Faculty
James Lowell Adams, MS ’59, PhD ’62 (mechanical engineering), of Stanford, January 15, at 87. After developing systems on spacecraft destined for the moon, Venus and Mars at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he began his 33-year teaching career at Stanford, where he served as chair of the industrial engineering department. He won the Dinkelspiel Award for outstanding service to undergraduate education and was the first-ever recipient of the Richard Lyman Award for outstanding service to Stanford alumni. He learned every trade involving the hands, from carpentry to cooking. Survivors: his wife, Marian (Leib, ’64); sons, Bob, ’84, MS ’88, and Dan, MS ’92; stepchildren, Sam Player and Elizabeth Jones; eight grandchildren; and brother.
Daniel Brown DeBra, PhD ’62 (mechanical engineering), of Los Altos, December 3, at 91. He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves and worked on early satellite systems at Lockheed before becoming a professor in the department of aeronautics and astronautics. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and was an influential contributor to the NASA-funded Gravity Probe-B experiment. He was also an avid bicyclist and outdoorsman who raised his six children in Los Altos within biking distance of campus. Survivors: his wife; Teri; children, Corinne, Lisa Knapp, ’80, Heidi, Jacques, David and Kathryn, ’87; and 10 grandchildren.
George Hardin Brown, of Palo Alto, November 6, at 90. A leading scholar of early English and Anglo-Latin literary and religious cultures, he joined the Stanford faculty in 1971. His greatest scholarly achievement was his work on the eighth-century English monk Venerable Bede, a critical figure in early medieval England. He helped establish Stanford’s internationally renowned Medieval Studies Program, which he chaired for a dozen years. His love of learning inspired the same in others, and his love of life made for endless meaningful conversations. Survivors: his wife of 42 years, Phyllis Rugg Brown; sons, Austin, PhD ’07, and Malcolm, ’06, MS ’08; and two grandchildren.
Charles Richard Steele, PhD ’60 (applied mechanics), of Stanford, December 9, at 88. He helped develop the Polaris missile at Lockheed Research Laboratory before joining the Stanford faculty. He was an expert on thin-shell structures of aircraft, but after developing an interest in the biological implications of his research, he became one of the world’s leading experts in the mechanics of the cochlea—the structure of the inner ear. He mentored more than 70 doctoral students. He was predeceased by his first wife, Gail, and second wife, Marie-Louise. Survivors: his wife, Kelly Zhang Steele; sons, Eric, Brett, MS ’89, Jay and Ryan; stepchildren, Jackson and Alexandra; and 10 grandchildren.
1940s
Josephine Mary Kennedy, ’44 (English), MA ’65 (hearing & speech sciences), of San Francisco, August 27, at 95. After working for the foreign service at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, she returned to Stanford for her graduate degree. She was a member of the teaching staff at City College for more than 25 years, starting out in the English department before creating the City College Speech Clinic, where, as a speech therapist, she provided instruction, mentorship and friendship to students. Upon retiring, she studied Italian and traveled extensively through Europe, making friends wherever she went.
Caroline Kuhns Voorsanger, ’44 (social science/social thought), of San Francisco, December 30, at 98. She contributed to the Stanford Daily and earned a certificate in business administration from Radcliffe College. When an illness disrupted her career as the director of training at the Emporium in San Francisco, she shifted her focus to helping women seeking to reenter the workforce. She was passionate about expanding opportunities for people with mental illness and created the Transitional Volunteer Program at the San Francisco Volunteer Bureau. Survivors: her cousins and devoted caregivers.
Sylvia Virginia Lisberger Storey, ’45 (health education), MA ’46 (education), of San Francisco, January 1, at 97, of complications from a fall. She played on the basketball team. She was a PE teacher who loved teaching, watching and playing sports. Immensely proud of her kids and grandchildren and ever eager to share family news, she earned the nickname “teleGram.” She loved books, Joshua Bell, Shanghai dumplings, root beer floats and Bananagrams. She was predeceased by her husband, Samuel. Survivors: her children Kim Katz, Jill, Joan, Meg Cuddeback and Ted; 10 grandchildren; and great-grandson.
Oscar Albin Anderson, ’49 (electrical engineering), of Berkeley, November 20, at 95. He joined UC Berkeley’s Radiation Laboratory (later Lawrence Berkeley National Lab) as a thermonuclear physicist and made it his life’s work to use magnetic fusion to create energy. He worked on the superconducting levitron, negative-ion particle beam accelerators and numerous magnetic fusion energy projects. He enjoyed photography and was an accomplished musician who played six instruments. He was predeceased by his daughter, Erin. Survivors: his partner, Holly Hartley; children, John, Susan DeVries and Claire Pendleton; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Lloyd M. Blumenthal, ’49 (economics), of Flossmoor, Ill., January 9, at 94. After college, he returned to Indiana Harbor, where he was the successful owner of Mirovich Clothing for over 50 years with leased shoe departments in many local area stores. He enjoyed golf, dining out and traveling to visit his granddaughter. He followed the stock market religiously. He was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Barbara. Survivors: his daughters, Bonnie Besly and Nancy; and granddaughter.
