1930s
Edwin Wagner Coles, ’32 (mathematics), of Studio City, Calif., January 2, at 98. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity and the Band. He earned an MBA from Harvard and worked for Lockheed Aircraft from 1941 until 1972. He was predeceased by his wife, Eugenia. Survivors: three daughters, Mary Cordelia, Susan and Cynthia; five grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Archibald Carl Kotchian, ’35 (economics), MBA ’38, of Palo Alto, December 14, at 94. He was a CPA and had a long career with Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, including serving as president from 1967 until 1976. He earned a five-year pin from Stanford for his volunteer service to the University. He was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Lucy Elizabeth Carr. Survivors: his son, Robert; and two grandchildren, including Ian, ’97.
Frances Margaret Meyer Edwards, ’36 (graphic arts), of Palo Alto, December 5, at 95. She had a 30-year career as a fashion designer for her custom business, Frances Lesley, as well as for I. Magnin & Co. She enjoyed travel and served on the boards of the Avenidas Senior Center and the Palo Alto Art Center. She was predeceased by her husband, Raymond, ’33, MBA ’36. Survivors: her sons, Mark and Tay Lesley; and her longtime companion, George Wilson.
Frederick Troman “Tro” Harper, ’37 (communication), of Santa Rosa, Calif., December 11, at 95. He was on the track and field team and served as the Class of 1937 correspondent for Stanford for eight years. He served in the Marines during World War II and later opened Tro Harper Books in San Francisco. He also sold real estate and wrote three books. He was elected to membership in the Stanford Associates in 1998. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Jane (Knight, ’40). Survivors: his children, Wendy Schaedel, Kerry Sanford and Bennett; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Robert Cronley Harris, ’37 (political science), of San Francisco, in December, at 92. He enrolled at Stanford at age 16 and was a member of Chi Psi. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he served in the Navy during World War II. After the war he joined the law firm of Heller Ehrman, where he rose to the position of senior partner. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Nancy (Gray, ’37). Survivors: two sons, Bill and Robert Jr.; a daughter, Lucie Alexander; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother, Lawrence Harris Jr., ’32.
Arthur Aaron Hoffman, ’37 (general engineering), Engr. ’39 (civil engineering), of Atherton, January 1, at 95. A great fan of the Stanford Band, he loved going to Big Game. He was vice president of Golden Gate Iron Works, which was established in 1906 by his father. He was predeceased by wives Betty Jean and Estelle. Survivors include: three sons, Dennis and Greg Smith, and Paul; a daughter, Camille; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
William John Moir III, ’37 (economics), MBA ’39, of San Mateo, January 16, at 92. He was a member of the Band and participated in the Chaparral. He served as controller of Stanford Hospital, administrator of Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and administrator of Peninsula Children’s Center in Palo Alto. He was predeceased by his first wife, Frances. Survivors: his wife, Michele; two daughters, Betsy Stiefelmaier and Jeannie Ainsworth; two stepdaughters, Diane Walters and Charel Crellin Tuttle, ’75; eight grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
M. Richard Giffra, ’38 (social science/social thought), MBA ’40, of Palo Alto, December 25, at 92. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi. After 33 years as a civilian employee of the Navy, he ran his family’s property management business. He had an honorary degree from Harvard. Survivors: his wife, Janet; and sons Greg and Gary.
Willabel Jean Ayres Hartley, ’38 (Spanish), of Sacramento, December 7, at 93. An active volunteer, she was a member of International Travel Club and published many travel articles. Survivors: her husband, Bill; one daughter, Jeanine Corbin; one son, Roger; four grandchildren; and two granddaughters.
Philip L. Ward, ’38 (general engineering), of Cupertino, January 13. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and later owned and operated Ward World Travel on Point Loma with his wife, Rusty. Rusty passed away five days after Phil. Survivors: a daughter, Susan Schofield, ’66; two sons, Robert and David; two grandsons; and a brother, John, ’37.
Jean Fox George, ’39 (social science/social thought), of Saanichton, British Columbia, December 15, at 90. She and her husband of 32 years, Ron, traveled and sailed, and in 1988 they settled on Lochmar Farm to grow blackberries, kiwis and hardwood trees. She was predeceased by former husbands Robert H. Fuller Sr., ’40, and Frank W. Clark Jr. Survivors: her husband Ron; one daughter, Lynn Fuller, ’63; two sons, Robert Fuller Jr., ’64, and Ward Fuller; one stepdaughter, Roanne Dunbar; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Shelby Charles Leasure Jr., ’39 (general engineering), of Scituate, Mass., in November, at 91. He was a retired Navy commander who stayed up to date on Stanford athletics through close friends made during his time at the University. Survivors: his wife of 55 years, Julia; one daughter, Patricia, ’77, MS ’77; and two grandchildren, including Matthew Rubin, ’12.
