Faculty and Staff
Elliot W. Eisner, of Stanford, January 10, at 80, of complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate in education from the U. of Chicago and trained as a painter at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After serving as an assistant professor at the U. of Chicago, he joined the Stanford faculty in 1965. He taught in the Graduate School of Education as well as the art department and was an outspoken advocate for the arts at a time when programs were threatened by budget cuts. He wrote 17 books, loved good food and spirited debate and was a man of great vitality. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Ellie; children, Linda Eislund and Steve; and three grandsons.
John J. “Jack” Miller III, of Woodside, December 11, at 79. After completing a residency in pediatrics at UCSF, he went to Australia as a National Institutes of Health predoctoral fellow to pursue a PhD in immunology at the U. of Melbourne. He returned to California to fulfill military duties at the National Radiological Defense Laboratory at Hunter’s Point and began a 35-year career at what was then Stanford Children’s Hospital (now Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital) and the School of Medicine. In 1967 he established the Northern California Center for Children with Arthritis and Related Diseases at the hospital. An avid outdoorsman who enjoyed duck hunting and fly-fishing, he was also a devoted theatergoer and world traveler. Survivors: his sons, John, Daniel, Andrew and Erich; former wife, Anne; longtime partner, Mayo Marsh; three grandchildren; and two siblings.
1930s
Ann Bradford Wheeler Jones McNealy, ’30 (French), of San Rafael, Calif., October 18, at 104. She was descended from William Bradford, who came to America on the Mayflower and served as the first governor of the Plymouth Plantation, and Charles Fargo, a founder of the Wells Fargo Bank as well as the American Express Co. She served on the women’s board of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and she did watercolor paintings and needlepoint. She was predeceased by her first husband, Forrest Jones, and her second husband, Dean McNealy, ’28. Survivors: her daughters, Gail Jones McNealy Greene, ’58, and Jane Fargo McNealy; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Ralph Arthur Qualls, ’37 (general engineering), of Palo Alto, August 31, at 97. He was a member of Stanford’s winning Rose Bowl football team in 1936 and graduated from the ROTC program as a second lieutenant. He served in World War II and retired from the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. After a 30-year career as a civil engineer with the California Division of Highways (now Caltrans), he retired as head of the State Highway Equipment Department. He then devoted his time to many organizations, including the Sons in Retirement, and was an active member of the Palo Alto Lawn Bowling league. He was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret (Davis, ’39). Survivors: his wife, Lois; children, Ralph Jr., David and Elizabeth Qualls Verras; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Virginia Mae “Ginny” Sharpe Brown, ’38 (English), of Woodland Hills, Calif., January 20, at 97. She and her husband worked at the Actor’s Laboratory in Hollywood until the blacklist prompted them to move to London, where she enjoyed a career as a painter. She also custom-made shoes of her own design professionally and later became a jeweler. They lived on a houseboat on the Thames, giving rise to her memoir, Swans at My Window. She was predeceased by her husband, Phil, ’37, and son Jed. Survivors: her son, Kevin; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Helen Lois Sheafe Dufficy, ’38 (English), of Greenbrae, Calif., August 3, at 96. Her main passion in life was her family, and she devoted her time to raising them as chauffeur, den mother, teacher and confidante. She was a founding member of Sunny Hills Junior Auxiliary and enjoyed painting, creative writing and studying Spanish. She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Rafael. Survivors: her children, Daniel, Rafael III, Kathleen, Robert and Meg; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Janet Dudley Dole Tuffli, ’38 (speech & drama), of Paradise, Calif., December 22, at 97. She had a long professional association with Stanford, serving as a secretary in the department of anthropology and later as administrative assistant to the president of the University. In later years, Janet served as a docent at the San Francisco Zoo, where she had petting privileges with two tigers, helped raise four orangutans and had a special relationship with a great-horned owl and a screech owl. Her love of animals continued after moving to Paradise, where she served on the animal shelter board. She was predeceased by her husband, Charles. Survivors: her children, Charles, Jill Tuffli Smith and Heidi Tuffli Heiman; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Enid Vestal Williams, ’39 (French), of Nantucket, Mass., and Blue Hill, Maine, October 5, at 95. After Stanford she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and earned a degree in library science from the Pratt Institute in New York. She joined the Navy in 1942 following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and became an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Her many interests included dancing, interior design and tennis, and she loved the beach and island life. She was predeceased by her husband, Eric. Survivors: her children, Marguerite, Eric and Peter; one granddaughter; and one great-grandson.
1940s
Ward Lawrence Hart, ’41 (biological sciences), of Menlo Park, November 30, at 93. He served in World War II and the Korean War. He practiced internal medicine in San Carlos, Calif., from 1950 to 1985. He was president of the San Mateo Medical Society, chief of staff at Sequoia Hospital and associate clinical professor at Stanford. His passion was golf and he had scorecards from the 705 courses he played around the world. Survivors: his wife of 68 years, Frances; children, Sheron, Steven, Candace and Brad; and seven grandchildren.
Edward Charles Mayer Jr., ’41 (biological sciences), MD ’44, of Fremont, Calif., November 14, at 93. He served in the Army Medical Corp during World War II and began practicing anesthesiology at Stanford Hospital in San Francisco. After moving to Fremont in 1959, he helped open Washington Township Hospital, where he practiced until retiring in 1986. An avid sportsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing golf. Survivors: his wife of 65 years, Alberta “Peppy”; daughters, Kathleen Weiss, Jolie Mayer-Smith, ’72, MA ’72, and Candace Hallquist; and one grandson.