1950s
Marian Durkheimer Jaffe, ’50 (education), of Lakewood, N.J., November 27, at 92. She was on the basketball team. She was an avid reader who taught elementary school in Portland, Oregon, and in Berkeley before spending many happy years as a homemaker. Together with her husband, she visited more than 30 countries in Central America, Europe and Asia. One great hope of hers was to live long enough to have great-grandchildren, which she did, 47 times over. She was predeceased by her husband, Alexander, MA ’51. Survivors: her children, Celia Jaffe Minkin, Frank, Douglas and Steven; 22 grandchildren; and 47 great-grandchildren.
Marion Teru Shikamura Osborne, ’51, MA ’52 (biological sciences), MD ’56, of Palo Alto, September 25, at 92. During World War II, she and her family were sent to internment camps in California and then Wyoming. She played lacrosse in college and later completed a pediatrics residency at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in metabolic diseases at Stanford Medical School. She was the associate medical director at Stanford’s Cowell Medical Center until 1974, when she became the medical director of USC’s student health center. She was predeceased by her husband, Maurice. Survivors: her stepchildren, Nancy Osborne Almquist, ’70, and Richard; and five grandchildren.
Charles Wesley “Wes” Poulson, ’51 (economics), of Palo Alto, January 10, at 91. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and played football and rugby. He earned an MBA from Harvard and then joined the Navy, where he served until 1956 as lieutenant junior grade in the Pacific Fleet. He served as president, CEO and chairman of Coldwell Banker, where he was credited with piloting the real estate company’s national expansion and heading negotiations to sell it to Sears. He enjoyed football, skiing and running. Survivors: his wife of 69 years, Anne (Warnock, ’51); children, Margaret and Jean; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sister, Ann Poulson Hale, ’54.
James Chapple Soper, ’51 (undergraduate law), JD ’53, of Piedmont, Calif., November 15, at 92. He was a member of Sigma Nu/Beta Chi and ROTC. He served as a lieutenant in the Army. At Fitzgerald Abbott & Beardsley (now Donahue Fitzgerald) in Oakland, he practiced law for 60 years, chairing the firm’s business and corporate transactions and trusts and estates groups. He and his wife enjoyed tennis, traveling and destination bicycle trips. He was predeceased by his wife, Lora “Suzi” (Simon, ’54). Survivors: his children, Claire Faughnan and John; five grandchildren; and great-granddaughter.
Marsha Beatrice Watson Kirkpatrick, ’52 (social science/social thought), of Myrtle Beach, S.C., December 26, 2020, at 89. After graduating, she worked as a secretary for Stanford’s economics department and then at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, where she met her husband. They traveled to embassies in Paris, Beirut, Cyprus, Warsaw and Vienna. In 1982, they retired to Adirondack Park in upstate New York before moving to Myrtle Beach in 1987. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert. Survivors: her sons, Donald and Douglas; and two sisters.
Natalie Woodford Thompson Hodgson Hahn, ’53 (English), of Berkeley, October 11, at 90. She was an announcer, sportscaster and music broadcaster for KZSU. After raising her children, she earned a master’s degree in library science and developed such expertise that in later years she went to China to deliver talks on library referencing systems. She was an active volunteer at UC Berkeley and a cat lover, traveler and actress, performing in plays well into her 80s. She was predeceased by her first husband, Walter Hodgson, and her second husband, Erwin Hahn. Survivors: her children, Welles and Elisabeth Hodgson; stepchildren, David, Deborah and Katherine Hahn; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Wayne Kenneth Lowell, ’53 (basic medical sciences), MD ’56, of Modesto, Calif., December 19, at 90. He served as the base obstetrician at the U.S. Army base in Ft. Lewis, Wash., before returning to Stanford as a fellow in ear, nose and throat surgery. He was one of the founding physicians at Gould Medical Group in Modesto, where he rose to become president. He enjoyed fly-fishing, playing tennis and piloting a Cessna 180. He was predeceased by his first wife, Nancy (Coleman, ’54). Survivors: his wife, Jean; children, Cliff, ’79, Elizabeth Lowell Dixon, ’84, and Kathryn, ’87; stepdaughter, Carolyn Walker, ’84; five grandchildren, including Benjamin Lowell, MA ’11, and Wesley Dixon, ’18; and two stepgrandchildren, including James Shaw, ’16.
Joan-Marie Shelley, ’54 (French), MA ’63 (teaching), of San Francisco, November 10, at 88, of heart failure and complications from diabetes. She taught French at Lowell High School in San Francisco, where students loved her genuine and emotional teaching style. She was a staunch champion of labor and a lifelong Democrat, walking the picket lines on teacher strikes numerous times. She simultaneously served as president of United Educators of San Francisco and as vice president of both the California Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. Survivors: her half-siblings, Kate and Kevin; and nephews, Michael and Jack.
John Arthur Carver, ’55 (geology), of Carmel, Calif., August 20, 2019. He was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity. Despite confronting health challenges in the last decades of their lives, he and his wife were blessed to have friends and family across the globe and remained devoted to each other and surrounded by love until their passing six months apart. He was predeceased by his wife, Liv. Survivors include: his children, Lars and Lise; and two grandchildren.
Kimi Takatori Sato Honda, ’55 (nursing), of El Cerrito, Calif., June 2, at 89. She worked as a nurse for the Richmond Unified School District and later joined the Oakland Unified School District, where she spent over 30 years. During that time, she got her real estate license and co-founded the Sakura Kai Senior Center, which provided seniors with health screenings, learning opportunities and chances to engage with Japanese-American culture. She and her second husband enjoyed traveling, dancing and bowling. She was predeceased by her first husband, Shiro Nick Sato; and her second husband, of 35 years, Akira Honda. Survivors: her children, David, Gregg and Susan Sato; stepchildren, Alan, Blaine and Vivian Honda; and grandchildren.