Jean Perry Hiler Maroder, ’39 (social science/social thought), of California, December 23. She was a life member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She was predeceased by her husband, Edmond, ’39. Survivors include: two daughters, Nancy Jeanne Blum and Elizabeth Anne; and one grandson.
1940s
Robert William Hadeler Sr., ’40 (economics), of San Francisco, November 30, of congestive heart failure and other complications. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He served in the Navy during World War II and worked most of his life in the grocery business, serving as president of the San Francisco Wholesale Grocery Company and vice president of Von’s. Survivors: his wife of 65 years, Marjorie; three children, Marlowe, Bob Jr. and Marcia, ’79; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.
Julius A. “Jud” Leetham, ’40 (social science/social thought), of Walnut Creek, Calif., August 16, at 90, of complications from a stroke. He served in the Army during World War II and was a graduate of Harvard Law School. A former Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, he was a prominent Republican and served as chair of the L.A. County Republican Central Committee for five years. Survivors: his wife, Marian (Cuzner, ’45); a daughter, Jean Karneus; two sons, William and James; and six grandchildren.
James W. Martin, ’40 (pre-clinical medicine), MD ’44, of Sacramento, January 9. He earned his MPH from Berkeley and had many professional accomplishments, including work as a private practice surgeon. He and his wife had a passion for travel that took them to all 50 states and every continent. Survivors: his wife of 37 years, Thelma; daughters Maureen Rielli and Joan; son, James; one granddaughter; and one great-granddaughter.
Nancy Kathryn Stolte Rosenfeld, ’41, of Portland, Ore., September 28. She was a talented pianist and enjoyed gardening, cooking, tennis, and traveling the world with her husband. Her community activities included the Portland Garden Club and the Junior League of Portland. Survivors: her husband of 68 years, William, ’38; one daughter, Leslie Labbe; four sons, William Jr., James, Charles and Stuart; and 13 grandchildren.
David McCullough Allen, ’43 (economics), of Tucson, Ariz., November 30. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda. He served in the Army during World War II, and after the war he worked with his father as a CPA in San Francisco. He was an accomplished pilot, and he and his wife of more than 60 years, Shirley (Houghton, ’45), traveled extensively in their plane. Survivors: his wife; three children, Lucy Sullivan, Vinit and Holly; two grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Milton Christopher Vucinich, ’43 (health education), of San Mateo, December 14. He attended Stanford on an athletic scholarship and played both football and baseball. He played on Stanford’s only undefeated football team, which won the Rose Bowl in 1941. He served in the Navy during World War II, then played for the Chicago Bears before returning to San Francisco and beginning a successful business career. Survivors: his wife of 65 years, Vera; one son, Jeffrey; and one daughter, Kristine Olsen.
William A. Wallace, ’43 (economics), of Carmel, Calif., December 20, at 88. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and on the staff of the Daily. He served in the Navy during World War II and then had a career as an automobile dealer, owning Studebaker, Buick and Volkswagen dealerships. He later worked at Stanford for six years. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Joan (Whittaker, ’43), and a daughter, Kathryn Lee Sweeney. Survivors: two daughters, Linda and Wendy; two sons, Michael and Kirk; five grandchildren; a brother; and his companion, Mary Margaret Graham.
Robert A. Cookson, ’44, of San Mateo, Calif., December 16, at 86, after a lengthy illness. He left Stanford to serve in the Army during World War II. After the war he joined the family business, the Cookson Company, manufacturing industrial doors and worked there until his retirement. He was passionate about tennis and served on the board and as president of the United States Tennis Association. Survivors: his wife of 62 years, Betty; three sons, Bob, ’70, Jim, ’72, and Richard; and nine grandchildren, including Lindsay, ’03.
Rosemary Cross Hornby, ’44 (humanities), of Portola Valley, November 17. She was a member of Cap & Gown. The granddaughter of Rufus Green, a Stanford math professor, she worked for the University as well as the Stanford School of Medicine, where she was manager of human resources for more than 20 years. She was past president of the Stanford Historical Society. Survivors: two daughters, Melinda Barnard, ’75, PhD ’86, and Megan; and two grandsons.
