2024: Summer In Memory

William K. Zinke ’48

William K. Zinke was born on March 13, 1927, in New York City and passed away peacefully in his sleep on Jan. 6, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. He leaves behind his five children—Sandy ’81 (Amanda), Cathy ’83 (Sam ’83) Ach, Ginna (Denny) Martin, Bill ’85 (Brooke Ackerly) and Julie ’89 (Ted) Stikeleather—and his 15 grandchildren. In 1958, he married Barbara Rhodes (Zinke), and they lived with their children in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., for more than 25 years.

Bill was raised in White Plains, N.Y., and educated at Loomis Chaffee School and Amherst College. He then got his law degree from Columbia University and worked for several law firms in addition to serving as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. He later served as assistant general counsel at GTE before becoming vice president of industrial relations for the National Association of Manufacturers. In 1969, he established his own independent firm called Human Resource Services, Inc., which did executive search and consulting work. Bill’s biggest legacy was the professional groups he organized, including the Human Resources Roundtable Group, which met regularly to discuss important topics in the human resources and legal fields. Later he founded the Center for Productive Longevity to help business people 65 and older remain productively engaged for longer.

Bill loved the outdoors, which led him to move to Boulder, Colo., in 1990, where he lived happily at the base of the Flatirons for 30 years. In 2017, he adopted his beloved dog, Rocky, who was his cherished companion until the end. His hobbies included hiking, horseback riding, skiing and competitive tennis and squash. He also loved the arts, reading, playing pool and traveling the world.

Bill will be missed by family, friends and colleagues. —Sandy Zinke ’81, Cathy Ach ’83, Ginna Martin, Bill Zinke ’85 and Julie Stikeleather ’89

Stephen T. Kohlbry ’50

Steve died on Oct. 3, 2023, at the age of 95 in the St. Louis area, where he had spent almost his entire life.

He prepped at Webster Groves High School in Missouri. At Amherst, he joined Beta Theta Pi, worked for The Amherst Student and was a senior sports correspondent for the News Bureau. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, on a Rotary Fellowship, he journeyed to St. Andrews in Scotland, where he studied history and earned a degree in public health.

During the Korean War, he went to officers’ candidate school in the Coast Guard and was discharged as a lieutenant JG. Then it was natural for him to return to St. Louis and join Airtherm Manufacturing Co., which produced commercial and industrial heating and air-conditioning equipment. It was owned and run by his father. Steve succeeded his dad and was there from 1954 until the company was sold in 2000. Along the way, Steve served on the boards of Missouri Valley College and the United Missouri Bank.

Steve had a passion for music. At Amherst, he was a member of the Double Quartet. In his 80s, he sang with a barbershop quartet in St. Louis. He also enjoyed playing the piano and was particularly fond of ragtime. Hobbies included following the St. Louis Cardinals (he was on the Amherst baseball team) and fly-fishing.

Steve was predeceased by his wife, Laura. He is survived by daughters Cindy Dolan (Jim) and Kathy Mooney (Jim), plus two grandchildren and one step-grandchild. —John Priesing ’50

Geoffrey C. Mealand ’50

Geoffrey “Jeff” Conklin Mealand, age 96, passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2023. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Arthur and Agnes Mealand.

During WWII, Jeff enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served until he was demobilized at the end of the war. He moved on to graduate from Amherst College with a bachelor’s (1950) and a master’s (1952) degree. It was there he met his future wife, Sylvia, through her brother, Dr. Robert Hatch ’50, who was a fraternity brother at Chi Phi.

With his college background in the sciences, Jeff began a long career in research administration with a Philadelphia corporation (now Glaxo-SmithKline). Initially he aided in the development of new pharmaceuticals. Later he joined the company’s new animal health operation.

Retiring to New England, Jeff delved into genealogy. He also followed the New England sports teams. A lover of music, Jeff sang in church choirs wherever he lived and in a men’s quartet aptly called The Eldertones. His retirement also included lots of travel with Sylvia. They enjoyed touring other countries, as well as visiting with their many extended family members.

After a move back to Pennsylvania to be closer to family, Jeff’s last years were spent with his wife in the Cornwall Manor retirement community.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 72 years, Sylvia “Syb” Hatch Mealand, along with their four children, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A small family service was held at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. —Pat Schreibeis

James W. Pierson ’50

Jim Pierson passed away on Dec. 29, 2023, at the age of 96, from Alzheimer’s disease. Jim graduated from Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey and then spent a year in the Naval Air Corps.

At Amherst, he belonged to Chi Psi and was co-captain of both the indoor and the outdoor track teams, winning his A in those sports for three years, as well as in squash. He considered Amherst’s education a great gift. Popular with the class, he was elected class marshal.

Jim went to work for J.W. Pierson Co., founded by his grandfather in 1888. Early on, he diversified from building materials into the fuel oil industry. Under his skillful management, and with the hard work of many faithful employees to whom he was devoted, the company became very successful. At one point, Jim was elected president of the Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey. Years ago, Amherst magazine featured Jim and his company.

Jim had a keen interest in music, whether it was an opera, a concert or an organ recital. He read extensively, particularly history. Boating, clamming and surf casting on Nantucket were favorite vacation activities.

Few members of 1950 have been as committed and involved in their community as Jim. He was inducted into the East Orange (N.J.) Hall of Fame in 2018. He was a member of the Glen Ridge Civic Council (a community governing body) and became commissioner of the local police and fire departments. He was also on the boards of the East Orange General Hospital and Glen Ridge Savings and Loan.

Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy, and his five daughters, Amy, Catherine, Jennifer, Sally and Phoebe. Jim was proud of his 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. —Catherine Pierson and John Priesing ’50

Donald A. Loos ’51

Don came to Amherst from Princeton, N.J.; joined Chi Phi; was a four-year band member and a political science major; and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

He joined the Army and stayed there for 20 years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He passed away on Dec. 26, 2023, at his retirement home in Sarasota, Fla. Don served in the Army’s G2 division, always proud of his service and the contributions he made to his country. Following his discharge, Don obtained his ASIS CPP security accreditation and led investigations for the Department of Defense On-Site Investigations Agency and the Defense Logistics Agency.

His wife, Kathleen (Woods) Loos, predeceased him. Their three sons, Randy, Scott and Todd, survive, plus grandchildren and at least one great-grandchild.

In retirement, Don and Kathy lived in Sarasota, where he enjoyed leatherworking, gardening, swimming and singing with a men’s group. He also was a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Don was an active resident at his Bay Village retirement community; he was a volunteer at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and a member of First Sarasota Baptist Church. He was a kind, loving and dedicated family man known for his hard work. —Everett Clark ’51

Henry F. Bedford ’52

Henry F. Bedford—known as Ted, except by his eighth-grade teacher—passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Jan. 23, 2024. An educator and author throughout his adult life, he will be missed by family, friends and countless students whose lives he touched over a career that spanned decades.

Ted had a knack for attending schools that he subsequently returned to in a teaching or administrative capacity. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and returned there in 1957 after graduating from Amherst and earning an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. After 25 years at Exeter in various capacities, and after earning a Ph.D. from UMass Amherst, Ted returned to Amherst College as dean of admissions in 1982. He liked to say that his approach to the classroom was to learn as much from his students as they learned from him, an approach that kept him young and vibrant through his lifetime.

Ted’s undergraduate years at Amherst were spent most happily in the classroom and at Phi Alpha Psi—a bit of a conundrum when, 30 years later, as dean of admissions, he successfully lobbied for a more inclusive and progressive social scene that embraced coeducation and closed fraternities as they had existed.

Ted’s scholarly publications reflected his love and fascination for the research and interpretation of history. His most prominent book, which he co-authored, was the widely used textbook The Americans.

Ted met Kennetha McKinley in 1947 in Vermont; they were wed in June 1952 and were happily and lovingly married for more than 71 years. His family would hear him say “There’s the love of my life” to Kennie right until the end. They kept each other in close and wonderful company and were devoted to each other through moves, careers, children, lean times and great times. —Henry Bedford, William Bedford ’78, Jeffrey Bedford ’81 and Caroline B. Langelier

Edward E. Phillips ’52

Edward E. “Ted” Phillips collapsed at home and was hospitalized on the day following a wonderful walk with daughter Jaffy ’88. He was taken to the hospital and died of pneumonia on Jan. 18, 2024.

He was a man for all seasons. He grew up in New Jersey and, after high school, joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Following his honorable discharge in 1948, he interviewed at Amherst with Dean Eugene Wilson. He was a freshman in the fall of 1948 and played freshman football until various joints said, “No más.” He joined Psi U, was a member of the original Zumbyes and sang at their 50th Reunion concert.

In the class’s 50th Reunion book, 52 Pick Up, Ted wrote, “Amherst has been among the very best of the good stuff in my life. There was the small matter for me of opening the life of the mind, and my thanks for that to Armour Craig ’37. I was called Pop, reminding me that I was the oldest member of the class. How deep Amherst runs through the lives of all the friends who are part of my treasured memories.”

