Faculty and Staff
Joel Henry Ferziger, of Palo Alto, August 16, at 67, of pancreatic cancer. He was a pioneering researcher in thermoscience who started teaching at Stanford at age 24. He retired in January 2003 after 43 years at the University. He was a fellow of the National Science Foundation, a Fulbright fellow, a visiting professor at Queen Mary College in London and the author of more than 100 journal articles as well as books on nuclear engineering and computational fluid dynamics. Survivors: his wife, Eva; two daughters, Shoshanah Cohen, ’85, and Ruth, ’84, MS ’88; one stepson, Thomas Kramer, MBA ’97; and two grandchildren.
Michael Hamilton Jameson, of Palo Alto, August 18, at 79, of cancer. A scholar of Greek antiquity, he served during World War II as a Japanese translator and worked as a professor of classical languages and archaeology at the U. of Pennsylvania from 1965 to 1976. That year he joined the Stanford faculty and retired 14 years later as Crossett professor emeritus of humanistic studies. He led explorations that shed new light on the Peloponnesian War and discovered significant evidence from the Persian Wars. He was co-author of A Greek Countryside: The Southern Argolid from Prehistory to Present Day. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Philological Association, of which he was president in 1981. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Virginia; and four sons, Nicholas, Anthony, John and David.
Leah Lebeson Kaplan, of Stanford, August 24, at 83. She started working at Stanford in 1964 as a clinical social worker at Cowell Student Health Center. She served as assistant dean of student affairs from 1974 to 1979 and was the founding director of the Stanford Help Center, which provided counseling services for faculty and staff. She then served for 12 years as University ombudsperson and retired in the mid-1990s. For her long service to Stanford, which spanned four presidents, she received the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award in 1980. Her late husband, Henry, was a professor of oncology at the Medical Center and chair of the radiology and oncology department. Survivors: her daughter, Ann Kaplan Spears, ’73; one son, Paul; two grandsons; and one sister.
Herbert Solomon, PhD ’50 (statistics), of Los Altos Hills, September 20, at 85, of Parkinson’s disease. He served in the Office of Naval Research, where he was named the first head of a newly created statistics branch. A professor emeritus of statistics at Stanford, he helped establish the University’s statistics department after receiving his doctorate. He chaired the department from 1959 to 1964 and again from 1985 to 1988. He authored or co-authored several books, most notably Geometric Probability. He was a fellow and president of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, a fellow of the American Statistical Association and a recipient of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Medal. His daughter, Naomi, ’70, MA ’71, died in the World Trade Center attacks. Survivors: his wife, Lottie; two sons, Mark, ’75, and Jed, ’77; four grandchildren; and two brothers.
Bruce A.D. Stocker, of Palo Alto, August 30, at 87. Professor emeritus of microbiology and immunology, he joined the department of medical microbiology in 1966 and served as acting chair of the department from 1976 to 1981. His extensive research on salmonella led to the development of new vaccines to prevent the diseases caused by the bacteria. Though he retired in 1987, he continued his studies and published dozens of articles. A native of England, he served with the Royal Air Force and was elected a fellow in the Royal Society of London in 1966. His wife, Jane, died in 1996. Survivors: his two daughters, Kate O’Sullivan and Clare; and four grandchildren.
1920s
Derril Field Wildanger Schneider, ’26 (zoology), MA ’43 (education), of Palo Alto, February 17, at 102. She worked as a science teacher and guidance counselor at David Starr Jordan High School in Palo Alto and at Wilbur Junior High School in San Jose. After retiring, she dedicated time to various environmental and ecological causes. Survivors: one daughter, Marguerite Sculerati; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Ruth Esther Sievers Thomas Heitfeld, ’27 (Spanish), of Vancouver, Wash., July 15, at 97, of congestive heart failure. She worked for 12 years as a dean of girls and Spanish teacher at a high school in Chico, Calif. Then she spent 23 years as Sacramento City College’s vice president in charge of administrative relations. In 1956, she was named Sacramento’s “Woman of the Year.” Survivors: her daughter, Dorothy Thomas Pierce, ’51; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Russell Gideon Robinson, ’28 (general engineering), Engr. ’30 (aeronautics and astronautics), of Mountain View, October 23, 2003, at 96. He worked as an engineer for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at Langley Field, Va. Having participated in the selection of Moffett Field as the site for the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, he served as the facility’s director of research for 20 years. Survivors: his wife, Helen; three sons, Doug, Charles and Bruce; and two grandchildren.