Jane Adele Stefani Lombardi, ’44 (nursing), of San Carlos, Calif., January 21, at 89. She was raised on the family farm in Dairy Valley in California. Survivors: her husband of 64 years, Mario, ’44; one son, David, ’71; two daughters, Stefanie Bieri and Linda Biain; and five grandchildren.
Franklin Ferris Moulton, ’45, of Los Angeles, November 26. He was a member of Zeta Psi. He served in the Navy during World War II and then spent seven years working in Brazil before returning to Los Angeles to join his father’s securities firm. He sold municipal bonds until his retirement from UBS. He served as the president of the board of trustees for the J.B. and Emily Van Nuys Charities. Survivors: his wife of 54 years, Marilyn; his daughters, Stephanie Peters, ’79, Janet Caler, ’83, and Leslie, ’81; and three grandsons.
Albert A. Shansky, ’45 (civil engineering), of San Francisco, January 30. He participated in student drama at Stanford. After serving in the Army, he started a construction company and later started an electronic power management firm. He enjoyed flying his airplane and also liked hiking and skiing. He was predeceased by his wife, Elaine, and son Lee. Survivors: his children Brad and Lynn; five grandchildren; and his soul mate, Gerry Belting.
William C. Davidson, ’46, of Pacific Palisades, Calif., January 15, after a short illness. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta. He served in the Marines during World War II and later served as president and chair of the board of the Daum industrial real estate firm. He was an avid surfer and reader and was passionate about bridge. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth; a daughter, Kerry; two stepdaughters, Diana Eastman and Cynthia Eastman Simon; a stepson, Matthew Eastman; and a brother, Ralph, ’50.
Peter V. August, ’47 (general engineering), of Kona, Hawaii, January 6, at 85, of natural causes. He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity and played football; he was chosen to play in the original Hula Bowl in Hawaii. He served in the Navy during World War II. After a long career at his management engineering firm, he retired to his macadamia nut plantation in 1980. Survivors: his wife, Genevieve; one son, Peter II; two daughters, Susan and Janet; and one granddaughter.
John J. Hernan Jr., ’47 (political science), of Belvedere, Calif., December 19. He was on the staff of the Daily. He served in the Army during World War II and received a Purple Heart. He had a successful career in advertising sales and spent most of his professional life at McGraw-Hill. Survivors: his wife, Allie; two daughters, Elena and Alejandra; one son, Sean; and three grandchildren.
Katharine B. Wheeler Meserve, ’48 (economics), of San Clemente, Calif., November 28. She spent her life doing philanthropic work for many organizations, including Las Madrinas of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the Junior League of Los Angeles. She enjoyed her weekly visits to read to special children through the Hands On Literacy Program. She was predeceased by her husband, Edwin, and one grandson. Survivors: three daughters, Mindy Byers, Barbara Pickle and Susan: and four grandchildren.
Ara Marcar Galstaun, ’49 (electrical engineering), of Headley Down, Bordon, United Kingdom, October 24, at 80. He played varsity soccer. After receiving a master’s in electrical engineering from Iowa State U., he managed an electric power station in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He finished his career in the United Kingdom. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara. Survivors: a daughter, Karen; two sons, Greg and Cary; and two grandchildren.
William Moser, ’49 (social science/social thought), MA ’50 (education), of Menlo Park, October 12, at 84. He served in the Navy during World War II and received a transfer to the NROTC program at Stanford near the end of the war. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. A teacher and principal at military bases throughout the world, he lived in Italy, Germany and Taiwan during his career. Survivors: his son, Oliver vonTempski.
William Henry Schmidt, ’49 (biological sciences), of Tucson, Ariz., December 7, at 80. He was a member of Delta Chi and LSJUMB. He received his DDS from U. of the Pacific and served in the Air Force until his retirement in 1979, after which he opened a private practice. He was predeceased by his wife, Frances, and his daughter, Karen. Survivors include: two sons, Ronald and Douglas; and a sister.
