1930s
Joseph Harold Gordon, '31 (communication), of Tacoma, Wash., October 21, at 100. He began practicing law in 1935 with his father at the firm now known as Gordon Thomas Honeywell. He had served as president of many professional organizations, including the Western States Bar Conference and the American Bar Endowment. He was a leader in his community and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church. He also served on the Board of Visitors at Stanford Law School. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jane Wilson; his second wife, Eileen Rademaker; and a stepson, Charles Rademaker. Survivors: his children, Nancy Fishburne and Joe, '61, JD '64; his stepchildren, Jack and William Rademaker and Mary Meier; 11 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister; and a brother, Robert, '36.
Ruth Tremeear Carpenter, '32, MA '32 (mathematics) of Palo Alto, November 8, at 98. She was a member of Chi Omega. She assisted her first husband in his life insurance business and later became an agent with New York Life. She was predeceased by her first husband, Ralph Wallace, '30, MBA '32, and her second husband, Floyd Carpenter. Survivors: her children, Scott and Lane Wallace; and two granddaughters.
Lorine Anderson Aughinbaugh, '34 (psychology), MA '54 (education), of Sacramento, August 29, at 96, of pneumonia. She was a psychologist for Grant Union and Arden-Carmichael school districts and later became a psychology instructor at American River College. She eventually served as head of the psychology department there and was named dean in 1968. She was chair of Eskaton's board and was honored as the organization's longest-serving volunteer. She was predeceased by her husband, George. Survivors: her children, Susan Young, Nancy Rush, Robin Breckenridge, Debra Leven and Karen; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Ralph DeArmond Cies, '36 (economics), of Santa Fe, N.M., September 30, at 94. He earned an MBA from Harvard and was a faculty member at Harvard Business School from 1938 until 1946. A pioneer in management consulting, he worked for Rexall Drug Co. and Lever Brothers before opening his own consulting business. He served on the boards of many organizations, volunteered with UNESCO and enjoyed golf, swimming, curling and squash. He was predeceased by his wife, Louise, and his daughter Nina. Survivors: his children, Lucia, Ralph and Linda; a granddaughter; and two brothers.
Virginia Clausen Pickrell, '39 (biological sciences), of San Mateo, November 10, at 92, of Alzheimer's disease. She worked as a biologist at Cutter Laboratories during World War II. She enjoyed flower arranging and gardening and was a gourmet cook. She volunteered for her church, St. Matthews Episcopal, and was a devoted patron of the arts. She was predeceased by her husband, Daniel, '39. Survivors: her children, Gregory, Lorna and Christine; and three grandchildren.
1940s
George Fred Coope Jr., '41 (general engineering), of Oakland, November 7, at 90, of natural causes. He was a member of the polo team and ROTC. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and a Purple Heart. His career in mining engineering took him and his family to locations throughout the United States and in Yugoslavia, Morocco, Australia and Brazil. Survivors: his wife, Ann; his children, George, '73, and Jessica, '80; two grandchildren; and two brothers.
William Ernest Henley, '41 (history), of Alameda, Calif., October 25, at 89. He was a member of Chi Psi and the golf team. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II and was awarded the Air Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and a Purple Heart. In 1949 he went to work for American Trust, which later merged with Wells Fargo, where he worked until his retirement in 1983. He enjoyed golf and was a member of several clubs, including the San Francisco Golf Club. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, and his son, Jesse. Survivors: his children, Carol Henley Meredith and Victoria; and four grandchildren.
Hugh Carter "Bud" Keenan, '41 (biological sciences), of Walla Walla, Wash., October 10, at 90. He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi. He served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War and was awarded the Korean Service, United Nations and National Defense Service medals. He earned his medical degree from Marquette U. and enjoyed a career as a surgeon, retiring from Wainwright VA Medical Center as chief of surgery in 1994. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Genevieve. Survivors: his wife, Susie; his children, Coleen O'Brien, Marny Keenan Gaylord and Daniel; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Calvert I. "Cal" Spensley, '41, of Seattle, October 29, at 90. He was a member of Delta Chi and the swim and water polo teams. He served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he joined Chevron Shipping Co. and retired after a 30-year career. He was predeceased by his wife, Millie.