Harold Timothy Treacy Jr., ’55 (communication), of Dayton, Nev., in 2021, at 89. He contributed to the Stanford Chaparral humor magazine. After joining the Army, he served in Berlin with the 522nd Military Intelligence Battalion. Throughout his career, he pursued interests in geology, archeology, metaphysics, publishing and photography. He founded the Cotati Research Institute, helped organize 40 nonprofit groups and dedicated his life to scientific archives, documenting the work of Wilhelm Reich, Elizabeth Rauscher and the International Tesla Society. He was known for his generosity and brilliant mind. Survivors: his daughters, Selene Sutherland Ayoade and Virginia Treacy Burke; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
James Dryden Westphal, ’55 (economics), MBA ’59, of Monterey, Calif., March 30, 2021, at 87, of heart failure. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and played on the basketball team. He worked in sales and marketing at Crown Zellerbach in San Francisco for more than 30 years, and then worked in residential real estate in Truckee, Calif. As a greeter at his church, he provided each congregant with a program and a personalized “one-liner,” and he was known for his self-effacing humor, unerring moral compass and generosity of spirit. He was predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Barbara. Survivors: his son, James.
Charles “Jiggs” Davis Jr., ’56 (geology), of Piedmont, Calif., December 24, at 87. He was a member of Theta Xi, contributed to KZSU radio station and served in the Army as an intelligence officer. He was a serial entrepreneur who had a hand in founding and developing more than 30 companies, from consumer goods to biotechnology. He was the 32nd global chairman emeritus of the Young Presidents’ Organization and founder of its YPO Forum. He was predeceased by his first wife, Judith Lee, ’57. Survivors: his wife of more than 50 years, Jackie; children, Lora Lee Zaky, Jeff, ’82, Suzi Fenn and Mike; and five grandchildren.
Anne Adams Mayhew Helms, ’56 (English), of Salinas, Calif., December 16, at 86. She earned a master’s degree in anthropology from San Francisco State. After her first husband died suddenly, she took over the family publishing business, Museum Graphics. After retiring, she traveled and conducted genealogical research (the daughter of photographer Ansel Adams, she self-published four books of family history). She was a nature enthusiast and active in the social justice community. She was predeceased by her first husband, Charles Mayhew, and her second husband, Ken Helms. Survivors: her daughters, Virginia Mayhew, Alison Jaques and Sylvia Desin; stepsons, Jeff, Nathan and Drew Helms; four grandchildren; great-grandchild; and brother, Michael Adams, ’55.
Michael Harris, ’57 (economics), of Los Angeles, December 29, at 86, of cancer. He was a member of the choir. He attended law school at UCLA and later served as a lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. He practiced civil law with Rogers and Harris, served as a board member of the Los Angeles Youth Network and published three books on life on the Westside of Los Angeles. He was indebted to his brother and Stanley and Steven Rogers for their caring support throughout his adult life. Survivors: his wife Jeanne; former wife, Barbara; children, Lilli Lee and Brooke; three grandchildren; and brother, Godfrey, ’59.
Judith Gretchen Scholtz Kays, ’57 (art), MA ’59 (education), of Palo Alto, September 2, at 86, of cancer. She taught at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto and earned an MFA in museum studies. She curated many exhibits, including at the Cantor Art Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She was a Stanford Jazz Workshop supporter and an incredible jitterbug dancer. She was predeceased by her husband, William, ’42, MS ’47, PhD ’51; and stepdaughter Nancy, ’71. Survivors: her sons, Dan Adams, MS ’92, and Bob Adams, ’84, MS ’88; stepdaughters Leslie Hunger, Meg Faye, ’75, and Elizabeth Rowan-Mitchell, ’79, MS ’79; grandchildren; stepgrandchildren, including William Rowan, ’11, MS ’12; and brother, Steven Scholtz, ’59.
Stewart Weitzman, ’57 (political science), of Bend, Ore., December 29, at 86, from colon cancer. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and spent two years in the Marine Corps. While pursuing an MBA at Portland State, he founded dental product manufacturer Pacemaker Corporation. He later founded pest control product manufacturer Weitech, where he was joined by his son Todd. He was a decisive leader and a generous man who loved car magazines and scanning the classifieds for business opportunities. He was predeceased by his brother Morrel. Survivors: his wife of 61 years, Verle; sons, Marcus and Todd, ’85; five grandchildren; and brother Ronald, ’52, MA ’54.
Stephen Knight Whipple, ’57, MS ’58 (civil engineering), of Sierra Vista, Ariz., December 14, at 85. He served in the Army and was a civilian employee in the Army Corps of Engineers for 35 years. He worked on the New Hogan Dam, the New Melones Dam and numerous flood control projects, but his longest assignment was supervising the construction of Army and Air Force installation projects in various western states. His favorite pastimes were researching family history and traveling the world with his wife. Survivors: his wife of 55 years, Linda; son, Stephen; and two granddaughters.
