passed away, surrounded by his wife and children, from a heart attack the week before, following a four-year battle against Parkinson’s and dementia.
Bruce was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of four children. From his youth, his passion was for the theater: summer shows at Theater in the Park and performing at the Stagecrafters Theater in Philadelphia, which his parents had helped found.
After graduating from William Penn Charter School in 1952, this passion next took him to Amherst and the Yale School of Drama, graduating with distinction: B.A. ’56 and M.F.A. ’61, respectively.
His teaching career took him to the University of New Mexico and then Dartmouth College, where he eventually became chair of the drama department in 1981. His summers found him directing productions for the Santa Fe Opera.
Wanting to return to the world of professional theater, Bruce followed Lotfi Mansouri’s invitation to Toronto in 1981 to become the technical director for the Canadian Opera Company for 18 years, and continued on as a technical adviser for seven more.
Bruce’s illness necessitated that he move to Ottawa in 2015 to be closer to his immediate family. Meanwhile, his wife, Christine, a retired nurse, took on her old role to provide him the best possible care and quality of life.
Along the way, Bruce never failed to inspire and mentor people as he shared his love and genius for stagecraft. He leaves a profound legacy among all those he touched, and he will be dearly missed.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Christine; his ex-wife, Veronica; his children: Dana, Robin and Christopher; and five grandchildren. —The McMullan Family
William Norton Reusswig ’56
The great class of 1956 lost one of its proudest members when Nort Reusswig passed on unexpectedly but peacefully on March 8, 2017. Born in New York City to E. Norton Reusswig (Amherst ’20) and Sarah Parshall Reusswig, he was raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J. He attended Ridgewood High School.
At Amherst he was a member of Psi Upsilon and traveled Europe playing drums with the Delta Five Dixieland Band. He met the love of his life, Nancy Louise Lane (Mount Holyoke ’56) who, with their three children—Peter ’82, Cindy and David—and their seven grandchildren, survives him today. Nancy and Nort celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in November.
His family and friends bid him farewell in April, and his daughter Cindy said it best at his memorial service:
“As a father, you were loving, joyful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, patient and positive. As a husband, you were thoughtful, gentlemanly, faithful and supportive. As a citizen, you were hardworking, responsible, respected, non-materialistic and patriotic. As a friend, you were humble, generous, fun, witty and spontaneous. As a person, you were gentle and good.
“You rarely complained despite the crosses you bore in life. Instead you gave thanks.
“No act of kindness however big, was ever too inconvenient for you to give. Even more so, no act of kindness, however small that you received, was ever taken for granted or went unappreciated.
“You set examples through your actions and many parables.
“You loved your jokes.
“You loved your old fashions.
“You loved your music, your drums, the Banjo Band, the Friendship Singers.
“You loved … and your love was unconditional.”
Nort loved Amherst and the lifelong friends he met there, and attended virtually every reunion since his graduation, entertaining his classmates at many of those reunions.
We will miss him dearly. —Peter Reusswig ’82
William Lawrence Velton ’56
William Lawrence Velton died on March 25 in San Francisco. Bill was the second son of John and Edythe Velton, born in Ogden, Utah. He is survived by his older brother, John Velton Jr.; his sister-in-law Pauline; two nieces; and two grandnephews, all of whom loved him.
He graduated from Ogden High School as valedictorian and from Amherst with a B.A. in English, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and SCARAB Senior Honor Society. He was the class of 1956 Bond Orator and a member of Alpha Delta Phi. A little known additional distinction: even after taking three years of swimming lessons to pass the lap-of-the-pool-before-graduation prerequisite, he still never learned to swim properly, thus necessitating the College to waive the requirement. An English major, Bill was permitted to submit original works of poetry for his thesis, rather than the standard research submission. After graduation, he attended Union Theological Seminary for one year before serving in the U.S. Army editing a newspaper.