After Harvard Law School, Ted began a distinguished career, first as an attorney in Worcester, Mass., and then with John Hancock in Boston. He became president of New England Mutual Life and played a leading role in mobilizing corporate support for underserved segments of Boston Public Schools. He was on multiple corporate, philanthropic and academic boards and received numerous honorary degrees. He was an Amherst life trustee.

Ted loved fly-fishing at the Megantic club in northern Maine and played a mean game of paddle tennis. He continued to sing “the good old songs,” often with Gordon Hall ’52. He was devoted to his wife, Markie, who predeceased him, and their three children. —Jack Vernon ’52

Richard N. Soder ’52

Richard Newton Soder, born on Jan. 17, 1929, passed away peacefully at the age of almost 95 on Nov. 20, 2023, from complications of pneumonia and heart failure. He is survived by his four daughters and multiple grand- and great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and a nephew, all of whom he loved dearly.

Rich was raised in Springfield, Pa., with his sister, Nancy. He excelled at his studies and in high jump. “Rich” later became “Dick” to everyone else.

Dick enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 and served as an electronics engineer on a submarine tender in the Panama Canal. He then applied to Amherst College on the GI Bill.

After college, with his trademark curious, adventurous spirit, he embarked on a marketing career with Vicks that took him to the Philippines, France and England, where he raised a family with the love of his life, Shirley, of blessed memory. They went on to build their own company by creating and selling witch hazel gel, which they marketed in Europe. It is still today a beloved staple there.

Dad (Dick) had a sharp intellect and could converse on any subject, but his most wonderful trait was his ability to make and keep lifelong friends.

He talked of his days at Amherst, the friends he loved, the learning he loved, the milk he loved in the cafeteria (!), and on and on …

Dad was always grateful for the opportunity to go to Amherst. He remained generous and kind throughout his life.

To his alma mater; to all the wonderful friends who kept in touch with him over the years; to all the new friends he made through his love of bridge in Chapel Hill, N.C., and San Francisco, his family is eternally grateful. Thank you. —Dick’s daughters, Stephanie, Susan, Cynthia and Sarah

L. Stanford Evans ’53

Leland Stanford Evans Jr. of Rochester Hills, Mich., died on Feb. 21, 2023. Born in Detroit, Stan came to Amherst after graduating in 1949 from Detroit Country Day School. At Amherst, he was a good scholar with a broad range of interests, many of which stayed with him for years or led to others—individual sports like swimming, racquetball and golf, or collaborative activities like acting in theatricals. Stan majored in German, graduated cum laude and headed to Harvard Law School.

After graduating with his LLB in 1956, Stan served his required military tour of active duty as an attorney in the office of the judge advocate general at Fort Gordon, Ga. Then he returned to Detroit as a civilian and entered private practice with a downtown law firm. Ten years later, he left that firm and helped form a suburban firm in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., with emphasis on small business assistance, wills, trusts and estate planning. He was active in that firm until his death.

A man of many artistic talents, Stan belonged to the Rosedale Community Players for more than 50 years and played lead roles in many plays, including The Mousetrap, Arsenic and Old Lace, Twelve Angry Men and Proof.

Stan was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Sharon Lee Evans. They were longtime residents of Bloomfield Hills. Stan will be greatly missed by his two children, Marjorie Killeen (Liam) and Jeremy Evans (Chris), and his four grandchildren, Nick, Emma, Andrea and Colin, as well as Sharon’s sons, Tom Berger (Terri) and Jim Adams-Berger (Sam), and their families. —Written principally by Marjorie Killeen, with additional recall from Stan’s classmates, flavored by Stan’s own words from the class of ’53’s 55th Reunion book

Robert I. Graham ’53

Bob Graham passed away on Nov. 20, 2023, at his senior living residence in Sarasota, Fla. He was born in Westchester County, N.Y., on Feb. 28, 1931. His three older brothers, Jack (Yale), Bill ’45 and Malcolm (Brown), all passed away before him. Before attending Amherst, Bob served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives (1945–47), where he was able to see FDR’s final address to Congress. Arriving at Amherst, he joined Alpha Delta Phi fraternity (when they were still “legal”) and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in history.

After graduation, Bob served two years in Army intelligence as a field agent in New York City. He then began a long career as an international executive at several companies, including Richardson-Merrell, Foremost-McKesson, Ronson and U.S. Tobacco. These assignments saw him live in five countries across three continents, and he conducted business in 98 countries. At the end of his industry career, he became regional manager in Florida for Veterans Outreach, a nonprofit organization serving veterans and their families in need. His work for Veterans Outreach, where he helped some 3,000 individuals, was one of the most fulfilling roles he performed.

Bob is survived by his wife, June, and four children (one son passed in 2021), four stepchildren and nine grandchildren. To the grandchildren, he was known affectionately as Gumpa. Bob loved reading and listening to classical music and left behind an enormous collection of books and CDs, which have been distributed to the family. He led a long and full life and will be missed by all of us. —Douglas R. Graham ’81

Donald A. Simon ’53

Donald Allen Simon, 91, passed away on Oct. 10, 2023, at home on his farm in Napa, Calif., from pneumonia. His wife and children were by his side.

Born in December 1931 in Buffalo, N.Y., he was adopted by Lester and Lucile Simon of Larchmont. He graduated from Mamaroneck (N.Y.) High School, where he was a champion swimmer and clarinetist.

When I last talked with Don in spring 2023, he was looking forward with enthusiasm to traveling, even in his early 90s. He kept his wanderlust in high gear, but he also clearly loved his Napa farm and looked forward to its future of interesting animals and great wines.

I knew Don at Amherst well. By my recollection, he was captain of the swimming team, along with Roy Graeber ’53. Tug Kennedy was our beloved coach, and we had a winning season. Don was versatile, leading in backstroke and freestyle. He was also musical, playing the clarinet. He was a member of the fraternity DKE.

Following graduation, he joined the Navy (draft deferral was in place) and served for two years. He then entered the field of finance, working on Wall Street and founding an air ambulance insurance company.

His daughter, Anne, lives in Virginia, and son Roger lives in Arkansas. He lost sister Betsy and his first wife, Nancy, but was blessed with his current wife, Pati, with whom he created the farm and loved traveling and exploring. His life was creative and successful, and he gained the respect of his local community and the joy of living.

I think of the quote by George Bernard Shaw: “What is life but a series of inspired follies? … Never lose a chance; it doesn’t come every day.” Don grasped life with zest and lived to the full. —Buck Greenough ’53

Robert Gordon III ’54

Bob passed away in a hospice in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 27, 2023, with his family present. He is survived by Ellie (Mount Holyoke ’56), his wife of 68 years; his children, Robert, William and Elizabeth; and four grandchildren. Another son, Andrew, predeceased him.

Bob came to Amherst from Garden City High School on Long Island. He joined the AD fraternity and ROTC, majored in economics, lettered in track and participated actively in college organizations, including the Student Council, the Christian Association and the Chest Drive. He was elected to the Sphinx honor society.

After Amherst, Bob served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in France before returning to New York and earning an MBA at NYU. His career as a financial manager was spent mostly with IBM, including time in New York, Florida and Connecticut. A lifelong Episcopalian, he served the church in leadership positions wherever he lived. In retirement, he and Ellie spent parts of the year in Palm Beach, where they were neighbors of the late Dick Soffer ’54 and Jackie Werner; in Middletown, R.I.; and in Kitty Hawk, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Wherever he went, in college and after, Bob was a sociable gentleman who enjoyed and valued the people around him and was enjoyed and valued by them. —Ellie Gordon, Elizabeth Gordon Dellenbaugh and Cliff Storms ’54

C. Andrew Hilgartner ’54

Andy Hilgartner passed away peacefully on June 26, 2023, after a short illness.

Andy attended Phillips Exeter Academy, Amherst College and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. At Amherst, Andy became a member of Alpha Delta Phi, which he served as its corresponding secretary. He earned his ’54 in swimming and engaged in his lifelong passion, singing, in both the Amherst Choir and the Glee Club.

Andy was predeceased by his beloved wife, Martha Bartter, a member of the English faculty at Truman State University.

Andy loved classical music and sang in many choral concerts over the course of his life. He had an affinity for nature and books, particularly enjoying reading aloud to others.

He is survived by his five children, three grandchildren, four stepchildren, 13 step-grandchildren and 12 step-great-grandchildren. —Marsh Rutter ’54

Ronald E. Gregson ’55

Ron was the only member of our class from Vermont Academy. As an undergraduate, he played soccer, was a member of Chi Psi and its rush chairman, was in ROTC and was a stalwart of the Zumbyes, where he was director for two years and responsible for that group’s growth. After graduation, Ron served in the Air Force as a flight instructor for single-engine jets.