1950s
Robert Nodle Crozier, ’50, MS ’57 (petroleum engineering), of Santa Paula, Calif., January 19, at 80, of natural causes. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and captain of the golf team. After serving in the Army during the Korean conflict, he enjoyed a long career in petroleum engineering that took him to places such as Dubai, Peru, the Soviet Union and Nicaragua. He and his wife founded the Kern County Junior Golf Association. Survivors: his wife of 53 years, Marlene; a son, Thomas; two daughters, Coralie Kenton and Kathleen Egan, ’84; eight grandchildren; and a sister.
Joseph Victor Levy, ’50 (biological sciences), of Burlingame, Calif., January 10, at 80, of a heart attack. He earned his master’s in physiology from UCLA and his PhD in pharmacology from the U. of Washington at Seattle. An expert in the field of drug interactions, he was a professor and chair of the department of physiology and pharmacology at the U, of the Pacific Dental School. He received many awards and fellowships, including a Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health and the Eberhardt Teacher-Scholar Award. Survivors: his wife of 54 years, Joanne (Presley, ’55); two daughters, Suzanne Garrett and Virginia; one grandson; and a sister.
Edward J. “Ned” McGanney, ’50 (political science), of Belmont, Calif., December 31. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and played on the tennis team. A graduate of USF Law School, he spent most of his professional career as a corporate lawyer with Pacific Gas & Electric Company. He continued to play tennis at the California Tennis Club, where he was a member of the board of directors. Survivors: one sister; and one brother, Tom, ’59.
Roy C. Gill Jr., ’51 (history), November 1. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. After Stanford he joined the Air Force and was a fighter pilot in the Air Defense Command. While serving in the Air Force Reserves, he attended and graduated from UC-Berkeley School of Law. He worked for the state of California for the rest of his career and finished as an administrative law judge for the Unemployment Insurance Board of Appeals. Survivors: his wife, Vietta; a son, Rawld; a daughter, Leslie Geannacopulos; and five grandchildren.
Edward M. Pallette II, ’51 (biological sciences), of Lake Arrowhead, Calif., September 1, of cancer. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He earned his medical degree from Harvard and served as a medical officer in the Air Force during the Korean conflict. He was chief of staff at St. Vincent’s hospital in Los Angeles for many years, and after a brief retirement, he joined Mountains Community Hospital as a general surgeon and chief of medical staff. He played several instruments and sang in his church choir. He received a award of merit from the Stanford Associates for his work on his 50th reunion committee. Survivors: his wife of 10 years, Donna; one daughter, Jill; three stepsons, Michael, Daniel and Patrick Gwaltney; six grandchildren; and two sisters, including Patricia Whitney, ’53.
Edna Roberta Lynch Scott, ’51 (psychology), of Sacramento, February 1. She earned a master’s degree from UC-Davis and taught in the Woodland School District for more than 30 years. She was predeceased by her husband, Jesse, and her daughter, Michele Scott Curtis. Survivors: a daughter, Dana Scott Lee; a son, Eric; eight grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.
Edwin Russell Gamson, ’52 (general engineering), of Los Angeles, January 31, at 83. He enlisted in the Navy during World War II, and after graduating from Stanford, he worked at SRI as part of the team that developed the printed circuit for transistor radios. Later he started his own company, Certon Corporation. He volunteered for 20 years in the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. He was predeceased by his wife, Doris, and his daughter Jody Hayward. Survivors: a daughter, Jan Tanner; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a brother.
Warren Kadow Hansen, ’52 (biological sciences), MD ’55, of Sausalito, Calif., in December. He practiced dermatology for 34 years in San Francisco. Survivors: his wife, Barbara; two sons, Karl and Eric; and a sister.
Jack Hamilton Chalkley, ’53 (history), of Los Altos, December 20, at 79, of heart failure. A stockbroker in Monterey, Calif., and later in Palo Alto, he eventually joined Wells Fargo as the Northern California regional sales manager and retired in 1988. He was active in the Sons of Retirement, Branch 51 in the Bay Area. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jacqueline, and his son Jay. Survivors: his wife of 16 years, Marilyn; a daughter, Janey Given; a son, Jim; three grandchildren; and a brother.
Cary Lee Laird Stone, ’53 (English), of Menlo Park, November 27, at 76, after a long battle with cancer. She was on the Daily staff. She earned her master’s in social work at UC-Berkeley and became a licensed clinical social worker. After working for Stanford, Kaiser and Family Service, she maintained a successful practice as a psychiatric social worker in Palo Alto until 2001. Survivors: her husband, Bill Wiegand, PhD ’60; a son, Greg, ’81; a daughter, Mimi; and four grandchildren.
