Faculty and Staff
Holt Ashley, of Woodside, May 9, at 83, of natural causes. He was professor emeritus of aeronautics and astronautics and of mechanical engineering. His methods changed the design of structures from wings to wind turbines. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He earned a master’s degree in 1948 and a PhD in aeronautical engineering in 1951 from MIT, and became an associate professor there in 1954. He became a full professor in 1960. In 1964, he helped establish the department of aeronautical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India, before joining Stanford in 1967. He became emeritus in 1989 but kept a full load of teaching and research. His work was published in 100 journal articles and five books, and he served on numerous committees and advisory boards, including for NASA, the Air Force and the Navy. In 2003 he was awarded the Daniel Guggenheim Medal, and in 2006 the Reed Aeronautics Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the highest award in his field. His wife, Frances, predeceased him. Survivors include one sister.
Leo Blank, of San Diego, May 12, at 90, of natural causes. He was a clinical associate professor at Stanford’s School of Medicine and a pioneer in the development of radiological therapeutic abilities and imaging techniques. He graduated from Columbia U. and opened a pharmacy prior to earning his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1949. He later earned a master’s in radiology at the U. of Minnesota and did his radiology residency there. In 1955, he established a private practice in Palo Alto, which he kept for 20 years. He also became a clinical associate professor at Stanford, and in 1980 became professor emeritus. His daughter, Marian Vinegar, predeceased him, as did his former wives, Ruth, Mary and Clara. Survivors: two daughters, Loretta Wolozin and Barbara; one son, Ellis; two granddaughters; and one great-grandson.
Thomas J. Connolly, of Saratoga, Calif., April 3, at 83. He was professor emeritus of mechanical engineering and campaigned to build commercial nuclear power plants as a solution for global warming. He also pushed unsuccessfully for construction of a nuclear waste burial site in California. He graduated from Syracuse U. in 1943 before serving in the military. He worked on the Manhattan Project and in 1947 earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon U. He later earned his PhD in chemical engineering from Caltech. He taught nuclear engineering at UCLA for nine years. He joined Stanford in 1959 and retired in 1988. He wrote the textbook Foundations of Nuclear Engineering and chaired the California Radioactive Materials Management Forum from 1990 to 1992. Survivors: his wife, Helen; three sons, Mark, Steven and James; one daughter, M. Kari; and two granddaughters.
George F. Haines, of Lincoln, Calif., May 1, at 82. He was the women’s swim coach from 1982 to 1988. He graduated from San Jose State U. in 1950 and began 24 years of teaching physical education and coaching at Santa Clara High School. He started the Santa Clara Swim Club, which, according to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, went on to produce more Olympic champions than any other club. He coached men’s swimming at UCLA for four years in the 1970s before coming to Stanford. He coached swimmers in seven Olympics, starting in 1960, and was head coach three times. He was inducted into the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame and, in 1974, the International Swimming Hall of Fame. After retiring, he coached senior softball and led a team to the Senior Softball World Series. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, June; five children, Kerry Derr, Janice Canfield, Jody Baer, Paula Baldwin and G. Kyle; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; three brothers; and one sister.
Walter Erst Meyerhof, of Menlo Park, May 27, at 84, of Parkinson’s disease. He was a physics professor for 43 years and studied the atomic nucleus and the way its particles interacted. He escaped Nazi Germany with the assistance of famed refugee helper Varian Fry and later co-founded a foundation to educate young people about Fry’s work. He earned his master’s and doctorate from the U. of Pennsylvania and taught at the U. of Illinois before joining Stanford’s faculty in 1949. In the 1970s, he was head of the physics department and wrote two textbooks, including Elements of Nuclear Physics, which is still in use. In 1977, he received the Dinkelspiel Award, given annually to the top teacher of Stanford undergraduates. He retired in 1992. Survivors: his wife, Miriam; and two sons, Michael, ’74, and David.
Gilbert Sorrentino, of Brooklyn, N.Y., May 18, at 77, of lung cancer. An avant garde novelist and poet, he was a professor of English literature and creative writing professor at Stanford for 20 years. He attended Brooklyn College and served in the Army Medical Corps during the Korean War. After working as an editor at Grove Press, he wrote full time, gaining a reputation as an endless experimenter in form. He won numerous awards, including two Guggenheim fellowships, the John Dos Passos Prize for Literature, an award from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and the 2005 Lannan Lifetime Award. His most commercially successful work was the novel Mulligan Stew, though he authored more than 20 works. His daughter, Delia, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Victoria Ortiz; two sons, Christopher and Jesse; and three grandchildren.
William F. Woo, of Palo Alto, April 12, at 69. He was interim director of the University’s graduate program in journalism. He graduated from the U. of Kansas and worked as a general assignment reporter for the Kansas City Times in 1957. He worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 34 years as reporter, foreign correspondent, Washington columnist, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editor in chief. He was the first Asian-American named editor of a large metropolitan daily. He joined Stanford in 1996. A 1990 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Asian-American Journalists Association, he also won the Gold Medal Honor Award from the U. of Missouri School of Journalism in 1991 and served as director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the American Press Institute. Survivors: his wife, Martha Shirk; and three sons, Thomas, Bennett and Peter.
1930s
Gordon Leith Irving, ’31 (economics), of Walnut Creek, Calif., April 26, at 96. He served in the Navy during World War II and was employed by the Federal Home Loan Bank for nine years. He worked in savings and loan businesses in the Bay Area for the duration of his career. After retiring, he was active in Contra Costa Musical Theatre. Survivors: his wife, Betty; two daughters, Jane, ’65, MA ’67, and Anne; one son, Donald; and three grandchildren.
