Birds perch over Ho Plaza next to McGraw Tower.

April 2023

The University recently learned of the passing of these Cornellians

Editor’s note: Please submit notification of alumni deaths—including an obituary, if possible—to the University at cubio-deceased@cornell.edu. Once the University records an alumni death in its database, the relevant information is forwarded to Cornellians for inclusion in a future In Memoriam section.

1940s

’40 BS CALS—Jeanne Robinson Cowden of Brecksville, OH, January 29, 2023; bacteriology student; homemaker; also worked in New York City; lover of nature; enjoyed international travel, cooking, gardening, and the New York Times crossword; active in community, religious, and alumni affairs.

’40 JD—Emanuel P. Snyder of Annandale, VA, formerly of McLean, VA, February 11, 2023; attorney in private practice and administrative judge; chair, Contract Appeals Board; veteran, U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps; post-war military governor of Dusseldorf and commandant of Czechoslovakia; awarded the Legion of Merit.

’45—Jean McGlone Allen of Seattle, WA, formerly of Basking Ridge, NJ, September 14, 2022; avid knitter and yarn shop owner; active in alumni affairs. Kappa Kappa Gamma.

’45 BS CALS—Gloria Phister Childress of Portal, AZ, January 27, 2023; student of zoology and lifelong member of the Audubon Society, studying birds and wildlife; enjoyed international travel; active in alumni affairs.

’48 MS—Cleone Hansen Geddes of Fremont, CA, February 4, 2023; homemaker; enjoyed camping, RV’ing, gardening, jewelry-making, and reading; active in religious affairs.

’49 BEE—Leon E. Maglathlin Jr. of Longmeadow, MA, February 10, 2023; president and CEO, Public Service Co. of New Hampshire; senior VP of regional administration, Northeast Utilities; VP and chief administrative officer, Western Massachusetts Electric Co.; veteran; trustee on several academic, cultural, and financial boards and member of several recreation and social clubs; avid reader; active in civic, charitable, professional, religious, and alumni affairs. Kappa Sigma.


1950s

’50 BA—Alan G. Clarke of Middletown, MD, February 3, 2023; independent defense contractor; electrical engineer, Naval Surface Weapons Center, Silver Spring; instrumental in the development of an explosive ignition system used in the Polaris missiles; enjoyed travel, winemaking, gardening, fruit farming, and following the development of personal computers. Delta Chi.

’50 BA, MD ’53—Harold J. Ellner of Seattle, WA, January 18, 2023; urologist in the Tri-Cities; clinical associate professor of urology emeritus, University of Washington; published several scientific articles and a book on medical humor; Rotarian and editor of its newsletter; Planned Parenthood and ESL volunteer; ham radio operator and member, Tri-Cities Amateur Radio Club; active in professional affairs. Tau Epsilon Phi.

’51 MS, PhD ’58—A. David Crowe of Wolfville, NS, formerly of Kentville, NS, January 23, 2023; tree fruit expert, farm operator, and orchard manager; head of pomology, Agriculture Canada Kentville Research Station; researched light energy utilization, rootstock selection, orchard layout, tree training, and new varieties of apples and pears; extension professional, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture; helped develop the Kestrel apple and created the standardized apple bins still in use today; veteran of the British Navy; enjoyed international travel, skiing, curling, gardening, bridge, and home improvements; active in charitable, community, professional, and religious affairs.

’51, BME ’52—Timothy W. Edlund of Baltimore, MD, December 13, 2022; professor of strategic management, Graves School of Business and Management, Morgan State University; also taught at Loyola University; mechanical engineer in Massachusetts and Rhode Island; veteran; avid sailor and professional sports fan; enjoyed international travel, cruises, opera, and Baltimore Symphony performances; active in professional, religious, and alumni affairs. Alpha Chi Rho.

’51 BS CALS, PhD ’57—Karl D. Fezer of Athens, WV, January 19, 2023; professor emeritus of biology, Concord University; worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture researching diseases of barley and wheat; instructor, Department of Plant Pathology and Botany, University of Minnesota, St. Paul; author of books on the history and philosophy of science; enjoyed gardening, farming, and reading about science, technology, and politics.

’52 BA—Melba Negri Battin of Somerset, NJ, January 27, 2023; manager of the family farm; professor of English literature, Bowie State University; upper school librarian, the Key School, Annapolis, MD; night school teacher, Anne Arundel Community College; global peace advocate; land and farm preservationist in Franklin Township (NJ); member, Open Space Advisory Committee; founder, Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve; active in religious affairs.

’52—Mary Aline Lawrence Krisak of Camillus, NY, January 31, 2023; floral designer, Master Gardener, and NYS Garden Clubs judge; accomplished pianist; enjoyed aviation, sports cars, and watching auto racing; active in community, historical, professional, and religious affairs.