1930s
Donald Widney Lasell, ’31 (general engineering), of Concord, Calif., October 5, at 96. He joined U.S. Steel as a laborer in 1933 and retired 35 years later as general superintendent of the Pittsburg, Calif., plant. He belonged to the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers and was the oldest lifetime member of the Concord Sportsmen’s Club. He was predeceased by his first wife of 45 years, Rose, and by his second wife, Bette. Survivors: his wife of 12 years, Mary; three daughters, Diane Boyer, Judie Busch and Barbara Nebeker; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two sisters.
Fred J. Safier, ’31 (philosophy), of Berkeley, August 9, at 95. He worked for the Social Security Administration and later the State Department during the Roosevelt era. He retired in 1947 to devote himself to writing. He also taught economics and social welfare at the U. of Puerto Rico, George Washington U. and UC-Berkeley. His wife of 45 years, Frances, died in 1978. Survivors: his second wife, Julie Prandi; one son, Fred Jr., MS ’65, Gr. ’67; and one granddaughter.
Mildred Helen Earley Conrad, ’32 (psychology), of Chelsea, Mich., September 9, at 97. From 1954 to 1971, she was a professional Girl Scout, specializing in training adult leaders and directing day camps. She was active in the League of Women Voters and the Audubon Society. Her husband of 36 years, Herbert, died in 1970. Survivors: one daughter, Mary Browning; nine grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Donald Moody Blackman, ’33 (social science/social thought), MBA ’36, of Sacramento, June 6, 2002, at 91. A member of Delta Upsilon and the varsity track team, he served in the Army during World War II. He worked in the building materials industry and was employed by Owens Corning for 27 years. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Peggy; two sons, Lindsay, ’68, and Lloyd; one daughter, Laurie; three grandchildren; and one sister, Jean Otto, ’39.
Harry George Petersen, ’33 (general engineering), of Montclair, Calif., February 24, 2003, at 91. A member of Theta Delta Chi, he worked as a civil engineer in the Bay Area for several years before joining his father in George Petersen and Son Construction. After retiring, he worked for the city of Berkeley as a supervisor in the construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. During World War II, he was a civilian contractor for the Army Corps of Engineers and worked for the Department of Defense at the Alameda Naval Air Station. Survivors: his two daughters, Karen Irwin and Sherrill Cranston-Deininger; one son, Robert; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Frank R. Thomas, ’33 (graphic arts), of Flintridge, Calif., September 8, at 92. He was a member of Theta Delta Chi, performed with the Band and was on the staff of the Chaparral. He started working at Walt Disney Studios in 1934 and retired 43 years later. His many film credits include animating the title character in Pinocchio, the wicked stepmother in Cinderella and Captain Hook in Peter Pan. He was the co-author of several books on animation, including Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Jeanette Armentrout, ’41, MA ’44; their children and grandchildren.
Vincent Lloyd White, ’33 (general engineering), of Monte Rio, Calif., September 3, at 93. He was a member of the swim team. A state supervising safety engineer for 17 years, he then spent 12 years as the assistant chief of the California Division of Industrial Safety. Survivors: his son, Norman; two daughters, Sharon Kerr and Sandra Port; four grandsons; five great-grandchildren; and one brother.
Remington M. Low, ’34 (history), JD ’39, of Atherton, September 27, at 92. He was a pioneer in insurance defense law and started his own firm in the 1950s. After he retired from the firm, he served as president and CEO of BM Behrends Bank in Juneau, Alaska until he turned 80. He was predeceased by his wife, Jean Faulkner, ’38, and his daughter, Madeline. Survivors: his son, Remington Jr.; and three grandchildren.