Elizabeth Dearing West Wright, ’31 (economics), of Newport Beach, Calif., March 28, at 97. She was a member of Chi Omega sorority and volunteered with many organizations in Pasadena and San Marino, Calif., prior to moving to Newport Beach in 1973. Her husband, James, ’25, died in 1979. Survivors: one son, Benjamin, ’56, MA ’63; one daughter, Jennifer Wright-Cameron; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Beulah Dimmitt Fabris, ’33 (speech and drama), of San Mateo, April 14, at 93. She was a stage actress, pianist, conservationist and author. Survivors: two daughters, Eleanor Franceschi and Madeleine; one son, John; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Stanley E. Johnson, ’34 (general engineering), PhD ’37 (electrical engineering), of Orinda, Calif., April 19, at 93. After earning his PhD, he worked for General Electric. One project involved making a more durable light bulb for Navy battleships, whose bulbs popped whenever the ships fired their big guns. In 1948, he started an engineering firm, Johnson Associates, with offices in Berkeley and Lafayette, Calif. In the 1960s he began another business hand-building titanium electronic capacitors that were used in the control panels of NASA rockets and military fighter planes. His wife, Eunice Mae, died in 1997. Survivors: two daughters, Beth Carsillo and Leslie Johnson Miller; two sons, Bruce Mattson and Todd; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Frank Raymond Hatch, ’35 (general engineering), of Riverside, Calif., November 1, at 91. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. He served in the Navy during World War II and remained in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a commander. He worked for Shell Oil Company for 39 years before retiring in 1974. He was active in Rotary, was a member of several professional organizations and was an amateur wine maker. His wife of 63 years, Marjorie, died in 2001. Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Mehrkens and Marily Peterson; two grandchildren, including Kelly Peterson, ’09; and three great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth T. Manwaring Isaacs Phelps, ’35 (history), of Fullerton, Calif., February 11, at 91. She was involved in numerous charitable organizations, including the Rest Haven Institute, the Red Cross and the International Institute, which helped immigrants settle in Southern California. She was an active Stanford volunteer with her husband of 46 years, John Isaacs, ’31. She was predeceased by John and by her second husband, Wilson Phelps, ’31. Survivors: two daughters, Jane Jervis, ’61, and Mary Montgomery, ’67; one son, John, ’64; four grandchildren, including Bob Montgomery, ’97, and Mike Montgomery, ’97; and one great-granddaughter.
Bert M. Goldwater, ’36, of Reno, Nev., May 3, at 91. He completed his undergraduate education at the U. of Nevada-Reno and earned his law degree from the U. of Colorado in 1939. He practiced civil and criminal law in Nevada before being appointed as part-time Referee in Bankruptcy in 1964. In 1979 he was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge. After retiring from the bench in 1982, he joined Lionel, Sawyer and Collins law firm, where he practiced for more than a decade. In 1994, he was recalled to serve as a bankruptcy judge by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where he served on a year-to-year basis until his death. He was active in numerous professional organizations, including serving as president of the Washoe Country Bar Association and chair of the National Conference of Bar Examiners. He was also involved in several educational, church and civic organizations. His first wife, Esther, his second wife, Phillis, and a son, Wayne, preceded him in death. Survivors: two daughters, Rosie Batcheller and Deena Morgan; one stepdaughter, Sandra Saviers Halley; one stepson, Trent Saviers; and four grandchildren.
Amy McNeil Edwards Jordan, ’36 (social science/social thought), of Bolinas, Calif., December 21, at 90, of complications after having a pacemaker replaced. She worked secretarial jobs, staying at each long enough to finance journeys to Europe and South America. She was involved in many social, philanthropic and arts organizations, and served as treasurer of the Auxiliary of California Pioneers for 30 years. She was predeceased by her husband, James Wells Jordan, ’33, Engr. ’37, whom she married in 1986, and her brother, Parker Ferguson Edwards. Survivors: one niece, Ann Edwards Fragale.
Janet Kitselman Rose, ’36 (Spanish), of Palo Alto, April 15, at 90. She continued her study of languages and pursued many interests, including the study of demotic Greek, creative writing, dressmaking and needlepoint pillow design. Her husband of 61 years, Andrew, died in 2000. Survivors: two sons, Christopher and Nicholas; one daughter, Mary Rose Cafiero; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth Kathryn “Betty” Riley Dolby, ’37 (French), of Olympia, Wash., April 29, at 90, of Alzheimer’s disease. She was a member of church and social organizations, and a lifetime member of P.E.O. chapter BC. Her first husband, Ronald Schmidt, died in 1951. Her second husband, Frank, died earlier this year. Survivors: two daughters, Betty Kay Anderson, ’65, and Patty Brydon; one stepdaughter, Pam Sutter; four stepsons, Mike, Bill, Dan and Tim Dolby; four grandchildren; 12 stepgrandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several stepgreat-grandchildren.
Helen Mears Gibson, ’37 (education), of Stanford, April 7, at 90. After graduating, she studied art at the Blocherer Art School in Munich, Germany. Upon returning to Stanford, she taught art classes at Peninsula School and San Francisco’s Presidio Hill School. She was a member of several local art clubs and exhibited her work in San Mateo and San Carlos city halls, Palo Alto Clinic and McClellan’s Orchid Nursery. Bechtel International Center, the Trust for Hidden Villa, and Friends Outside of Santa Clara County used her work for greeting cards to benefit their causes. Her husband, Weldon, MBA ’40, PhD ’50, predeceased her. Survivors: one son, David; one grandson; and one sister, Dorothy, ’41.
Irene M. Simpson Neasham, ’37 (political science), of Hillsborough, Calif., at 89, of congestive heart failure. During World War II she served in the Navy. Assigned to Treasure Island, she was responsible for managing sensitive documents and communications. In 1946, she resumed her career with Wells Fargo Bank, where she developed exhibits showcasing the history of Wells Fargo and California. She was elected president of the Conference of California Historical Societies and of the California Historical Society, the first woman to hold either position. She served on the board of trustees for the American Association of State and Local History and was appointed by Govs. Edmond G. Brown and Ronald Reagan to be chair of the California Heritage Preservation Commission. Survivors: five nephews; one niece; and several stepchildren and stepgrandchildren.