Peter McDuffie Lyon, ’54 (history), of Carmel, Calif., December 24. The son of a former Carmel mayor, he earned his master’s degree from Carnegie-Mellon and taught at his alma mater, Carmel High School. He trained as a Russian linguist at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., serving three years in the Army. After his retirement in 1991, he began a new career at Hospice of the Central Coast. He enjoyed golf, running, hiking, sailing and kayaking. Survivors: his wife, Dorothy Hilinski; his sons, William, David, Robert, Jonathan and Patrick; a stepdaughter, Denae; and four grandchildren.
Claire Vedensky Korn, ’55 (psychology), PhD ’69 (education), of Berkeley, Calif., November 5, 2007, at 74, of lymphoma. After a career as a child psychologist and teacher, she decided to devote herself to writing full time in the 1980s. She published three books and numerous articles and short stories. She was predeceased by her husband, Harold Korn, former associate director of the Counseling and Testing Center at Stanford. Survivors: her son, Alexander.
Johan “Hans” van der Voort, ’55 (economics), of Lanikai, Hawaii, July 9, of heart complications. Born in the Netherlands, he and his brother lived in an attic during World War II to avoid capture by the SS Nazi army. He later joined the Dutch army and after his discharge immigrated to the U.S. He eventually became general manager of Marriott in-flight food services at Honolulu International Airport. Survivors: his wife of almost 50 years, Andi; four sons, John, Jim, Eric and Carl; seven grandchildren; a brother; and two stepsisters.
Mary Alice Hood Ford, ’56 (education), of Portland, Ore., November 27. She served
in the Oregon legislature for 16 years and chaired the Washington County Republican Party. She received many awards through
the years, including the AARP Outstanding Legislator of the Year and the Oregon Commission for Women Woman of the Year. Survivors: a daughter, Sherilyn Lawson; two sons, Thomas and John; and three grandchildren.
1960s
William Alan Callison, ’63 (political science), of Concord, Calif., December 11, at 67, of a heart attack. He earned a National Merit Scholarship to attend Stanford and earned a master’s degree from UC-Berkeley. An electronics technician by vocation, he was active in the Peace and Freedom Party and was a passionate supporter of human rights, universal equality and environmental issues. Survivors: his wife, Carol Williamson; one brother; and two sisters.
Howard Nichols, ’63 (economics), of Carmel, Calif., December 31, at 68, of esophageal cancer. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and ROTC. He served two years in the Army and then returned to work for his father at the Palo Alto Military Academy and Harker Day School. He became headmaster in 1973, and over the years he made numerous changes to the school, including dropping the military program, launching the college-prep upper school, and expanding onto two additional campuses. By the time he retired in 2005, the Harker School had become the largest K-12 independent school in California. Survivors: his wife, Diana; two daughters, Elizabeth de Oliveira, ’88, and Stephanie Norton, ‘94, MA ’95; one stepson, Gregory Appleton; six grandchildren; and two brothers.
Harold Ingersoll “Hal” Bell, ’64 (history), of San Francisco, January 21. He was an officer and ranger in the Army and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for bravery in combat operations in Vietnam. He later worked in real estate in the Bay Area. He enjoyed coaching his sons’ sports teams and was an avid follower of the political scene. Survivors: two sons, Matthew and Jeffrey.
Robert N. Snively, ’64, MS ’65 (electrical engineering), of Morgan Hill, Calif., January 17, at 66, of cancer. He served in the Peace Corps for two years in Chile and later was an engineer at IBM, STC-CRC, Adaptec, SUN and Brocade Communications. As chair of multiple subcommittees and head of the U.S. delegation to ISO/IEC subcommittees, he defined rational interfaces to shape the future of storage connections. He was a backyard farmer and loved hiking, sailing and traveling. Survivors: his wife of 39 years, Sandy (Galeppi, ’64, MA ’68); two daughters, Gillian Marek, ’95, and Catherine; and five grandchildren.
Joan Comroe Von Gehr, ’64 (Spanish), MA ’65 (education), of Atherton, Calif., January 14, at 66, of ovarian cancer. Over the years she was an elementary school teacher and stay-at-home mother, and she also ran a successful summer drama program out of her home. She was known for her way with words; her poems and answering machine messages were legendary. Survivors: a daughter, Karla; and a son, David.