Laurence Drivon, ’35 (history), of Stockton, Calif., August 13, at 90. He was elected district attorney in 1959 and was a municipal court judge in San Joaquin County. He was chairman of the board of trustees of Humphreys College, where he taught law for more than 40 years. He served as president of the United Way in 1968 and was past president of the California District Attorneys Association. His wife of 51 years, Ruth, died in 1991. Survivors: his second wife, Venere; three sons, Larry, Stephen and David; one daughter, Polly McBride; three stepchildren; 14 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
John A. Houston, ’36 (economics), MA ’47 (international relations), of Ashland, Ore., September 28, at 89. A member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, he served as a communications officer in the Navy during World War II. He taught at the U. of Mississippi-Oxford for five years before joining the faculty of Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he chaired the political science department and retired in 1980. Survivors: his wife of 35 years, Polly Turner, MA ’69; two daughters, Alexandra Benham and Ann Houston Martin; one son, John; four stepchildren; one granddaughter; six stepgrandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Edward Wheadon Minium, ’39 (psychology), of Hillsborough, Calif., August 27, at 86. A member of Theta Delta Chi, he was a professor of psychology at San Jose State U. for 34 years. He also wrote textbooks on statistics in education and psychology. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Juanita. Survivors: two daughters, Claudia Smay and Judy; and two grandsons.
1940s
John Burnham Bates, ’40 (economics), of Piedmont, Calif., October 4, at 86, of pneumonia. A member of Zeta Psi, he served in the Navy during World War II. For 40 years, he worked for Pillsbury, Madison and Sutro, becoming the firm’s managing partner in 1980. He was also a limited partner in Dean Witter & Co. for several years. He served as a fellow and regent for the American College of Trial Lawyers and was a member of the Piedmont City Council in 1953. He was a founding trustee and board member of KQED-TV in addition to serving on a number of boards, including the Hoover Institution, Pacific Lumber Co. and the Bohemian Club. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Nancy Witter; two sons, John Jr. and Charles; one daughter, Catharine Kreitler; and seven grandchildren.
John Waldemar Fitting Jr., ’41 (social science/social thought), of San Rafael, Calif., July 29, at 84. A member of Phi Kappa Psi, he served with the Air Force weather service during World War II. He worked for a company that sold newspaper advertising, retiring in 1986. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, Ruth Reynolds, ’41; one son, John; two daughters, Melinda Eastham and Cynthia; and three grandchildren.
Stanley M. Gronfein, ’41 (economics), of Butte, Mont., August 2, at 84. He owned and operated Stratford Men’s Shop with his father for 20 years before working for Osco Drug for another 19 years. He served as treasurer of Congregation B’nai Israel for 30 years. Survivors: his wife of 61 years, Norma; one daughter, Marsha Naus; one son, Hal; four grandchildren; and two brothers.
Donald E. Williams, ’41 (economics), of Menlo Park, in August, at 85. He was co-captain of the basketball team and was a member of the tennis team and Zeta Psi. He was the co-owner and manager of Riffemoor, an art and antique business in Kentucky. His former wife, Nancibel Riffe Rogers, ’47, died in February 2004. Survivors include his daughter, Julie Ballard.
Joan Dinsmore Boeck Sullivan, ’45 (political science), of West Hartford, Conn., October 10, at 80, of a stroke. She worked for Aetna Insurance Co. of Hartford and later Travelers Insurance Co. She served on the boards of the Noah Webster House and the Connecticut Valley Girl Scout Council. As a member of the West Hartford Garden Club, she worked with local convalescent homes. Survivors: her daughter, Mary Kate Cox; two sons, David and R.J.; seven grandchildren; and one brother.
Nancy Lee Washburn Binkley, ’46 (political science), of Denver, Colo., August 19. She worked for Time-Life Inc. before taking a job with the U.S. State Department in Germany. After moving to Colorado, she worked in the administrative offices of Sheridan School District, retiring in 1985. Her husband of 54 years, Arthur, predeceased her by 18 days. Survivors: three sons, Mark, Peter and Jonathan; one daughter, Anne; four grandchildren; and two brothers.