’52 BS CALS—Mir S. Mulla of Riverside, CA, January 29, 2023; professor of entomology and co-founder of the Department of Medical Entomology, University of California, Riverside; pioneer in insect control methods, improving human health worldwide; also led World Health Organization efforts to control vector-borne diseases; prolific author of scientific publications; philanthropist and preservationist; enjoyed international travel, field work, tennis, chess, and gardening; active in community, professional, and religious affairs.

’52 BS CALS, MS ’54—Nancy Guttmann Slack of Niskayuna, NY, December 21, 2022; professor of biology and historian of botany, Russell Sage College; researched bryophytes, regional ecosystems, peatland ecology, and ecological niche theory; led student trips to the Caribbean to study tropical and marine ecology; professor of bryophyte ecology, University of Oxford; prolific academic author, editor, and biographer; naturalist, environmentalist, and award-winning conservationist; enjoyed international travel, the outdoors, birding, choir singing, folk dancing, leading field trips, and playing dulcimer; active in professional and alumni affairs.

’53 BS HE—Norma Hellert Hagen of Anacortes, WA, and Goodyear, AZ, February 3, 2023; dietitian in the healthcare industry; also worked at the Anacortes Visitor Center; Scout leader; avid reader; enjoyed international travel and genealogy; active in professional and religious affairs.

’54–55 SP ILR—Preston Ayars Jr. of Elkton, MD, January 24, 2023; sales professional, Harvey & Harvey, Middlesex Stainless Steel, and DuPont; co-owner of his family farm, Belle Hill Farm; veteran.

’54—Richard L. Bennett of Orchard Park, NY, December 26, 2022; certified financial planner for several companies in Western New York; also operated his own accounting and financial planning services firm; member, Kiwanis; avid golfer; enjoyed league bowling, playing cards, and Buffalo Bills football; active in religious affairs.

’54–55 GR—Beatriz De Winthuysen Coffin of Washington, DC, December 19, 2022; award-winning landscape architect in New York and Washington, DC; partner, Coffin & Coffin; also taught in Ecuador, Mexico, and Bolivia; director, International Institute of Site Planning, adapting modern site planning technology to local needs and cultural values; active in professional affairs.

’54, BEE ’55, MS ’59, PhD ’62—Alexander S. “Scott” Gilmour Jr. of St. Cloud, FL, January 20, 2023; award-winning R&D professional in microwave technology used in radar and satellite communications; professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering and chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, University at Buffalo; head of the electronics department, Sanders Associates of Buffalo, later part of Lockheed Corp.; professor in residence, Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, researching electron beams and beam generation, and assistant professor, Cornell University; veteran; textbook author and course instructor to scientists, engineers, and managers on microwave tube technology; enjoyed home renovation; active in professional affairs. Delta Upsilon.

’54 MS—Margaret Power Runcie of Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, December 23, 2022; award-winning equine management professional; champion riding pony breeder and exhibitor; also served as a judge, lecturer, administrator, and advisor; milk tester, National Agricultural Advisory Service, Leicestershire; researched and utilized new methods of milk transport via bulk refrigerated tankers; veteran; president, National Pony Society; founder, Scottish Committee of the NPS; active in community, military, and professional affairs.

’54, BS ILR ’55—Jerome Z. “Jerry” Schurmeier of Wheaton, IL, February 3, 2023; portfolio manager and board member at an investment company; also worked at Northern Illinois Gas Co.; veteran; member, Jaycees and Lions Club; contributed 55 acres of woodland to the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, a land conservancy; enjoyed travel and making things in his workshop and jewelry studio; active in civic, community, and religious affairs. Beta Theta Pi. Wife, Susan Shelby Schurmeier ’57.

’54 BA—Donna McNeill Wagner of Savoy, IL, formerly of Urbana, IL, February 1, 2023; prepared plant specimens for the plant collection, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, IL; avid gardener and National Garden Club Accredited Master Flower Show judge; award-winning Girl Scout leader, instructor, and day camp director; enjoyed choral singing, quilting, and birding throughout the U.S.; active in community and religious affairs.

’54—John H. Williamson of Woodstock, CT, February 9, 2023; dairy farmer, mechanic, construction worker, heavy equipment operator, welder, and woodlot manager; owner/operator, Maple Lane Farm and Maple Lane Farm Welding & Repair; also worked at an Allis-Chalmers dealership and at the Dairy Herd Inspection Association; assisted in the building and development in Woodstock of Lake Bungee, Witches Woods Lake, the Ohoho Ski Area, and an airport; veteran; avid reader.

’54 BS HE—Elinor Yavelow Yuter of Briarcliff Manor, NY, February 4, 2023; homemaker; enjoyed international travel; active in community, political, and alumni affairs. Alpha Epsilon Phi.