In the 1960s, Ron taught secondary school in Southern Rhodesia, earned a Ph.D. from Columbia in cultural anthropology and spent two years doing fieldwork in Malawi. He was an assistant professor of anthropology at Penn State from 1969 to 1972. Ron then shifted his interest from education to the law. He studied at the Antioch School of Law from 1973 to 1976.

Then Ron became a lawyer in Denver, initially for Colorado Sunset Research. In a legal case, he represented employees against both Amherst and Williams. Once he reached a settlement in a case against Amherst after all-day mediation. Ron said, “When I told the defense attorneys, after the settlement was reached, that I was an Amherst graduate, the College’s attorney said they thought there was something special about me!”

Ron’s leadership of the Zumbyes at Amherst and his baritone voice enabled him to perform as the lead in Gilbert and Sullivan operas while living in Denver.

In 2013, Ron moved to the western suburbs of Chicago to be near wife Birgitta’s daughter so the Gregsons could do some babysitting. Years later, Birgitta developed Alzheimer’s, prompting the Gregsons to move to an assisted-living facility. Ron’s daughter relocated him last year to St. Petersburg, Fla., where he used the pool in the backyard and was a regular book reader. Ron died on Jan. 26, 2024. He is survived by two daughters. —Rob Sowersby ’55

Robert S. Lansdowne ’55

Bob had the distinction of having graduated from Amherst twice! The first one was Amherst Central High School near Buffalo, N.Y. At the College, Bob ran track freshman year and then was a stalwart on the cross-country team. He was an economics major and a member of the Phi Delt fraternity.

After graduation, Bob earned an MBA from Columbia. He entered the field of advertising and “spent nearly 50 years of life doing something I like.” Along the way, he worked for a well-known ad agency and was president for five years of a small agency. Recently, Bob worked with clients, assisting them with ad research.

Bob became close friends with both Tylers in ’55. Tyler Resch roomed with Bob for two years. He recalled that Bob had a talent for making quick, wry comments on some of the absurdities he found in life. Although he was in the advertising business, Bob was eager to spot some of its hypocrisies. Bob taught Ty Reed how to ski after almost sliding his grandmother’s car into a Vermont river on a snowy road.

Bob was a Reunion regular, class secretary from 1975 to 1980 and class agent from 2021 to 2022. For one Reunion, Bob prepared a questionnaire for classmates to report a variety of facts about their lives. At another, he ran our golf outing. Bob lived in Pinehurst, N.C., for many years, where he could play golf almost year-round.

Following Bob’s marriage to Roxann in 1980, he became a substitute father to two of her nieces, since their father was in the Navy and deployed on ships. They affectionately called him “Uncle Bob.”

Bob died peacefully on Jan. 23, 2024. He is survived by Roxann and two children from a previous marriage. Bob was a true gentleman. He treated everyone with respect. —Rob Sowersby ’55

David R. Lawrenz ’55

David was born April 28, 1932, in Sharon, Conn., the seventh of 10 children of an immigrant father whose schooling ended at the third grade and a mother who took in laundry to supplement the family income. His family settled in Lakeville, Conn., which was, and is, a small town where the local barber gets to know practically everyone by listening to their stories while he cuts their hair. The barber heard that David was an unusually good student in grade school, and he mentioned this to the headmaster of the nearby Hotchkiss School. The headmaster offered David a full academic scholarship.

David also attended Amherst College on an academic scholarship. At Amherst, he played right guard, wrestled, sang with the Double Quartet and ran an undercover sandwich-and-milk business on campus. In David’s senior year, the Olio attributed the Lord Jeffs’ 14–0 defeat of Wesleyan to the “outstanding” defensive play of David and tackle Harry Steuber ’56. David was also a member of the Sphinx Junior Honor Society and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. The same year that David graduated from Amherst, he married Betty Haddock, a student at Smith College. She died in 2005. David retired in 2010 from the Washington Internists Group, which he had joined in 1966.

Decades after college, David kept up with his singing and was known to family and friends for his frequent renditions of the Amherst College fight song.

David R. Lawrenz died on July 16, 2023. He had dementia and had been in hospice care. David’s survivors include his wife, Ann Hartman; four children of his first marriage, Heidi, Gillian, David Bradley Lawrenz ’83 and Dr. Alice Lawrenz Fuisz ’87; two siblings; and eight grandchildren. A son of his first marriage, Bill Lawrenz, died in 2016. —David Lawrenz ’83 and Alice Lawrenz Fuisz ’87

Peter P. Wickham ’56

Pete Wickham was an optimistic, cheerful, energetic man who was a joy to be around. He spoke fondly of his time at Amherst. Some of his happiest memories involved chemistry, friends and birding. He was active in the Outing Club and lived at the Lord Jeff Club.

He told me that, while he was at Amherst, he was trying to decide whether to major in chemistry or French and chose chemistry because it was the most difficult thing he had ever studied. When I was making my own career decisions, he shared this recollection and told me it was vital to really challenge myself in life.

In addition, Pete loved birding and hiking outdoors. He had some legendary birding adventures with his buddy George Clark Jr. ’57 during his Amherst years. In particular, one weekend, shortly after graduating, they decided to drive south and take the ferry to Nantucket to see some unusual birds. Being typical impoverished students, they were short on cash and decided not to rent a hotel room. They hollowed out some spots to sleep on the beach instead, and everything was going quite well … until the tide came in! They had to move upland, and in their new location, they got eaten alive by mosquitoes until the sun came up. They were still laughing about this trip decades after they graduated.

Dad kept in contact with a number of friends from the class. Erich Cramer ’56 was able to attend Dad’s memorial service on Long Island, and it was so nice to see him. —Nancy Wickham ’89

Douglas M. Williams ’56

Douglas Williams of Peterborough, N.H., died peacefully on Aug. 25, 2023, while visiting friends in Maine. He was born on Sept. 14, 1934, and grew up in Amherst. He attended Phillips Academy and then graduated from Amherst College, where his father was a professor and his mother worked with international students. He was class president for two years and elected to Sphinx in his senior year. He belonged to Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, where he was vice president.

He then attended Virginia Theological Seminary, and after graduation he worked in a college ministry in Florida. Later, in Colorado, he founded an organization to address important issues, and this received significant community support.

His desire to study Jungian psychology took him to Zurich for five years, where he earned his diploma. He offered Jungian analysis to individual clients for the rest of his life. In the 1990s, he developed Heaven’s Mind, near Latacarta, as a place to meet and discuss ideas. These conversations gave energy to changes that were beginning in Peterborough. Doug was part of the group that established the town’s first celebrations to honor Martin Luther King Jr. He also gave a lot of time and support to the early efforts to conserve the land around Cunningham Pond.

Doug leaves behind good friends, many of whom worked with him, sharing books and ideas through various groups that met in his home. He also leaves wife Joy Jacobs, daughter Erin Williams and son Ben Williams. —Hank Pearsall ’56

Edgar K. Anspach ’57

With his wife, Dolores, at his side, Ed died peacefully in his sleep on Oct. 9, 2023, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Ed and Dolores retired in Boothbay having moved from the Chicago area, where both worked at Harris Bank and proudly raised son Peter ’88. At Amherst, Ed was a math major, which led him to the computer side of business with U.S. Steel and Burroughs Wellcome and finally Harris Bank as a technical officer.

My friendship with Ed began freshman year. First impression: serious, quiet, wry sense of humor, thoughtful, not about himself. Those traits became more evident through the years at Amherst (Theta Xi brothers and roommates) and beyond. Although geography limited get-togethers, we had phone conversations two to three times a year.

Amherst’s physical education requirement for freshmen/sophomores embraced the ancient Greek principle of mens sana in corpore sano (“a sound mind in a sound body”). Ed committed to this at Amherst and throughout his entire life. For example, he was a regular at the AC fitness center; was on the crew team, one of our “Boys in the Boats”; used a rowing machine in his Maine home; got his MBA at the University of Chicago; and was a devotee of adult education courses.

Always in consideration of others, Ed served as Theta Xi’s vice president and a member of the Chest Drive at Amherst and was active community-wise all his life. On a cold, snowy night junior year, Ed drove me 50 miles to a TB sanatorium in Worcester, Mass., to visit a close high school friend. Genuinely “not about himself,” Ed donated his body to a medical school in Maine to be used for teaching and research.

Ed was a good man, a decent man, a wonderful friend. We will miss him! —Ted Kambour ’57

E.C. Kirk Hall ’57

Edward Cameron Kirk Hall of Chestertown, Md., died peacefully at his home on Sept. 13, 2023. He was born on Aug. 20, 1934, in Merion, Pa., to the late Dorothy and Clarence Hall.

Kirk entered Amherst from Episcopal Academy. He majored in English and was a member of Alpha Delta Phi. Kirk had a great voice and was a member of the Glee Club, Chapel Choir and Zumbyes. He was a mainstay on the Amherst soccer teams throughout his college career and was named an All-American in 1956. After graduation, he obtained a law degree from Villanova and then entered private practice. Subsequently, he became assistant general counsel of Philadelphia Electric Co., from which he retired in 1992.