He received his J.D. from University of Chicago Law School, Jcum laude, Order of the Coif, in 1963 and was articles editor for the University of Chicago Law Review 1962–63. He had 28 years of legal experience, which including several years at Breed, Abbott and Morgan, a prestigious New York law firm. He taught antitrust and corporate law at the University of Virginia, followed by a legal editorship with Bancroft-Whitney law book publishers in San Francisco.
After studying Sufiism and Vedanta, he became a Buddhist, living in the Buddhist Ashram in San Francisco for more than 20 years. His final Buddhist memorial service, called Shagu, took place on May 13, the 49th day after his death. On this day, the decision is made whether to return as a human or move to a higher realm. —John Velton and Henry Pearsall ’56
L. Richard Wolff ’56
Air Force veteran, business success, philanthropist and family man, L. Richard Wolff, 82, of Metuchen, N.J., died April 4, 2017. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Elkins Park, Pa., he lived several years in New York City but spent most of his adult life in Metuchen.
Dick was the co-founder/owner/operator of RPJ Sportswear. He created several successful, well-respected brands of large-size women’s clothing, including Topnotch Sportswear.
After graduating from Amherst, he joined the Air Force as an officer, became a pilot and served in intelligence while stationed in Morocco. Flying small planes remained an avocation he enjoyed for many years.
Among his many philanthropic endeavors, he was a founding member and builder of Temple Emanu-El in Edison and served as president of the Jewish Federation of Middlesex County from 2003 to 2005.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nickie (Shirley); three daughters, Jamie Wolff, Lisa Hyman and Cynthia Wolff; a son, Adam Wolff; and six grandchildren.
In his own words at the time of our 50th reunion, Dick looked back: “Early on I became aware that Amherst had a pervasive effect on me and my life. The ability to face challenges with a confident, positive attitude; to appreciate excellence wherever it was found; to not be distracted by success any more than failure: these were values learned at the College. It was at class reunions over the years where I came to realize what a special group of men Dean Gene had fashioned.” —Peter Levison ’56
John Bloomberg ’57
John Bloomberg—skier, art collector and financier—died Feb. 22, 2017, of brain cancer.
The order in which his life’s occupations are listed is quite intentional. When asked once whether he was a Wall Street guy who happened to like skiing or a skier who happened to work on Wall Street, his answer was unhesitatingly the latter.
A chemistry major and ski team member at Amherst, John received an M.B.A. from Harvard. He worked for various financial firms in New York and participated in the founding of several small companies, retiring at age 45. He was an avid ski racer, winning the International Ski Federation gold medal for senior racers in 2014 at the age of 78.
He and Toni, his wife of 48 years, worked on assembling a collection of American and Impressionist art, including works by Pissarro, Bonnard and Monet. The Impressionist works will be donated to the San Diego Museum of Art.
In the 1990s John began losing his vision, but found help at the University of Utah’s Moran Eye Center, in gratitude for which he made many donations to the center, including the family’s collection of works by early Utah artists. The John and Toni Bloomberg Ophthalmology Library is named in his and his wife’s honor. For his philanthropic work, he was made an honorary alumnus of the University of Utah.
John served on boards too numerous to name, reflecting his interests in business, skiing, art and ophthalmology. At his death, he and his wife maintained homes in New York; Park City, Utah; and La Jolla, Calif.
Toni said of John, “[He] was the smartest, most interesting person I ever met, and the most fun companion.” In addition to Toni, John is survived by a son, “JC” Bloomberg, and a brother, Ed Bloomberg.—Bob Shoenberg ’57
L. Donald Goldblum ’57
The warm words from fond classmates of Don Goldblum have been appropriately profuse since his passing on April 13—his 82nd birthday.
During our formative years, when we swiftly coalesced into the exceptionally tight and spirited class of 1957, Don immediately won respect as a congenial and accomplished leader.
