Faculty and Staff
Ronald N. Bracewell, professor emeritus of electrical engineering and internationally renowned scholar in magnetic resonance imaging and radio astronomy, died at his campus home August 12. He was 86. A native Australian, he earned degrees in mathematics, physics and electrical engineering from the U. of Sydney, and a doctorate in physics from Cambridge U. He joined Stanford's faculty in 1955 and taught classes until 1991. He co-wrote the first text on radio astronomy in 1955, published more than 200 papers and authored chapters of dozens of books. His work infiltrated many fields over the years, leading to medical CAT scans and the imaging of objects by scanning them through radio and electromagnetic methods. The large radio telescope he constructed west of Stanford's main campus consisted of 32 dishes and produced solar maps that NASA used during the first manned landing on the moon. His imaging in astronomy led to his participation in computer-assisted X-ray tomography. He gave graduate-level lectures on imaging and wrote an important text on imaging in 1995. In retirement, he continued to meet with graduate students and, in 2005, the Stanford Historical Society debuted Trees of Stanford and Environs, his book cataloging the more than 350 species of trees on campus. Through the Stanford Alumni Association, he published The Galactic Club: Intelligent Life in Outer Space. Survivors: his wife of 54 years, Helen; one son, Mark; one daughter, Wendy; two grandchildren; and a brother.
Jay William Fliegelman, PhD '77 (English), of Menlo Park, August 14, at 58, of complications from liver disease and cancer. (See Farm Report obituary.) He was the Coe professor in American Literature and a leading figure in American studies. He earned his bachelor's degree from Wesleyan U. His primary interest was in American literary and cultural history from 1620 to 1860. He showed how almost any cultural artifact could speak to the most urgent and fascinating questions of American history. He wrote two books, Prodigals and Pilgrims: The American Revolution Against Patriarchal Authority, 1750-1800, and Declaring Independence: Jefferson, Natural Language and the Culture of Performance. During much of the past 20 years, he studied the degree to which objects satisfied emotional needs in the context of early America. He joined the faculty in 1977 and chaired the English department from 1994 to 1997. He received the Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Associated Students of Stanford University Award for Outstanding Teaching and a University Summer Fellowship in recognition of his teaching. Survivors: his wife, Christine Guth; and one sister.
1920s
Gerald M. Hay, '27 (economics), of Bakersfield, Calif., June 1, at 102. He was a member of Delta Chi fraternity and of the men's soccer team. He founded the Hay Insurance Company and went into work until he was 101, after which he worked from home. His wife, Viola, died in 1999, and a daughter, Joan Banker, died in 1965. Survivors: one son, Roger; one daughter, Laura McClintock; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
1930s
Gilbert Ewan, '35, MA '37 (chemistry), of Taft, Calif., June 25, at 98. He was a teacher in Weed, Calif., and MacArthur, Calif., before joining Kingsburg (Calif.) High School, where he taught for more than 30 years. He was active in church and community organizations, including helping to establish and serving as the first president of a senior citizen center. He was predeceased by his first wife, Marian, and his second wife, Theresa. Survivors: five daughters, Ann Coker, Jean Gatewood, Nancy Wilson, Linda Thomas and Judi Thompson; one son, Bill; 19 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren.