’55, BME ’56—J. Barry Hart of Baton Rouge, LA, July 10, 2022; manager, Procter & Gamble; veteran; active in community, religious, and alumni affairs. Delta Tau Delta. Wife, Gwenith Barrera Hart ’57.

’55 BS Hotel—Daniel H. Krouner of Albany, NY, and Saratoga Springs, NY, February 2, 2023; financial analyst, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance; director of food service, Arlington International Raceway, Chicago; owner/operator, the Premier Restaurant, Boston; enjoyed horseracing, live concerts, and following the Patriots and Celtics; active in alumni affairs. Beta Sigma Rho. Wife, Arlene Shapiro Krouner ’57.

’55 BS CALS—Charles T. Rabeler of Johnson City, NY, February 11, 2023; award-winning salesman, Pitney-Bowes and IBA Agricultural Sales; real estate agent in Syracuse; owner/operator, Rabeler Dairy Farm, Bovina, NY; enjoyed pinochle, ping-pong, chess, and decorating cakes; active in religious and alumni affairs.

’55 BA—Edwin C. Stewart of Savannah, GA, January 15, 2023; senior financial research manager, J&W Seligman and other Wall Street firms; educational and community philanthropist; championship bowler; enjoyed walking, jogging, reading, and following Pittsburgh professional sports and the New York Knicks; active in alumni affairs.

’55 BA—Joan E. Sullivan of Eastham, MA, formerly of New York City, January 30, 2023; social studies teacher and college entry counselor, John F. Kennedy High School, NYC; also worked at Radio Free Europe; avid gardener; enjoyed international travel and tennis; active in civic, community, historical, and alumni affairs.

’55, BA ’56—William J. Wiley of Gorham, ME, February 6, 2023; insurance broker, the Rowley Agency, Concord, NH; also served as justice of the peace; veteran; Rotarian and community volunteer with youth, senior, and charitable programs; active in professional, religious, and alumni affairs. Sigma Nu.

’56 BA—John R. Anderluh of Glenview, IL, and Boynton Beach, FL, February 10, 2023; sales and marketing executive; COO and group president of U.S. operations and president of the Response Graphics direct mail division, Moore Business Forms; also served as a worldwide leader in recycling; veteran; star baseball player and competitive golfer; enjoyed travel, tennis, racquetball, croquet, and playing cards; active in religious and alumni affairs. Phi Kappa Psi.

’56 BS CALS, MS ’58—Leon J. Carlson of Norwich, NY, January 16, 2023; teacher and guidance counselor, Norwich High School; assistant county agent, Allegany County; veteran; member, Kiwanis; taught the AARP “55 Alive” defensive driving course; enjoyed cross-country road trips, the outdoors, gardening, birding, and reading; active in community, professional, religious, and alumni affairs.

’56, BA ’59—C. Michael Curtis of Spartanburg, SC, January 11, 2023; senior editor emeritus, the Atlantic magazine; longtime fiction editor, the Atlantic Monthly, championing new writers and jumpstarting the careers of John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, Louise Erdrich, Tobias Wolff, and many others; winner, American Poetry Prize; accomplished poker player; enjoyed the New York Times crossword puzzle, playing basketball, and Boston Red Sox baseball; active in alumni affairs. Chi Phi.

’56 BA—Margaret Jones Halberstadt of Cincinnati, OH, January 23, 2023; pension specialist, IRS; also served as a volunteer tax preparer and radio talk show guest, speaking on tax issues; docent, Cincinnati Museum of Art; enjoyed international travel, visiting museums worldwide, summers at the beach, book group, investment club, and bridge; active in community, educational, religious, and alumni affairs. Delta Gamma.

’56, BME ’57—Robert W. Howard of Reston, VA, November 20, 2022; entrepreneur, home builder, and realtor; chairman, Wellborn Management Co., a commercial and residential real estate brokerage, management, and development company; veteran; Rotarian; advocate for affordable housing; active in professional, religious, and alumni affairs. Alpha Delta Phi.

’57 BS HE—Roberta Grunert DeVries of Ocean City, NJ, and Southampton, PA, February 2, 2023; travel planner and program coordinator, Philadelphia Zoo, leading tours all over the world; kindergarten teacher; advocate for the conservation of animals; enjoyed travel, concerts, Broadway shows, bridge, Mahjong, book group, and following Philadelphia professional sports; active in community, environmental, and alumni affairs.

’57 BA—Susan Howe Hutchins of Enfield, CT, and Marco Island, FL, February 3, 2023; tutor, Sylvan Learning Center; administrative assistant, Harvard Medical School, substitute teacher, Needham, MA, school system; also worked at Gilbert’s Book Shop, Cock o’ the Walk, and Talbot’s; enjoyed golf, bicycling, skiing, synchronized swimming, bridge, crossword puzzles, needlepoint, and playing the piano; active in civic, community, educational, religious, and alumni affairs. Kappa Kappa Gamma.