James William Colliton, ’66 (history), of Oak Park, Ill., January 17, at 64, of cancer. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He earned a law degree at the UC-Hastings College of Law, worked for the IRS, and later received a master of laws degree in taxation from Georgetown U. law school. He was then hired as a professor at DePaul U., and during his tenure there he served in several roles, including associate dean of the law school. Survivors: his wife, Jan; a son, Russell; a daughter, Anna; and two sisters.
Samuel Westgate, ’66 (English), of Arlington, Va., October 13. He earned a PhD in English from UC-Berkeley and enjoyed an academic career at places such as U. of Illinois at Chicago and King Faisal U. in Damman, Saudi Arabia. Later he had a second career as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Information Agency and the State Department that took him to countries including Thailand, Czechoslovakia and Ethiopia. Survivors: his wife of 26 years, Pummarie; and two sons, Guy and Geoff.
Janine Krivokapich, ’69 (biological sciences), of Encino, Calif., December 12, after a long struggle with breast cancer. She was on the gymnastics team. She graduated from Harvard Medical School and later became the first female faculty member in cardiology at UCLA. Her interests included traveling, reading, dancing and the study of alternative medicine. Survivors: her daughter, Julie Frazee; and her sister.
1970s
Barbara Behling, ’71 (sociology), of Palo Alto, December 27. She was a member of Stanford’s symphony orchestra. A career CPA and financial consultant, she most recently worked for Ravix Group Inc. She dedicated her time as a violinist for the California Youth Symphony and was a charter member of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra. The Stanford Associates awarded her a 10-year pin for her volunteer service to the University.
Jacques Mequet Littlefield, ’71 (economics), MBA ’73, of Portola Valley, Calif., January 7, at 59, of colon cancer. He worked for Hewlett-Packard for five years as a manufacturing engineer and later began acquiring large vehicles such as fire trucks, trains and tanks. Eventually amassing the largest private collection of tanks and other military armored vehicles in the country, he set up the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation and was considered a scholar and expert on the history of armored warfare. He served on the boards of numerous organizations, including the George S. Patton Museum, the Hoover Institution and the Filoli Center. The Stanford Associates awarded him a 20-year pin for his service to the University. Survivors: his wife, Sandy; three sons, David, Scott, MA ’05, and Jacques Jr.; two daughters, Allison and Jeannik; and one grandson.
Jeffrey L. Jernegan, ’73 (biological sciences), of Rockville, Va., January 24, at 59. He was on the Daily staff. He earned his law degree from the U. of Tennessee and was a partner at Mikkelborg, Broz, et al. in Seattle, Wash., from 1978 until his retirement in 2003. After two years, he returned to work at Hunton & Williams, LLP in Richmond, Va. He was predeceased by his first wife, Pam. Survivors: his wife, Angelene; his son, Kevin; his mother, Mary; one sister; and two brothers.
Elizabeth D. Stierman, ’77 (biology), of Los Angeles, August 13, at 51, of breast cancer. She graduated from the genetic counseling program at UC-Berkeley and worked at the U. of Utah and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center before taking a position with the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program. She served as the assistant director of the genetic counseling program at Cal State Northridge and was a mentor to numerous students over the years. Survivors: two daughters, Claire and Miranda Smith; her mother, Lynne; her father, Bill; and a sister.
1980s
Leslie Nader, ’81 (chemistry), of Dedham, Mass., December 18, at 49, of bile duct cancer. She earned a PhD in organic chemistry from the U. of Chicago, where she researched the interactions between polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens and DNA. She then began a career at the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research and was named executive vice president in 2002. Survivors: her son, Ramy; her mother, Vivian; her father, Charles; and her sisters.
Patrick A. Jean-Pierre, ’87 (international relations), of Woodmere, N.Y., December 12, at 44. He participated in Stanford in Government and was a member of the track and field team. Survivors: his mother, Ghislaine; his father, Vilame; a sister; and a brother.
Business
Raymond M. Jacobson, MBA ’48, of San Francisco, January 6, at 92. He served in the Navy during World War II and then worked for H.S. Crocker from 1947 until 1980, when he retired as executive vice president. He enjoyed tennis and was a longtime member of a congregational church in Palo Alto. Survivors: his wife of 62 years, Patricia (Lehman, ’48); four children, Janette, Marc, Todd and Leila; and seven grandchildren.