Dix Knight Brow, '45, of Coronado, Calif., January 22, 2009, at 86. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda and LSJUMB. He left Stanford to serve in the Army Air Corps in World War II, and after his service, he graduated from UCLA. A writer for nearly 40 years, he wrote articles and columns for newspapers and national magazines, and he also authored and provided photography for Boating in Mexico and Sea of Cortez Guide. His community involvement included serving a term as a planning commissioner and as a volunteer police officer for 20 years. Survivors: his wife of 61 years, Barbara; his children, Donald, Robert, Dix James and Marnie; three grandchildren; and a brother.
C. Neal Lindstrom, '45 (graphic arts), of Gig Harbor, Wash., September 22, at 86. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He served in the Army during World War II and helped liberate several concentration camps. After graduation he became an architect in the Palo Alto area and designed more than 300 public buildings, churches and private residences. Survivors: his children, Leslie Dederer and Adrienne Abbott; his stepchildren, Jean Beckett, John Garrard and Judy McFadden; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Robert Nathan Willard, '45 (mechanical engineering), of Los Angeles, October 10, at 86. His time at Stanford was interrupted by service in the Army during World War II, but he returned to graduate Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a master's in engineering from Cal Tech and founded Willard Engineering. He served on the boards of The Raoul Wallenberg Institute and the Levantine Cultural Center, and he was active at Leo Baeck Temple. He received a 30-year service pin from Stanford Associates. He was predeceased by his second wife, Donna. Survivors: his first wife, Beth (Rubin, '47); his children, Douglas, '72, Andrew, '74, and Matthew, '77, MS '78, MA '82, PhD '83; five grandchildren; and a sister.
Mary Cooke Jessop, '47 (biological sciences), MA '48 (education), November 1, at 84. She was a member of Gamma Phi. She taught biology at San Mateo High School and La Jolla High School until the birth of her first child. She was a strong advocate for bicycling in San Diego and helped the city begin development on its now extensive bicycle path system. She loved camping, skiing, playing bridge, dancing and traveling, particularly on bicycle trips. An active volunteer, she served as president of the San Diego Heart Association. Survivors: her husband of 62 years, George, '47, MBA '49; her children, Jerry, Jim, Bob and Bruce; seven grandchildren; and two sisters.
John Joseph Driscoll, '48 (political science), of Palo Alto, August 16, at 88. He was a member of Kappa Alpha. He served in the Air Force during World War II and later became a contract negotiator for Lockheed Corp., retiring in 1980. Survivors: his wife, Sabra (Kranzfelder, '47); his children, Michael, Zoe Schirmer, '73, MA '74, William, Barbara Larson and Mia; and 10 grandchildren, including Melissa Schirmer, '09.
1950s
John Philip Moody, '50 (biological sciences), MA '52 (education), of San Diego, October 6, at 80. He was a member of LSJUMB and played in the University orchestra. He served in the Army during the Korean War. After graduating from Southwestern Law School in 1960, he enjoyed a 47-year legal career in Ocean Beach, Calif. Survivors: his wife, Louise (Eckart, '56); his children, Philip and Laurel; his stepchildren, Ian, Robert and Megan Fay; one grandchild; and nine stepgrandchildren.
Jean Louise Allred Weirich, '50 (art), of Napa, Calif., October 13, at 80, of Alzheimer's disease. She was a member of Cap and Gown and sang with the Stanford Chorale. She worked as a medical illustrator at UCSF and later at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Saudi Arabia. A founding member of the Kelly-Griggs Museum, she enjoyed music, skiing, horses and cooking. Survivors: her husband, Bill; her children, William, Samuel, Michael and Justin; five granddaughters; and three sisters.
Louise Ricks Wright, '51 (romantic languages), of San Anselmo, Calif., October 7, at 80, of breast cancer. A fifth-generation Californian, she enjoyed cooking, sewing and photography. She delighted in her grandchildren and her garden. She was predeceased by a son, Paul. Survivors: her husband, Tom, '51, MS '52; her children Tom, Jim, Catherine and John; and eight grandchildren.
Lydia Potter Warrington, '52 (psychology), of Monterey, Calif., October 29, at 79, of cancer. She grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Lowell High School. She was independent, hard working, caring, well traveled and well read. Survivors: her children, Richard and Robert; and three grandchildren.