Joseph D. “Jim” Wilson, ’41 (basic medical sciences), MD ’44, of Bellingham, Wash., November 10, at 93. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and served as a flight surgeon in World War II. He spent four years as a fellow in surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and had a private surgery practice in Stockton, Calif., from 1952 until 1980. He then served as associate director of surgery and medical director at San Joaquin General Hospital through 1993. He had a reverence for the earth, sea and sky, simple pleasures and nature’s beauty. Survivors: his wife of 66 years, Sally; children, Rhys, Sara Gardner, Janet EuBanks and Margot; and five grandchildren.
Frank J. Boutin, ’42 (biological sciences), MD ’46, of Sacramento, November 9, at 93. As a captain in the Army, he served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before returning to the Bay Area as chief resident at Stanford Hospital and San Francisco General Hospital. After moving to Sacramento in 1961, he practiced orthopedics until his retirement in 1990. He was on staff at Stanford Medical School and was clinical associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UC-Davis Medical School. He held numerous other positions, including chair of the department of surgery at Mercy General Hospital, and he served his community through his long involvement with the Sacramento Rotary Club. Survivors: his wife of 69 years, Charlotte “Tink” Downey, ’44; children, Sue Boutin Atkinson, ’67, Steve, Peter, ’72, Don, ’76, Frank Jr., ’77, MS ’83, and Robert, ’85, MS ’86; 15 grandchildren, including Jennifer,’01; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters.
Reba Athey Smith Green, ’42 (psychology), of Santa Barbara, Calif., December 15, at 92. She was a founding member of the Junior League of Bakersfield in the 1950s and the Town and Country Garden Club in Bakersfield in the 1970s. She played golf into her early 80s and had a lifelong love of gardening and entertaining. She was predeceased by her husband, Fred, MA ’42. Survivors: her children, Ann Green Troppmann, ’72, and Fred; three grandchildren, including Amy Troppmann, ’98; and two great-grandchildren.
Darwin G. Shebelut, ’42 (general engineering), of Madera, Calif., December 16, at 93. He was a member of Theta Xi and competed as a middleweight boxer. During World War II he served in France and Germany for four years. A native Maderan, he built a car dealership, a housing development and two shopping centers and helped build Madera Community Hospital. Among his many civic activities, he served on the Madera City Council and was a director for the Madera Chamber of Commerce. Survivors: his wife, Wilma; children, Nancy Schiffer and Richard; and four grandchildren.
Milo S. “Ned” Gates, ’44 (general engineering), MBA ’48, of Woodside, December 1, at 90. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in World War II. As president and chair of Swinerton Inc., he guided the construction of dozens of large-scale, landmark buildings in San Francisco, Los Angeles and throughout the United States. He was an avid yachtsman, loved fly-fishing and was a longtime member of the Bohemian Club and the Pacific Union Club, where he served as president. He was predeceased by his first wife, Anne. Survivors: his wife, Robin; children, Elena Gates Motlow, Susan Gates Suman, Virginia Lewis, Anne Symington and Milo; stepchildren, Bob Quist, Cathy Brisbin and Sarah Dolbey; and 25 grandchildren.
Emily Louise Howard Haffner, ’44 (English), of Salt Lake City, December 17, at 91. She met and married her lifelong sweetheart, Robert, ’44, MS ’49, at Stanford, and his mining career took them to many places including Idaho, Washington State and Canada’s Yukon Territory. Love of Stanford, reading and writing were threads throughout her life. She served as class correspondent for Stanford magazine for six decades and received a 15-year service pin from Stanford Associates. She and her husband moved to Salt Lake City in 1980, and she became an enthusiastic supporter of the Assistance League. With her droll sense of humor, quick wit and generous heart, she made a difference in many lives in the many places she lived. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Bob. Survivors: her children, Kinsey, ’70, JD ’74, and Nancy, ’71; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Patricia Adelaide Marquand Bryan Roush, ’44, of Klamath Falls, Ore., December 20, 2012, at 89, of congestive heart failure. She moved to Oregon in 1968, where she owned Melita’s Café and Motel for many years. After selling the business to her daughter, she held various jobs, the last of which was serving as the secretary and transcriber at the Klamath County Sheriff’s Department for 12 years. She was fluent in Spanish and very active in her Presbyterian church. She was predeceased by her first husband, Frank Bryan, and one great-grandson. Survivors: her children, Shepherd Bryan, Pamela Schrick and Christine Freid; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and her former husband John Roush.
Virginia Mae Hartwick Reynolds, ’45 (economics), of Belmont, Calif., November 3, at 89. A skilled technical writer, she worked for companies that were the start of the “silicon revolution,” including Stanford Research Institute, Lockheed Aircraft and Hewlett-Packard. She enjoyed music and was an avid skier. In 1961 she and her son embarked on a yearlong trip around the world. Survivors include her son, Geoffrey.
Nona F. Oppenheimer Kaufmann, ’46 (nursing), of Mill Valley, Calif., December 6, at 90. Her 45-year career as a nurse ranged from general practice to psychiatric nursing and preschool vision screening. An advocate for social justice and world peace, she was dedicated to improving mental health services and supporting antiwar activities. She was a spirited optimist and gutsy activist who lived her convictions with generosity and compassion. Survivors: her children, Donald, Peter and Janice; and two grandchildren.