Be it history, athletics or any number of campus activities, Don dug in with gusto and humor. A natural choice of his beloved “band of brothers” in DKE to be its president, he made close and lasting ties that extended well beyond fraternity brothers. Ted Kambour ’57 described his own fondness for Don: it was “a friendship formed in the fall of 1953 and, despite the separation by distance, a friendship that became stronger over the years—a truly wonderful man!”
Don was the quintessential family man. He enjoyed the company of his parents; learned the ropes of his father’s businesses; and went on to marry his high school sweetheart, Terry, who brought unbridled joy to so many classmates at our reunions until her death in 2013. Son Paul and daughter Wendy were sources of great pride. Paul nurtured and expanded the family printing concern in St. Louis, Ultra-Color Corp., with Don, who remained until his death.
St. Louis knew Don for his service to the community. He served with distinction for two terms as president of Temple Emanuel and was a longtime member of its board of trustees.
His was a marvelous tale of family, friendships and zest for life. Throughout all, said son Paul, “one of his most treasured memories was reconnecting with his Amherst brothers. I’m so glad for all of you. … I can’t tell you how many stories, not just from school, but from your reunion moments” with [Don and Terry], “how much they both enjoyed you all.”—Bob Asher’57
Lawrence M. Lansinger ’58
The Grande Cru Classe and I have lost not only a classmate, but a loyal and loving friend. On March 8, 2017, Larry died after a long neurological illness.
Larry grew up in Akron, Ohio, and entered Amherst from University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He earned his M.B.A. at Case Western Reserve University and had a successful career in finance with Central National Bank in Cleveland and Textron and the Rhode Island treasurer’s office in Providence.
Known for his wry sense of humor, in his contribution to the class’s 50th reunion book, he reflected on the challenges of his major, biology: “To complicate matters, in 1955, I met Ginger Evans, Mount Holyoke ’59, thus disrupting my focus on the chemical structure of cells.”
He and Ginger were married for 57 years. They were proud that their children, daughter Robin ’84 and son David ’85, were accepted at Amherst. Shortly after David’s tragic death in June 1981, Larry wrote to his classmates of his belief in God, calling David’s death “the decisive factor in my search for Him.” Larry was an active leader in the Barrington (R.I.) Presbyterian Church for the rest of his life.
Larry loved all sports. At University School, he was named to the weekly “Dream Team” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer in recognition of his prowess on the football team. He played football for four years at Amherst. His classmates elected Larry chair of its 25th reunion.
At Amherst, Larry was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. A stalwart member of his church choir, Larry loved to sing and was a fixture of the class of ’58 reunion chorus.
Friends, let’s lift our cups to this man’s kindness and grace. Let’s sing for Larry. He would have loved that. —John Pendleton ’58
Walter B. McDaniel ’59
Walt McDaniel left us on April 10. Dave Thombs ’59 grew up next door and attended Friends with Walt—then competed on the gridiron when Dave attended St Andrews. Dave and Walt occupied the iconic den in the basement of the Beta House at Amherst, site of many fascinating and happy memories—even some exciting games of chance.
Walt was one of the smartest guys in our class. A genius at solving problems involving numbers, he hazarded the notch to take Cryptanalysis at Mount Holyoke to single handedly solve the World War II German Code that defeated Nazi U-boats.
Walt introduced us to rock and roll. (I’d love that stack of 45s!) Dave recalled, “We’re crossing George Washington Bridge and hear Alan Freed is at Harlem Apollo Theater. He diverts straight to it, gets his motorcycle boots out of the trunk, turns his coat inside out—collar up—and went in. ‘Dave, sit over there with those khakis and preppy sweaters.’ We survived after hearing Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard and other greats of that era.”
He started at Thomas Jefferson Med School but switched careers, receiving his M.B.A. from Wharton. After a successful finance career at Butcher & Singer, he traded antiques. I found him sitting in the back of his little Metro Antique Shop in Philly, looking right out of a novel—dragging on a cigarette, his red hair in a ponytail! The 2013 Backgammon Champion at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, his mind never stopped.
Although a class act, we remember him as our model for not taking oneself too seriously. He rests in peace beside his uncle, the former governor of Delaware.