Colver “Cog” Richmond Briggs, '36, of Winter Haven, Fla., June 27, at 93, of natural causes. He completed his degree at UCLA. He served as acting chief geologist for the Los Angeles Bureau of Power and Light until joining the military in 1942. During World War II, he was an officer in the Signal Corps and in 1950 was appointed a major in the Air Force Reserve. He joined Ford Motor Company in 1952 and 10 years later conceived the Mustang I concept car, which became the Mustang in 1964. He managed public relations at the Engineering and Research Center and directed Ford's automobile safety program from 1964 until his retirement in 1976. His wife of 63 years, Eleanor, died in 2005. Survivors: four children, Mary Green, Deane, Loren and William; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Lois Blackwelder Fuller, '36 (social sciences/social thought), of Palo Alto, June 1, at 93. After graduating, she completed the social work program at the U. of California. She worked for the State Relief Administration in Santa Clara County before World War II. She was an active participant in the Municipal Workers of America, and later worked for the Children's Agency of San Francisco. She was chair of the San Mateo chapter of the Mental Health Association and a member of the executive committee of the State Mental Health Association, and helped to form Caminar, a halfway home. Survivors: one son, Steven; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Margaret E. Lazzarone Ricci, '36 (social sciences/social thought), of Sacramento, June 11, at 93, of heart failure. For several years, she worked as a substitute teacher in Sacramento junior high and high schools. She was an investor and, with her husband, became an original stockholder in River City Bank. She was involved in many community organizations. Her husband, Don, died in 2005. Survivors: two sons, Michael and Bob; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Frederick Langwith Berry, '37 (philosophy), of Carmel, Calif., July 4, at 92, of natural causes. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He served in the Army and was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. After, he worked in real estate development in Palo Alto. His first wife, Anne, and a stepson predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Mary Lou Zweng; one daughter, Elizabeth Mills; one son, Richard; five stepchildren; two grandchildren; and 13 stepgrandchildren.
Thomas Madison McDaniel Jr., '37 (economics), MBA '39, of Aliso Viejo, Calif., July 10, at 91. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He began working for Southern California Edison utilities in 1956 and served as vice president for sales and commercial programs, executive vice president and a director before becoming president in 1968. He remained in that post until his retirement in 1978. He served as chair of the board of trustees of the Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif., as president of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, and as vice president of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Survivors: his wife, Clerimond; four daughters, Martha, Kathleen, Lynn and Lori; and four grandchildren.
Jane Clary Hawkins, '38 (English), of Medford, Ore., February 3, at 90. She worked in radio broadcasting in Chicago and Los Angeles, and in the 1950s co-anchored one of the first daily TV talk shows on NBC. She earned a master's in drama at UCLA and taught theater and directed plays there. She joined the faculty of Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., where she taught for 20 years and directed 45 productions. Survivors: two sons, Mike and Steve; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Janet Dix George Blackwelder, '39, of Naples, Fla., June 15, at 89, of a stroke. She was a homemaker and also worked as director of the Wolf Trap Associates program at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. She served on the boards of the Naples Nature Conservancy and the Naples Depot. Her husband, Justin, '39, died in 1998. Survivors include a daughter, Robin Kelley.
Kenneth William Gardiner, '39, MA '40 (chemistry), of Pasadena, Calif., June 18, at 90. He was a member of the track and field team and of Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned a PhD in analytical chemistry at MIT. He was a research chemist at Lever Brothers Co. and Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Later, he was director of research laboratories at Continental Can Co. and Bell and Howell before becoming president and general manager of Teledyne Analytical Instruments. He was a professor of business management and applied sciences at UC-Riverside until his retirement in 1987. Survivors: his wife of 65 years, Louise; two daughters, Jean Elliott and Judy McClurg; one son, Kenneth; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
1940s
Frank W. Knowles, '40 (economics), of Menlo Park, August 20, of congestive heart failure. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and worked for Del Monte Corporation for 43 years. Survivors: his wife of 22 years, Joan (Terbell, '56).
Peter Hans Pande, '40 (economics), MBA '42, of Palo Alto, May 23, at 88. He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity and served in the Army during World War II. With his business partner, Leonard Ely, he owned a car dealership in Menlo Park. He was active in community organizations, including serving on the board of Miramonte Mental Health and Avenidas Group and as president of the Foothills Tennis Club. His daughter Katharine, '72, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, Barbara; one daughter, Eliza Warde, '75; four grandchildren; and one brother, Albert, '44.