Patricia R. Dempster, '53 (English), of Playa del Rey, Calif., September 19, at 78. She taught English and later worked for TRW, eventually becoming a senior human resources officer. She traveled extensively, visiting nearly 100 countries and participating in 17 Stanford trips. Active with alumni affairs, she served on the Alumni Board of Directors and received a 10-year service pin from Stanford Associates. Survivors include her sister, Elizabeth Dempster Stahr, '55.
Albert S. Johnston, '53 (economics), of Woodland, Calif., August 28, at 81. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He served in the Marines and attended Colby College before transferring to Stanford. He was a partner in Lawson, Blevins and Johnston. He participated annually in the Marines Toys for Tots drive and was an avid duck hunter, fisherman and golfer, serving as past president of the Yolo Fliers Club. Survivors: his wife, Gail; his children, Kimberly, Lynn and Allison; six grandchildren; and two brothers.
Barbara Salani McCormick, '53 (nursing), of Folsom, Calif., October 16, at 79, of natural causes. A Sacramento native, she was a school nurse for nearly 40 years with the San Juan Unified School District. She enjoyed travel, reading, folk crafts, puzzles and antiquing. Survivors: her children, MaryAnne Sloan and John; and three grandchildren.
John H. Crossfield, '54 (preclinical medicine), MD '57, of Modesto, Calif., October 17, at 79. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Daily staff. He was a surgeon in Modesto for more than 30 years and also served as chair of the board of Doctors Medical Center. An active outdoorsman, he held the world record for distance fly-casting for 18 years and was a member of numerous sporting clubs, including the Olympic Club of San Francisco and the Old Fishermen's Club. Survivors: his wife, Diane; his children, Maryann Strub, John and Alex; two stepchildren, Lorette Akers and Michael Hess; two grandchildren; and five stepgrandchildren.
Stewart M. Ledbetter, '54, MBA '57, of Vero Beach, Fla., November 5, at 76, following a three-year battle with cancer. He was a member of Theta Xi and the 1953 NCAA national championship golf team. He served in the Army and later worked at First National City Bank and owned a home construction company. He was also named commissioner of Vermont's Banking and Insurance Department, ran for the U.S. Senate and managed an investment brokerage firm. He enjoyed travel, golf and boat trips around Florida. Survivors: his wife of 50 years, Sheila; his children, Stewart and John; and a brother.
Martin J. Herzstein, '55 (biological sciences), of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., October 18, at 76, of heart failure. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda. He graduated from dental school at the U. of Pennsylvania and served in the Air Force. He hosted an annual Rose Bowl Parade viewing party at his dental office on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif. In his retirement he coached Little League and played music for the elderly. He loved camping, fishing, tennis and house boating with his family. Survivors: his children, Marsha Herzstein-Wolfe and Neal; three grandchildren; and a sister.
Patricia Keene Kneedler, '58 (French), of Sioux Falls, S.D., September 13, of natural causes. Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Bill, '56.
1960s
David Scott Burton, '60 (biological sciences), MD '65, of Atherton, November 19, at 71. He was a clinical professor at Stanford Hospital and performed the first total hip replacement in California. In 1980 he became chair of orthopedics at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and devoted himself to that position until his retirement in 2007. He volunteered as a racetrack physician for the Sports Car Club of America, was a science tutor for high school students and served on the board of the Bay Area Garden Railroad Society. Survivors: his wife, Kate; his children, Cat, Jen and Doug; two grandchildren; and a brother.
Marcia Taylor Heaton, '60 (history), of Columbia, Md., November 17. She was a member of the Stanford symphony orchestra. After graduation she taught junior high school in Palo Alto and then took time off to raise her family. From 1974 until her retirement in 1994, she was a special education teacher in Maryland's Prince George's County. Survivors: her husband of 34 years, Robert; her children, Karen Shuster and Peter Howell; her stepchildren, Leah Conover, Jon and Jeffery; and eight grandchildren.