Margaret Mary Abel Donovan, ’38 (social science/social thought), of Oakland, April 11, at 89. Her husband of 51 years, John, MBA ’40, died in 1993. Two children, Eileen and Timothy, also predeceased her. Survivors: three sons, John III, George and Michael; three daughters, Mary Szarnicki, Patricia Jelley and Marian Corrigan; nine grandchildren; and one brother.
Elster Sharon Haile, ’38 (social science/social thought), JD ’41, of St. George, Utah, June 1, at 89. During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the Navy. A former city attorney for Half Moon Bay and Belmont, Calif., he ran a private law practice in Palo Alto for more than 50 years. He retired to Whidbey Island, Wash., and St. George, Utah, where he was involved in local politics and community service. Two wives, Felicie and Barbara, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Theresa Marino-Haile; two daughters, Jeanne Edwards and Suzanne; four sons, William, Stephen, Michael and John; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Warren F. Margrath, ’38 (economics), of Seattle, Wash., December 25, at 88. He developed and ran several businesses in the frozen food industry. Survivors: his wife of 63 years, Alice; two daughters, Nancy Johnson and Judy Margrath-Huge; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
1940s
Powers Cameron, ’40 (economics), of Tempe, Ariz., September 20. Survivors include one daughter, Pauline.
Henry Hoff Klettenberg, ’40 (economics), of Carmichael, Calif., January 1, at 87. He served in the armed forces during World War II and worked as an executive with Pacific Bell for many years. His first wife, Barbara, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth.
Colgate Dorr, ’41 (English), of Lincoln, Neb., February 13, at 85, of Parkinson’s disease. He was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. He served for 32 years as an intelligence officer in the Army. Upon retirement he became active in various organizations, including serving on the board for Hopkins Marine Station. He received a 15-year service pin from the Stanford Alumni Association in 1995. His son, Peter, died in 2005. Survivors: his wife, Kathleen “Kay” (Jacobson, ’41); one daughter, Kathy Maser; three grandchildren; and a brother, Charles, ’48.
Aubrey O. Nelson Jr., ’41 (biological sciences), of Atherton, April 20, at 87. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He served as a navigator in the Army. After being shot down in 1944, he spent one year in prison camp Stalag Luft III. He worked as a navigator for United Airlines for more than 25 years, retiring when navigators were replaced by computers. His wife, Marcia (Miller, ’39, MD ’44) predeceased him. Survivors: one son, Peter; one daughter, Katherine; four grandsons; and his companion, June Robbins.
John H. Avery, ’42 (general engineering), of Redmond, Wash., February 22, at 85. After graduating, he joined the Navy, serving during World War II and eventually retiring as a captain. In 1946, he joined Boeing. He finished his career working on the 747 program and retired from Boeing in 1984. His wife of 55 years, Dottie, predeceased him. Survivors: three sons, Jim, Tom and Jack; one daughter, Julie; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Frederick Rudolph “Ted” Schroeder Jr., ’42 (economics), of La Jolla, Calif., May 26, at 84, of cancer. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a member of the men’s tennis team. He became the second tennis player to win the U.S. intercollegiate and the U.S. singles in the same year. He won the U.S. Open in 1942 before serving in the Navy during World War II. He won Wimbledon in 1949, the only year he entered, and was half of a doubles team with Jack Kramer, winning the U.S. title in 1940, 1941 and 1947. Ranked in the U.S. Top Ten nine times between 1940 and his retirement in 1951, he made the World Top Ten six times, with a four-time ranking of No. 2. He refused several offers to join Kramer as a pro and became vice president of a California refrigeration company. He also reported on Wimbledon and other grand slam tournaments for local radio stations and entered the Hall of Fame in 1966. His wife, Ann de Windt, predeceased him. Survivors include three sons.
Jack A. Clark, ’43 (social science/social thought), of Bakersfield, Calif., February 27, at 84. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and served as a Navy lieutenant during World War II. Survivors: his wife of 62 years, Helen (Knight, ’43); one daughter, Susan; two sons, Thomas and Michael; and three granddaughters.
John Holmes Gertridge, ’44 (economics), of Menlo Park, April 24, at 83. He was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity and of the men’s soccer and track teams. During World War II he served in the Naval Air Transport Service. In 1953, he joined Calso Water Co. and served as its president for many years. He later became president of Allied Van Lines Palo Alto Transfer & Storage and then worked as director of development at Menlo School and College. He served on the Menlo Park City Council and was a president of the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. A founding member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, he also served on the boards of the Menlo School and the San Mateo Council for Boy Scouts of America. He was induced into the Menlo School Athletic Hall of Fame and served as a docent for the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. Survivors: his wife, Virginia; two sons, John “Jay” and Dick; two daughters, Janet Zehm and Gigi Noa; and six grandchildren.
Ruben F. Mettler, ’45 (general engineering), of Los Angeles, May 23, at 82. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. He was associated with the development of many missile and guided rocket programs for the Air Force and NASA. He joined the Navy in 1942 and enrolled in an accelerated military program at Caltech, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1944 and after the war, a master’s and doctorate in electrical and aeronautical engineering. He worked for Hughes Aircraft Co. for five years and in 1954 became a consultant to the Department of Defense. He joined Ramo-Woolridge Corp. a year later and worked on ballistic missiles and early space satellite projects. In 1969, he became president and chief operating officer of TRW. He became chair of TRW in 1977, holding the position until his retirement in 1988. He remained on the company’s board until 1994. He served on numerous other boards, including Bank of America, Merck and Goodyear and was chair of the Business Roundtable from 1982 to 1984. Survivors: his wife of 51 years, Donna; two sons, Matthew, ’80, and Daniel; one grandson; one brother; and three sisters.