Walter H. Pendergrass, ’46 (economics), JD ’50, of Portland, Ore., December 26, at 88. He was a member of El Campo and served in World War II. He joined the firm founded by his father, Pendergrass, Spackman and Bullivant, and was later managing partner as it grew into one of Portland’s preeminent law firms. He loved to backpack in the Cascades and fly-fish Oregon’s rivers. He chaired the Stanford Club of Oregon in the late ’60s and received a five-year service pin from Stanford Associates. He was predeceased by his stepdaughter Elizabeth Tobler. Survivors: his wife, Jeanne (Labadie, ’55); children, Anne Pendergrass Hill, Jim, ’73, and Jane; stepchildren, Douglas Lowell, Jennifer Gallup and John Lowell; four grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and one sister, Joanne Pendergrass “Pennie” Needham, ’54.
Roderick MacLeod, ’47, MS ’49, PhD ’53 (chemistry), of Lawndale, Calif., April 11, 2013, at 93, of congestive heart failure. He served in World War II. Following a fellowship at Reed College in Oregon, he joined the faculty of Loyola U. of Los Angeles (now Loyola Marymount U.), where he taught chemistry for nearly 30 years. He was faculty sponsor of the university’s sail club and regularly joined expeditions on USC’s oceanographic research vessel. In retirement he enjoyed sailing off the coast of Southern California and traveling. He was predeceased by his former wife, Elizabeth. Survivors: his children, Alan, Lorna, ’79, Helen MacLeod Forcey; and two grandchildren.
Marilyn Smith Gamble, ’48 (humanities), of Monterey, Calif., December 22, at 87. She loved cooking and entertaining, and her home was always open to nourish her many friends and family. She was the first woman to serve as a director of the Minnetonka Yacht Club, and she was active in the Minneapolis Symphony and the garden club. Survivors: her children, Kim, Don III and Larry; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
John Myers Hubbard Jr., ’48 (communication), of San Carlos, Calif., December 1, at 90. He served in World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart. He worked as a reporter, staff writer and editor of Peninsula Newspapers, which included the Burlingame Advance Star, the Palo Alto Times and the Redwood City Tribune. He received a national award for column writing and an outstanding contribution to journalism citation from the California Legislature for a series he wrote on immigrant farm workers. The culmination of his 45-year career was serving as business editor and then city editor for the San Mateo Times, from which he retired in 1992. His many interests ranged from movies and baseball to politics, comedy and jazz. Survivors: his children, Janet Hubbard Sonne, Susan Hubbard Stockman, Julian and Arthur; and four grandchildren.
Natalie Ruth Stevenson Rittenhouse, ’48 (psychology), of Las Vegas, January 22, at 87, of cancer. She was president of Service League, which later became Junior League, in Las Vegas. She was also president of Clark County Attorneys’ Wives and the Assistance League of Las Vegas. For 19 years she served on the bylaws committee of the National Assistance League, and she was a docent at the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society. She was predeceased by her husband, Franklin “Pete,” JD ’51. Survivors: her daughter, Allison Rittenhouse Hayward, ’85; two grandchildren; and one sister.
Charles William Young, ’48, MS ’51 (civil engineering), of Fair Oaks, Calif., September 13, at 89, of lymphoma. He was a member of Kappa Alpha and served in the Marines. He had a rewarding and distinguished career as project manager of many highway construction projects throughout Northern California and Hawaii. He had a passion for spirituality and knowledge and compassion for others. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Ruth. Survivors: his companion, Eva Lachenmayr; children, Ann Beede, Cheryl Vivas and Bill; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Diane Marion Axelrad Burrows, ’49 (English), of Newport, R.I., December 21, at 85. She studied merchandising in New York City and became the wedding planner at Marshall Field’s Department Store in Chicago. She later earned a master’s degree from Hollins College and a certificate of education from Oxford U. She was the first white teacher at Monroe Elementary School in Virginia, and she went on to teach in Massachusetts and New York as well. She was also a published poet and very active in the theater community, acting in and directing numerous amateur stage productions. Survivors: her husband of 61 years, Reynold; and sons, Adam and Tristram.
Norman Edward Swanson, ’49 (psychology), of Arvada, Colo., October 18, at 87. He retired from Namco Controls, a division of ACME Cleveland, where he was president. He was a Navy veteran and attended Christ the King Church in Arvada. Survivors: his wife of 62 years, Ray; children, Charles, Christina and Ray; and seven grandchildren.
1950s
Nancy Anne Keeney Forster, ’50 (history), of Belvedere, Calif., November 13, at 85. She and her diplomat husband lived in the Philippines, Japan, Burma, Israel and Palestine. She taught in international schools and became involved with the fledgling International Baccalaureate program. A first-time author at 80, she wrote three books, including Encounters: A Lifetime Spent Crossing Cultural Frontiers. After settling in Marin County, she was among the founders of Marin Village, a volunteer service for home-based seniors. She was predeceased by her husband, Cliff, ’49. Survivors: her children, Thomas, Cindy and Douglas; five grandchildren; and one brother.