John Hampton Lynch III, ’58 (geography), of Kentfield, Calif., Oct. 21, at 85. He spent three years in the Marine Corps before returning to Stanford to finish his degree. His banking career took the family to New York City and Brussels before they settled in Marin County. He loved the St. Louis Cardinals, fishing, boating and racing cars, but his greatest joy was spending time with family. He was predeceased by his son Andrew. Survivors: his wife of 59 years, Gay; children Lindsay Lynch Lytle and John IV; and six grandchildren.
John Carrel Weaver Jr., ’58 (biological sciences), of Oakland, November 12, at 85. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega and was on the swim team. After medical school at Northwestern U., he served as a Navy doctor based in Okinawa, Japan. Later, he joined what became the Oakland Medical Group and started the chronic hemodialysis program at Providence Hospital, making him the first physician to provide dialysis services in the East Bay. He studied Spanish to better serve his patients and volunteered his medical skills locally and abroad. He was predeceased by his wife, Brenda. Survivors: his son, John; and sisters, Stephanie Mooers, ’59, and Julie.
Olin Barrett, ’59 (English), of Pasadena, Calif., October 28, at 83. After earning an MBA from Harvard, he began a career as an investment counselor at Willis and Christy (later Scudder, Stevens & Clark). He remained with the firm for 37 years, retiring in 1998 as a managing director and head of the Los Angeles office. He developed a strong love of opera and helped transform the Pasadena Conservatory of Music from a grassroots organization into a nationally regarded community music school. He was known for his calm demeanor and dapper style, which often featured a bowtie. Survivors: his wife, Ann (Dobson, ’63); and daughters, Carolyn and Amanda.
Nancy Hellman Bechtle, ’59 (history), of San Francisco, November 3, at 83, of lung cancer. She was a philanthropist and active in San Francisco society. Among many roles, she served as president of the San Francisco Symphony’s Board of Governors, was the first woman named to the board of directors for Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and was asked to chair the Presidio Trust board of directors. She fronted her own band, Nancy & The Lambchops, delivering her last performance in 2019 when she postponed chemotherapy in order to be able to take the stage. Survivors: her husband, Joachim; children, Michael Parish and Jessica Galloway; and five grandchildren.
Dana Gerald Perry “Gerry” Bing Jr., ’59 (civil engineering), of Gardnerville, Nev., December 8, at 83, from cancer. He was a member of Delta Chi, and he served in the Marine Reserves. He worked construction in Alaska and California, and for the California Department of Highways. In 1963, he and his father started Bing Construction/Materials Company, the largest generator of sales tax revenue in Nevada’s Carson Valley for many years. He was named Nevada’s Small Business Champion of the Year in 2005. He was predeceased by his first and second wives. Survivors: his children, Jamey Bing Taylor and Dana; four grandchildren; and sister, Diana Bing Daves McLaughlin, ’62.
Michael Earles McGoldrick, ’59 (history), MA ’62 (economics), of Evergreen, Colo., December 12, at 84. A Seattle native, he became an economist and investment manager who served on the faculty at the U. of Oregon and the American U. in Bulgaria. He also managed funds at Janus Investments. He loved fly-fishing, music, visual art and opera. Survivors: his partner of 23 years, Terry Galpin-Plattner.
1960s
Peter Caine Dau, ’60 (philosophy), MD ’64, of Madera, Calif., May 25, at 82, of a stroke. He was on the swim team. He served as a neurologist at Travis Air Force Base for two years during the Vietnam War. He had a pet alligator as a child. After joining UCSF, he developed the world’s first treatment for myasthenia gravis, a debilitating neurological disease. He later founded a biotech company that specialized in DNA sequencing. He was a devoted father who coached, quizzed and swam with his daughters often. Survivors: his wife, Carol; children, Branton Kenton-Dau, Birgitt, ’96, Kirstin Lenane and Mairikke; seven grandchildren; and sister.
James Franklin Fries, ’60 (philosophy), of Boulder, Colo., November 7, at 83, of a stroke. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa and the gymnastics team. He was a pioneering professor of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford Medical School who made significant contributions to the field of public health and wrote numerous bestselling books on aging. With his wife, he established the Fries Foundation to award prizes for achievement in public health and health education. He summited the highest mountains on every continent but one. He was predeceased by his wife, Sarah (Tilton, ’60), and daughter, Elizabeth. Survivors: his son Gregory; six grandchildren; and brother, Ken, ’63.
Anthony Montgomery Pearson, ’60 (psychology), of Glendale, Calif., November 30, at 85, of dementia. He served in the Army for two years. After earning an MBA from USC, he worked at Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 42 years, becoming manager of industrial computing. He was an avid skier and an instructor for Sierra Club’s basic mountaineering course. He and his wife enjoyed many boat and land tours abroad, as well as lighthouse tours in the United States. Survivors: his wife of 25 years, Carolyn; first wife, Cynthia; children, David, Laurice, Amy Pearson-Dahla and Duane; seven grandchildren; and sister, Carol Pearson Scheck, ’60.
James Eugene Bischoff, ’61 (pre-architecture), ’62 (architecture), of Belvedere Tiburon, Calif., September 11, at 81. He sang in the choir, studied abroad with Stanford in Germany, was a graduate adviser and instructor, served as yearbook art editor, and was a member of the El Capitan Eating Club and Alpha Phi Omega. He attended graduate school at the Athens Technological Institute in Greece on a Fulbright scholarship and practiced architectural design for nearly 50 years. He was a principal at Callister Payne & Bischoff in Tiburon and later established James Bischoff Design-Ekistics-Fine Art. Survivors: his children, Michael, Melissa, Wende Aronson, Colin, ’02, and Kara, ’04; five grandchildren; and sister.