Hermine Paris Shekerjian Norwood, ’45 (French), MA ’48 (education), of Redwood City, April 2, at 82. She was a math, English and language teacher. She taught at Ceres High School in Ceres, Calif., before teaching in Europe. She later worked as a substitute teacher in the Palo Alto and Los Altos school districts. She had a second career in financing with a focus on limited partnerships, and helped foster numerous local businesses in the pension and profit sharing industries. Her husband, James, MA ’61, predeceased her. Survivors: three sons, Haig, Ara and Michael; 10 grandchildren; and one brother.
John C. “Jack” Oglesby Jr., ’45 (communication), of Sacramento, April 19, at 84, of Alzheimer’s disease. He worked for the Daily and served in the Army during World War II. Afterward, he covered the state capitol for the Associated Press. He began a 38-year career at the Sacramento Bee in 1948, covering local news and then arts and theater. He later launched the paper’s travel section, where he wrote a regular column, “Adventure Bound,” and edited the Bee’s Valley Leisure section. He illustrated his stories with pen-and-ink sketches and was also a renowned painter of landscapes, local scenes and other subjects. After retiring in 1986, he continued to write for another local publication, Senior Spectrum. Survivors: his wife of 56 years, Elizabeth; two sons, John and Robert; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Harry Henry Appeldorn Jr., ’46 (preclinical medical sciences), MD ’49, of Piedmont, Calif., March 18, at 81. He served as a physician during the Korean War. Afterward, he worked in a local VA hospital before opening a private practice as a general practitioner and surgeon. He remained in his practice until retiring in 2001. His wife, Betty, a nurse, worked alongside him until her death in 1957. A son, Douglas, also predeceased him. Survivors: two daughters, Karen Appeldorn-Anastasio and Mary Germain; one son, Rob; and seven grandchildren.
Harold Rankin “Hal” Millen, ’46 (speech and drama), of Battleground, Wash., May 8, at 86. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and worked as a newspaper writer in Yakima and Auburn, Wash. He was a public information officer for the Vancouver School District and played leading roles in several musical theater productions in Vancouver. Survivors: three sons, Randall, ’65, David and Steven; two daughters, Kimberly Brown and Anne Hawkins; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his companion, Audrey Kelly.
Daniel Steven Endsley, ’47 (communication), of Mountain View, April 22, at 85. He served in the Navy during World War II and was an editor and columnist for the Daily while on campus. He was a writer and editor for the Palo Alto Times until 1953, when he returned to Stanford to take over as the editor of the Stanford Review. He also co-founded the Stanford Alumni Almanac during this time. Both publications won national honors during his tenure. In 1967 he joined the United States Information Agency as an information officer at the U.S. consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He later served at posts in Saigon, Vietnam, Washington, D.C., and Manila, Philippines, before retiring in 1980. He volunteer coached elementary basketball and Little League. Survivors: his wife of 55 years, Susan (Tolnay, ’50); two sons, Steven and Michael; one daughter, Megan Castagneri; and three grandchildren.
James Thomas Rodman, ’48 (social science/social thought), of San Francisco, May 12, at 82, of colon cancer. He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity and the men’s basketball team. He became a teacher and later was named principal at Parkside Elementary and then Treasure Island Elementary. He retired in 1979, having spent 30 years in the school system. With one of his brothers, he opened a roping arena in Daly City. In the 1950s they moved the arena to Pacifica, Calif., and named it Rodman Stables. It remained open for about 10 years. Survivors: his second wife, Eileen Labelle; one daughter, Joan; one son, Jeff; one granddaughter; and one brother.
Carol Lowry Yandell, ’48 (social service), of Port Townsend, Wash., May 7, at 79. She worked, often as a volunteer, in elder care and senior services, and for a time served as assistant curator of the Port Townsend Historical Museum. Survivors: four sons, Eric, Kurt, Kevin and Brian; two grandchildren; one step-grandchild; and her former husband, Robert.
Philip West Borst, ’49, MA ’50 (political science), of Hemet, Calif., May 21, at 78. He earned a doctorate in political science from what is now Claremont Graduate U. In 1956, he was hired as a political science instructor at Fullerton College in Fullerton, Calif. He held several administrative positions and was named president of the college in 1977. He retired from the office in 1994, but remained on the Fullerton College Foundation board.
David Garst, ’49 (economics), of Glidden, Iowa, January 9, at 79, of cancer. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Son of seed corn salesman Roswell Garst, he joined Garst & Thomas in 1956 as a sales representative, eventually succeeding his father as sales manager in 1961. In 1983, Garst formed Garst Seed Co., which was sold in 1985. He was appointed to several international agricultural trade organizations by President Carter and was active in the national Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council as an advocate of ethanol. He was named National Agricultural Marketer of the Year in 1987 by the National Agricultural Marketing Association. He was predeceased by his first wife, Georganne “Jo” (Orenstein, ’49), and a son, Stuart. Survivors: his wife, Marilyn; two sons, Sam and James; one daughter, Sallee Haerr; several step-children, grandchildren and step-grandchildren; and three sisters, including Jane Kamps, ’46.
Robert Wallis Grenfell, ’49 (sociology), of San Francisco, April 20, at 80. He earned a master’s of library science at UC-Berkeley in 1956. He worked as a librarian at Berkeley and was an editor in the international relations department for seven years. He last served as a teacher in the business department with City College of San Francisco. Survivors include his companion of 53 years, John Ratcliff; and a sister.
Robert Maurice Manning, ’49 (education), of Belmont, Calif., May 17, at 85. He was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity and served as a Naval aviator during World War II and the Korean War. He was a physical education teacher and coach of the wrestling and water polo teams at Sequoia High School from 1948 to 1951. In 1955 he became a real estate broker, founding Carlmont Associates Realtors and serving as president of the Board of Realtors in 1968, realtor of the year in 1966 and vice president of the California Association of Realtors in 1971. He was involved with many community organizations. Survivors: his wife of 48 years, Phyllis; two sons, Robert and Lawrence; three daughters, Barbara Scofield, Lee Ann Isaacson and Meg Wall; and five grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
John W. “Jack” Spalding Jr., ’49 (economics), of Phoenix, March 30, at 78. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. After graduating he returned to Pheonix to run the family business, John W. Spalding Brokerage. He remained in food brokerage until 1988. He was active in numerous charitable and civic organizations and served as president of the Arizona Club and the Sheriff’s Posse. Survivors: his wife of 47 years, Ellen; one daughter, Victoria; one son, John; and one grandson.
1950s
William Tudor Gripp, ’50 (biological sciences), of Orinda, Calif., December 23, at 79, of a heart attack. He served in the Army during World War II and the Japan Occupation until 1946. He earned his teaching credential and master’s degree from San Francisco State U. A teacher in Oakland for two years, he became a principal for the Mount Diablo (Calif.) Unified School District. His wife, Suzanne, predeceased him. Survivors: two sons, Jeremy and John; one daughter, Caroline Setoodeh; two stepsons, Christopher and Daniel Carroll; and five grandchildren.
Joyce M. W. Holman Prairie, ’50 (education), of Pullman, Wash., December 30, at 76.
Diane Aubineau, ’51 (English), of San Mateo, May 18, 2005. An artist, she did children’s portraits in the Bay Area and Chicago before working in layout and illustration. She served as statewide publications designer for the U. of California and as head of advertising for Addison-Wesley before opening her own agency, which she ran for 15 years. She later focused on fine art.
John Wyman Arnold, ’51 (communication), of San Antonio, March 23, at 76. He was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity and earned a master’s from Baylor U. in 1969. He served in the Army for 27 years in the Medical Service Corps and achieved the rank of colonel. He received the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation and other service medals. In 1978 he retired and joined the Sisters of Charity Health Care System in Houston, retiring in 1990. He served on the governing boards of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Houston and St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay, Texas, until 1995. Survivors: his wife of 48 years, Joyce; three daughters, Kimberly Zimmerman, Jennifer Mazdra and Kristen; and eight grandchildren.
Keith G. McFadden, ’52 (art), of Fountain Hills, Ariz., March 20, at 79, of natural causes. He served in the military during World War II. After graduating, he completed a two-year graduate program at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. He worked as an art director at several advertising agencies before becoming manager of creative services for Avon Products. He was a volunteer with several civic organizations. Survivors: his wife, Olivia; three daughters, Laurie McFadden Clyne, Barbara Garcia and Gayle; and two sisters.
Richard W. Bremner, ’53 (economics), of Westlake Village, Calif., August 19, 2005. He earned a master’s in computer science from Texas A&M U. in 1966. Survivors include his wife, Isabel.
Suzanne Allen Frankfurt, ’53 (history), of New York, January 7, 2005, at 73. She was a researcher at Young & Rubicam before working as an interior decorator. She popularized 18th- and 19th-century Russian furniture in the 1970s and 1980s, and her clients included actor Robert Redford and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. She collaborated with Andy Warhol on the book Wild Raspberries.
Carol Joan MonPere, ’53 (English), of Belvedere, Calif., March 29, at 72, of breast cancer. She was an award-winning screenwriter and producer for 50 years. She wrote for a Fresno, Calif., television station before expanding to film and documentaries. She produced The Battle of Westlands, which aired on PBS in 1980 and won George Foster Peabody and Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia U. awards. Among her other films are Pink Lightning and The Extraordinary Adventures of the Mouse and His Child. Survivors: her husband, David Becker; two daughters, Lisa deFaria and Gabrielle Ritter; one son, Christopher deFaria; one stepson, Jonathan Becker; one stepdaughter, Polly Becker; nine grandchildren; and three brothers.
Norma Helen Ure Coyle, ’55 (international relations), MA ’56 (education), of Sacramento, April 5, at 72. She received the Stanford Associates Governors’ Award in 1990 and a 20-year service pin from the Stanford Alumni Association in 1994. For three years she taught in a San Francisco high school. She was active in many arts and civic organizations and founded an annual debutante ball to raise money for the Sacramento Symphony. Her husband of 32 years, Richard, ’51,
MD ’56, died in 1988. Survivors: one daughter, Lauren Segale; four sons, Charles, Michael, Richard Jr. and William; and 11 grandchildren.
Carolyn Phelps Henderson Hodge, ’55 (geography), of Old Greenwich, Conn., January 26, at 72. She worked as a mapmaker for the Southern Pacific Railway before joining the San Francisco office of the U.S. Geological Survey as an information specialist. In 1973, she joined the Greenwich Library Development Fund, and later, the St. Joe’s Development Fund. She transferred to Stamford (Conn.) Health Foundation, from which she retired in 2000 as a development assistant. She was active in several Junior League associations and was a founder of the Community Answers program. Survivors: her husband, Peter; two sons, Peter Jr. and Charles; four grandchildren; and three brothers.
Robert Bruce Karp, ’55, of Chicago, May 18, at 72, in a car accident. He was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity. He earned his medical degree from UCSF in 1959, did his residency at UCLA and served in the Army. He became a professor at the U. of Alabama-Birmingham, working on a team that pioneered heart transplants there. He founded the U. of Chicago’s heart transplant program in 1984 and headed the cardiac surgery section there for 15 years. He also founded one of the first human tissue banks, at the U. of Chicago. He published nearly 150 journal articles and contributed more than 40 chapters in textbooks, and after retiring from the U. of Chicago, taught surgical techniques to doctors in India and Pakistan. In 2004 he served as interim CEO of Aspen Valley Hospital. His wife, Sondra, died in the same accident. Survivors: one son, Andrew; one daughter, Gillian; and two grandchildren.