Harold A. “Hal” Ellis, MBA ’55, of Piedmont, Calif., in January, at 77, of metastatic melanoma. He was a founder of real estate brokerage Grubb & Ellis and was also a developer and investor responsible for notable real estate projects in the Bay Area. In the 1990s he was joined by his daughter, Melinda Evers, MBA ’93, and son Jim in Ellis Partners. The company had recently been focused on the redevelopment of Jack London Square in Oakland.
Charles Joseph “Chuck” O’Brien, MBA ’64, of Tiburon, Calif., December 30, at 78, of complications from heart surgery. He was a Naval meteorologist and completed a tour of duty in Japan prior to attending Stanford. He worked in real estate and securities, then in 1977 he purchased Krogh Pump Co., which he owned and operated until March 2008. He was predeceased by his wife, Eileen, and a son, Sean. Survivors: two daughters, Kathleen and Kerrin; one son, Tim; five grandchildren; and longtime partner Kathryn Conway.
Eric Paul Von Der Porten, MBA ’84, of San Carlos, Calif., December 2. He began his career working for Bank of America and Berkeley International. In 1997 he founded Leeward Investments, LLC, and was managing partner there. He also served on the San Carlos School District Board of Trustees from 1999 until 2007. Survivors: his wife of 24 years, Cathy; a son, Peter; a daughter, Laura; his parents, Edward and Saryl; and a brother.
Education
Roger S. Bagnall, MA ’55, of Morristown, N.J., July 27, at 84. He served as a naval officer during the Korean conflict and later taught high school mathematics in California, Washington and New York. He served as assistant headmaster at the Northfield School for Girls in Massachusetts before retiring in 1984. Survivors: his wife of 62 years, Peggy; two sons, Roger and Robert; two daughters, Anne Yardley and Catherine; five grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
John Joseph Lynch, Gr. ’55, December 14, at 87. He worked in education for 58 years, in roles such as business manager for the Millbrae (Calif.) School District and president of the National School Business Officials. Survivors: his wife, Dorothy; one daughter, Stephanie; two sons, Christopher and Patrick; and two grandchildren.
Engineering
Paul F. Offermann, Engr. ’41 (electrical engineering), of Redwood City, November 27. He served in the Army during World War II and later was an engineer for Standard Oil of California, earning patents for protecting oil storage, tankers and pipelines. He enjoyed travel and backpacking and was an award-winning photographer. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth (James, ’42); a son, William; three daughters, Dorothy Mayeda, Susan Jones and Mary; and 11 grandchildren.
Kendall Dean Moll, MS ’52 (electrical engineering), PhD ’68 (decision analysis), of Portola Valley, November 27, at 81, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He spent most of his career at Stanford Research Institute specializing in areas such as disaster preparedness, emergency planning and development of emerging countries’ economic and infrastructure plans. He loved to travel and had been to all 50 states and seven continents. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Barbara; three sons, Martin, Howard and Stanton; two grandchildren; and two brothers.
June Brevdy, MS ’57 (industrial engineering), MS ’69 (operations research), of San Francisco, October 27. Her career included work for the Army Corps of Engineers, the Navy Rad Lab, UC-San Francisco and Fireman’s Fund. After retiring, she volunteered with community boards and was active in health groups.
Humanities and Sciences
Steven Neil Gilborn, PhD ’69 (speech and drama), of North Chatham, N.Y., January 2, at 72, of cancer. He taught drama at UC-Berkeley, MIT and Columbia U. before trying to make it as an actor. He had several stage roles and recurring parts on television series such as The Practice, Picket Fences and L.A. Law, but he was best known for playing the father of Ellen DeGeneres’s character on the sitcom Ellen. Survivors: his wife, Karen Halverson; two daughters, Laelia and Marya, ’93; four grandchildren; and two brothers.
Law
Allyn Overton Kreps, JD ’58, of Glendale, Calif., September 9, at 78, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was a graduate of Harvard and an officer in the Navy during the Korean conflict. At Stanford he served as note editor on the law review. In 1968 he managed Alan Cranston’s successful campaign for the U.S. Senate, and he later served as aide to the senator on his foreign policy advisory staff. In 1981 he resumed practicing law and continued through his retirement in 2005. Survivors: his wife, Cassandra; two daughters, Rebecca Torres and Jessica Norton; two sons, Theodore and Eric; one grandchild; and five siblings, including Grace “Lyn” Kreps Hendry, ’41, Theodora, ’42, MA ’59, PhD ’64, Donald, ’46, MA ’49, and Rodney, ’59.