Barbara Bonner Lawrenz, ’46 (Spanish), of Corona Del Mar, Calif., August 29, at 79. She was a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and the Junior League of Orange County. Survivors: her husband of 54 years, Donald; one son, Donald Jr.; one daughter, Laurie Lawrenz Lee; and 11 grandchildren.
Elaine Marie Woodin Rogers, ’47 (social science/social thought), of Santa Rosa, Calif., September 15, at 77, of ovarian cancer. She worked as an elementary school teacher’s aide in Glendale and Santa Rosa. She was a member of the La Cañada Flintridge Assistance League. Survivors: her husband of 55 years, Bill, MBA ’48; two daughters, Patty and Christine; one son, Tom; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Joseph Nephi Kemple, ’48 (industrial engineering), of Worthington, Ohio, July 13, at 83. A World War II naval aviator, he became president of Marion Power Shovel Co. He also served as a director of Richland Trust Co. and chair of Scope Leasing, Inc. Survivors: his wife of 59 years, Roberta; one son, Steven; two grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; one sister; and one brother.
Kenneth J. Lettich, ’48 (economics), of Osprey, Fla., March 31, at 78. A World War II veteran and member of Phi Kappa Sigma, he worked for Ore-Ida, where he redesigned the corporate trademark for Ore-Ida Deep Fries. Survivors: his wife, Jane; three daughters, Patricia Heinlen, Lynn Shrum and Julie Meadowcroft; and four grandchildren.
Herbert Groves Howard, ’49 (social science/social thought), MBA ’51, of Sacramento, September 12, at 86. A member of the El Cuadro eating club, he served as an intelligence officer during World War II and the Korean War. He worked for the state of California for 24 years as a contracts administrator in the department of water resources, architecture and social services. Survivors: his wife of 42 years, Ruth Jones, ’48; three stepdaughters; and six grandchildren.
Arthur M. Ryder, ’49 (mechanical engineering), of San Jose, September 26, at 80. He served in the Air Force during World War II. For 36 years, he worked at FMC as the engineering department manager. He served as board president of the San Jose Museum of Art and volunteered as a tutor at San Jose State and San Jose City College. He was a member of Stanford Associates. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, Nadine; one daughter, Rosalind; two sons, Tom and Bill; four grandchildren; and one brother.
Robert Edgar Sanderson, ’49 (history), JD ’52, of Stockton, Calif., October 7, at 79, following a stroke. He served in the Navy during World War II. He worked as an attorney for the Franchise Tax Board in San Francisco. He was a board member of the Mechanics Bank for more than 25 years and of the Cerebral Palsy Association. Survivors include his sister and his brother.
1950s
Dorothy Kathryn Merriam Venolia, ’50 (economics), of Sacramento, September 3, at 76, of leukemia. Survivors: her husband, Ken, MS ’51; one son, Kyle; one daughter, Meg Gittings; four grandchildren; one sister; and one brother.
Jane Newman Hammond Gerecke, ’51 (economics), of Greenwich, Conn., August 22, at 74, of lung cancer. She worked at Price Waterhouse & Co. in San Francisco. She served as president of the La Cañada Guild of the Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Calif. Survivors: her husband of 51 years, William, ’47, MBA ’49; one daughter, Carolyn; one son, Jeffrey, ’78; two granddaughters; and one brother.
Mary Evans Morton, ’51 (English), of Los Angeles, July 31, at 74. She was an active preservationist and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Survivors: her two sons, William and Hughes; one daughter, Mary, ’86; six grandchildren; and one brother, Hugh Evans Jr., ’53.
Raymond Arthur Porterfield, ’51 (civil engineering), of Mount Shasta, Calif., September 28, at 80, in a car accident. He served in the Navy during World War II and was a member of the Band. He worked for the California Department of Transportation in San Francisco for 32 years, retiring as a senior design engineer. Survivors: his wife of 59 years, Virginia; two daughters, Carol Castle and Janice Cable; one son, Russ; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Eleanor Anne “Ellie” Myers Bell, ’53, MA ’54, Gr. ’62 (education), of Woodside, August 18, at 73. She was student body vice president her senior year. She worked as a school psychologist. Survivors: her children, Mark and Tarni; and three grandchildren.
Janice Ann Hunter Stopher, ’54 (political science), of Santa Ana, Calif., July 12, at 71. She was a member of the Assistance League of Santa Ana and P.E.O. She served as chair pro-tem of the 1989-1990 Orange County grand jury. Survivors: her husband of 48 years, Bob; two daughters, Lynn Edwards and Leslie; and two grandchildren.
George N.C. Woodall, ’55 (chemistry), of Santa Cruz, Calif., August 8, at 79. He served in the Navy during World War II. A member of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra, he played with chamber groups and orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony and the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 1974, he became laboratory director of chemistry for the chemical engineering department at the U. of Toronto. Survivors: his wife, Zhenging; two daughters, Bryn Snow and Jeannine; three sons, Roger, Vincent and Marshall; and three grandchildren.
Philippa “Popsy” Butler Henderson, ’56 (history), of Los Altos, October 5, at 69. She was a member of the Junior League of Palo Alto and the El Camino Hospital Auxiliary. Survivors: her husband of 48 years, Robert, MBA ’57; two daughters, Kathleen Sesnon and Mimi; three sons, Robert, R. Philip and Charles; nine grandchildren; one brother, William Butler, ’50, MS ’51; and one sister, Patricia Butler Reardon, ’47.
Marylinda Wheeler, ’58, MA ’59 (education), of Los Osos, Calif., August 6, at 67, of cancer. She worked for the Department of Defense, teaching in Germany, Japan and the Philippines. Returning to the United States, she served as dean of students at Dominican College before starting a long career at Cal Poly, where she taught physical education and coordinated the department’s teacher-trainer program. Survivors include her brother.
Frederick Seaton Prince Jr., ’59 (social science/social thought), JD ’62, of Salt Lake City, September 5, at 67, of leukemia. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. A law partner in Prince, Yeates and Geldzahler until 1981, he moved to San Francisco and became the managing partner of Sullivan, Roche & Johnson until returning to Utah in 1992. Survivors: his wife, Sherrie; two daughters, Kimberly Frey and Patricia, ’81; two sons, Kenneth and Frederick III; one stepdaughter; 13 grandchildren; his mother, Barbara Browning Prince, ’37; and two brothers.
1960s
Richard C. White, ’61 (undergraduate law), JD ’62, of Corona del Mar, Calif., August 12, at 70, of cancer. He served with the U.S Marine Corps. In 1962, he joined O’Melveny and Myers, where he worked for 31 years. He served on the first board of directors of the Orange County Performing Arts Center and was involved with the Orange County Philharmonic. Survivors: his wife of almost 50 years, Beverly; one daughter, Anne; three sons, Richard, Bill and Chris; five grandchildren; and one sister.
Bion Milton Gregory, ’62 (political science), of Carmichael, Calif., September 8, at 64. He served as a Navy communications officer during the Vietnam War. He served as the California Legislature’s chief attorney for 25 years, the longest term in the history of the office. Upon his retirement in 2001, he became a partner in Nossaman, Gunther, Knox & Elliott. He was president of the Sacramento County Bar Association in 2003. Survivors: his wife of 25 years, Patty; and his half-sister.
Kevin Maclachlan Kelly, ’67 (political science), of Watsonville, Calif., October 14. Survivors: his wife, Carolyn; two children; and five grandchildren.
1970s
Benjamin Hart Yandell, ’73 (mathematics), of Pasadena, Calif., August 25, at 53, of a heart attack. He wrote a book about elite mathematicians called The Honors Class: Hilbert’s Problems and Their Solvers. He also wrote poetry and co-authored a book with his wife, Mostly on Foot: A Year in L.A., about walks they had taken together. Survivors: his wife, Janet Nippell; one daughter, Kate; and one sister.