A dedicated single father, Walt is survived by Walter Keith, Jeffrey Bacon, Jonathan Chambers and Christopher Conner McDaniel, and granddaughter Camilla McDaniel. —John Liebert ’59
Frank V. Best Jr. ’63
Frank Best passed away at his home on Cape Cod on July 7, 2016. A quietly energetic and decisive person despite his lifelong battle with asthma, Frank grew, developed and reinvented himself throughout a productive lifetime.
Amherst was a challenge for this Weston (Mass.) High School graduate. Frank chose to major in history, struggling as many did with freshman physics, but became “immersed in critical thinking” and usefully explored “various styles and techniques of writing and self-expression,” as he was later to describe his college education. He became fluent in French. He joined Phi Delt, worked on the Olio, made close friends and found a passion for poker games.
Fundamentally an artist, Frank earned a B.F.A. at Rhode Island School of Design in 1966, concentrating in graphic design, typography and especially photography. He worked in the photographic and creative arts in New York City before returning to academe for his M.B.A. at Babson in 1975. He wedded Roberta “Bobbi” Kinnear, but their marriage ended in divorce after 29 years.
He became “launched into the world of commercial software” after Babson, spending the next quarter century in the demanding and fast-paced but stimulating high-tech world of Route 128 encircling Boston.
Loving the sea and worn down by the ultracompetitive high-tech rat race, Frank moved to the Cape and combined his fascinations with boating and photography into a new field of work, becoming a marine landscape photographer. He loved developing this into a small business, and many found him a distinctive image maker.
At our 50th reunion, he emphasized to me how much he enjoyed the creativity, challenge and independence he experienced in his bold endeavor, taking his camera to sea. Frank was a loyal and strong fan of the Red Sox and the Patriots. His jolliness and his shrewd perceptiveness will be sorely missed. —Wythe Holt ’63
David Rimmer ’71
Dave was the kind of guy you’d actually like your kid sister to go out with. And to marry. Sweet, kind, gentle, funny. Considerate, attentive and fair. Truly humble. Much too warm to play cool. A reliably great and generous conversationalist. A perfect companion for a walk in the park. The guy you’d be happy to let choose the next 10 tunes on the turntable.
During our four years at Amherst, I was always delighted to have time with David. I was privileged to have that for nearly 40 more years as brothers-in-law. I’ll always see his big smile, feel his high five and hear his “Yo, bro!” that greeted me hundreds and hundreds of times. Still can’t believe there won’t be hundreds more.
David was a playwright best known for his Pulitzer Prize finalist play, Album, and for New York, a play about the aftermath of 9/11, first performed at an event to benefit volunteer psychiatrists. Since its publication by Samuel French, it has been performed around the country and the world. David was also an adjunct professor of English at CUNY/LaGuardia Community College. He died on April 15 at the age of 67. The cause was a hemorrhagic stroke.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen Sandhaus (Smith ’74); a brother, Peter; a sister, Ethel; a niece, Meredith Reese; a nephew, Nicholas; and a beloved grandniece, Scout Marie Reese. —Dick Sandhaus ’71
William A. Lameyer ’84
Will had a passion for squash. He started at Exeter, carried on at Amherst and continued in Tokyo, where he ran me round the court at the American Club. Back in the United States, Will resumed play at Exeter. “I hated going to the gym,” Will told me, “but my competitive side can go on and on within the confines of a court.” And so it did—until on March 5, 2017, Will suffered a fatal heart attack after a Sunday morning match.
At Amherst, Will was the calm at the center of the storm. On move-in day, Bruce Springsteen thundered from the windows of his Pratt dorm room, but that was not Will’s choosing. We often heard him quietly strumming his guitar in the adjacent stairwell, tones languidly floating down the halls and drifting into our rooms. Not one for the limelight, he preferred a supporting role. He listened, remembered and encouraged. He made us laugh—and feel good about friendship and life.