Louis Huggins Smith, ’62 (English), MBA ’66, of Gold River, Calif., July 4, at 80, of cancer. He was president of Theta Delta Chi. He co-owned the Terra Linda News in Marin County until 1969, when he joined Touche, Ross, Bailey & Smart as a CPA. He was a partner at John W. Booker & Co. from 1979 to 2015 and a deacon with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America for many years. He was active in the Creative Initiative Foundation and loved travel, hiking in the wilderness, biking and tennis. Survivors: his wife of 58 years, Barbara; sons, Brett and Tyler; and three grandchildren.
Sidney Harry Hoover, ’63 (architecture), of Sonoma, Calif., October 22, at 80. He was an instructor in Stanford’s architecture department. He spent 14 years with the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, where he designed many of San Francisco’s landmark buildings, including 444 Market Street, Davies Symphony Hall and the Hyatt Hotel Union Square. He restored over 35 antique cars and classic wooden boats. Survivors: his wife of 22 years, Ellen; the mother of his children, Irene (Gorman, ’63); his children, Hilary Keller, ’97, MBA ’03, William and Andrew; three grandchildren; and sister Christine Hoover Sorensen, ’64, MA ’66.
Suzanne Dale Hamilton McHenry, ’63 (anthropology), of La Mesa, Calif., August 21, at 80. She earned a degree from San Francisco State and spent many years teaching elementary school students and, later, U.S. Marines to further their education. She enjoyed Japanese flower arranging and collecting dolls, and she had a passion for rescuing kittens. Survivors: her husband, James; daughter, Diana Dobbins; stepsons, Michael and John; five grandchildren; and sister.
Gary George Sanford, ’63 (electrical engineering), of Camarilo, Calif., January 2, at 80. After graduate school, he worked at Boeing and Ball Aerospace, where he designed antennas for airplanes and satellites and frequently worked on classified military projects. His work brought him to Washington, Colorado, North Carolina and California, and with each move came extensive house remodeling—one of his favorite hobbies. He retired with more than 20 patents to his name. One of his greatest joys was helping small children feel welcome at church. He was predeceased by a grandson. Survivors: his wife Mary; children, Keith and Laurel; and five grandchildren.
Scott Paxton McCulloch, ’64 (history), of Santa Fe, N.M., November 25, at 79, of cancer. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, played on the men’s soccer team and served in the Marines. He moved to Santa Fe in 1966 and was fortunate to have many adventures and opportunities to pursue his passions for journalism, history, skeet shooting, fly-fishing, golf, and raising llamas and cattle. He founded and coached the state’s first lacrosse program at Santa Fe Preparatory School. Survivors: his wife of 35 years, Jacquelin Dawson; children, Christopher, Cameron and Seth; six grandchildren; and three siblings.
James Roger Hamilton, ’65 (statistics), of Vancouver, Wash., October 22, at 78, of brain cancer. He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa. His career began with computer programming and political campaign management. After graduating from the U. of Oregon Law School, he pioneered computerized legal research and received a computers and law fellowship from Stanford before practicing corporate law. He developed a passion for soccer in his 30s and served for 32 years as president of the Oregon Adult Soccer Association. Survivors: his children, James, Michael and Kirsten; four grandchildren; and brother, Russ.
Gary Kersey Hart, ’65 (history), of Sacramento, Calif., January 27, at 78, of pancreatic cancer. He was on the football team. He earned a graduate degree from Harvard and taught government and education courses at several colleges. He was a member of the California State Legislature for 20 years, leading many education, environment and political reform measures. A productive state lawmaker, he authored bills to advance education, the environment and women’s rights. In 1998, he was appointed secretary of education by California governor Gray Davis, ’64, his Stanford roommate. Survivors: his wife of 52 years, Cary; daughters, Elissa Hart Mahan, Laura Murray and Katherine; and six grandchildren.
Joseph Sebastian Englert Jr., ’66 (political science), of Tiburon, Calif., November 13, at 77, of complications from a stroke. He was a member of Zeta Psi and played on the football team. After earning a law degree at UCLA and an MBA at UC Berkeley, he spent 25 years as in-house counsel with PG&E in San Francisco. He retired at 50 and moved to Tiburon with decades to enjoy traveling, studying, hiking, and time spent with family and friends. His many collections included Persian rugs, miniature lead soldiers and antique military firearms. Survivors: his wife of 53 years, Vicki; sons Joseph, Peter and David; three granddaughters; and four siblings.
James Richard Drake, ’67 (communication), of Freeland, Wash., January 10, at 77, of cancer. At Stanford, he was a member of the early scatter band, which became the LSJUMB. Following directorial work at CBS in New York and Tandem Productions in Los Angeles, he earned a Directors Guild of America nomination for his work on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and his first Emmy nomination for Buffalo Bill. His credits span hundreds of television shows, as well as TV and theatrical movies, including The Golden Girls, Night Court and Newhart. Survivors: his wife, Brigit; first wife, Kirsten; children, Christina, ’98, and Kevin; stepdaughter, Christel Layton; granddaughter; stepgranddaughter; and brother.