Steven Russell Zinn, ’77 (history), of Lawrence, Kan., September 18, at 49, of injuries sustained in a car accident. He spent two years as the director of the Appellate Defender Project at the U. of Kansas. Since then, he served as the deputy appellate defender of the Appellate Defender’s Office, where he worked in association with the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit. Survivors: his wife, Jill; two daughters, Julia and Angela; one stepson; two brothers, Richard,’63, and Robert; his stepmother; and one sister.
Scott David Hanley, ’79 (economics), of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., February 7, 2003, at 44. He was a yell leader and a member of the swim team, the Band, the Mendicants and Delta Upsilon. In addition to being a Realtor and owning a specialty bakery business, he was the president/owner of United Truck and Car Driving School with locations in Southern California. Survivors: his wife of 24 years, Cheryl; one daughter, Christen; one son, Dave; his mother, Joan, ’55, and his father; and two brothers, Donald, ’75, and Dean, ’78.
1980s
Blake Moore, ’80 (international relations), of London, July 25, at 46, of colon cancer. He received an MBA from Wharton and enjoyed a career in international banking. Survivors: his wife of 17 years, Francine; one daughter, Margaux; his father, Brian, ’55, MBA ’59; his mother, Sue, ’57; two sisters, including McKay, ’82; and one brother.
Laura L. Buchmann Gasho, ’88 (human biology), of Arlington, Va., September 5, at 38, of breast cancer. A member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, she worked in environmental consulting before getting her law degree. She practiced at McCutcheon, Doyle, Brown & Enerson in San Francisco and then at Covington and Burling in Washington, D.C. Survivors: her husband, James, ’86; her twins, Clay and Jordan; her parents; one brother; and one sister.
1990s
Brian Christopher Reynolds, ’95 (American studies), of San Diego, August 22, at 31, in a climbing accident. A graduate of Columbia Law School, he worked for a firm in Los Angeles. Survivors: his mother, father and stepmother; one brother; one stepbrother; and one stepsister.
2000s
Arthur Wellesley Lauer, ’01 (psychology), of San Francisco, July 26, at 24, of liver cancer. He was active as the head of campus tour guides and with Stanford PRIDE. He toured as a member of the Stanford University Orchestra. He worked for ZS Associates, an international biotech consulting company. Survivors: his parents; one brother; two sisters; and two grandmothers.
Education
Ervin A. Desmet, MA ’41, of Saratoga, Calif., August 18, at 88. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned to the Santa Clara Valley, where he spent many years as an orchardist. Survivors: his wife of 61 years, Alice; three sons, Ervin Jr., Richard and Gary, ’74, MA ’76; one daughter, Denise Glasco; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Edmund Peter Jauch, MA ’56, of Cupertino, Calif., August 21, at 91. He retired after 35 years as a teacher in the Fremont Union High School District. He also served for 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. Survivors: his wife of 60 years, Irene; three daughters, Irene Tarter, Mary Sears and Patricia; one son, Bill; four grandchildren; and one brother.
Stella Dran Gruenneich, MA ’68 (health education), of San Jose, June 15, at 86. She worked for the Alum Rock School District for 20 years, rising to be the district coordinator of nurses. She was predeceased by her husband, Alton. Survivors: two daughters, Kathleen Carey and Dian, ’74; one son, Alton Jr., ’72; and four grandchildren.
Engineering
William H.J. Cleverly, MS ’56 (civil engineering), of Scottsdale, Ariz., June 1, at 74, of prostate cancer. He served in the Navy from 1952 to 1955. A founder of Golden Heritage Homes, he was president of his own companies in the real estate and residential construction business. Survivors: his former wife, Patricia Wenneis; three sons, William, Robert and Scott; nine grandchildren; and one sister.
Thomas Durley Lusk, Gr. ’58 (electrical engineering), of Santa Clara, Calif., August 13, at 80. A veteran of World War II, he worked on satellite systems for more than 30 years at Lockheed Aerospace. Survivors: his wife, Donna; three daughters, Cathie Hamilton, Marie Navone and Bettie Anderson; three sons, Tom, Rick and Robert; two stepchildren; nine grandchildren; and one sister.