Algia Ann Howard Kroeker, ’55 (speech and drama), February 14. She worked as a teacher, computer programmer and tutor at Huntington Learning Center. Survivors include two sisters and seven nieces and nephews.
Dwight Peterson, ’55 (Latin American studies), of Redondo Beach, Calif., March 22, of colon cancer. He was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity. He served in the Army before earning his MBA at Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management, in Arizona. He worked in international banking in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. Upon returning to the United States, he was vice president of Peterson Motor Cars, the family car dealership, until his retirement. Survivors: two sons, Boyd and Dwight Jr.; one daughter, Kristina; and three grandchildren.
Ruth Joanne Bruner Dangerfield, ’57, of Citrus Heights, Calif., at 70. She completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology and earned a master’s degree in education at CSU-Sacramento. For 30 years she worked at American River College in Sacramento, serving as coordinator of student employment and graduate placement. Survivors: two sons, Ronald and Todd; two grandsons; two brothers; and her companion of 18 years, Douglas Kinney.
Mary Susan Bruce Dronberger, ’58 (art), of Houston, March 10, at 70. She was active in the University chorus and KZSU. She was an artist and political activist, and served as a delegate at the 1992 Republican convention. She was a member of several community and political organizations. Survivors: her husband of 50 years, Dan, ’56; two sons, David and Jeff; two grandchildren; and one brother.
Donald Harrell Fritts, ’59 (political science), of Bakersfield, Calif., May 4, at 69, of Huntington’s disease. He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity. After serving in the Army, he worked as a buyer for a Bay Area department store. In 1960 he joined the Bakersfield Californian—the paper his great-grandfather bought in 1897—as a reporter. He later served as business editor and became executive editor in 1966. He became publisher of the paper in 1970 and retired in 1991. Survivors: one sister.
1960s
Wayne Lyman Chan, ’60 (biological sciences), of Los Altos, May 21, at 67. He graduated from the George Washington U. School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. After completing his internship at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, he served in the Air Force and achieved the rank of captain. Afterward, he completed his medical residency at Stanford’s School of Medicine. In 1973 he began a dermatology practice in San Jose and became an adjunct faculty member at Stanford’s School of Medicine. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth; one daughter, Lisa; one son, Christopher; and one brother, Loren Singh, ’65, MA ’66.
Andre Thomas La Borde, ’61 (English), of Novato, Calif., April 16, at 67. He was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity. After graduating from Hastings College of the Law, he was a public defender in Oakland. He later worked as a lobbyist and assistant district attorney in San Francisco before entering private practice as a criminal attorney. Survivors: one daughter, Nicole; one granddaughter; his partner of 18 years, Anna Young; and one sister.
David B. Essner, ’62 (international relations), of Pleasant Hill, Calif., April 20, at 65. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He graduated from UC-Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law and spent his career in both Europe and the United States. Survivors: his wife of 35 years, Gabrielle; three sons, Jonathan, Dylan and Christian; his mother; and one brother.
George Naylor Hall, ’63 (history), of Tiburon, Calif., April 20, at 65, following heart bypass surgery. He was a pioneer of jet and military aircraft photography. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War, rising to the rank of lieutenant and receiving a Purple Heart after being injured in a helicopter crash. He earned a master’s degree in urban planning from UC-Berkeley and worked briefly in that field before becoming a full-time photographer. His series of photographs taken from the Goodyear Blimp were published in The Blimp Book in 1977. He later specialized in military aircraft, pioneering techniques for photographing jet planes in mid-flight. He published two dozen books and calendars featuring action photos of combat and supersonic airplanes, including Cv: Carrier Aviation, Strike: U.S. Naval Strike Warfare Center and the recent Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Bye, Bye Baby . . . ! He also published two books on firefighters, including Working Fire. He was the founder of two stock agencies, Check-Six and Code Red, and co-founded Planepix.com, a website that sells aviation prints to consumers. He was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award from the International Society of Aviation Photographers. Survivors: his wife, Nicky Wolf; and two sisters.
Susan Jean Quigley Matthews, ’64 (political science), of Pasadena, Calif., February 27, at 63. She was a Dollie during her sophomore year. She was active in local politics and civic activities. Survivors: her husband, Mortimer “Tim”; one son, Kevin Isola; three step-daughters; and 12 grandchildren.
James Russell Berry, ’65 (psychology), of Pasadena, Calif., July 16, 2005, at 61, of heart failure. He was a member of Beta Chi fraternity. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and earned his MBA from UC-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business in 1971. He worked for Wells Fargo Bank in corporate banking and later joined Lloyds Bank of California (later called Sanwa Bank of California), retiring as senior vice president in loan administration after 20 years. He served as senior vice president and chief credit officer at East West Bank and fully retired in 1997. He was president of the Child Guidance Clinic (now Pacific Clinics) and a member of the Claremont McKenna College board of trustees, and served other civic organizations. Survivors: his wife, Jill (Gillett, ’66); and one daughter, Allison Berry Robinson.
Judith Ann Hartmann, ’65 (history), MA ’66 (education), of Portland, Ore., December 30, at 61, of breast cancer. She was a member of the women’s swim team and tennis team. She went on to the U. of Chicago, where she earned a master’s degree in political science in 1968, a PhD in political science in 1974 and a JD/MBA in 1979. She taught political science at Reed College and Portland State U., where she created and taught the school’s first Women in the Law course. She also worked in corporate finance at Portland General Electric, practiced law, ran a software company and worked for Hewlett-Packard. She served on the research center leadership cabinet for the Franz Cancer Research Center at Providence Portland Medical Foundation as well as on a Department of Defense board that reviewed and made recommendations for DOD funding of cancer research. Survivors: her husband, Jere Webb, ’66; and one sister.