Reeve L. Hennion, '63, MA '65 (communication), of Jacksonville, Ore., September 7, at 67, of brain cancer. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He worked for United Press International for 22 years, covering many of the big stories of the 1960s and serving as an editor in the 1970s. He also founded Viatech and Keypoint Services. He was the owner of the small ghost town of Buncom, Ore., and chaired the Jackson County Planning Commission. Survivors: his wife of 45 years, Lyn (Laird, '65); his children, Douglas and Jeffrey; five grandchildren; a sister; and his mother, Evelyn.
1990s
Gerardo "Jerry" Chavez, '92 (international relations), of El Paso, Texas, March 17, at 37. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and participated in Ballet Folklorico. After studying in Chile, he returned to his hometown of El Paso and began working with a municipal beautification program for adolescents. Later he managed the El Paso claims region for Progressive Insurance. He restored his vintage Mustang and was passionate about the Dallas Cowboys. Survivors include his longtime girlfriend.
2000s
Ethan Lee Townsend, '07 (physics, mechanical engineering), MS '07 (mechanical engineering), of Ashland, Ore., September 4, at 24, after being hit by a rockslide while traveling in China. He was working toward a PhD in physics at Colorado U., studying atomic and molecular optics. He loved building things and had recently been working on installing an onboard computer and night vision in his car. He had a spirit of adventure, enjoyed exploring, and was compassionate, caring and fun. Survivors: his parents, Hal, '77, and Mary; his sister; and his grandparents.
Education
Albert John Sessarego, EDD '51, of Sacramento, September 25, at 98. He served in the Marines during World War II. He worked in a variety of education positions during his career, including as principal of several schools and as assistant superintendent and superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District. After retiring, he worked for Pepperdine U. as Northern California Director of Continuing Education. His volunteer work included serving as president of the Sacramento County branch of the American Cancer Society and president of the Rotary Club of Sacramento. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Helen. Survivors include his son, Alan.
John P. McCain, MA '61, of Three Lakes, Wis., November 4, at 82. He taught junior high school and later worked as a finish carpenter. In the mid-60s, he started making wine as a hobby, and in 1972 he started what is now Three Lakes Winery. He and his wife enjoyed traveling in their RV, spending winters in the Southwest and summers in the North Woods. Survivors: his wife of 47 years, Maureen; his children, Carolann Morykwas, Scott, Mark and Matthew; nine grandchildren; his first wife, Oriana Anderson; and a brother.
Patricia Wong Young, MA '71, of Honolulu, August 15, at 61, of metastatic breast cancer. She was a math teacher and received the 2000 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She was later promoted to the Department of Education state office and worked as a resource teacher. Survivors: her husband, Phillip; her children, Jennifer and Michael; and two grandchildren.
Engineering
Roger Alan Geesey, MS '63 (electrical engineering), PhD '69 (electrical engineering), of Albuquerque, N.M., November 4, at 73, of myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder. He served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1978 and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He later worked as a computer consultant for BDM Corp. He was a licensed amateur radio operator and a member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Survivors: his wife of 51 years, Alice; his children, Mark, Brenda and David; five grandchildren; and a brother.
Hans von der Pfordten, MS '67 (electrical engineering), of Palo Alto, November 7, at 79, of complications of leukemia. Born in Bavaria, he and his wife immigrated to Palo Alto in 1962. He worked for many years as a patent consultant and volunteered at Palo Alto Neighborhood Disaster Activities. He was an outgoing conversationalist and engaged in lifelong learning and teaching. Survivors: his children, Claudia Simpson and Andrea; a brother; and a sister.
John Thomas Warren, MS '71 (civil engineering), of Alamo, Calif., October 1, at 74. He served as a medic in the Army from 1960 to 1965. He owned a successful Bay Area civil engineering firm that was responsible for notable projects, including the rebuilding of the Nimitz Freeway after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. He was a member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Berkeley, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Stanford Alumni Association. Survivors: his wife, Terrice; his children, John, Gerald and Stephanie; two sisters; and three brothers.
Business
Richard E. Hall, MBA '48, of Peabody, Mass., September 27, at 90, following a brief illness. He served in the Marines during World War II and received a Legion of Merit with a combat "V" for valor. He founded a food brokerage firm in San Francisco and later became vice president of Kiwi Polish Co., retiring in 1985. He was predeceased by his wife of 42 years, Patricia, and his son Steven. Survivors: his children, Susan Hall Cool and David; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