Gene Lester LaHusen, ’50 (economics), of Vancouver, Wash., December 12, at 84. A member of Alpha Sigma Phi and the Band, he spent his career in property-casualty insurance in Southern California. He enjoyed sailing and scuba diving and was an active volunteer. Survivors: his wife, Mary (Meyer, ’52); children, Elizabeth, Richard and John; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Carl Henry Marcoux, ’50 (sociology), of Newport Beach, Calif., November 20, at 86. He worked for Transamerica Insurance Co., retiring in 1985 as the executive vice president. A World War II veteran, he published two novels based on his years in the Merchant Marine. He also wrote for World War II magazine and other publications. He was a great believer in education and a huge fan of Stanford football. Survivors: his wife of 46 years, Ana Virginia; sons, Eric and Grant; and two siblings.
Frederick Karl “Fred” Steiner Jr., ’50 (undergraduate law), JD ’52, of Westlake Village, Calif., December 27, at 86. He served in the Air Force during World War II. He spent his career at Snell and Wilmer, semiretiring in 1995 to work in private practice, serve as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and help many organizations on a pro bono basis. He was an avid jogger, tennis player, poet and volunteer. A strong advocate for children, he served on the board of Aid to Adoption of Special Kids and was a founding board member of Crisis Nursery. He was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Jacqueline (Yelland, ’51, MA ’52). Survivors: his children, Rick, Kathi Koenig and Ann Green; and six grandchildren.
James Hughes Cannon, ’51 (mechanical engineering), of Westwood, Mass., November 28, at 86. A World War II veteran, he joined the family company, Cannon Electric, and became the general manager of the plant in Salem, Mass. After the company was sold to ITT in 1963, he founded the Cannon Guild, a harpsichord manufacturer based in Cambridge, Mass. He was an avid court tennis player and competitive sailor, and he received a 10-year service pin from Stanford Associates. Survivors: his wife, Alison; children, Peter, ’73, Jane and Catherine; four stepchildren; three grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; and one sister.
Joan Helen Richert Thomson, ’51 (biological sciences), of Bakersfield, Calif., November 27, at 84. She worked for Shell Oil in Oklahoma City before marrying and moving to Bakersfield, where she became a teacher. She taught for 30 years. She loved saving animals and collecting dolls and antique toys. She was also a talented artist and she designed, built and landscaped several homes, beginning with her first in Santa Barbara, Calif. She was predeceased by her husband, John, and son Bruce. Survivors: her children, Andrew, Helenmary Turner and Hugh; and seven grandchildren.
Mary Genshlea Boothby, ’52 (history), of Sacramento, January 10, at 83. She taught at Peter Lassen Junior High before marrying and returned to teaching English as a Second Language at Fremont Adult School once her children were grown. She enjoyed travel, especially extended trips to Europe and Australia, and was considered the rock of her family. A past president of the Junior League of Sacramento, she was always an engaged citizen of her community. She was predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Albert. Survivors: her children, Lisa Zook, Carol Arnold, Peter, Ellen Wong, Annie Desalernos and Stephen; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and two siblings.
Roger Marsh Wagner, ’52 (biological sciences), of Redwood City, January 4, at 83, of multi-system failure. He began his medical education and career at the U. of Pennsylvania, completing his internship at Geisinger Memorial Hospital in Danville, Pa. After serving in the Navy as a general practitioner in the late 1950s, he finished a residency in internal medicine at Stanford Hospital. He practiced for 50 years on the mid-Peninsula, dedicating his life to patient care. Survivors: his three children, Rad, ’77, Kerry Wagner Weisser, ’78, and Megan, ’82; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Robert R. Denning, ’53 (political science), MBA ’55, of Grand Junction, Colo., November 27, at 82. He served in the Army from 1955 to 1957, when he joined the lumber company started by his father and a partner. He nurtured the company for 40 years and served on the board of Ace Hardware Corp. He played in orchestras for more than 50 years, starting in high school and continuing at Stanford. He was a board member of the Grand Junction Symphony Foundation and a founding trustee of Western Colorado Community Foundation. Survivors include his wife, Kate.
Douglas Meier Heller, ’53 (economics), MBA ’57, of Atherton, November 26, at 82, after a short battle with cancer. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He worked as an insurance broker, served on many boards and was an avid supporter of the Jewish community in San Francisco, on the Peninsula and in Israel. He was president of the Jewish Welfare Federation, the Jewish Home of San Francisco and the Menlo Circus Club. He enjoyed tennis and running and was a big fan of the San Francisco 49ers and Giants. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Mary; children, Steven, Sue Fenley and Scott; five grandchildren; and one brother, Robert, ’47.
Peter Edward Sylvester Jr., ’53 (economics), MBA ’55, of Palo Alto, November 22, at 81. A member of Alpha Sigma Phi, he worked for Macy’s until 1962, when he returned to Stanford to work in the development office in the Pace Program. He spent more than 30 years in the development office, culminating in his heading the large gifts program. Survivors include his sister and brother.
Margaret L. “Maggie” Kollmer Warfield, ’53 (nursing), of Bonita Springs, Fla., January 1, at 82. She worked for a number of hospitals as an operating room nurse, and she raised thoroughbred horses in the 1970s and early ’80s. A member of the Bonita Bay Club, she enjoyed playing golf and bridge. Survivors: her husband, John; children, Katie Schroeder, James and John; and 10 grandchildren.
Ronald Cecil “Ron” Wilson, ’53 (economics), of Portola Valley, November 17, at 83. A member of Phi Gamma Delta, he served in the Army during the Korean War. He worked as the general manager of Town & Country Village shopping center in Palo Alto until retiring in 2005. Survivors: his wife of 59 years, Susan (Williams, ’54); children, Rick, Wayne, Bruce and Julie; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister.