’57 BA—Leighton Q.J. Klevana of Largo, FL, January 24, 2023; business development professional, Rwanda Investment Promotion Authority in Kigali, Rwanda; founder, Slovak American Enterprise Fund in Bratislava, Slovakia; commercial realtor and founder, Institute of Practicing Real Estate, offering pre/post-licensing and continuing education across six states; assistant attorney general, State of Vermont; instructor, Vermont Law School; also worked as an attorney in private practice and at several Wall Street law firms; fluent in six languages; enjoyed international travel, skiing, hockey, swimming, and the beach; active in alumni affairs. Alpha Tau Omega.

’57 BS CALS—William L. Rodee of Canton, NY, February 8, 2023; sixth-generation farmer and owner/operator of the family farm; district representative, NYS Farm Bureau and president, St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau; also served on several financial and district planning boards; provided employment training to students interested in agriculture through the Comprehensive Employment & Training Act; active in professional, religious, and alumni affairs. Alpha Gamma Rho.

’57 BA, MD ’61—Roger D. Soloway of Galveston, TX, January 29, 2023; award-winning research scientist, teacher, physician, and administrator; professor of medicine, acting chair of medicine, and chair of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Texas Medical Branch (now UTMB Health); professor, Department of Internal Medicine, and president of the Faculty Senate, University of Pennsylvania; expert on gallstones, hepatitis, and the liver; prolific medical writer; veteran; accomplished jazz and classical clarinetist; enjoyed photography, gardening, choral singing, and the Galveston Symphony Orchestra; active in religious and alumni affairs. Acacia.

’58 MS—Mary J. Ellis of Saratoga Springs, NY, February 15, 2023; home economics program leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Saratoga County; research home economist, University of Vermont; family economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture; associate 4-H agent, Somerset County, NJ; community volunteer; enjoyed golf and herb gardening; active in civic, historical, professional, and religious affairs.

’58 MS—Gilbert R. Hoy of Norfolk, VA, January 15, 2023; professor, eminent scholar, and chair of the Department of Physics, Old Dominion University; expert in nuclear quantum optics and pioneer in experimental and theoretical Mössbauer spectroscopy; research collaborator and consultant for national and international laboratories; professor of physics, Boston University; patent holder for the development of a laser with gamma radiation; prolific academic author; recipient of numerous national scientific grants and awards; accomplished singer and lover of jazz; enjoyed international travel; active in professional affairs.

’58, BA ’59—Sylvia Kane King of Bloomington, IN, December 17, 2022; office manager, John D. King and Associates, providing career and employment counseling and consulting; also worked in recreational program management and as a home health aide; owner/operator of a stained-glass studio; preservationist; enjoyed the outdoors, knitting, quilting, reading, playing piano, composing haiku, and creating Zentangles; active in alumni affairs. Husband, John D. King ’58.

’58—Clayton E. Larson Jr. of Edgartown, MA, and Deerfield Beach, FL, January 5, 2023; elementary school instrumental music teacher, Danbury, CT; professional jazz trombonist, New Breed Quartet and other ensembles in Hartford, Washington, DC, and Key West, FL; accomplished pianist, flautist, cornet player, and electronic music composer; member, Vineyard Haven Band and co-founder and arranger, Long Point Five jazz wind ensemble; enjoyed fishing, long morning walks, and the New England coast. Kappa Alpha.

’58 PhD—Christian H. Moe of Carbondale, IL, January 20, 2023; award-winning playwright, director, and scholar of theater; professor emeritus of theater, Southern Illinois University, and department chair, director of graduate studies, founder of the playwriting program, and co-director, McLeod Summer Playhouse; veteran; author; founder, the Stage Company regional theater; enjoyed international travel, worldwide theater performances, entertaining, tennis, swimming, and amateur boxing; active in professional and alumni affairs.

’58—Andrew S. Winebrenner of Spring Grove, PA, February 6, 2023; owner/operator, Shirk’s Hardware; veteran; member, American Tree Farm Association and co-founder, Devil’s Den Sportsman Association; lover of dogs; enjoyed the outdoors, fly fishing, and cutting wood; active in religious affairs. Chi Psi.

’58 BS HE—Evelyn Wischhusen Wooding of Liverpool, NY, December 7, 2022; homemaker; executive secretary and co-owner of the Albert G. Wooding veterinary practice; bred, trained, and showed German short-haired pointers; community volunteer; enjoyed improving the family farm for game and production; active in professional and alumni affairs.