Charles T. Tyler, '40 (economics), of Folsom, Calif., July 25, at 92. He served in the Army during World War II and rose to the rank of master sergeant. After, he resumed work at the Palo Alto Times, where he was circulation manager before being named business manager in 1954. In 1962, he became publisher, holding that post until shortly before his retirement in 1979 when the paper was sold to the Tribune Co. The resulting merged paper, the Peninsula Times Tribune, folded in 1993. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, Claire; one daughter, Janet Wall; three sons, Charles Jr., Donald and James; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
James G. McCargar, '41 (political science), of Washington, D.C., May 30, at 86, of cancer. He was a member of Chi Psi fraternity. He worked for the Oakland Tribune and the San Francisco Call-Observer before joining the Foreign Service in 1942. He worked in New York; Paris; Genoa, Italy; and Russia. In 1946, he became chief of the political section of the embassy in Budapest, with the covert assignment to take over a secret intelligence network. He reportedly set up an escape route that saved more than 60 Hungarian political and scientific figures and their families. He authored A Short Course in the Secret War, one of the first books to discuss U.S. covert operations authoritatively, and later co-wrote a spy thriller, The Three-Cornered Cover, and former CIA director William E. Colby's memoir of Vietnam, Lost Victory. He was ghostwriter for Men of Responsibility, the 1965 memoir of former secretary-general of NATO Dirk Stikker. He moved to the Free Europe Committee in 1955 and co-founded Americans Abroad for Kennedy. He became a freelance writer in 1961, but in 1978 returned to government work as special assistant for international relations to the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1983, he became a consultant. Survivors include his wife, Emanuela Butculescu, and a sister.
Priscilla Alden Reynolds Allen, '42 (humanities), of Walnut Creek, Calif., July 26, at 86. She was an active hospital volunteer and member of Senior Tutors for Youth, and she taught English as a second language classes. Her husband, Bill, died in 1978. Survivors: three sons, Daniel, David and Michael; one daughter, Jean Edwards; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
S. Edward Tomaso, '42 (economics), of Davis, Calif., July 5, at 85. He was a member of the track and field team. He owned an accounting business, S. Edward Tomasco and Associates, and served as president of Neighborhood Church in Pasadena, Calif. Chair of Stanford's Buck Club, he received in 2002 an award for 35 years of volunteer service to Stanford. Survivors include his wife, Virginia; and his daughter, Carla.
Charles Duke Pearce III, '44 (economics), MBA '55, of Palo Alto, March 30, at 85. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and of the track and field team. He worked as an economist for Standard Oil Company of Indiana from 1949 to 1953 and was an economist at Mobil Oil Company from 1955 to 1960. From 1943 to 1946 he served as a lieutenant in the Air Force, and received the Air Medal. In 1986 he retired from 26 years of service with Security Pacific National Bank. His last position there was executive vice president, chief operating officer and member of the board of directors of Security Pacific Leasing Corporation. Survivors: his wife, Virginia, '45; his son, Charles; and three grandchildren.
William Ellsworth van Löben Sels, '44, of Vista, Calif., January 26, at 84, of cancer. He served in the Navy during World War II and was awarded the Purple Heart. He had several careers, and in 1978 retired as president of VanSco Products, a family-owned manufacturing company in El Monte, Calif. Survivors: his wife, Vanessa; and two sons, William and Fred.
Donna Dell Elliott, '45 (Latin American Studies and humanities), of Tustin, Calif., July 21, at 85. She was active in numerous education, medical and arts organizations, including serving as president of the Orange County, Calif., Medical Association Auxiliary and the Tustin Committee, Orange County Philharmonic Society. She was a founding member of both the Orange County Performing Arts Association and the Orange County Opera of the Pacific. Her husband, Henry, PhD '46, died in 1976. Survivors: three sons, Henry, John and Edward; one daughter, Kathleen; and eight grandchildren.
Charlotte Anderson, '46 (social science/social thought), of Portola Valley, June 10, at 82. She was active in church, school, arts and gardening organizations, including serving as a horticultural judge for the Garden Club of America and acting as one of the original docents in the gardens at Filoli in Woodside. She started the library at Portola Valley School. Her husband, Bob, '47, died in January. Survivors: two sons, Douglas and Bruce; one daughter, Sally; one grandchild; and one sister, Judy Falconer, '51.