Donald Lee Sanders, ’55 (geography), of Modesto, Calif., December 18, at 80. At Stanford he played football and belonged to Sigma Chi. He was a well-respected real estate broker for 50 years. He was predeceased by his wife, Lelia. Survivors: his children, Jennifer Haglund and Jeff; two grandsons; three great-grandchildren; and two siblings.
David Mann Brant, ’56 (geology), of Kila, Mont., November 19, at 79. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and the Naval ROTC, serving as a lieutenant with Demolition Team Eleven (the forerunner to the Navy Seals). He pursued careers in geology and selling securities before moving to Ashley Creek Ranch in Kila. He loved to hunt and fly-fish all over the world, especially in San Martin de los Andes in Argentina, where he spent many winters. Survivors: his children, Rebecca, Kathleen, ’91, and Pike; three grandchildren; and one sister, Marilyn Brant DeYoung, ’53.
Glenn West Jr., ’56 (undergraduate law), JD ’58, of Glenhaven, Calif., November 29, at 79. He was a senior attorney for Pacific Gas and Electric until his retirement in 2001. An active member of the Democratic Party, he served as the campaign treasurer for the late congressman Leo Ryan in the 1970s. He also served on the San Carlos Traffic Commission for many years. He was predeceased by his first wife, Linda, and son Peter. Survivors: his wife, Vicky; children, Melanie West Fuller, Glenn III and Christopher; and five grandchildren.
John Christian “Chris” Andreason Jr., ’57 (law), JD ’58, of Plymouth, Calif., September 9, at 88. He served in the Army and then joined Aerojet General. After 30 years he retired as head of the legal department. Survivors include his “partner in crime,” Elliott Christian.
Robert Dewitt “Bob” Jones, ’57 (economics), of Vancouver, Wash., December 16, at 79, of cancer. He served as a sergeant in the Army. His career was spent at Boise Cascade. He enjoyed gardening and spending time every day with his young grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Alison. Survivors: his wife of 54 years, Margarete; son, Rob; two granddaughters; and one sister.
John A. Sturgeon, ’57 (history), JD ’62, of San Marino, Calif., December 12, at 77, of ALS. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi and the rugby team, and he played the tuba in the Band. A litigator with White & Case, he was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a founder of the 4,000-member Association of Business Trial Lawyers. His interests in art, food, wine and music resulted in his serving numerous community organizations. Survivors: his wife of 51 years, Mary Ann; children, James and Anne; and four grandchildren.
Bruce Dyke McAllister, ’58 (electrical engineering), MBA ’69, of Spokane Valley, Wash., January 19, at 77, of Parkinson’s disease. He served in the Air Force. His career included work in financial planning as well as real estate development. He loved flying his airplane, singing, hunting and skiing. Survivors: his wife, Caroline (Card, ’59); sons, Leathan and Connell Lund and Harley and Easton McAllister; and four grandsons.
Richard Frank Miller, ’59 (history), JD ’63, of Pasadena, Calif., January 16, at 76, of Parkinson’s disease. A member of Kappa Sigma and the Stanford Law Review, he practiced in Pasadena, Calif., for more than 45 years and became a certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. He loved his family, golf and 1933 Lincolns. His dry wit will be greatly missed. Survivors: his wife of 44 years, Suzi; and son, Sumner.
David Campbell Winckler, ’59, of Napa, Calif., August 21, at 76, of Alzheimer’s disease. After serving in the Marine Corps, he completed a business finance degree at USC. He worked in banking and commercial real estate and raced cars through the deserts of Baja. He had a passion for exploring Mexico and was at his happiest discovering new places and talking to new people. Survivors: his wife, Judy; sons, Chris, Robert, Steve and Jeff; and six grandchildren.
1960s
Philip A. Fialer, ’60, MS ’64, PhD ’70 (electrical engineering), of Palo Alto, December 27, at 75. At Stanford he was a deejay at KZSU and helped invent a computer matching dating service. He worked for Lockheed and SRI before co-founding Mirage Systems, known for its ground-penetrating radar designed to locate land mines. He was a true bon vivant who played the guitar, encouraged his children to ask questions and did the sound and lighting for his daughters’ school productions. Survivors: his wife, Sue; and daughters, Michele, Melissa and Shannon.
Mary Ann Campbell Owens, ’62 (history), of Terre Haute, Ind., September 22, at 72. She was a teacher for more than 20 years and volunteered her time in several charitable organizations, including Meals on Wheels and Parents Anonymous. She traveled extensively, and her interest in genealogy put her in touch with relatives in Germany, whom she visited regularly. She was a faithful, fiercely loyal friend who gave of herself and loved doing it. Survivors: her husband, Leonard; children, Theo Smith, ’90, Rebecca Muthig and Elizabeth Gallagher; and nine grandchildren.
John Wayne Pavlic, ’63 (industrial engineering), of Tacoma, Wash., December 13, at 72. He played football and was a member of Sigma Chi. He worked in sales for the Pacific Telephone Co., AT&T Information Systems and Pacific Bell. He was a great storyteller and will be remembered for his dry sense of humor and being a wonderful gift-giver. Survivors: his children, Shannon Fayne Joyce and John; four grandchildren; and one sister.