’59 BS ILR—David R. Dunlop of Ithaca, NY, formerly of Brooktondale, NY, February 9, 2023; international consultant and award-winning educational fundraising professional; founder and senior development director, Office of Principal Gifts, Division of Alumni Affairs and Development, Cornell University; proponent of the philosophy of relationship-based fundraising; author, teacher, and seminar leader, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE); veteran; life member, University Council; inductee, Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame and National Wrestling Hall of Fame, New Jersey Chapter; Scout leader; Rotarian; board president, Franziska Racker Centers; enjoyed international travel, sailing, skiing, birdwatching, photography, gardening, and visiting steam engine trains; active in community and philanthropic affairs. Chi Psi. Wife, Peggy Flynn Dunlop ’59, MS ’63.

’59 BS HE—Helen Pratt Newton of Kennebunk, ME, January 29, 2023; home economics teacher and FHA–HERO advisor, Ovid and Albany, NY; seamstress and garment maker; enjoyed international travel; active in community, historical, religious, and alumni affairs.

’59 BS HE—Nancy Hunt Ortmann of Chagrin Falls, OH, December 1, 2022; homemaker and community volunteer; also worked at Stouffer’s; Scout leader; active in civic, educational, and alumni affairs. Chi Gamma.

’59 BS Hotel—Donald A. Puschin of Honolulu, HI, April 6, 2022; active in alumni affairs. Sigma Nu.


1960s

’60 MA, PhD ’65—Mary Morse Fuqua of Williamstown, MA, December 27, 2022; dean, graduate and continuing education, North Adams State College (now MCLA); also taught literature part time at NASC and Williams College; avid gardener and founder, One World Conservation Society; enjoyed the outdoors, hiking, cross-country skiing, and baking bread; active in civic, healthcare governance, and professional affairs.

’60, BCE ’61—Alan M. Garfinkel of Nanuet, NY, and Salisbury, VT, January 27, 2023; award-winning civil engineering consultant in private practice, serving municipalities in New York and New Jersey; Scout leader and Little League coach; gourmand and gourmet chef; enjoyed sailing, fishing, tennis, golf, and summers on Lake Dunmore; active in religious and alumni affairs. Wife, Elinor Ross Garfinkel ’60.

’60 DVM—Eric J. Myer of Boyce, VA, February 7, 2023; equine and large animal veterinarian, Roseville Veterinary Clinic and Plaza Pet Clinic; breeder and developer of Thoroughbred racehorses and fox hunters; volunteer firefighter, Kiwanis member, and Scout and 4-H leader; active in civic, professional, and religious affairs. Alpha Zeta. Wife, Martha Welch Myer, BS Nurs ’61.

’60—Buena Wickham Proskine of Quincy, FL, August 31, 2016; avid and accomplished quilter; enjoyed gardening; active in community and religious affairs.

’61, BEE ’62—Richard H. Eckhouse Jr. of Scituate, MA, January 27, 2023; professor emeritus of computer science, University of Massachusetts, Boston; also taught computer science and electrical engineering at Bucknell University, SUNY Buffalo, UMass Amherst, Temple University, Dartmouth College, and Yale University; co-founder and scientist, MOCO Inc., a brain research firm, working on projects with NASA, the Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health; also worked at Digital Equipment Corp. and IBM; author and expert on microcontrollers and microcomputing; licensed pilot; enjoyed boating, tinkering, playing poker, and sharing his knowledge of technology; active in maritime affairs. Phi Sigma Delta.

’61, BEP ’62—Robert T. Franson of Sammamish, WA, formerly of Santa Cruz, CA, January 24, 2023; associate professor emeritus of law, University of British Columbia; active member and group leader, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz; member, Sierra Club; enjoyed watercolor painting, photography, and composing haiku; active in alumni affairs. Acacia. Wife, Mary Ann Huber Franson ’62, BCE ’63, MS ’64.

’61, BME ’62—David S. Kessler of Jewett, NY, January 18, 2023; public and private transportation professional in New York City; fluent in Spanish, he also did consulting work in Mexico and Chile; veteran; former class correspondent; active in alumni affairs.

’61 BS CALS, MS ’63, PhD ’68—Fred N. Swader of Mifflinburg, PA, January 19, 2023; faculty associate in agriculture, Bucknell University; national program leader for water resources, coordinator of the Extension Indian Reservation Program, and special assistant to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; assistant professor, Department of Agronomy, Cornell University; veteran; editor, Bucknell River Reporter; enjoyed travel, sailing, fishing, hiking, gardening, and reading; active in community affairs.

’61, BS CALS ’64—Peter S. Whittaker of Cherry Log, GA, January 23, 2023; executive recruiter and business owner, Atlanta, GA; active in religious affairs. Alpha Gamma Rho.

’63, BS CALS ’64—Cleon L. Dunham Jr. of Wimberley, TX, formerly of Austin, TX, February 6, 2023; consultant and founder, Artificial Lift Research & Development Council; production engineer, Shell Oil Co.; enjoyed hosting international students; active in alumni affairs. Alpha Chi Rho. Wife, Jane Loomis Dunham ’64.

’63—Stephen M. Rutledge of Lewisburg, WV, January 17, 2023; award-winning civil rights activist, community organizer, and advocate for collective bargaining for public employees; founding member, AFSCME Council 77 trade union; worked for racial equality, social justice, voting rights, and cultural diversity; investigated claims of discrimination under the West Virginia Human Rights Act and substandard living conditions in Section 8 housing; Peace Corps volunteer in northeastern Brazil; lover of baseball and the New York Yankees.

’63 MS—Audrey M. Warner of Wiarton, ON, and New Smyrna Beach, FL, February 5, 2023; associate professor of home economics and family studies at the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto; also taught secondary school in Tillsonburg, Hamilton, and Dundas; lover of the furniture and textiles of Scandinavia and the art and sculpture of the Inuit of Northern Canada; enjoyed international travel, golf, skiing, curling, and canoeing; active in professional, religious, and alumni affairs.

’64 BA—Peter E. Castro of Pittsford, NY, November 17, 2022; research scientist and mathematician, Eastman Kodak; adjunct faculty and chair, Applied Mathematics and Statistics Program, University of Rochester; enjoyed international travel, the outdoors, rollerblading, photography, and word puzzles; active in professional and alumni affairs. Phi Sigma Kappa. Wife, Nancy Levine Castro ’65.

’64, BME ’65—Daniel B. Dawson of Pleasanton, CA, February 6, 2023; mechanical engineer and materials scientist, Sandia National Laboratories, working on defense-related projects and a nascent solar-energy generation program; also worked at the Watertown (MA) Arsenal, conducting research on metal alloys for national defense applications; collector of World War II insignia and books on WWII history, aircraft, and strategic analysis; avid runner and marathoner; enjoyed international travel and Scottish heritage groups and events. Theta Chi.

’64 LLB—Sheila A. Gordon of Scotia, NY, September 15, 2022; attorney, New York State Department of Audit & Control; enjoyed travel, square dancing, long walks, sewing, and New York Mets baseball.

’64 MS—A. Ray Howland Jr. of Dahlonega, GA, January 29, 2023; president, the Howland Co. Inc., an award-winning electrical engineering firm, designing radio frequency and microwave antenna test and measurement systems; senior engineer, Scientific Atlanta; also worked at the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, Buffalo, NY; veteran; Rotarian; enjoyed international travel and mountain hiking; active in professional and religious affairs.

’64 BA—Connie Bennett Meunier of Omaha, NE, January 28, 2023; assistant development director, Opera Omaha; also worked in the real estate department at Union Pacific Railroad; lover of cats; enjoyed international travel and cruising; active in alumni affairs.

’65 PhD—Joan Roos Egner of Ithaca, NY, February 2, 2023; administrator and professor emerita of education, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University; also served as the University’s associate provost; public school teacher and administrator in Pennsylvania and Ohio; elementary school teacher on Long Island.

’65 BS CALS—Janet White Gibbens of Anglesea, Victoria, Australia, December 12, 2022; member of the science faculty, Hampton High School and Sandringham College; research scientist, Department of Microbiology, University of New South Wales; research assistant, Central Public Health Laboratory, London; studied bacterial plasmids and transferable antibiotic resistance; enjoyed international travel, family history, natural history, music, reading, and social organizations; active in alumni affairs.

’65 BA—Patricia Norris Pinel of Denver, CO, January 29, 2023; worked for the State of Colorado and for a private law firm; active in alumni affairs.

’66 BA—Frederick M. Kaiser of Point of Rocks, MD, February 10, 2023; specialist in the American national government, Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan support agency of the Library of Congress; provided research, analysis, briefings, and testimony for the U.S. Congress; consultant, House Foreign Affairs Committee; also participated in democracy-building programs in academic and professional groups; instructor in political science, American University, University of Maryland, Waynesburg College, and University of Pittsburgh; prolific author; enjoyed football; active in civic and professional affairs. Sigma Nu.

’66 BA—Susan FitzGerald Othmer of Woodland Hills, CA, February 3, 2023; neuroscience and neurofeedback pioneer who envisioned the potential for self-recovery in mental health; clinical director, EEG Institute; co-developed a novel, individualized therapeutic method, neurofeedback, for neurological disorders using EEG measurements and determining precise training frequencies; neurofeedback conference organizer and author of protocol guides and training course manuals; also worked as a therapist, clinician, teacher, and community organizer; founder, Topanga Canyon Docents, offering experiences of the natural environment to school-age children; accomplished potter; active in alumni affairs. Alpha Phi. Husband, Siegfried Othmer, PhD ’70.

’66 BA—Elizabeth Rapoport Slive of Birmingham, AL, formerly of Chicago, IL, December 29, 2022; teacher and homemaker; active in community and collegiate athletic affairs. Alpha Epsilon Phi.

’68 BA—Richard C. Coyle of Seattle, WA, and Craftsbury Common, VT, February 15, 2023; attorney; partner, Perkins Coie LLP; also worked at Foley Hoag in Boston; expert in aviation law and aviation engineering; avid student of the American Revolution; enjoyed international travel, playing hockey, cross-country skiing, crossword puzzles, and following college and professional sports; active in alumni affairs.

’68 PhD—Richard L. Guthrie of Auburn, AL, January 23, 2023; dean emeritus, College of Agriculture, Auburn University, and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station; soil scientist and national leader for soil taxonomy, U.S. Department of Agriculture; recipient of numerous agricultural service awards and honors; Rotarian; enjoyed genealogy and Auburn football; active in conservation, professional, and religious affairs.


1970s

’70 B Chem E—Seymour J. Burchman of Naples, FL, January 24, 2023; executive compensation consultant and partner, Semler Brossy Consulting Group and Sibson & Co.; community organizer, VISTA; prolific contributing author in business and governance publications; avid Dodgers fan; enjoyed scuba diving, skiing, and jogging; active in charitable and community affairs. Theta Xi.

’70 PhD—Wayne L. Handlos of Santa Maria, CA, formerly of Lindstrom, MN, January 28, 2023; co-owners, Lindstrom Greenhouse and Florist; also opened the Iris Art Gallery; professor of biology, botany, and ecology, University of Botswana, University of Zambia, and Rutgers University; Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia; enjoyed gardening and genealogy; active in professional affairs. Wife, Diane Dwyer Handlos, MS ’67.

’70 BME—Harold S. Simon of Eunice, LA, February 1, 2023; office professional; enjoyed travel, chess, juggling, telling jokes, and emceeing the Eunice Symphony Orchestra; active in community and religious affairs.

’71 JD—David L. Boehnen of St. Paul, MN, January 27, 2023; executive VP, SuperValu supermarket chain, overseeing legal, real estate, corporate development, and government matters; partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP; also worked as a real estate and private equity investor; patron of the arts and member of several cultural and educational boards; enjoyed supporting unique startups; active in community and alumni affairs.

’71 MD—Ronald K. Harris of Newton, NJ, February 2, 2023; surgeon, Surgical Associates of Sussex County, and chief of surgery, Newton Memorial Hospital; veteran; avid golfer; enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, landscaping his gardens, reading, studying history, and cooking Italian food; active in professional and religious affairs.

’72 PhD—Everette H. Barman Jr. of Milledgeville, GA, January 26, 2023; research scientist and professor emeritus, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College & State University; veteran; enjoyed studying local flora and fauna and the history of early Georgia, mid-1800s architecture, and the Civil War; active in professional affairs.

’72 MD—James E. Gadek of Dublin, OH, January 24, 2023; award-winning physician and pulmonary researcher; professor of medicine and director of pulmonary and critical-care medicine, the Ohio State University; also worked at the National Institutes of Health in the pulmonary and critical-care division and at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; enjoyed visiting the Outer Banks.

’73—Homer W. Smith of Ithaca, NY, December 23, 2022; electrical and computer engineer; founder and CEO, Art Matrix-Lightlink, an Internet service provider; founder, Art Matrix, an independent research group and business that sold postcards and videos of fractals; advocate for using fractal images to attract children to mathematics and the possibilities of education; avid student of metaphysics and the nature of consciousness who created his own religion; essayist; enjoyed numerous intellectual pursuits and his many cats.

’74—Joyce Napikoski Lisenby Badger of Lubbock, TX, December 19, 2022; award-winning correctional health social worker, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, John Montford Unit; avid baseball fan; board president, Catholic Charities; enjoyed walking, birding, kayaking, NASCAR, book groups, pets, and studying local history and archaeology; active in professional affairs.

’74 BS CALS—Fritzbert F. Edouard of Spring Valley, NY, January 26, 2023; chemist in the agricultural and life sciences; patented his findings on alkyl zirconates color improvement; advocate, organizer, and mentor in the Haitian American community; member, Masons; avid reader; active in educational affairs.

’75 BME, MBA ’77—Steven R. Jelinek of Greensboro, NC, March 29, 2022; avid stamp collector; enjoyed gardening, gourmet cooking, board games, and playing cards. Phi Kappa Psi.

’77 BEE, MS ’80—Peter A. Carruthers of Ithaca, NY, June 3, 2020; consultant and senior electrical engineer, Cayuga Astronautics; hardware design engineer, BAE Systems Controls Inc.; also designed motor drivers at Ithaco Space Systems and Smith Corona; inventor and patent holder in hybrid vehicle design. Wife, Janet O’Connor Carruthers ’78.