Porter C. Johnson, ’65 (chemistry), of Arlington, Wash., April 10, at 62. He earned a PhD in organic chemistry at Northwestern U. He worked for Mead Johnson and Bristol Meyers as a scientist before joining a pharmaceutical research company. In 1987, he joined Arlington (Wash.) Hardware. Survivors include his mother, Nona Greener.
Richard Lawrence Berman, ’67, of Seattle, January 10, 2005, at 59. Survivors: his mother, Leba Berman; and four sisters.
1970s
Kevin Douglas Clymo, ’72 (psychology), of Sacramento, May 3, at 58, after surgery. He was a defense attorney for some of the region’s most notorious criminals, including Dorothea Puente and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and earned his law degree from the U. of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in 1979. He worked in Sacramento’s public defender’s office before starting his own practice. Survivors: one son, Daniel; one brother; one stepbrother; and one stepsister.
Shirley Louise Allen Grant, ’72 (psychology), of Potomac, Md., March 23, at 56, of uterine cancer. She graduated from Georgetown U.’s School of Medicine in 1976 and earned an MBA from George Washington U. in 1997. From 1977 to 1980, she served in the Air Force medical corps, attaining the rank of captain. She worked in private practice in San Antonio until 1987, when she became chief of the acute ambulatory care department of the Johns Hopkins Medical Service Corporation in Baltimore. She served as senior vice president for medical affairs and medical director of the mid-Atlantic region of American Preferred Provider Plan, Inc., and from 1997 until her death was medical director for AMERIGROUP Corporation. She founded the Junior League of Washington’s Boarder Baby Project, a medical treatment program for mothers and young children, and helped found the Sunshine House, a transitional home for abandoned infants in Washington. She received the Junior League’s Sally Carruthers Spirit of Volunteerism Award and was a member of numerous professional and civic organizations. Survivors: her husband of 33 years, Richard, ’71; two sons, Daimion and Khaleb; and two brothers.
Alfred Paul Gehri, ’75 (political science), of Tacoma, Wash., March 4, at 54. He earned his law degree from the U. of Washington and joined the Snohomish County (Wash.) prosecutor’s office in 1979, where he served as a criminal and civil deputy. Survivors: his life partner, Megan Graves; his mother, Eleanor Earley; one sister; and one brother.
John Albrook Connolly, ’79 (human biology), of Pinetop, Ariz., May 17, at 48, of melanoma. He earned his medical degree at UC-Irvine and completed an orthopedic residency program there in 1989. He worked as an orthopedic surgeon in Arizona for 17 years. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth; two sons, John and Kevin; his father, John, ’52, MD ’56; four sisters; and one brother.
Business
William Ernest Boorn, MBA ’55, of Grand Rapids, Mich., March 12, at 79. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers U. and served as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. In 1971 he joined the Michigan State Department of Social Services as a systems analyst and remained there until his retirement in the 1990s. After, he started an accounting business and was involved in commercial real estate. He was active in civic organizations, including serving as treasurer of the Kenty’s Men’s Club (the international service club of the YMCA) for eight years. Survivors: his wife of 48 years, Barbara; one daughter, Barbara Miller; one son, William; three grandchildren; and one sister.
John Bernard Kelley, MBA ’76, of Honolulu, Hawaii, May 24, at 60, of a brain tumor. He joined Alexander & Baldwin in 1979 and became vice president of investor relations there in 1988. A triathlete, he was treasurer and former president of the Hawaii Bicycling League. He served on the board of the Hawaii Council on Economic Education for 19 years and helped launch Hawaii Public Radio and restore the Hawaii Theatre. Survivors: his wife, Kathy; one son, Rob; one daughter, Lauren; three stepdaughters, Lisa Hemmeter, Kirsten Merrill and Kimmy Everett; one sister; and his former wife, Anne Sherwood.
Henrik Pade, MBA ’78, of Copen-hagen, Denmark, April 16, at 56. He was named a member of the Stanford Associates in 2003 by the Stanford Alumni Association. Survivors include one brother, Richard; and his parents.
Education
John M. Bracken, Gr. ’54, of Palo Alto, April 13, at 90. He graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the U. of Chicago. He served in the military and retired as a major. After working briefly in government services and journalism, he became a teacher. He taught at high schools in Elko, Nev., and San Francisco before working at several Palo Alto schools, including an assignment as principal of Barron Park Elementary School and 17 years at Garland and Fairmeadow Elementary Schools. He retired from the Palo Alto Unified School District in 1975. He was involved in many civic organizations, including serving as president of the Palo Alto Historical Association and Neighbors Abroad. He was chair of Palo Alto Youth Recitals for nine years. Survivors: one daughter, Heather; two sons, Brendan and John; and one sister.
Edward L. McClarty, EdD ’57, April 8, at 82. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications at the College of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. He was professor of communications at CSU-Turlock before joining Modesto Junior College. At the time of his death he was dean emeritus of telecommunications and community services at MJC. For 10 years he was a member and then chair of the California Public Broadcasting Commission, and for nine years served on the board of directors of KVIE-TV in Sacramento. He was a member of several professional organizations. His first wife, Dorothy, predeceased him. Survivors: his wife, Gilda Simon; one daughter, Kathleen Gursky; one son, Kevin; two stepdaughters; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Erwin Hugh Rudorf Jr., PhD ’65, March 16, at 82. He served in the Army during World War II and later graduated from CSU-Fresno. In 1950 he graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and later studied Hellenistic culture at the Oriental Institute of the U. of Chicago. He taught sixth grade in Fresno, Calif., for 10 years before coming to Stanford. After graduating, he taught at the U. of Delaware, the U. of Nebraska and City U. of New York. Upon retiring, he worked as a proofreader for the Sonoma, Calif., Index-Tribune. He was a volunteer with several HIV/AIDS support organizations. Survivors: his wife of 55 years, Fyrne; two sons, Don and Bob; one daughter, Ann; four grandchildren; and one sister.