Peter Edward Romo Jr., ’63 (mathematics), JD ’66, of Walnut Creek, Calif., December 21, at 72, of complications from cancer. He served in the Air Force as a judge advocate general and then chief trial counsel for the western United States. He worked at Seyfarth Shaw in San Francisco, becoming a litigation partner at the firm. A passionate runner, he achieved a lifelong dream of running the N.Y.C Marathon in 1995. Survivors: his wife, Pamela; children, Angela Cozad, John Bennett and Peter III; four grandchildren; his mother, Ruby; and one sister.
Harrison Minge “Harry” Brown, ’66, MS ’71 (physics), of Palo Alto, November 14, at 67, after a long illness. He spent his career teaching and working in Silicon Valley. A lifelong Peninsula resident, he was happiest hiking trails in the Coast Range or solving advanced mathematical problems. He had several articles published in leading mathematics journals.
Roger James Magnuson, ’67 (economics), of Saint Paul, Minn., November 30, at 68, of melanoma. After earning his law degree at Harvard, he studied as a Knox Fellow at Oxford U. and joined Dorsey & Whitney in Minneapolis in 1973. During his 40-year career he tried many high-profile cases, including the Bush v. Gore election controversy. He wrote a three-volume treatise on shareholder litigation and was a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. He also founded the Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy, where he taught and served as dean. Survivors: his wife, Betsy; children, James, Peter, Kerstin, Sarah Van Sistine, Libby, Anna, Jed and Britta; one grandchild; and two sisters.
Peter Luttrell Pansing, ’67 (economics), of Culver City, Calif., September 1, at 67, of brain cancer. He was a member of Kappa Alpha and served in the Vietnam War. In the mid-1970s he worked in the Stanford Undergraduate Admissions Office before moving to Seattle and taking a job at Boeing as an aerospace engineer. Later he worked for Northrop and developed aeronautical guidance systems. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and local literacy programs, and he received a 10-year service pin from Stanford Associates. Survivors include his three sisters.
Kris David Esslinger, ’68 (statistics), of Las Vegas, October 25, at 67. He was a member of Zeta Psi. Survivors: his sons, Matthew, ’96, and Michael; three grandchildren; and two sisters.
Patrick John Morrison, ’69 (art), of Los Angeles, December 20, at 68, of cancer. He was born in Ireland and moved to London at age 11. When he was 18 he set the Commonwealth record in the 200-meter dash. He was a skilled portrait painter, and his work was often inspired by iconic images associated with Los Angeles, where he spent most of his life. Survivors: his wife, Carey; sons, Brendan and Liam; and one sister.
1970s
Irene Pardee Degl’Innocenti, ’74, MS ’75 (civil engineering), of Emerald Hills, Calif., December 13, at 61, following a 14-year battle with breast cancer. She was a member of the field-hockey team and the Axe Committee. She had a 38-year career with PG&E and was a lifelong Girl Scout, served as a troop leader and coordinated the Redwood City Fourth of July Parade. She took part in many lineage societies and played piccolo in the Band as an alumna. Survivors: her husband of 26 years, Robert; daughter, Sarah; father, Otway Pardee, PhD ’48; and two sisters.
Kim Allison Potter Kihlstrom, ’79, MS ’93 (electrical engineering), of Santa Barbara, Calif., December 12, at 56, following a long battle with cancer. She was a professor of computer science at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. In 2004 she won the Teacher of the Year award for the natural and behavioral sciences as well as the Faculty Research Award. Survivors: her husband, Ken, ’76, MS ’79, PhD ’82; children, Kathy, Karen and Kevin; mother, Virginia; and brother.
1990s
Damien Gabriel Crochet, ’97 (mechanical engineering), of Bellevue, Wash., November 20, at 39, of cardiac arrest. At Stanford he played football and was a member of the solar car team. He worked for 10 years as an engineer and project manager at General Motors, and for the past seven years he held senior management positions at the Boeing Co. He was a devoted father, lover of music, avid griller, walking encyclopedia and connoisseur of the finest things in life. Survivors: his wife, Anne; children, Arora and Jackson; parents, George and Suzan; and brother, Gerren, ’05, MA ’06.
Benjamin M. Taskar, ’98, MS ’00, PhD ’05 (computer science), of Philadelphia, November 17, at 36, of an apparent heart attack. He was a national expert in computational linguistics or speech recognition technology. After six years as a faculty member at the U. of Pennsylvania, he joined the faculty of the U. of Washington’s computer science and engineering department last year. Survivors: his wife, Anat Caspi; daughter, Aviv; parents, Mark and Tsilya; and sister.
Business
Alan C. Weirick, MBA ’59, of Claremont, Calif., December 22, at 84, after a four-year battle with cancer. He worked for the Kern County Land Co. before moving to Pasadena, where he established a real estate appraisal business. He became an expert in Southern California land appraisal and real estate appraisal ethics and worked with his father and brother to acquire and develop commercial and residential real estate throughout the region. He was an avid gardener and he instilled in his children and their families a lifelong love of the outdoors, adventure and travel. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Leilani; children, Greg, Carolyn, Brad and Brent; eight grandchildren; and three siblings.
Education
Robert Charles Doerr, MA ’49, of San Jose, December 5, at 99. After serving in counterintelligence in World War II, he taught at Willow Glen, Lincoln and San Jose high schools. In 1950 he was elected to the San Jose City Council and later served as the city’s mayor. He was predeceased by his wife, Jane. Survivors include his children, Susan Juhl and Robert.
John F. Kearney Jr., MA ’50, of Walnut Creek, Calif., October 31. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and a decorated infantry rifle platoon leader in Europe during World War II. He spent 36 years as a teacher and administrator in the San Francisco public schools and 14 years as a real property appraiser in the San Francisco Assessor’s Office. Survivors: his wife, Marian; children, Patricia Archer, Maureen Miller, Carolyn Branick and John III; 15 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Gordon Van Arsdale, Gr. ’55, of San Jose, in May 2013, after a brief illness. After serving in World War II, he became a professor at San Jose State in the industrial arts department and taught there for 40 years. He enjoyed fishing and hunting in the mountains, abalone diving and skiing near the family cabin. He led family and friends on hiking trips with packhorses into the High Sierra. Survivors: his wife of 68 years, Betty; and children, Barbara, Duncan, Anne and Allyson.
Ellis Reid French, MA ’62, PhD ’74, of Bellingham, Wash., August 13, at 80, of Alzheimer’s disease. He taught music at the high school and college level and always seemed to be working with a church choir. His great loves were music performance, music theory and statistics. Survivors: his wife, Marilyn; children, Connie, Kathy, Debra, Jeffrey and Mark; several grandchildren; and one brother.
Richard James Ryszewski, MA ’62, of Braidwood, Ill., January 3, at 82. He served in the Army before beginning his teacher career at Coal City High School. He then became a math professor at Prairie State College and retired after 35 years. He was a loving and generous uncle, and he supported and tutored many students. Survivors include his sister.
Sarah Tribble “Sally” Herriot, EdD ’67, of Palo Alto, September 24, at 95. In the 1940s she taught math to returning GIs. She then taught Wilbur Junior High School before co-founding the math departments at Cubberley and Gunn high schools. A national leader in high school math education, she served as president of Mu Alpha Theta, an honorary math club. She was devoted to her family and an avid skier. Survivors: her children, Robert, Jean Emans, James and John; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Richard Peter Mesa, MA ’67, of Woodside, January 2, at 84. He played baseball in the Pacific Coast League in the 1950s. He pitched for San Diego, Portland and Sacramento, in addition to playing professional winter ball in Mexico, Venezuela and Panama. Later he taught English and coached at Sunnyvale High and worked as a scout for the Mets. He held many leadership positions in education, including principal of San Jose High. He was predeceased by his son Tom. Survivors: his wife, Elida; children, Terrie, Christina and Tim; and four grandchildren.
Engineering
Robert Orville “Bob” Dame, MA ’46 (electrical engineering), of Kailua, Hawaii, May 14, 2013, at 92. He served in the Pacific during World War II as a civilian engineer. His career began at Bendix Corp., where he developed air-to-air missiles, and in 1960 he transferred to the Pacific Missile Range at Kanehoe Marine Base in Oahu, Hawaii. An avid runner and tennis player, he was president of the Kailua Racquet Club and the Hawaii Tennis Association. Survivors: his wife, Jacklyn (Hogan, MA ’48); children, Wendy, Peggy, Bart, Lauren, ’77, Libby, ’79, and Alison; and four grandchildren, including Alison Dame-Boyle, ’11, and Lea Eaton, ’14.
John Lewis Putz, MA ’47, PhD ’51 (electrical engineering), of Los Altos, November 12, at 93. He served as a communication officer for the Army in the Pacific during World War II. He worked at General Electric and then Varian Associates for 31 years. A specialist in microwave vacuum tubes, he attained the position of senior scientist and was awarded several patents. Throughout his life he shared his love of music with his family, teaching them the ukulele, banjo, mandolin and guitar. He was predeceased by his wife of 37 years, Mary Ann (Bardin, ’47). Survivors: his children, Christine Patton, Bradley, Sandy Lynn and Steven; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Leland Howard Jorgensen, MS ’49 (mechanical engineering), of Peachtree City, Ga., December 4, at 89. He worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the NASA-Ames Research Center at Moffett Field for more than 30 years. He was involved with the Apollo 11 moon-flight program and received the Apollo Achievement Award in 1969. He served the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was elected to the Saratoga California School board. He was predeceased by one grandson. Survivors: his wife, Lynne; children, Leland, Paul, Jonathan and Sara Anne Jorgensen Parker; and 11 grandchildren.
Stanley C. Fralick, MS ’57, PhD ’65 (electrical engineering), of Granite Bay, Calif., December 14, at 79, after a short illness. He served in the Air Force before starting his career at Sylvania Corp. He also worked at the Stanford Research Institute, where he was a project investigator for the government’s Advanced Research Projects Agency in the early ’70s. In the ’80s he patented the JPEG using video compression and put the first video teleconferencing system in the White House. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Nadine; children, Greg, Brad and Cathleen; four grandchildren; and three siblings.
Robert Burns Kalisch, MS ’57 (electrical engineering), of Sterling, Va., December 16, at 95. He was commissioned in the Air Force as a second lieutenant in 1951 and served until his retirement in 1975. He then worked at the American Gas Assoc., becoming the senior director of gas supply and statistics. He also served as editor in chief of the Gas Energy Review, a periodical he founded. After retiring from AGA in 1993, he created a series of reports on natural gas in storage in the United States. Survivors: his wife, Jane; and son, Mark.
Albert J. “Al” Blodgett Jr., MS ’63, PhD ’65 (electrical engineering), of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., January 9, at 74. He worked at IBM for 33 years until his retirement in 1993. He then pursued his lifelong interest in photography and spent time in Maine, where he liked to fish and go canoeing. Survivors: his wife, Susan; children, Katherine Gusmano and Julia; four grandchildren; and three brothers.