Jeffrey Terry Edwards, ’68 (biological sciences), of Arcata, Calif., July 10, at 75. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta. After a bout with mononucleosis interrupted his academic plans, he traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe for many years, living as a nomad in forests and abandoned buildings while performing odd jobs. He was a talented tile setter and skilled at plumbing, electrical work and construction. He was a deep thinker and philosopher, charming and witty. He will be remembered for his kindness and his willingness to help others. Survivors: his siblings, Kenneth, Jonathan and Joan.
1970s
Denis Thomas O’Neill, ’71 (political science), of Portland, Ore., January 18, at 73, of leukemia. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and played on the basketball team. After college, he moved to Australia to play professional basketball, returning to the U.S. in 1977 and settling in Oregon. He loved Irish whiskey, the San Francisco 49ers, corned beef and cabbage, and showing his grandchildren proper basketball footwork. His greatest legacy was building a close, loving and laughter-filled family. Survivors: his wife of 42 years, Bobbi; children, Mark, Maddie O’Neill Andrews and Colleen O’Neill Van Zante; and eight grandchildren.
Sarah M. Hays, ’77 (history), of Los Angeles, October 23, 2020, at 66, following a stroke. She trained as an architect, specializing in affordable housing. Her projects included the 2007 rehabilitation of the Craftsman-era Pisgah Village in Los Angeles, which won the Governor’s Historic Preservation and L.A. Conservancy awards. She worked for many years on neighborhood improvement projects. She was also an enthusiastic political activist, a salsera, a quilter extraordinaire, a die-hard Joni Mitchell fan, a lover of old clocks and an intrepid genealogist. Survivors: her daughter, Evelyn; and siblings, Jon, Margaret and Liz.
Frances Elizabeth Draper, ’78 (political science), of Boulder, Colo., September 1, at 65. She contributed to the Stanford Daily. After earning an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, she moved to Boulder and began a career in banking. She later became executive director of the Boulder Economic Council, where she collaborated with CU Boulder to develop an annual economic summit. She eventually transitioned to CU Boulder, serving as a senior strategic adviser until her retirement. She was an avid sailor, hiker and traveler who adored being outside. Survivors: her husband, Michael Minard; children Karl Kumli and Anneka Kumli-Dole, ’13; stepson, Antone Minard; granddaughter; and two brothers.
1980s
Bruce Jay Rubin, ’81 (political science), JD ’84, of Harrison, N.Y., July 2, at 61. He was on the wrestling team. He was the COO for Westchester Capital Management and a competitive athlete who ran several marathons. He enjoyed kayaking, rock climbing and ice climbing, and was passionate about many causes, especially human rights. Survivors: his wife, Lisa Beck; children, Ben and Grace; stepchildren, Amanda Arato, Rachel Kader and Jason Rosenfeld; grandchild; and two siblings.
Linda Lorraine Nash, ’84 (civil engineering and history), of Seattle, October 17, at 59, of lymphoma. She earned an MS in energy and resources from UC Berkeley and a PhD in history from the U. of Washington. As a professor at UW, she was director of the Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest and co-founded the Cascadia Environmental History Collaborative. She loved teaching, and her friends relished the happy hours where she helped them make sense of the latest ballot initiatives and other current events. Survivors: her husband of 35 years, Jim Hanford, ’82; children, Helen Nash and Peter Hanford; father, Merrill Nash; and siblings, Susan, JD ’81, and Brian.
Stephen E. Collins, ’87 (industrial engineering), of Alma, Colo., December 4, at 56. He participated in the marching band and student drama. He was an accomplished businessman and real estate agent who founded several event planning companies. He loved the mountains, camping, skiing, community theater and travel. He was an active member of the Catholic church and volunteer in his local community. Survivors: his siblings, Karen, Judy and Jay.
2000s
Michael Evan Hughes, ’02, MS ’02 (biological sciences), of Saint Louis, Mo., May 4, at 41, of glioblastoma. He studied at the Hopkins Marine Station and had a deep love for Stanford and the surrounding foothills. After earning a PhD in neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, he did postdoctoral training at Penn and Yale, where he made seminal contributions to circadian transcriptomics. He joined the faculty at the U. of St. Louis-Missouri before becoming an assistant professor at Washington U. School of Medicine. His favorite activity was doting on his daughters. Survivors: his wife, Jing, ’02, MS ’02; and daughters, Sophie, Quinn and Carolyn.
Stacy Lynn Pepper, ’06 (political science), JD ’11, of Denver, July 26, at 37, in a hit-and-run accident. As an undergrad, she studied at Stanford in Washington and Stanford in Florence. In law school, she was a student attorney in the Three Strikes Project Clinic and won the Best Oralist award. She moved to Chicago for a clerkship and then joined Kirkland & Ellis as a litigator, eventually being named a partner at the firm. She was incomparably vibrant and endlessly curious, forged lifelong friendships, and guided her family on trips to Sri Lanka, Israel, Japan and beyond. Survivors: her parents, Cindy and Neil; grandmother; and sisters, Marci, ’08, and Stephanie.
2010s
Thomas Stanley Scher, ’11 (political science), of Menlo Park, December 3, at 33. He moved to the Philippines after graduation to become senior director of marketing and visual content for WikiHow. Returning to the Bay Area, he joined Beyond Type 1, where he eventually became CEO and tirelessly advanced the nonprofit’s mission to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes. He served as mock trial head coach at Stanford for the past five years, bringing individuals and the program 83 awards and making him the most awarded coach in Stanford’s history. He was a devoted parent to his dog, Kermit. Survivors: his sisters, Carrie Adkins and Laura Romero; and best friend, Logan Levant.
Business
Robert Hanna Waterman, Jr., MBA ’61, of Hillsborough, Calif., January 2, at 85. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers. He worked at the U. of Denver Research Institute before embarking on a 21-year career at McKinsey & Company. Based in the firm’s San Francisco office, he worked on projects around the globe and moved his family to Japan and Australia. He also published numerous business books and served as a board member or senior adviser for many organizations. He was passionate about skiing, loved math and science, and was an accomplished painter. Survivors: his wife of 63 years, Judy; children, Kendall Crosby, ’87, and Robb, ’85, MBA ’95; four grandchildren; and sister.
Gary Smith “Knute” Westergren, MBA ’62, of San Jose, December 6, at 85. Before business school, he played professional baseball for the Red Sox farm team. After graduating, he worked for the Pillsbury company in Minneapolis and then moved to Europe with his family to pursue a career in international business and marketing, with frequent travel to Africa and the Middle East. He eventually retired to California, but continued teaching international marketing to engineering students at Santa Clara U. A dedicated father, he was unconditionally supportive of his children’s interests and dreams. Survivors: his wife, Liz; and children, Luba, Artur, Gabrielle, ’86, Timothy, ’88, and Andrew, ’89.
George Henry Von Gehr Jr., JD ’66, MBA ’68, of Friday Harbor, Wash., November 16, at 80, of heart failure. After working for several management consulting firms, he founded Alliant Partners, a boutique investment banking firm in Palo Alto that worked with high-tech companies in Silicon Valley and internationally. He was a devoted father who was always available to talk through issues and prioritized time with his kids despite his demanding work schedule. He loved cars, boats, opera and movie nights. Survivors: his wife, Barbara (Kokesh, MBA ’77); children, Karla and David; stepsons, Adam and Andrew; two grandchildren; and siblings, Lois and Greg, MBA ’79.
Raleigh William Klein, MBA ’73, of Davis, Calif., in 2021, at 72, of pancreatic cancer. After five years as a CPA, he entered the equipment leasing industry, working for Bank of America Leasing & Capital Group. In his banking career, he negotiated complex financial transactions involving railcars, airplanes, satellites and power plants. After retiring, he provided free consulting services to local nonprofits through the Stanford Business School Alumni Consulting Team program. He and his wife took an annual trip to see the country through various major and minor league ballparks. Survivors: his wife of 39 years, Nan; son, Jim; and sister.
Mary Elizabeth Durham Keeler, MBA ’79, of Las Vegas, December 15, at 73. After graduating, she moved to New York to work for IBM and then Pepsi. In 1984, she was on the team that managed the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. She later moved to Colorado, where she became a talented trout fly fisherwoman, and then to Las Vegas, where she furthered her passion for playing in bridge tournaments. She started a home business as a tax adviser, was a member of the Red Hat Society, frequented a local theater group and was active with the Nevada SPCA, fostering many elderly cats.
Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences
Arthur Grantz, MS ’61, PhD ’66 (geology) of Palo Alto, November 18, at 94. During a 46-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey, he made significant contributions to researching both onshore and offshore Alaskan and Arctic geology. He was recognized for his scientific leadership in the study of environmental geology, earthquake hazard reduction and the geology of Alaska. He loved hiking, kayaking and gardening, and explored wildlife with his family in Africa, the Galapagos and Glacier Bay. He was predeceased by his former wife, Willene. Survivors: his wife, Marsha; children, David, Eric, Carol Bohan and Sally Jones; two stepchildren; six grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and sister.
John Lynn Redmond, MS ’62 (geology), of Denver, June 11, at 90. Born in Canada, he had a zeal for the outdoors and a perpetual curiosity about natural sciences. After trying his hand at ranching in Alberta, he studied geology and math at the U. of Tulsa, Stanford and the U. of Oregon. After earning a PhD, he worked in oil exploration, a pursuit that took him all over the world and led to adventures that fueled the many stories he warmly shared. Survivors: his wife, Sherry; children, Mike and Marc; and brother, Bill.
Education
Louis A. Schmidt, Gr. ’51, of Los Gatos, Calif., December 1, at 96. He joined the Navy and served in the Pacific throughout World War II. After dental school at the U. of the Pacific, he opened a private practice in Sunnyvale, Calif., and practiced dentistry until well into his 80s. He loved to ski, a passion he passed along to both of his children, travel and play tennis. He was also an accomplished ice skater and pilot. Survivors: his longtime partner, Lenore; two children; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Margaret Joanne Williams Doole, MA ’61, of Germantown, Tenn., November 20, at 86. She was an alumna of Wellesley College, the U.y of Colorado, Stanford and Rutgers, and her field of study was art history. She worked as a middle and high school teacher in Nebraska, Montana and California. She loved to travel and led the family on numerous adventures, especially throughout Europe during three years overseas. Survivors: her husband of 60 years, Bill, MS ’61; children, Bruce and Mary; three grandchildren; and sister.