Humanities and Sciences
Robert Weinstock, PhD ’43 (physics), of Oberlin, Ohio, May 16, at 87. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the U. of Pennsylvania in 1936. After graduating from Stanford, he worked at Harvard for the war effort. He later took an unskilled job in the engine room of an ocean freighter before returning to Stanford to teach. He became an assistant professor of mathematics at Notre Dame in the 1950s and joined Oberlin College’s faculty in 1959. He became professor emeritus in 1983 but continued teaching until 1990. He published Calculus of Variations, which remained in print for several decades. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth (Brownell, ’51); two sons, Frank and Robert; and five grandchildren.
Howard Karl Zimmerman Jr., MA ’44 (chemistry), of Stockton, Calif., September 4, 2000, at 79, in a home fire. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the U. of Washington and his PhD at the U. of Oregon. He taught chemistry at the U. of Kentucky in Lexington before serving in the Navy during the Korean War. Afterward, he taught chemistry at Texas A&M in Bryan, Texas, and the U. of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. His wife, Roberta, died in 2005. Survivors: two daughters, Signe Zimmerman Adams and Lisa; and two sons, Michael and David.
Harrison William “Benny” McCreath, MS ’49, PhD ’65 (speech and drama), of San Jose, April 23, at 84, of cancer. After graduating from San Jose State in 1943, he served in World War II. In 1948 he joined the faculty at that school as a speech, drama and scene design professor. In 1957, he moved to the humanities department, where he served as chair of the College of Humanities and the Arts from 1977 until his retirement in 1983. He continued for several years as professor emeritus. Survivors: his wife, Mary; two daughters, Joan Thorngren and Lesley Kaiser; one son, Robert; and three grandchildren.
Elliot Schrier, Gr. ’51 (chemistry), of Palo Alto, March 25, at 80, of acute respiratory disease syndrome. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State U. in 1948 and served in the Army during World War II. He worked as a western editor for McGraw-Hill Publications before becoming founding president of a transportation consulting company, Manalytics Inc. Upon retiring, he served as a board member and chair of the more than 30 Parkinson’s patient support groups throughout Central California. Survivors: his wife, Nancy (Gennes, MA ’60); two sons, Eric and Paul; one daughter, Ellen; and seven grandchildren.
Jerome Johnson Tiemann, PhD ’60 (physics), of Schenectady, N.Y., April 25, at 74, of a heart attack. He earned his bachelor’s degree from MIT and joined GE’s corporate research and development laboratory in 1957, where he worked for more than 44 years. He held 135 patents; many electronic consumer devices derive from methods and devices he helped develop. He did work in digital signal processing, advanced medical imaging, military radar and sonar technologies, and signal compression techniques. His work significantly lowered the cost and power usage of global positioning systems. In 1970 he co-invented the surface charge transistor, and in 1974 he co-developed and demonstrated the surface charge correlator, which was 100 times faster than existing processors. His awards include two IR-100 Awards, and he became a Coolidge Fellow in 1975, enabling him to spend two years at Stanford’s Center for Integrated Studies in Engineering. In 1976 he was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the IEEE, and in 1984 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Survivors: his wife, Adrian (Rooke, MA ’57); two sons, Michael and Bruce; three grandchildren; one brother; and one sister.
Patrick Joseph Ledden, PhD ’65 (mathematics), of La Jolla, Calif., October 29, 2003, at 67, of stomach cancer. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Catholic U. in Washington, D.C., and his master’s from the U. of Michigan. He taught mathematics at UC-San Diego for 36 years. In 1987, he became provost of Muir College, one of the six colleges at UC-San Diego. He served in that post for 16 years. He was a member of professional organizations and a trustee of the Children’s Museum and the Rees-Stealy Research Foundation. Survivors: his wife, Sally; and one son, Patrick Jr.
Margaret V. Taylor, MA ’66 (communication), of Washington, D.C., May 9, at 81, of a stroke. She graduated from San Diego State U. and worked for the Christian Science Monitor for three years before joining the State Department in 1951. A foreign service officer, she held cultural and educational affairs positions in Greece, Israel, Japan, Finland and Indonesia, specializing in cultural exchange programs, particularly for Fulbright Scholars, students and civic leaders. She retired in 1980.
Robert Lee Vining, MA ’72 (communication), of Winston Salem, N.C., July 31, 2005, of complications from diabetes.
Law
Carl Edward Zerbe, JD ’71, of Carmel, Calif., December 13, at 59, of a subdural hematoma. He earned his bachelor’s degree at DePauw U. in Indiana. He was a founder and partner of Zerbe, Buck, Lewis and Mallet law firm until his retirement in 1992. He then established the production company kokomomusic.com and formed a partnership to establish the Cannery Row Antique Mall in 1994. He was active in several community organizations, including holding executive positions with the Josephine Kernes Memorial Pool and Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula. Survivors: his wife of 33 years, Audrey Morris; two sons, Adam and Lindley, ’01, MS ’01; and one sister.
Medicine
Joseph Francis Walsh, MD ’42, of Eureka, Calif., April 22, at 90. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UC-Berkeley, began his residency in the Stanford Service at San Francisco County Hospital and completed the last two years of his surgical residency at the Lahey Clinic in Boston. He was a flight surgeon during World War II, earning a bronze star and completing his service with the rank of captain. He was the first board-certified surgeon in the area from Santa Rosa, Calif., to the Oregon border, and was often requested as a surgical consultant. He helped establish standards for surgical care in local hospitals and was one of the physicians responsible for starting the Blood Bank. In 1973 he volunteered on the floating medical center SS Hope during its travels to Brazil. He retired in 1981 but continued to assist in surgeries for several more years. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of several other professional organizations. Survivors: his wife of 30 years, Janie; two sons, Mike, ’66, MBA ’68, and Johnny; two daughters, Pam Olson and Sandy; three stepdaughters, Carol Clarke, Susan Harrison and Gretchen Howard; five grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and one brother.