John Michael Julius, '46 (political science), of Menlo Park, June 1, at 87. He wrote for the Daily and was a member of the men's golf team. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle and, with his wife, Luann, operated Rossotti's Beer Garden in Portola Valley. After leaving the Chronicle, he worked as an editor for the Wall Street Journal. Later, he worked in real estate with Coldwell Banker and Norris, Beggs and Simpson before opening his own real estate development company. His developments included Gavilan Plaza in South San Jose and the redevelopment of Strawberry Park Shopping Center in San Jose, which he managed until his death. Luann predeceased him. Survivors: two daughters, Christine Thurmond and Joann; one son, John III, '80; six grandchildren; and a sister.
Robert Musser Blunk, '47 (graphic arts), of Burlingame, June 20, at 79. After graduating he earned an architecture degree from Cornell U. After an apprenticeship, he opened Blunk Demattei Associates in Burlingame in 1958. He helped create and then served on numerous performing arts boards and architectural organizations. Survivors include a sister-in-law.
Toland Sharon Doud, '49 (biological sciences), MA '55 (physiology), of Carmel, Calif., March 15, at 81. He was a member of the track and field team and served in the Navy. In 1960, he earned his DDS from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now U. of Pacific) and began a 20-year dental career in Carmel. After retiring, he became an area landlord. His daughter Laurie Green died in 1985. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Beverly; three daughters, Marian Plastini, Lindi and Frannie; one son, Tom; three grandchildren; and a sister.
1950s
Edith Elizabeth Newman Brennan, '50 (art), of Sacramento, December 27, 2006, at 77. After graduation, she pursued graduate work in art at UC-Berkeley. She was an active volunteer, and for 17 years worked as legal secretary for her husband, Jim, '49. He died in 1996. Survivors: two daughters, Alison and Edith Claire; one son, Miles, '79, PhD '86; four grandchildren; and a brother.
Mark Owen Kasanin, '51 (political science), of Belvedere, Calif., May 18, at 78. He graduated from Yale Law School. Survivors include his wife, Anne.
Harold Silvers, '51 (education), of Avon, Conn., in December, 2006. He earned a master's and PhD in education from Columbia U. In 1997, he retired as superintendent of schools in West Hempstead, N.Y. Survivors: his wife, Helene; two sons, Brett and Bruce; and four grandchildren.
Charles William Donahoe Jr., '52 (economics), of Seattle, at 77, from complications after a stroke. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1955 he started work at Blyth & Company, where he became vice president and manager of the municipal bond department. In 1972, he joined the investment counseling firm Pringle Finn Elvins & Donahoe, where he was a principal until his 1986 retirement. He belonged to several social clubs. Survivors: his wife, Patricia (Riley, '59); three daughters, Kathleen Perkins, Mary Seifred and Ann; one son, Thomas; two grandchildren; and one brother, Henry, '58.
John Richard “Dick” McElyea, '52 (economics), MBA '54, of Palo Alto, June 20, at 76. He was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity and a member of the golf team. In 1950, he won the Pacific Coast Conference. Later, he was inducted into Stanford's Athletic Hall of Fame and served as president of the Stanford Golf Club. He worked for IBM, Oddstad Homes, SRI and was a vice president at the Economic Research Association (ERA) of Los Angeles. In 1963, he formed the Development Research Association. He sold that firm to Booz Allen Hamilton in 1970 and became president of its real estate division in New York. Later, he rejoined ERA and served as executive vice president from 1977 to 2007. He was the lead economist working for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency for the revitalization of downtown San Jose, and also set up ERA's practice of specializing in golf courses and resorts. Survivors: his wife, Ann; two sons, Steve and John; four daughters, Katie Mink, Jenifer Berry, Shannon and Emily; and four grandchildren.
William Adams Robinson, '58 (economics), of Pebble Beach, Calif., July 12, at 70, of complications associated with bone marrow disease. He was a KZSU on-air personality and served as station manager. He served in the Navy, and after a period of active duty remained in the Naval Reserve, retiring as captain 30 years later. In 1964 he graduated from Golden Gate U. Law School. He practiced in several firms before becoming legal counsel for the California State Automobile Association in 1971, where he worked for 25 years. He was active in many legal and professional organizations, and served as chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco's arbitration committee for 17 years. He was an arbitrator, small claims judge, civil trial judge pro tem and special master in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin County courts as well as the U.S. District Court. Survivors: his wife, Karen Kadushin; one sister; and one brother.
Gary Walter Deley, '59, MS '60, PhD '63 (electrical engineering), of Santa Barbara, Calif., July 26, at 70. He spent his entire career at General Research Corporation, where he became director of Santa Barbara operations. Survivors: his wife of 47 years, Penny (Havens, '61); two sons, David and Logan; and one brother, Warren, '56, MA '57.
Sally Anne Scarborough Winn, '59 (English), of Visalia, Calif., June 21, at 69, of pancreatic cancer. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and went on to earn a teaching credential and master's degree from Harvard. She taught English in New York and Los Angeles. She served several terms on school boards, including as president of the Visalia Unified School Board. She worked for nine years with Benart Property Management before retiring in 1997. From 2004 to 2006, she served on the Tulare (Calif.) County grand jury. Survivors: two sons, William and Charles; two daughters, Alison Hintzman, '88, MA '89, and Susanna Barton; 10 grandchildren; one sister; and her companion, Frank Palmer.
1960s
Gary Lee Drennen, '62 (history), of San Pedro, Calif., June 15, at 67, of cancer. He was a teacher for 40 years and a lifelong musician. Survivors include one brother; and three nieces.
George Peter Lyman, '62 (philosophy), PhD '73 (political science), of Berkeley, July 2, at 66, of brain cancer. He was professor emeritus at UC-Berkeley's School of Information and a former university librarian who researched online information and ethnographic analyses of online social relationships and communities, and helped to bring university libraries into the digital era. He earned a master's degree from UC-Berkeley in 1963. He was a founder of James Madison College, a public policy residential college at Michigan State U., and taught there for 20 years. He also served as a visiting professor at Stanford and UC-Santa Cruz. In 1987, he moved to USC, where he founded the Center for Scholarly Technology and served as its executive director. He also was associate dean for library technology there before becoming USC's university librarian in 1991. He returned to UC-Berkeley in 1994 to serve as the campus's seventh university librarian until 1998. He also joined the School of Information Management & Systems (now the School of Information) that year as a professor. He published extensively on technology transfer and institutional change, exploring the effects of information technologies on the forms and content of publishing, libraries and research. He was one of the nation's first scholars to work with computer companies and others to design information technology appropriate for research and teaching. His 2004 study “How Much Information?” tracked the amount of information produced digitally in a year. He became professor emeritus in 2006 and served on the editorial boards of numerous academic journals relating to information technology and society as well as on boards of directors of other organizations. Survivors: his wife, Barrie Thorne, '64; one son, Andrew Thorne-Lyman; one daughter, Abigail Thorne-Lyman; two grandsons; and a sister.
Ned William Strain, '63 (electrical engineering), of Wilmette, Ill., September 18, 2006, at 65, of a heart attack. He completed his bachelor's degree at the U. of Iowa and earned an MBA from the U. of Chicago. His career in insurance and benefits included work at Zurich-America, Coopers & Lybrand and American General/Acordia. In 1993, after 10 years consulting for the YMCA, he became manager and associate director of the National YMCA employee benefits plan. He taught courses on health plan benefit basics and was a member of professional organizations. Survivors: his wife, Tani; two daughters, Tasha Fletcher and Erinn; one grandson; and a brother.
Henry Thomas Mudd Jr., '64 (psychology), MS '75, PhD '81 (civil engineering), of Woodside, July 13, at 65. He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. He worked for the Stanford Research Institute and founded Cinnabar Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He was an advocate for science education and served on the Woodside school board. His twin brother, John, '64, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Deborah; one daughter, Karina; one son, Jack; one stepdaughter, Meredith Sears; his former wife, Melissa Frank; and three siblings, Virginia Madden, '71, Victoria, '68, and John, '64.
Judith Christine Garlow, '65 (history), of San Francisco, June 2, at 63, of brain cancer. She worked with neglected and abused children in San Diego County before beginning a 32-year career with the State Bar in San Francisco in 1974. From 1993 until her retirement last year, she directed the State Bar program to fund legal services for the poor in California. The program, funded by interest from trust accounts, now raises $13 million per year for legal assistance to low-income people. She advocated for legislation in several instances to increase funding for the program. Survivors: her daughter, Karen Maletta; two grandchildren; and one brother.
Juliann Foord Cummer, '66 (psychology), of Los Altos, July 25, at 63. She was an active community volunteer, including serving as chair of the Los Altos Library Commission and teaching English as a second language at Blach Junior High School in Los Altos. In 1987 she received the Los Altos Hills volunteer award, and in 1988 she received an honorary diploma from Mountain View High School in recognition of her sustained service and contributions. Also in 1988, she began working at Stanford as an administrator for the Institute for International Studies and, later, the Center for Research on the Context of Teaching. She retired in 2000. Survivors: her husband of 41 years, Reid, '64; two sons, Steven, '91, MS '93, PhD '97, and Michael, '95, MS '97; two grandchildren; and a sister.
1970s
Jennifer Ann Pullen Reed, '72 (physical sciences), of Annapolis, Md., July 17, at 59. In 1994, she established The Solution Connection, providing customer satisfaction research to corporate clients. In 2006, she founded Annapolis Cheers, which sent members of the community to area schools to cheer on students in their quest for learning. Survivors: her husband, Joseph; her mother, Frances Buford Pullen; two brothers; and one sister.
Vladimir Nicholas Vucinich, '74 (history), of Wilton, Calif., June 1, at 58. He earned a master's degree from UC-Santa Barbara. He served as a senior consultant to State Senator Jim Costa, and a special adviser on rural and agricultural issues to Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Lockyer. The death of his parents led him to study Eastern European history—he became a frequent contributor to Serb World USA magazine and wrote First Serbian Benevolent Society 100th Anniversary Celebration, History of the Oldest Serbian Society in America. Survivors: one son, John; one daughter, Jennifer; two brothers; and one sister.
1980s
Alison Beth Selleck, '86 (biological sciences), of Fairfax, Va., July 15, at 43, of brain cancer. She was a member of the softball team. She graduated from and did her residency training at the George Washington U. School of Medicine. She practiced in the HIV research section of the National Institutes of Health, at Kaiser Permanente, and with the Internal Medicine Associates in Reston, Va., prior to opening a private practice in Fairfax. Survivors: her husband, Keith Jones, '84; one son, Spencer Jones; her parents, George Selleck, '56, MA '57, and Beth Hahn; two brothers; and a grandmother.
Roberta Martine Lomas Opiela, '87 (geology), of Austin, Texas, February 26, at 42, of an intracranial hemorrhage. Survivors: her husband of 16 years, Robert, '85; one son, William; and two daughters, Gwendolyn and Caroline.