Maurice Lee “Maurie” Rasmussen, PhD ’64 (aeronautics and astronautics), of Norman, Okla., November 16, at 78, of Parkinson’s disease. After three years on the faculty at Stanford, he became a professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the U. of Oklahoma, where he spent his professional career. He wrote two books and numerous articles. He was named the David Ross Boyd Distinguished Professor in 1988 and was the first professor to receive the distinguished L.A. Comp Chair in 1994. Survivors: his wife, Barbara; sons, Eric and Matt; four grandchildren; and one brother.
Duane Westlee Reno, MS ’70 (applied mechanics), of Walnut Creek, Calif., January 5, at 71, after a long battle with cancer. He started his career as an aerospace engineer with Lockheed Martin, during which time he earned a law degree from Hastings College of Law. In 1982 he became a founding partner with Davis & Reno in San Francisco, where he practiced until his passing. He loved computers and high-performance cars. Survivors: his wife, Cathy; children, Jeremy and Bonnie; and two siblings.
Humanities and Sciences
Robert George Comegys, PhD ’58 (history), of Fresno, Calif., December 17, on his 100th birthday. He served in the Navy during World War II and taught for several years at Whitman College. He was proud to be a professor of U.S. history at Fresno State for 25 years and was voted Distinguished Professor by the students in 1968. Survivors: his wife of 72 years, Valerie; children, Ann Ballow, John and James; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one sister.
Carolyn Schorr French, PhD ’58 (English), of New York City, November 16, at 86. Her doctoral dissertation on King Lear was performed at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. She traveled all over the world; in the Shah’s Iran, she taught co-ed English classes. At 72 she became a literary agent at Fifi Oscard Agency in New York while she discovered and nurtured Margaret Edson’s play Wit towards a 1999 Pulitzer Prize and HBO movie. Survivors include her daughter, Gay French-Ottaviani.
Gordon C. Winston, MA ’61, PhD ’64 (economics), of Williamstown, Mass., December 3, at 84. He spent his academic career at Williams College, where he served as chair of the department of economics, provost of the college and director of the Williams Project on the Economics of Higher Education. He also served with the Ford Foundation in Karachi at the Pakistan Institute for Development Economics, advising the government on economic development policies and training Pakistani economists. His interests beyond academe included motorcycling, sailing and power boating, and most of all he cherished time spent with family. Survivors: his wife of 33 years, Mary; children and stepchildren, Victoria, Parker, Pamela, Tracy Chipman and Stephanie Lamb; eight grandchildren; and one sister.
George Allan Wertheim, PhD ’64 (psychology), of San Francisco, December 8, at 76, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He worked for the Mental Health Department of the City and County of San Francisco. An interest in computers that developed while doing research at Stanford led to his transferring to a position with the information technology department. He also formed his own computer company with a friend and they enjoyed much success. He had an intense love of learning, music, fly-fishing and the well-being of his community. Survivors: his wife, Linda; daughter, Val Langmuir; and one brother.
Stephen Moodey Ross, MA ’67, PhD ’72 (English), of Baltimore, August 21, at 69, of a stroke. He was an English professor at the U.S. Naval Academy before joining the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1987 as deputy director of fellowships. He headed the office of challenge grants from 1995 until retiring in January 2013. A Faulkner scholar, he and the late Noel Polk oversaw the 2012 publication of a version of The Sound and the Fury that was color-coded to help readers navigate the novel’s stream of consciousness narration and shifting chronology. Faulkner had imagined the possibility of colored ink to make the book clearer to readers but the technology was not yet available when the novel was first printed in 1929. Survivors: his wife of 37 years, Carol Kolmerten; children, Derica Ross Waller and Aidan; one stepdaughter, Laura McAfee; four grandchildren; and one brother.
Robert James Barker, MS ’72, PhD ’78 (applied physics), of Fairfax, Va., December 15, at 64. He was a fellow of the IEEE and the Air Force Laboratory. He retired from the Office of Scientific Research in 2010. Survivors: his wife, Fran; daughter, Angela; mother, Frieda; and one sister.
Law
Linda Bowser Sher, JM ’74, of Placerville, Calif., January 19, at 82. She was the wife of retired state senator Byron Sher, who represented the Peninsula and Silicon Valley for almost 25 years. Her husband also taught at Stanford Law School and served as chair of the faculty senate. In addition to her legal studies, she studied art and became an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor. A passionate supporter of international organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF, she also supported local groups including Save the Bay and Peninsula Open Space Trust. Survivors: her husband of 61 years, Byron; children, Adrienne, Benjamin and Katherine; five grandchildren; and one sister.
Medicine
Sidney “Zait” Raffel, MD ’43, of Stanford, December 27, at 102. He did extensive research in tuberculosis and as a pioneer immunologist made seminal contributions to the field of cellular immunology. Recognized as an academic leader by his Stanford peers, he served as chair of his department from 1953 until his retirement in 1976. During this period, he helped oversee the move of the Medical School from San Francisco to Stanford, and was acting dean of the Medical School from 1964-65. He received the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award for Lifetime Achievement and was inducted into the Society of Scholars at Johns Hopkins U. He was predeceased by his wife, Yvonne. Survivors: his daughters, Linda, Gail, Polly, Cynthia and Emily; 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