“Will was at his most wonderful when sharing thoughts with just one or two good friends,” Tom Dubin ’84 writes. “He was eager for real personal connection and fully present in those conversations”—often over late-night backgammon at Chi Phi with Jorma Kaukonen playing and periodic trips to the basement tap.
Will’s banking career took him from New York to Tokyo and London. But home beckoned, and he and wife Michiyo, son Daniel and daughter Jenny settled in Exeter, N.H. Will slipped over to Amherst for reunions, where he made a strong first impression on my wife, Mari: “Will was so aware and appreciative of others.” Will also pursued his passion for wine, bottling at harvest time and lecturing at Jewell Towne Vineyards near Exeter. Will “was a wine expert,” the owner writes, “and a brilliant, funny, caring, wonderful friend.” —Ted Holden ’84
Aaron Stevenson Gordon ’85
Aaron Gordon died suddenly on May 20, 2017, in Dallas.
Aaron arrived at Amherst in from Newport Beach, Calif., wearing shorts and flip flops, with a contagious smile and a keen interest in history, literature and culture. As that Indian summer turned into Pioneer Valley fall, Aaron realized that in order to keep his feet warm he would have to actually wear socks.
We all quickly became endeared to his easygoing genuine personality, unwavering integrity and honest friendship. Without doubt he was the most mature freshman on Stearns first floor—admittedly a low bar to chin—but Aaron seemed to know where he was headed in a way that took the rest of us years to figure out. Whether debating issues with him in class, throwing a Frisbee on the Quad, devouring pizza on a late-night study break or enjoying an evening out, Aaron made you feel like the center of his attention. He was an avid reader; it is hard to remember him without a book in his hand. Aaron was a member of Chi Psi, a double major in French and history; he spent his junior year in Paris, where he met his eventual wife, Laura ’85.
Aaron’s belief in equality and social justice had a strong influence on his career. His first job was in the Manhattan district attorney’s office, and he later directed the patient access department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
He is survived by Laura; their two sons, Henry, 22 and Ben, 15; his parents, Marilyn Gordon and Martin Flink; a sister, Jenny Gordon Schweich; her husband, Stephen Schweich ’81; and his niece and nephews.
We will always remember Aaron as an idealist who brought out the best in others. We will miss him dearly. —David Walker ’85, Mark Johnson ’85, Andy Rosenberg ’85, Julian Wells ’85 and Taylor Wilson ’85
Professor Roger Sale
Roger Sale, an Amherst English professor from 1957 to 1962, died on May 11. A writer with many enthusiasms, he wrote the definitive history Seattle Past to Present, distinguished books of literary criticism (Fairy Tales and After: From Snow White to E. B. White, and On Not Being Good Enough: Writings of a Working Critic) and articles in the New York Review of Books, The Hudson Review and about the pro basketball Seattle Supersonics.
Sale was a great teacher—charismatic, engaging, irreverent, provoking but not intimidating. He wrote, “Good teaching is the beginning of an act, and it takes a willing student to complete it.” Sale stimulated students to want to complete it—to think about what really matters in life.
Sale taught my English 1 class. We wrote three papers a week; I dashed off pious platitudes, to Sale’s dismissiveness, until I wrote an honest paper. His written comment: “You are getting yourself out in the open, sir, where I can get at you—Good.”
As he did with me, Sale provoked serious thinking in many students, and had a huge impact on their lives. A teenager he taught in Upward Bound wrote, “He engaged us in discussion that led to an understanding of our true selves.”
Sale was generous and empathetic when students sought his advice. He never gave me a sense that I was interrupting him or he was putting up with me.
After Amherst, he taught at the University of Washington for decades. We reconnected in 1987. He had a full beard and a booming laugh, and he exuded energy, remaining vital. We became and remained friends.
In retirement, Sale explored new adventures, teaching literature in a prison and writing the blog Roger’s Ale. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; and two children, Timothy and Margaret. —Denis Clifford ’61