’77 MBA—John T. “Jay” Flickinger of Shelburne, VT, February 3, 2023; vice president, National Bank of Middlebury; also served as VP at Citibank in New York City and Rochester, NY; EMS volunteer; lover of the outdoors and avid skier; advocate for adaptive sports; enjoyed hunting, running, and bicycling; active in community and religious affairs.

’79 MS—Lloyd S. Harbert of Vienna, VA, January 7, 2022; award-winning Foreign Agricultural Service expert in economics and global agriculture, serving at the United Nations and in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, London, Hong Kong, Iraq, South Korea, Mexico, and other countries; worked on NAFTA and other international trade treaties under seven U.S. presidents; prolific poet and accomplished linguist.


1980s

’80 PhD—William L. Bruckart III of Frederick, MD, January 27, 2023; research scientist, USDA Foreign Disease–Weed Science Research Unit; international expert in the exploration, collection, and evaluation of fungi for the biological control of invasive weeds; also taught at Hood College in the Department of Environmental Biology; veteran; author and mentor; accomplished artist, musician, and singer; enjoyed playing sports, refereeing, making pies, and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball; active in professional and religious affairs.

’84 MA, PhD ’87—Helen Maxson Cervini of Weatherford, OK, January 27, 2023; professor of English literature and president of the Faculty Senate, Southwestern Oklahoma State University; also taught at University of Michigan; prolific academic writer; enjoyed reading poetry and listening to all types of music; active in religious affairs.

’84 PhD—Richard W. Vockroth of Painted Post, NY, January 26, 2023; professor of mechanical technology, Corning Community College, with a concentration in the areas of engineering graphics and fluid power; textbook author; also worked in R&D in the electrical power, machinery, and industrial electronics fields; veteran; award-winning licensed pilot, safety counselor and seminar instructor, and author of numerous aviation-related magazine articles; champion track star and inductee, Elmira Sports Hall of Fame; enjoyed motor home camping, hunting, fishing, gardening, cooking, family flying trips, flagging for races at Watkins Glen International, following Syracuse University sports, and playing several musical instruments; active in professional affairs.

’85 MA, PhD ’89—Jingyuan Zhang of Alexandria, VA, September 23, 2020; associate professor emerita, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Georgetown University, and steering committee member and professor, Comparative Literature Program; also taught at Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley, and the Institute of Comparative Literature, Peking University; expert on the relationship between Chinese psychoanalytic thought and literary practice; author and translator; accomplished painter; active in alumni affairs. Husband, William A. Haines ’80, BA ’82.

’89 JD—Andrew C. Callari of San Clemente, CA, January 5, 2023; civil and commercial litigation attorney; co-founder, Callari & Summers; adjunct professor of law, Whittier Law School; also worked at several national law firms in Southern California and in private practice.


2000s

’07 BS ORIE, MCS ’08—David A. Ringen of Denver, CO, February 4, 2023; computer science professional; project applications engineer, Hayward Baker; also worked at 3M; enjoyed international travel, backpacking, and following professional sports. Kappa Sigma.


2010s

’15 MBA—Mariana Gantus of San Francisco, CA, February 2, 2023; managing director, Volcano Capital Management; strategic partnerships manager, Christie’s auction house; accomplished fundraiser; served on several artistic and nonprofit boards, advocating for equity, inclusion, and diversity; enjoyed ballet, sports, and theater; active in community and educational affairs. Husband, Douglas Wall, MBA ’15.

’16 MS, MBA ’18, PhD ’19—Mitchell A. Pender of Horseheads, NY, January 30, 2023; technical management professional in Corning Inc.’s leadership development program; avid traveler, certified skydiver, and car enthusiast and restorer.

’18 MBA—Omid Oujani of Houston, TX, February 26, 2021; project manager and strategic partnerships lead, Chevron Corp.


2020s

’23, BS CALS ’22—Daniela K.A. Lee of Pinetop, AZ, April 19, 2022; senior communication major awarded a posthumous degree, with minors in education and Viking studies; co-founder, Native American Advocacy Foundation, focused on literacy and access to literature in the Native American community; children’s book writer, avid storyteller, and host of writing workshops; lover of nature and daffodils; enjoyed karaoke, dancing, reading classical literature, acting, and baking; active in religious affairs.


Editor’s note: Please submit notification of alumni deaths—including an obituary, if possible—to the University at cubio-deceased@cornell.edu. Once the University records an alumni death in its database, the relevant information is forwarded to Cornellians for inclusion in a future In Memoriam section.

Top: Photo by Noël Heaney / Cornell University.

Published April 1, 2023