Education
James E. Howard Jr., MA '49, of Alameda, Calif., July 19, at 90. He earned his bachelor's degree at San Francisco State U. and served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II. His career, spanning more than 30 years, included teaching math and serving as principal of Otis School in Alameda. He was a musician and bandleader of Jimmy Howard's Little Big Band for 70 years. Survivors: his wife of 64 years, Loretta Howard; one son, Kent; three daughters, Laurie Broughton, Susie and Jan; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Robert Johns, PhD '50, of Albuquerque, N.M., May 31, at 86, of congestive heart failure. He earned his bachelor's degree at Ohio State U. before serving as a pilot in the Navy during World War II. His doctoral work focused on public administration and university administration. He did postdoctoral work at the Harvard Business School, and later worked as assistant to the president at Purdue U. He was appointed director of the U.S. Armed Forces Institute during the Eisenhower administration. After, he became director of the Illinois Commission of Higher Education. He served as vice president at the U. of Miami, president of the U. of Montana in Missoula, Mont., and president of Sacramento State U. Later, he was president and CEO of Servomation Inc. He also served as director and management consultant for the Walter Darling Corporation for 31 years. He was active in civic organizations, serving on the boards of numerous hospitals, banks, libraries and museums as well as NYSE corporations, and as interim president of five nonprofit organizations. In 1964, he was named The Significant Sig by the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1980, Ohio State U. named him an Ohio State U. “famous Greek.” Survivors: his wife of 61 years, Virginia; two sons, Mike and Tom; two daughters, Rebecca and Kathryn; and six grandchildren.
Donald Louis Guidoux, MA '54, of Los Altos, July 4, at 83. He served in the Army during World War II and later earned his bachelor's degree from San Jose State U. For 30 years he was a teacher and administrator at Palo Alto High School, Gunn High School and Palo Alto Adult School. He retired in 1983. A woodcarver, he was active in the California Carvers Guild. One son, Don, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Edith; one son, Dale; two daughters, Elaine Kramer and Elise; and seven grandchildren.
Joan Van Den Akker Darrah, MA '60, of Stockton, Calif., July 27, at 72, of ovarian cancer. She earned her bachelor's degree from UC-Berkeley. In 1974, she earned a degree in education from the U. of the Pacific and served on the university's Board of Regents from 1976 to 1989. She was a teacher, high school counselor and public relations executive before becoming mayor of Stockton in 1990. She was the first to be chosen by municipal vote rather than selected from the City Council, and she served until 1996. The granddaughter of Edgar Dearden of Dearden's department store, she served on the board of directors until her death. Survivors include her husband, James, '54, JD '59; one daughter, Jeanne; two sons, John and Peter; and five grandchildren.
Daniel Alfred Foster, EdD '62, of Half Moon Bay, Calif., at 88. He was a longtime educator and expert on federal education programs. He earned his bachelor's degree from Cal State-Chico in 1942. After serving in the Army during World War II, he earned his master's in education from UC-Berkeley. From 1947 to 1981, he served in the Hayward (Calif.) Unified School District as teacher, principal, administrator and director of bilingual programs. Upon retiring in 1981, he remained involved with education and public service, serving on the Cabrillo (Calif.) School District board and the San Mateo grand jury. He was active in civic organizations. Survivors: his wife, Toni Birite; and one daughter, Stephenie.
Virginia-Jane H. Newman Harris, MA '62, of Diamond Springs, Calif., July 22, at 89, of heart failure. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1938 and, later, a master's degree from San Francisco State U. She worked for Shell Oil Co. until she married; at the time Shell would not employ married women. During World War II, a shortage of men in the workplace led Shell to rehire her. Later, she taught high school chemistry before becoming a professor at American River College. She retired in 1984. Survivors include a son, Thomas.