His many passions included sailing, ocean racing, skiing, scuba diving, woodworking, choral singing and folk music. He was a member of the Cruising Club of America, the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia and the Singing City Choir. A man of action, he, with wife Gisela, spent 15 years circumnavigating the globe on board their Whitby 42, Serenade. Shortly before he died, Kirk completed a book of his sailing adventures, Following the Setting Sun, which is currently available on Amazon.

Kirk was preceded in death by sister Janet, brother Gordon, first wife Nancy and daughter Jennifer. He is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Gisela; his three sons, Cameron, Jonathan and Daniel; and five delightful granddaughters, Hadley, Cooper, Julina, Liv and Mia. —Cameron Hall

Richard M. Hirsch ’57

Richard M. “Dick” Hirsch Sr., of Phoenix, passed away on Oct. 12, 2023, in a Peoria, Ariz., rest home.

A native of Philadelphia, Dick came to Amherst from Upper Darby High School. In college, he majored in economics, was a member of Psi Upsilon and the Outing Club, and participated in football and other sports. Shortly after graduation, Dick moved to Phoenix for health reasons. His fiancée, Betsy Reilly, followed him, and they were wed on Sept. 5, 1959. Betsy and Dick had four sons, Richard Jr., Jeffrey, Walter and Frederick. Betsy was a stay-at-home mother and later a taxi service for her many grandchildren. Dick contributed throughout his active life to his community, coaching Little League and serving for decades as a board member for a branch of the YMCA.

In his business career, Dick was a successful salesman, having worked in emerging technologies for Xerox and Dataplace, selling computer products. He was an entrepreneur at heart, however, and eventually bought a small business that he grew into a solid company that provided jobs for many employees, whom he considered family members.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife and by his parents, Edward F. Hirsch and Louise Irvin Hirsch. He is survived by his four sons, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. —Sandy Gadsby ’57

Ferguson McKay ’57

Ferguson McKay, who died Dec. 2, 2023, from complications of Parkinson’s disease, found his professional calling at Amherst. When he started college, at Harvard, he thought he would major in music or philosophy. But when he transferred to Amherst after a break from college, he switched to English. It was the subject he had had the most trouble with all through school. But it was the one he most cared about.

Ferg excelled in his new choice and went on to graduate school at Yale. As a professor of English at Lyndon State College (now Vermont State University—Lyndon), he embraced creative writing and the narrative. He taught students how to tell their own stories, requiring them to write draft after draft to break away from “the constraints of ‘school writing.’” Ferg also served as dean of faculty, then acting president, and helped bring a nationally renowned meteorology program to Lyndon.

A Renaissance man before that was a thing, Ferg was a delicate writer, tender soul, pragmatist, lover of classical music and good food and L.L.Bean plaid flannel shirts. Although raised in the ivory tower of academia, he had little tolerance for elitism. Ferg judged people by their character, not by their titles or stock portfolios, and was at ease talking to tradespeople and academics alike. He could quote Shakespeare, expound upon the problems of a septic system, figure out why a car wouldn’t start and wonder aloud what astrophysicists know about dark matter. He cultivated a huge vegetable garden, embraced organic food decades before it was a trend, and renovated and rewired a historic family house in Vermont.

Above all, Ferg was devoted to his family: his two daughters and wife Jane Coyle McKay, who, heartbroken by his loss, passed away exactly two weeks after he did. —Betsy McKay ’83 and Peggy Shinn ’85

Howard E. Rotner ’57

Howard Rotner passed away Jan. 3, 2024. He is survived by his three children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by Sandy, his devoted wife of 62 years.

At Amherst, Howie served as fraternity president (AD), played varsity basketball, and was active in sailing, skiing and many campus activities.

Howard attended Harvard Medical School, graduating in 1961, then becoming certified in internal medicine and endocrinology, and serving two years in an army hospital.

For more than 30 years, Howie practiced clinical medicine. He established several group clinic practices in Boston’s North Shore area. His optimistic, warm, can-do manner, combined with his clinical excellence, administrative skills and strong patient focus, endeared him to all and led to a variety of leadership and teaching roles.

Howie was a loyal Amherst alumnus, attending Reunions, making donations and enrolling daughter Pam ’84, son Phil ’85 and grandson Ben ’18 in Amherst. In recent years, he became a key participant in an Amherst ’57 alumni group (with classmates Kif Knight, Phil Hastings, Dick Anderson, Steve Yale, Bruce Hanson, Stu Tuller, Pierce Gardner and Jim Vernon) that gathered each fall at Kif’s lake house in New Hampshire.

Among his personal activities, Howie was an avid reader, enjoyed sports (sailing, bike riding, golf and tennis), loved cooking, and had intellectual curiosity and broad interests. He was active in civic affairs and local charities.

Howie was a generous mentor to many. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was fun to be around.

Above all, Howie was the paterfamilias whose devotion to family and friends was exemplary.

We celebrate a life well lived. —Pierce Gardner ’57 and Jim Vernon ’57

Alan A. Schwartz ’57

Dr. Alan A. Schwartz, age 87, passed away in his sleep in his home in Cockeysville, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. Alan (also known at Amherst as Al) was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He graduated from Poughkeepsie High School a year early in 1953, winning the English prize.

He attended Amherst his freshman and sophomore years and majored in biology. He was the stage manager for the freshman show, was a member of Theta Xi and held various unofficial records for point-to-point driving in the area.

He finished his undergraduate studies at NYU, majoring in physical chemistry with a minor in history.

He attended Yale, UCSD and the University of Louisville for his graduate and postdoctoral work in biochemistry. While living in Winnetka, Ill., he worked at G.D. Searle & Co., engaging in pioneering interferon research. He subsequently worked at Miles Laboratories in Elkhart, Ind., traveling frequently to Europe and Japan for business. He moved to Baltimore, working at Becton Dickinson from 1983 to 1997, primarily as a VP of research and development.

Alan was a fencer, an audiophile who built and sold speakers, a Nationals-level sailboat racer, a woodworker and a photographer, and he loved dogs. He drove race cars at Watkins Glen in the 1950s. He was an actor; set designer, builder and painter; lighting designer; stage manager; and theater enthusiast. He was an international expert on model slot car racing and building, distinguished for his early adoption of the hobby in the United States in the 1950s.

He is survived by his son, Steven Schwartz, and his daughter, Marcia Schwartz. —Marcia Schwartz

Walter J. McMurray Jr. ’58

From Deerfield in 1954 to Amherst as part of the class of 1958, with four more years in Illinois for a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, Walt McMurray moved into a career with a life in science, including a brief interlude for just a few years in intellectual property law. Some of his early work involved studies of the first dust samples brought back from the moon. He continued his studies with a postdoc fellowship at MIT under the late Professor Klaus Biemann, after which Walt started his career at Yale School of Medicine as a research scientist in mass spectrometry.

He and his wife, Frances, are proud to have raised four joyful kids (three daughters and one son) with a total of a dozen grandchildren. Initially, they lived in Madison, Conn., and then retired to Old Saybrook for the most recent five years. At one point, Walt decided to move into law for three or four years but then realized that he was much more comfortable in science labs and returned to Yale.

At Amherst, Walt was a friend to everyone, with broad interests and likes in so many fields and subfields that had never even existed in those Amherst days. He was always grateful for the width and breadth he was exposed to at Amherst, which prepared him for his career, for teaching him not to accept the status quo but to stay open to new worlds and new devices. He was a swimmer in the gym and, for his life, was a dedicated tennis player and a gardener. He often reported that if he again had to choose an undergraduate school to attend, it would still be Amherst. —Peter Parker ’58

Wayne A. Holsman ’59

Wayne Holsman passed away on Dec. 23, 2022, in Rutland, Vt.

Wayne was a “townie,” graduating from Amherst High School before attending Amherst College. He was an excellent student, especially in the classics, history and religion, even learning the basic Greek language in his senior year. He was also a pitcher on the varsity baseball team.

Wayne was my roommate during our junior and senior years at Kappa Theta. He was a groomsman, along with Peter Pitarys ’59, at my marriage to Carol in August 1960. We lost contact shortly afterward, and I assumed that Amherst College was not a high priority as his life went forward.

He received his master of divinity degree from Hartford Seminary around 1965. He was ordained a minister in the Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), serving parishes in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont. He taught Latin at the Lenox School in New Jersey.

Wayne and his family eventually settled in the middle of Vermont, and he worked for a time for the Northlands Job Corps in Vergennes. He also assisted organizations that advocated for human and animal rights and for students who wanted to attend college. A recovering alcoholic, Wayne was involved in the AA program to help many individuals overcome their addictions. Throughout his life, Wayne strived to make the world a better place.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Eleanor; his daughter, Kristin; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. —Tony Hindley ’59

Joshua Shere ’59

Joshua Shere passed away on Dec. 6, 2023, after a 50-year battle with multiple sclerosis.