George Burton “Burt” Norall, MA ’62, of Palo Alto, December 31, at 89. He was a teacher, principal and school administrator in Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Berkeley and Daly City schools. He always made education a priority, valuing the efforts of teachers, working to facilitate challenging school programs, and communicating with students and their parents. Survivors: his wife, Maria; son, Steven, MBA ’01; and granddaughter.
Engineering
Robert Tolman Avery, MS ’48 (mechanical engineering), of Saratoga, Calif., December 29, at 95. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta. Early in his career, he designed scientific equipment for the UC Radiation Laboratory (what became Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) and helped develop color television. At Varian Associates, he was one the principal engineers working on the first commercial medical linear accelerator. He received numerous patents, designed cyclotrons and earned his doctor of mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley mid-career. He and his wife enjoyed golf, dominoes and traveling around the United States in their RV. Survivors: his wife of 73 years, Beverly; and daughter, Leslie Avery Ward.
George A. Caryotakis, MS ’52, PhD ’55 (electrical engineering), of El Dorado Hills, Calif., November 22, at 92, of renal failure. Originally from Athens, he enjoyed a career in the Bay Area that spanned over 45 years. He was president of the electron device group at Varian Associates and later served as liaison for the company’s European operations out of Zug, Switzerland. At Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, he was appointed head of the klystron microwave department and helped produce klystrons to power the next generation of particle colliders. Survivors: his wife Lisa; children, Christine Steele, Alexandra, Eleni, Peter ’85, MA ’88, and Paul; eight grandchildren, including Nik, ’22; and four great-grandchildren.
Andrew J. “Nick” Nichols III, MS ’62, PhD ’65 (electrical engineering), of San Francisco, December 30, at 86, of mesothelioma. He was president of Probitas Inc., having worked as a technology expert and an engineer at Millennium Systems, Intel Corp., American Microsystems, Novar Corp. and Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. He held several patents and advised judges in several high-stakes technology court cases, including Applied Materials v. MultiMetrixs and the Napster case that helped shape the modern music-streaming industry. Survivors: his wife, Linda McPharlin; daughter, Michèle Taylor; stepson, Sean McPharlin; two grandchildren; stepgrandson; and sister.
Humanities and Sciences
Gaylon Loray Caldwell, PhD ’52 (political science), of Fairfield, Calif., November 26, at 101. He served in the Air Force during World War II and then earned a master’s degree at the U. of Nebraska, Omaha. He taught at Brigham Young U. He served as cultural attaché for the U.S. Information Agency in Guatemala, Peru and Mexico, and was dean of Elbert Covell College at the U. of the Pacific. In 1998, he moved to Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield, a community of retired military officers. Survivors: his children, Thomas, Camden, Melissa Carter and Kim Estlin; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Jon Meyer Ericson, MA ’53, PhD ’61 (speech & drama), of Pacific Grove, Calif., January 19, 2021, at 92. He enlisted in the Navy in 1946 as a medical corpsman. He was an active debater and served as a debate coach while a member of the Stanford faculty from 1959-1964. In 1965, he published The Debater’s Guide, a resource that remains popular among competitive debaters and in university speech courses. As founding dean of the School of Communicative Arts and Humanities at California Polytechnic State U., he pioneered the London Study Program, which became the largest study-abroad program in the country. He was predeceased by his son Jon. Survivors: his wife, Amy; and children Beth, Ingrid and Joel.
Roy Clifton “Cliff” Jenkins, MS ’64 (chemistry), of Sunnyvale, Calif., September 10, at 83, of dementia and gastric cancer. He worked on behalf of the San Mateo County Office of Education, helping adults earn their GED at a Daly City learning center and at the main jail in Redwood City. He also taught courses to help people pass graduate school entrance exams and teacher credential tests. He loved his land in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where dancers and families gathered semiannually for folk dance weekends. He was predeceased by his grandson; and brother, Donald, MS ’60. Survivors: his wife, Elizabeth Moore; children, Colin and Annie; stepson, Samuel Hanes; three grandchildren; and sister.
Alex Gold, Jr., PhD ’73 (English), of Winchester, Mass., September 1, at 76. He earned his doctorate while teaching at Boston U. After BU, he was a professor at Harvard for eight years. He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed traveling, cooking and collecting wine. Summers were spent on Cape Cod, Mass., and vacations brought the family to Bermuda, Florida and Vermont. Survivors: his wife of 39 years, Leslie; and four siblings.
Michiko Ishii Widigen, PhD ’87 (comparative literature), of Chandler, Ariz., December 31, at 88. She was professor emerita of Japanese at Monterey Institute of International Studies. Born in Tokyo, she earned an undergraduate degree in Japanese from Japan Women’s U. and another in English from the U. of Washington. After completing a master’s program at Southern Methodist U., she earned her doctorate from Stanford, writing her dissertation on characteristic features of Japanese poetry. Survivors: her husband, Larry.
Law
James Boyd Lewis, JD ’76, of Alameda, Calif., October 25, at 71, of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He earned his undergraduate degree in economics and math from Yale. He was a partner at McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen (later Bingham McCutchen) and practiced antitrust law before becoming a patent litigator and chair of the firm’s intellectual property group. He was a voracious reader, an adventurous traveler and a passionate cook who hosted gatherings with gracious hospitality, great food and a touch of whimsy. He was predeceased by his brother, John. Survivors: his wife of 38 years, Nancy; daughter, Maggie; and sister, Catherine, MS ’85.