Franklin Charles Havens Jr., MS ’62 (civil engineering), of Los Altos, September 24, at 81. He worked as a structural engineer at the Lockheed Corp. Survivors: his son, Greg; two daughters, Carla Brenner and Doreen Ono; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Richard Van Poe, MS ’68 (mechanical engineering), of Portola Valley, September 18, at 66, of cancer. He worked for General Electric for 33 years, retiring in 1993. He was a longtime member of the American Nuclear Soci- ety. Survivors: his wife of 45 years, Carolyn Boger, ’67; one daughter, Julie Menge; one son, Mitchell; and two grandsons.
Humanities and Sciences
Bernard Simon Aarons, MA ’41 (chemistry), of Palo Alto, October 1, at 85. He served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. A member of Stanford Associates, he was a prominent dentist who donated his services to residents of the Palo Alto Senior Center and the Sharon Heights Convalescent Center. He sat on the board of the Mid-Peninsula Dental Health Foundation and volunteered as a docent at the Filoli Mansion in Woodside. Survivors: his daughter, Darlyne Diehl; one son, Douglas; four grandchildren; and two brothers.
William James Firey, PhD ’54 (mathematics), of Corvallis, Ore., August 15, at 81. He served as a medical technician during World War II. After eight years on the faculty at Washington State U., he joined the mathematics department at Oregon State U., where he taught until his retirement in 1988. He was acting department chair twice and was a longtime member of the faculty senate. Survivors: his wife of 57 years, Julia; one daughter, Abigail; and two brothers.
Harry Irwin West Jr., PhD ’55 (physics), of Livermore, Calif., June 20, at 78. He worked in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 35 years in both the radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry divisions. He was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society. Survivors: his wife, Kip; two daughter, Karen and Elizabeth; two sons, David and Leonard; two grandchildren; and one sister.
Helen Agnes Meade Jorgensen, Gr. ’59 (physical therapy), of Prescott Valley, Ariz., February 17, 2003, at 83. She served in the Army during World War II. She worked as a physical therapist at the VA Hospital in Menlo Park until the VA opened in Palo Alto, where she worked until her retirement in 1980. She was a longtime member of the Rinconada Masters Swim Club in Palo Alto. Survivors: her daughter, Patti Eller; and three grandchildren.
Hermann-Josef Rupieper, MA ’69, PhD ’74 (history), of Halle, Germany, August 30, at 62, of a heart attack. A contemporary historian, he worked as an assistant professor at the Free University of Berlin before joining the faculty of Martin Luther U. in Halle in 1993. He rebuilt the school’s history program and became the dean of the department. He was the founding director of the German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C., a fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center and a visiting professor at Vanderbilt U. Survivors include his wife, Marion, and one brother.
James Alan Schwarz, PhD ’70 (chemistry), of Fayetteville, N.Y., September 26, at 60. He was a professor of chemical engineering and materials science at Syracuse U. He held 14 patents for his discoveries and won a Fulbright Award in 1997. He edited the five-volume Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Survivors include his sister.
Newell Gene Savage, PhD ’72 (music), of Sacramento, July 15, at 67, of a heart attack. He served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1961. In 1968 he joined the music faculty of Cal State-Sacramento, where he taught for almost 30 years. He was also the founder and longtime director of the annual Festival of New American Music, which is hosted by the university. Survivors: his former wife, Louise; two sons, Mark, JD ’88, and Eric; three grandchildren; and one brother.
Law
Bernard Mitchell “Bud” Wolfe, JD ’62, of Hillsborough, Calif., August 12, at 87. He worked as a naval architect, designing a yacht for President Truman, before switching to a career in law. He served as a pro bono lawyer for the San Mateo Legal Aid Society and as a member of the San Mateo County Board of Mental Health. He was a founding member of the Peninsula Temple Beth El. Survivors: his wife of 64 years, Beverly; one son, D. Randall, MD ’74; one daughter, Patricia, ’73; four grandchildren, including Nicholas, ’06.