Jay received his M.D. from Northwestern. Our entire fifth-year medical school class—then known as interns—was unexplainably drafted shortly after the assassination of President Kennedy. It wasn’t until after reporting for active duty in July of 1964 that we learned why: The Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred after all military medicine battle stations were manned worldwide.

Jay was my roommate at Amherst. Although a conscientious student—rumored to have been selected from New Trier by Dean Wilson as a “late bloomer”—he made chemistry look easy. His wife, Vicki, told me that he delved into chemistry in the footsteps of his father, a chemist who built Diversey Corp. in Chicago. I talked with Jay about his service in Vietnam. It was terrible; he was the doctor at a South Vietnamese POW camp and set a lot of broken limbs—presumably inflicted on prisoners by guards. Jay said Dave Borden ’59 was able to get him 100 percent service connection for Agent Orange exposure causing his multiple sclerosis. Despite the support of his wife, Vicki, Jay languished in a VA nursing home for years until his death.

Jay deserves to be memorialized for his heroic service to this country, for which he sacrificed the most productive years of his career.

Joshua is survived by wife Vicky, ex-wife Jane, son Jon, daughter Carrie and grandson Lucca. —John Liebert ’59

Anthony D. Blue ’62

My beloved friend, Andy Blue, died Christmas Day 2023.

Google Anthony Dias Blue and be astounded at what a far-ranging, sensationally successful entrepreneur he was, emerging as our nation’s tour guide to good food and drink and inspiring us with his love of life. But, for a minute or two, learn what I owe him as a close friend.

We met in September 1952, in seventh grade at Riverdale Country School. Our first adventure together found us playing leads, the following spring, in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Ruddigore. The next April, fellow Giants fans, we were together opening day at the polo grounds and together before his TV in October when our heroes swept Cleveland in the World Series. We both came to Amherst, both pledged DKE in 1959.

Years later, while an Army reservist, my travels as a musician allowed me to be in a “control group,” excused from meetings and summer camps. It was Andy—not the Pentagon—who alerted me, in 1967, that the Army was ending those groups and I’d have to find a regular reserve unit or face being drafted for 18 months. My friend to the rescue!

But my greatest debt? Starting in our mid-teens, Andy urged me to share his passion for jazz. I spent many weekends at his home, puzzled by strange sounds from guys with names like Phineas Newborn, Horace Silver, Duane Tatro. Nothing doing.

Then one day … Thelonious Monk’s “Honeysuckle Rose.” I literally fell on the floor. Finally, a pursuit I could choose to embrace and which would begin fulfilling this adolescent’s yearning for a special identity. Jazz remains my faith. It’s difficult to put into words how much this gift from Andy has meant to me. —David Lahm ’63

Philipp L. Brockington Jr. ’62

Phil left us Nov. 5, 2023.

He is well remembered for his kindness, his far-ranging interests and his support of art. He came to Amherst from Indiana, went on to Harvard Law School and then returned to Indiana, starting a very successful law career in Valparaiso. After only six years, he switched to teaching at Valparaiso University Law School. He taught business law, but his favorite course was a seminar in law and literature. After 24 years, he retired from teaching and became a full-time supporter of art at the Brauer Museum of Art, first serving as a docent and then writing a catalog of its holdings of American art, as well as making donations to the museum from his own collection. He generously supported the Porter County Museum as well. On the side, he enjoyed playing bridge and hosting meetings of Valparaiso’s famed literary study group, the Mathesis Club. Yet another hobby was painting beautiful watercolors of beloved cats.

Phil’s Amherst classmates knew him best for his warmth and quiet friendship. I was privileged to be a co-resident with Phil at Chi Phi. He, I and my then-fiancée Annick from Smith spent many happy hours together during this time. Annick and I appreciated his caring presence, intelligence and wit. Although our contacts lessened after graduation, they were very meaningful, igniting wonderful undergraduate memories and reaffirming our unwaning fondness for each other. He will be missed so much by so many!

Phil was very kind to come to our 60th Reunion, even though, as the day approached, he had an auto accident and, at the Reunion, was still recovering. It was great to see him and sad we did not know this would be the last time. —John Duryee ’62

Rossiter J. Drake Jr. ’62

Ross Drake passed away on Nov. 11, 2023, after a steely decade-long struggle with Parkinson’s disease.

At Staples High School, where he prepared for college, Ross was known as a prankster, and his exploits continued at Amherst. Lew Sayers ’62 recalls several elaborate hoaxes and various practical jokes Ross masterminded while a brother in Psi U. The trait never left him, even in the business world. He was a great guy with a wonderful, dry sense of humor. Everyone loved being around Ross.

An English major, he went into journalism upon graduation. He had stints with the Middletown Press, the Hartford Courant, Newsweek and TV Guide. In 1974, he joined Time Inc. and was part of a group that launched People magazine, tremendously successful to this day, where Ross served as senior editor and remained until the end of his career. Associates found him to be highly skilled, principled and polite but never intimidated. At the same time, he served as a wonderful mentor and continued to be the consummate jokester. His riotous sense of humor is on full display in his children’s book A Likely Story: How an Innocent Walk in the Woods Became a Showdown with the Forest’s Prime Evil.

Ross was a great sports lover and superfan of the Red Sox and Patriots. Early in life, he became a champion in his own right, using his Jeopardy! TV game show winnings to buy a house.

Ross married Enes Bucciarelli in 1968, a marriage that lasted until Enes’ death in 2022. They had two children, Shana and Rossiter III. Ross III was following in his father’s footsteps when he was tragically felled by a heart attack at the tender age of 34. Ross Jr. is survived by his daughter, Shana, and her husband, Paul Kelleher. The class extends its deepest sympathy for their loss. —Tom Hanford ’62 and Lew Sayers ’62

Michael H. Ellsworth ’62

Mike left us Oct. 7, 2023, after a long, increasingly difficult battle with Parkinson’s disease.

At Amherst, low-key and gentle in his demeanor, Mike made many good friends. And on a freshman-year blind date, he met the love of his life, Mary Ellen Tressel (Smith ’62), who was also—as Mike stressed—his best friend in life. Upon graduation, they were married. Mike, having majored in English, picked up requisite pre-med courses at New York University and then earned his medical degree from the State University of New York. After his residency, Mike launched a career in orthopedics, bringing total joint replacement to northeastern Connecticut, where he established his practice and settled the family into a 200-year-old farmhouse.

His interests were far-ranging. Beyond keeping his patients in good repair, he also enjoyed restoring and repairing the house, his beloved 1937 Ford truck, a 1954 Ford sedan and an aged tractor—“Big Momma”—which he used to mow the fields. He was quite interested in restoration techniques. And his standards were high: patients, house, cars, tractor—all were to be kept in mint condition. Beyond his interests was the joy he and Mary Ellen shared in raising their four children.

He also sought breadth of experience, moving his growing family to Shropshire, England, for part of his residency and enjoying travel to Europe and Southeast Asia. Further breadth was achieved by getting elected probate judge for Eastford, Conn., serving for 11 years, enjoying his exposure to the world of legal analysis. And, as judge, he had the pleasure of marrying all four of his children.

He is survived by Mary Ellen; their children, Robert (Ashlyn), Patrick (Laura), Liz (Andy Brownlee) and Kathleen (Vince Giandonato); and 11 grandchildren. Our hearts go out to them for their loss. —Craig Morgan ’62 and John Hazlett ’62

Alden A. Mosshammer ’62

We lost Alden to parkinsonism July 31, 2023.

When Alden arrived at Amherst back in 1958, it was soon clear that, although he was quietly social, he was truly off on his own, as if held captive by his very active mind. He was our class’s only Latin major, and—double-majoring—was one of two Greek majors. Our other Greek major, George Rousseau ’62, remembers campus encounters with Alden: “He was soft-spoken, deferential, not a natural extrovert, and his quiet disposition belied the powerhouse of historical ideas about the ancient and medieval worlds which he could espouse if prompted. I always delighted in those campus crossings, because I learned so much from Alden.”

After earning a Ph.D. from Brown, Alden went on to have a distinguished career teaching classical studies at UCSD, retiring in 2003, yet retaining intense interest in his subject. He also loved the outdoors, hiking/biking the Grand Canyon. And he adored his family—his wife, Mary, and the four sons she brought into their marriage, whom Alden embraced as his own.

After he was diagnosed with parkinsonism, around 2013, the outdoors was gradually taken away, but classical studies endured. Even during the last years, when he had trouble using his hands and had lost his ability to speak intelligibly, he continued to research and write, almost to the end. In addition to writing and editing numerous papers, he wrote four books, the most important of which is The Easter Computus and the Origins of the Christian Era. It was highly acclaimed for breaking new ground, remapping the origins of our modern common-era dating system.

Alden is survived by his wife, Mary Mosshammer; sisters Nancy Neuman and Margaret Walsh; and his stepsons, Robert, Stephen, Gregory and Jeffrey Furbush. Our class extends its deepest sympathy. —Craig Morgan ’62 and George Rousseau ’62

David A. Nichols ’62

We lost Dave to ALS Jan. 12, 2024.