Joseph Kenneth Cummiskey, PhD '63, of Gloucester, Mass., at 78, of stomach cancer. He served in the Army from 1946 to 1948 and the National Guard from 1951 to 1954. He earned his bachelor's degree from Springfield College in 1952 and a master's in education from Oregon State U. in 1953. In 1965, he became an associate director for the Peace Corps in Morocco. He supervised educational programs in Guam and established an in-state secondary school program for Native Americans in Alaska in the late 1960s. He directed a community services project for the American Association of Junior Colleges and directed the National Council of Community Services before serving as vice president for academic affairs at the Henniker, N.H.-based New England College. He became president of the college in 1973 and remained there for 10 years. After retiring, he became active in volunteer activities, including serving on the board of the Gloucester-based Cape Ann Forum. Survivors: his wife of 53 years, Joan; one daughter, Lynn Anne Maguire; one son, David; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Irene Takei Miura, PhD '84, of San Mateo, July 29, at 68, of cancer. She graduated from UC-Berkeley in 1960. She taught at St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School in San Mateo before earning her MAT from the College of Notre Dame in 1981. She chaired the department of child development at San Jose State until 2000, when she became executive assistant to the president. She received numerous honors, including being recognized as the outstanding professor of the year at San Jose State in 1989-90. She published more than 45 articles and abstracts and presented more than 90 papers at professional conferences. From 1997 to 2001, she was a member of the UC Board of Regents and the UC-Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees. She was a member of the California Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as president from 1997 to 1999. Survivors: her husband, Neal; two sons, David, '83, and Gregory; one daughter, Jennifer; and five grandchildren.
Engineering
William Dalliba Pyle, MS '50 (civil engineering), of Livingston, Texas, January 20, at 82, of Alzheimer's disease. He served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War. He earned a bachelor's degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1949 and worked as a design engineer for CalTrans for 28 years. Survivors: his wife of 56 years, Anne (Parrish, '49, MA '50); one son, Stephen; one daughter, Charlotte; and one grandson.
Kenneth Alfred Witzke, MS '85, Engr. '87 (electrical engineering), of Sunnyvale, March 22, at 46, of colon cancer. He worked for Lockheed-Martin for 11 years before joining Apple Computer in 2000. He held several patents for engineering processes and was an active volunteer in local schools. Survivors: his wife, Amy (Phillips, MA '87); one son, Mark; and one daughter, Claire.
David Alan Wolverton, MS '86 (computer science), of Fair Haven, N.J., June 1, at 44, of heart and lung failure. He earned his bachelor's degree from UC-Irvine in 1984 and worked for AT&T Bell Laboratories before coming to Stanford. He continued work at AT&T and Lucent Technologies (later Alcatel-Lucent) as a member of the technical staff. He authored a pictorial history, Monmouth Council Boy Scouts, in the Arcadia/Tempus Publishing series Images of America. In 2004 he founded the New Jersey Scout Museum. His honors from the Boy Scouts of America included the Silver Beaver, Scouters Key, Scouters Training Award and the District Award of Merit, and Twin Lights Scouter of the Year in 2006. Survivors: his parents, Frank and Margaret Wolverton; and one brother, Glen.
Humanities and Sciences
Carolyn L. Kemmler, MA '51 (psychology), of Sacramento, May 22, at 84. She earned her bachelor's degree from the U. of Arizona, and her law degree from the U. of San Francisco. She opened her law practice in Sacramento in 1958. She was a charter member of the Women Lawyers of Sacramento, and was appointed by the governor as public adviser to the California Energy Commission. Survivors include one brother; and one sister.
Medha B. Yodh, MS '51 (chemistry), of San Diego, July 11, at 79. She earned a bachelor's degree from the U. of Bombay. A classical Indian dancer and arts advocate, she joined the UCLA faculty in 1976. In 1987, she created a documentary film, Garba-Ras: A Glimpse Into Gujarati Culture. She retired from UCLA in 1994 and served as an adviser to various arts organizations while continuing to dance and teach privately. Her son, Eric von Essen, died in 1997. Survivors: two daughters, Kamal Muilenburg and Neila von Essen; and two granddaughters.
Robert Waring Hinwood, MA '53 (English), of Carmel, Calif., at 81. After serving in World War II, he graduated from the U. of Arizona. After earning his master's degree, he taught high school and college English. He taught at Monterey Peninsula College for more than 32 years, retiring in 1989. Survivors: his wife of 59 years, Louann Bell; two sons, Jim and Richard; and one grandson, Eric.