I first met Dave on the freshman football practice field. He was a hard-running halfback and could boot the ball farther than anyone I had ever seen. Then, in sophomore year, at our first fraternity party as new Chi Psi pledges, there he was, playing the xylophone. “Wow,” I thought. “What a multitalented guy.” Little did I realize.

He seemed able to effortlessly pick up any sport and any musical instrument. Then, when we roomed together junior year, along with Dave Perera ’62 and Hank Fieger ’62, he took up watercolor painting.

We saw a lot of a certain Dot Loofbourow from Wheelock College at weekend house parties during our senior year. It was not surprising that, the week after graduation, we all found ourselves ushering at their wedding.

We lost contact after graduation but reconnected in our 60s when Dave Perera ’62 organized a reunion. Over many beers, I learned about Dave’s career as a lawyer and later a Washington State Superior Court judge. And his successful struggle with lymphoma.

For two winters, we rented ski condos in the same building in Frisco, Colo., where we doggedly worked on our skiing skills. Later, the Nicholses attended our daughter’s wedding in Brazil and visited us in London.

Our last meeting was in August 2023 at the Nichols’ condo in Blaine, Wash. Dave and my wife, Sue, were both wheelchair-bound and neither could talk, although they suffered from different diseases. However, Dave did have use of his hands and could hammer out sentences on his tablet. Even in the silence of ALS, his personality showed through: affable, self-confident, patient, with a sharp sense of humor and an ability to gently poke fun at hyperbole.

Sue died the next month, and Dave passed five months later. —Pete Bellows ’62

Andrew M. Leader ’63

Andy Leader died in his sleep Feb. 14, 2024, at his winter residence in Florida, due to congestive heart failure. Andy worked as a journalist and teacher.

Born in Iowa, Andy grew up in Brooklyn and went to Abraham Lincoln High School along with Steve Arkin ’63. Not joining a fraternity, he was part of the independent Seelye House. He and roommate Rick Lee ’63 were part of a group called the Motleys, playing traditional folk music on banjo, guitar, fiddle and piano at festivals and in coffeehouses. Andy sang in the Glee Club and worked on the literary magazine and at the College radio station, WAMH.

Out of college, Andy worked at the Rutland Herald—where he covered the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Returning to school, Andy earned an M.A. in English literature at the University of Vermont and Trinity College in Dublin.

He married Janet Wark of Barre, Vt., in 1970. They had four sons and a daughter during their marriage of 54 years. After some short jobs, Andy began a 29-year-long career teaching at The People’s Academy, as well as at Johnson State College.

Andy continued playing music, sometimes as a duo with wife Janet. He recorded two CDs of music and published a book of poetry. He had a home built in a forested lot on a rural road in north Middlesex, Vt., the scene of many musical gatherings.

A graveside service to celebrate his life is to be held with family in Middlesex Cemetery, to be followed by a music party with family and friends. —Neale Adams ’63

Frank H. Poole ’63

Frank Poole might be described as a good, kind and gentle man. He was that … and much more. Within, he was a man of strength built on core principles and spiritual faith, all enhanced by humility, an eagerness to learn and a willingness to listen carefully. These are the ingredients of true leadership.

Throughout his pastoral career, Frank worked in numerous parishes and functions around the U.S. and dealt with community social issues as well as individual counseling. Frank and I did not know each other well during our college years. We became deep friends long after we had graduated from Amherst, based on conversations spanning nearly two decades. They took place entirely at college Reunions and at the annual homecoming gatherings at the home of Scottie and Kent Faerber ’63.

These exchanges became quite intimate, as Frank spoke of his personal challenges and growth, and I shared about my alcoholism and wonderful journey of recovery. We found that, while our challenges had been different, the spiritual paths to their solutions had been similar.

This was what bound us together. We had discovered friendship based on faith and trust. I am sure that Frank accomplished this with many, many people in his lifetime. And isn’t that what life is really about? —Onnie MacKenzie ’63

David E. Austin ’65

David Elbert Austin passed away on Jan. 12, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Born in Attleboro, Mass., he trained from his youth up to be a classical cellist, completed his undergraduate studies at Amherst, and gained master of musical arts degrees from both The Hartt School and Yale School of Music.

In 1979, he and his piano accompanist wife, Donna, moved their family to a Christian farm community on Chichagof Island in southeast Alaska. Here, David proved to be a true Renaissance man. He worked as a professional musician, music and instrument teacher, band director, violin/cello bow maker, piano tuner, sporting goods store manager, schoolteacher (he loved teaching Latin), church elder and deacon, sawmill builder and operator, commercial fisherman, carpenter, truck driver, mechanic and more. He was affectionately known as “Captain Two Hats,” because he often wore a knit hat over a baseball cap while balancing multiple responsibilities.

Yet music was woven throughout David’s life. He was well known in southeast Alaska for the classical concerts he played with Donna. He also performed with the Juneau Bach Society, with orchestras in Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks, and in many string quartets and ensembles in Alaska, Boston and New York.

His wife of 57 years loved that David was a giving, gentle man, and his six children loved him because he was attentive and fun! His 14 grandchildren were gifted with his lifetime example of honesty, dedication and service to others. Someone said that he truly lived Ben Franklin’s quote, “Well done is better than well said,” for his actions spoke so well to everyone who knew him. —Donna Austin

Edward A. Zimmerman ’65

Our fun and funny classmate Ed Zimmerman passed away in Minneapolis in February 2024. Ed grew up in Barrington Hills, Ill., where he was nicknamed “Puck” for his vibrant energy and love of the spotlight—characteristics that we all recognized during our Amherst years!

While at the College, Ed played some football, participated in Glee Club and performed in plays, including one role to celebrate his wild hair, the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.

As had generations of Zimmermans, Ed attended Northwestern Law School, where he met Beverly Jeane Tyler. He took her canoeing on their first date. They married the day Ed graduated from Northwestern Law School.

Ed was drafted; his and Beverly’s first child, Keri, was born at Fort Hood, Texas. As a member of the Reserves, Ed, with his family, put down roots in Edina, Minn. As they welcomed daughter Lori, Ed opened a practice, Military Law Veterans, to assist soldiers in need—this became his life’s professional calling. Remaining in the Reserves, Ed would occasionally and spontaneously drop down for a set of push-ups to stay fit for his next Army physical. The high point of Ed’s professional life was arguing a case in front of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Ed would read and reread The Lord of the Rings, owned many small dogs and entertained his grandchildren. He loved his life and would have been shocked that it did not go on forever.

He is survived by Beverly, his wife of 55 years; daughters Keri (Bearder) and Lori (Ash); brother Jeff; and four grandchildren. —Wally Rodger ’65 and Paul Ehrmann ’65

John H. Fitchen ’67

On Feb. 13, 2024, John Fitchen passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Known as Gootch, he was a dear friend, delightful companion and entertaining raconteur.

At Amherst, he majored in biology under Professor Yost, then obtained his M.D. from the University of Rochester, a residency in medicine at the University of Oregon Medical School (now Oregon Health & Science University, or OHSU) and a fellowship in hematology at UCLA. His 2019 memoir, Life Through the Lens of a Doctor Birder, noted his history as an emeritus professor of medicine at OHSU, spending nearly 20 years in education. Much of his research focused on gene therapy and molecular alterations and therapies. He also assumed a leadership role at Epitope, Inc., a biotech company that developed the first and only oral HIV test.

Gootch became a respected birder in the Portland area, adding to his publishing credentials, appearing in The Atlantic, Birding, The New England Journal of Medicine and a number of other peer-reviewed medical journals. He is survived by Ellen, his wife of 53 years, and his sons, Matthew and Martin.

He was a true friend, loved by his brothers at Beta Theta Pi, the Amherst Rugby Club and the Amherst football team.

Gootch was loved not only for his knowledge, wisdom and rational thinking but also for his fun-loving approach to life. He was a regular at the Thursday night Beta card games. Sometimes these games would infringe on critical study time for organic chemistry. Then he’d turn around and ace an organic chem test the following day.

Other than Ellen and his boys, no one dominated his attention, although many of us were certain we were his best friend. Each of us experiences his passing as a deeply felt loss. —Bruce Grean ’67, Paul Bunn ’67 and George Fleming ’67

Dal Neth Richie Grauer ’67

Dal arrived from Canada freshman year, an object of some curiosity among his classmates in Pratt South entry. He looked like a displaced lumberjack but was incredibly erudite, far ahead of most of us in his intellectual development.

He was invaluable in discussions surrounding our dreaded English 1–2 essays, growling ideas that seemed obvious to him, yet profound to the rest of us.

Dal was part of the cadre from Pratt South entry that migrated to Beta Theta Pi, an obvious fit for the rough-and-tumble culture of the fraternity. He segued into Beta bar groups with ease, always ready to throw down a few bucks for a subscription keg and pursue a lengthy discussion of matters of deep significance, punctuated by his throaty laugh and wry sense of humor.

Dal was a consummate comedian, irreverently witty and inventively profane, but for all his antic behavior, he possessed a warm and generous spirit which made him an especially companionable friend.

At the end of two years, he felt he had completed his education at Amherst. And apparently Amherst agreed.

He jetted off to a future beyond our sight and was not heard from for many years. Thirty years later, I came across him in Los Angeles, where he was working on a screenplay and paying his bills as a property manager. He still had the throaty laugh and the wry sense of humor.

And he was still the lovable guy who fascinated all of us.

Dal passed away in 2010. —George Fleming ’67, with an assist from Dave Price ’67

David Graham Greenlie Jr. ’67

David graduated from Weston High School in Weston, Mass., in 1963. From an early age, he displayed musical talent and was the first cellist of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marvin Rabin, performing at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy White House in 1962.

After graduating from Amherst in 1967 with a degree in English literature, David served in the Peace Corps in Busan, South Korea, teaching English to secondary-school students. Upon return, he was employed at IBM in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he met and married Jacqueline Kinsley in 1971. The couple subsequently lived in Cambridge and then Charlestown, Mass., where they bought and renovated a 1790s house on Bunker Hill. David was employed in the IT department at Harvard University and obtained a law degree from Suffolk University Law School in 1981. For a time, he immersed himself in Puerto Rico, staying there for five years.

David died on March 8, 2002. He is fondly remembered by his family and his close circle of friends who enjoyed good food, good company and a libation or two.

Throughout his life, he enjoyed cooking and reading prose and poetry from his extensive library. A friend passed this along as one of David’s favorite verses:

Let dreamers dream
What worlds they please.
Those Edens can’t be found.
The sweetest flowers,
The fairest trees
Are grown in solid ground. 

—Robin Greenlie Jenkins (sister)

James C. Gibbons ’69

James Curtis Gibbons passed away peacefully in his sleep Jan. 10, 2024, after fighting for five years through a succession of operations and hospitalizations, for the most part complications of his stepping on a nail.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of almost 53 years, Judy; three children, David, Jorie and Wendy; and three granddaughters. A fourth granddaughter died a year ago in a fentanyl poisoning.

At Amherst, “Gibbo” was a member of Psi Upsilon. Classmates may also remember him as a rower and a football player.

After Amherst, Jim served in the Army National Guard for six and a half years, earned his MBA and pursued a life in finance, most notably with Citibank and J.P. Morgan. A much-honored oil analyst, Jim traveled the world.

Yes, Jim was a grand success as a professional, but the center of his world was his family in New York. He and Judy married young, survived a tiny New York City apartment and five years in Buffalo (the banking equivalent of Siberia?) and raised their three children in Cold Spring Harbor.

Jim traveled widely, but his soul remained with Judy and the kids. When we conversed, he always spoke with pride of both their successes and their challenges. Jim had the perspicacity to see possible solutions and the wisdom to allow them their mistakes and triumphs.

During the last few years, Jim endured physical challenges, and his life necessarily became more sedentary, whether wintering on Sanibel, Fla.; summering in Castine, Maine; or at home in Williamstown, Mass. Unable to remain active, Jim wallowed in significant books, articles and television.

I loved conversing with Jim; he always expanded my understanding and stimulated my imagination. And we laughed! Oh my, did we laugh. I miss the man and cherish the memories. —Paul Machemer ’69

Jamson Sulemani Lwebuga-Mukasa ’70

Imagine fireworks set off into the sky, sparkles heading out into darkness in all directions, except they don’t flame out but continue as the initial beam expands and expands and expands. My dad—“Jamie,” as most people knew him—was one of those fires: he ignited everyone he met.

He was born in Kampala, Uganda, on April 12, 1946, son of Omwami Musa Mukooza and Blandina Nakuumba. After a long illness, he died on Oct. 25, 2023.

He is survived by wife Katherine, seven children and many grandchildren. Jamie and Kathy raised their family in Guilford, Conn., and Getzville, N.Y., and worshipped at St. John’s Episcopal Church and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church respectively.

He graduated from Amherst in 1970 and, by 1975, earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. He went on to complete his medical residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Jamie practiced medicine for more than 40 years and published dozens of papers, working as a pulmonologist, researcher and university professor. His research shaped public policy and is well known for investigating how highway air pollution impacts children and low-income communities.

A lifelong photographer, Jamie threw himself into his passion upon retirement. His class’s 50th Reunion included several of his works.

His children have all gone on to fruitful lives and careers in education, the arts, government and business.

Loved and admired by classmates and beloved by his family, his silly and self-deprecating humor was legendary—as in describing himself as “Mr. Wonderful,” especially when he was in the hospital.

Be that person who lights you up:

the one who laughs too loud;

the one who isn’t afraid to say the truth;

the one who dreams again.

Because if Dad saw you, he’d laugh and say: Yes! Mr. Wonderful strikes again. 

—Logan Nakyanzi Pollard ’97

Robert Weld Harding ’71

At Amherst, Rob majored in sociology, pledged Deke and partied exuberantly. While he was an imposing 6-feet-plus tall and well over 200 pounds, it was his flair for conversation, accentuated by a Southern drawl, that stood out. We became friends working at Valentine and hanging out at the snack bar.

After graduation, his first jobs were security guard and glow-in-the-dark yo-yo salesman. Next came five decades in the health care patient record-keeping business, playing his role as the industry shifted from paper to digital. Equipped with an MBA from Iona University and 15 years of industry-related sales experience, Rob, with wife Susan, launched FormFast (now Interlace Health), as a home-based business in the early 1990s. Interlace Health currently boasts 1,500 clients worldwide and 70 employees, with Rob’s daughter Allison as CEO.

Circa 2000, Rob won his first bout with throat cancer but sustained damage. He had difficulty swallowing, and lost lots of weight over time. With his lifelong favorite beverage (Coke) and long walks to energize him, Rob kept up his daily routine. His penchant for unexpectedly singing favorite songs while in conversation amused those around him but especially him.

In retirement, Rob focused on family, friends and community. He renewed old friendships and, with Susan, hosted mini reunions at his beach and mountain houses. He generously participated in and contributed to local community and charitable organizations. His interest in history, including family ancestry, flourished.

Rob died peacefully at home from a recurrence of throat cancer on Dec. 6, 2023, with his beloved wife of nearly 50 years, Susan (Hersey), by his side. He also leaves behind daughter and son-in-law Allison and Brian Reichenbach, granddaughters Evelyn and Eleanor, sister Kate Wanderer and her family, and too many others to list.

We are grateful to Rob for keeping us connected over the years. We sorely miss his friendship, generosity and wit. —Dave Tritschler ’72, Fred Schott ’71, Harry LaRacuente ’71 and Dave Crimp ’71

Gregory R. Yaw ’72

Gregory Yaw died at his Lake Erie home on Sept. 29, 2023, from complications of multiple myeloma. Greg entered Amherst from Jamestown High School in New York. Lou Bernstein ’72 remembers him fondly from Professor Nelson’s “American Economy” class: “The assignment for the major paper was to select a small business and write a microeconomic analysis of that business. Greg chose a potato chip manufacturer from his hometown area. Greg was passionate about this company, waxing eloquent about the excellent quality, flavor and freshness of their chips and the competence of their management.”

As a freshman, Greg roomed with Moe Flynn ’72 on the third floor of Stearns. They stuck together for the next three years—two at Phi Delt and one at Valentine. Moe recalls spending hours with Greg listening to rock music, adding that, the summer after freshman year, Greg became an expert in sound systems. “We had one of the best stereo set-ups on campus.”

According to Moe, “Greg majored in American studies and spent hundreds of hours at Frost writing his honors thesis. Some days I wouldn’t even see him. He wrote about the 19th-century Spiritualist movement in western New York. It was supposed to be 90 pages, but he turned in 250.” His thesis won a Moseley Prize.

Greg graduated magna cum laude and went on to law school at Washington University in St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1975. He practiced law in Jamestown for 40 years. Greg was a lifelong swimmer and avid skier, sailor, cyclist and kayaker.

Lou Bernstein ’72 speaks for our entire class when he says, “May Greg rest in peace, with a bag of his favorite Jamestown potato chips always within his reach.” The class of 1972 extends heartfelt sympathies to Kathleen and the rest of Greg’s family. —Eric Cody ’72

Paul Zink ’73

This is a tough time of year for many of us. We’re getting on in age, and even those of us who are healthy know many who aren’t. Radio, TV and all sorts of media are telling us, “These are the people we lost in 2023.” He may not be on any of those lists, but this year, we lost Paul Zink. I can’t say I knew him well in college, but for over a decade, I enjoyed the relationship we developed on Facebook (take that, class of ’24).

Born in Marblehead, Mass., Paul had a more varied life experience and better taste than most people. He sometimes seemed like a British gentleman when he talked about the classic British cars he loved (especially Wendy, his MGB) and his love of attractive women and fine dining. Although Paul couldn’t afford a Rolls, with its famed “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament, he emailed me a photo of two of his loves combined: his MGB, Wendy, its hood adorned by a lovely young woman in what could only be described as a pose of ecstasy. Paul wrote that they’d been together longer than his marriages combined.

Paul studied and loved great literature, and he loved music of all genres. One of his favorites, Lana Del Rey, is the music playing as I write this. Sadly, Paul also dearly loved the smokes that did him in. In the end, he struggled to live.

Paul was a creative director at places such as McCann Erickson and Bose until 2009, when the market he knew changed. He always showed others his best—he was made for that role; his blog featured the motto “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” He was fascinating, with a great sense of humor, and I miss him more than I expected to. Rest in peace, Paul. —Bruce Klutchko ’73

Peter C. Freeman ’74

His many friends sadly commemorate the passing of Peter Freeman in January 2023.

Peter arrived at Amherst from the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, with reddish-brown curls and a notably mischievous grin. When he started up a waterbed franchise on the fourth floor of Stearns, we should have known he’d wind up in venture capital. Adventurous, lively and wry, Peter brought energy with him always. He loved his community at Amherst and, no doubt, elsewhere too, though he did have a solitary streak. His sports were individual and exacting ones, wrestling and cross-country running; he was always concerned with making weight or shaving seconds. And he pushed himself, quietly training for and running the Boston Marathon in 1972, one of only 1,200 entrants. He finished, returned to AD with a blister that looked like a third-degree burn, and limped for a week, but never stopped smiling. He was justly proud of finishing another marathon not long before our 25th Reunion.

He majored in economics, a rare social scientist in a circle leaning heavily toward humanities majors and pre-meds, and more eager for the world after Amherst than many of us: Senior year, he treated job hunting like marathon training, and met similar success. He started work back in Chicago, at Harris Trust, where he met Susan, and they were married in February 1978. Peter moved from Harris to Wells Fargo, then from Chicago to San Francisco. California held him, but banking couldn’t, and over the course of his career, he invested his expertise in fields ranging from real estate development to renewable energy and, for several years, taught courses at Golden Gate University.

Peter and Susan raised their two children, Crosby and Libby, in the Bay Area. After 44 years of marriage, Susan predeceased him by about a year. —Bill Waddell ’74, with Glenn Farrell ’74 and Buzz Doherty ’74

Jonathan J. Cole ’75

On our first day of freshman year, we saw ambling down a Morrow hallway what looked like a mischievous hedgehog sporting bushy hair, raised eyebrows and a flowing mustache. It turned out to be Jon Cole, who would become our roommate and dear friend, and a person who looked at life in such a fresh and odd way it would often make us laugh until we cried.

Jon, who passed in July 2023, hailed from a bohemian life in Manhattan’s West Village and was a graduate of the High School of Music and Art. He played a dreamy classical guitar and could recite Allen Ginsberg at length, and his hero was Jack Kerouac’s Dean Moriarty.

At Amherst, however, Jon, forged a path away from the humanities. He took Stuart Fisher’s aquatic ecology course and became enamored (OK, maybe obsessed) with ecology and limnology. After Amherst and a Ph.D. from Cornell, Jon devoted the rest of his life to studying the relationship between carbon and freshwater ecosystems. His work on how inland waters play a role in the regional and global carbon cycle altered the way climate-change modelers approached carbon sequestration on land. He discovered that a large fraction of fish biomass is derived from land-based carbon, and, as he often repeated with enthusiasm: “Some fish are made of maple leaves!”

As a senior scientist at the prestigious Cary Institute, Jon published some 230 scientific papers and was inducted into both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He loved the outdoors, especially wading through ponds of lily pads. He eventually left Cary to move to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. As he once told us, “Scientists don’t retire; they just go ‘emeritus.’” Which, for him, largely meant kiteboarding with his wife and research partner, Nina Caraco. —Brian Dumaine ’75 and Jonathan Hammer ’75

Stafford Carter Noble ’75

We write to share fond memories of our friend and partner-in-song Stafford Carter Noble, who passed away in January 2022, after a period of declining health.

Stafford came to Amherst in 1971 from his home in Columbus, Ohio, with a passion for literature, talent in writing and a stellar singing voice that would lead to energetic and remarkable music-making.

Known for his upbeat approach to all things, Stafford was a standout first tenor with the Glee Club and Zumbyes. His beautiful voice soared in solos, and he blended into a cappella numbers smoothly with perfect pitch. Memories of his ringing solo performances of “Blue Moon” and “Tears on My Pillow” resound in our hearts. He was great fun in Glee Club travels and on Zumbye road trips, dashingly donning his tails or blue blazer and livening up the concert after-parties.

After majoring in English at Amherst, Stafford studied at The American University in Cairo, later returning to Columbus to study Arabic languages at Ohio State. He became the university’s program administrator for Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, a position he held until his retirement.

Stafford’s career saw burgeoning interest in the Near East. His work at OSU helped the curriculum extend beyond Hebrew and Arabic into other languages and cultures. He worked with colleagues, developing immersive study-abroad programs and interdisciplinary curricula that helped students situate their language studies in historical and real-world contexts.

Stafford is survived by his wife, one brother and two nieces, who were said to be the “lights of his life.” He was very much a bright light in our lives at Amherst. We celebrate the memory of his song, his dry wit, his even-tempered manner, his camaraderie and his friendship. —Chauncey Benedict ’75 and Bennett Ojserkis ’75

Ajay Holla “Bob” Murthy ’94

If you spent any time with Ajay “Bob” Murthy, you had some good belly laughs—the kind where you choke on your drink and wonder, “How did he think of that?!” His timing was impeccable. Bob was clever and self-deprecating and remembered details about the craziest things. And he was really, really smart. Even in a place filled with so-called smart kids, the brilliant way his mind worked was both unique and intimidating. Yet, at the same time, he was charming and humble.

Bob was always game for hanging out, whether it was playing cards, talking movie trivia or a late-night run to Cumbie’s. And that was the thing about Bob—just hanging out. You didn’t need to be doing anything specific with Bob to feel like it was time well spent. He was a great friend, and those of us who knew him are pondering where that youthful joy has gone.

Bob and his wife, Heddie, made a great team, handling the myriad demands of work and raising four children and several dogs. Some years back, one of Bob’s daughters needed regular care at Boston Children’s Hospital, and their visits let us witness firsthand Bob and Heddie’s love and devotion to their kids.

With all his talents, Bob’s success was a foregone conclusion: He had a rich professional life, working in finance and wealth management at several name-brand institutions. He was also involved in multiple charities for children’s health, as well as Baton Rouge civic activities and his church. While he remained a diehard and frustrated Cleveland Browns fan, he willingly embraced Louisiana State University (LSU) programming and athletics. He spent many fall weekends with family and friends at LSU games. No doubt, Bob’s charm and wit will be missed in the Baton Rouge community, too.

Spencer Williams ’24

Spencer Williams passed away in January 2024 as a result of brain cancer.

Spencer had a profound impact as a member of the Amherst community while on campus starting in fall 2020, and he remained closely connected to many people at the College while away for medical care since fall 2021. He made contributions to The Amherst Student, The Indicator, the Trans Connection Project and the Chinese Student Association and was a community advisor to the Asian Culture House. His professors and mentors describe him as brilliant, sweet and courageous.

Allen Kropf

Allen Kropf, the inaugural Julian H. Gibbs 1946 Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus, died on March 7, 2024.

Allen joined Amherst’s chemistry department in 1958 as an instructor, received tenure in 1963 and became a full professor in 1968. By his retirement in 2000, he had taught at the College for 42 years.

Allen earned a B.S. from Queens College and a Ph.D. from the University of Utah. During his distinguished career, he held visiting positions at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Berkeley, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Kyoto University, Hebrew University, Harvard and other institutions.

Allen created many chemistry courses at Amherst and also proposed, developed and initiated the biophysics program in 1964, chairing the program for many years. That program evolved into the College’s neuroscience program. The professor’s renowned series of courses for non-science majors on light and vision evolved from his research interest in the chemistry of vision.

Allen began studying visual pigments as a postdoctoral fellow. His 1958 paper co-authored with Ruth Hubbard, “The Action of Light on Rhodopsin,” represented a breakthrough and led others (including Ruth’s husband, George Wald) to Nobel Prizes in 1967. Allen was a champion of women scientists at a time when this was unusual and encouraged his wife, Rita Kropf, to pursue an advanced degree later in life. The two then engaged in research together. During his years at Amherst, Allen pursued research in the photochemistry of the visual process and helped initiate the study of artificial visual pigments.

David Hansen, the current Julian H. Gibbs 1946 Professor of Chemistry, remembers Allen as “an influential and beloved mentor,” adding, “His legacy in the department holds strong.”

Death notices received by the College since the 
last issue of Amherst magazine: