Marion Rous Hodgkin '39Marion Rous Hodgkin '39, an iconic children’s book editor who transformed the field with her impeccable taste, died March 11, 2015. Successful first in American then English publishing, “Marni” had a fascinating life in addition to her legendary editorial work: She was the first woman to win a Yale Henry Fellowship and was also the daughter and wife of Nobel Prize-winning scientists. According to her obituary, “All her friends will remember her warmth, her wit, her voice with only a trace of American intonation, her affection for everyone she knew—and her unceasing interest in all around her. Read more.
Gertrude Blood Seybold ’39Gertrude Blood Seybold ’39, a businesswoman, Francophile, and Quaker activist, died March 1, 2018. In addition to helping her husband and three children grow a newsletter publishing and consulting firm from their basement into a brick-and-mortar business, Trudie loved midcoast Maine and, after moving there in 2015, was instrumental in launching a local community health center. Read more.
Margaret Leeper Tillett '40Margaret Leeper Tillett '40, a dedicated statistics supervisor beloved by her large family, died April 17, 2018. A member of the Order of the Eastern Star, the Order of the Amaranth, Daughters of the Nile, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem, Margaret was a field hockey and basketball star at Swarthmore. Read more.
Charlotte Hutchison ’40Charlotte Hutchison ’40, a peace and human rights activist, died Jan. 1, 2018. A Bryn Mawr graduate, Charlotte was a member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the League of Women Voters, and the National Society of Colonial Dames in America. Read more.
Louise Zimmerman Forscher ’44Louise Zimmerman Forscher ’44, an English teacher, avid letter writer, mother, and grandmother, died Jan. 25, 2018. A Quaker, Louise taught at Hunter College and the Shipley School before moving to a house built by her second husband in the woods of Bedford, N.Y. A collector of dolls, literature, art books, and pencil sharpeners, Louise loved traveling, politics, dancing, and the great outdoors. Her daughter requests memories: ahcoulombe@gmail.com.
Frank Mustin '44Frank Mustin '44, a World War II Navy veteran who became a captain of industry, died March 11, 2018. Rising through the ranks at his family business—Fleer’s, maker of the iconic chewing gum Dubble Bubble—Frank first directed the international branch, then the entire company, as well as Fleer baseball cards. Athletic all his life, he loved to golf and ski, and was an avid windsurfer into his 80s. Read more.
Patricia Jones Parnell ’45Patricia Jones Parnell ’45, a beloved teacher and published poet affectionately known as “the Queen of the Hoot,” died March 22, 2018. Immensely proud of her family and devoted to her faith, Pat also purchased a newspaper with her sister and served as co-owner and contributing editor for many years. Read more.
Norman Morton NVNorman Morton NV, a Navy veteran, exceptional athlete, and residential builder, died Oct. 31, 2017. Recruited by the New York Yankees, the New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system, Norman ultimately played professional baseball for the New Orleans Pelicans. In later life, he impressed many with his golf, tennis, and bridge acumen, as well. Read more.
Howard Sachar ’47Howard Sachar ’47, professor emeritus of history and international affairs at George Washington University, died April 18, 2018. A respected historian and author of 16 books and numerous scholarly articles, Howard won the National Jewish Book Award twice and founded Brandeis University’s Jacob Hiatt Institute in Jerusalem. Read more.
Mary Bryan Klusmeyer ’48Mary Bryan Klusmeyer ’48, who provided invaluable support to the York Art Association as its executive secretary, died Dec. 5, 2017. A lover of history, Mary was also a dedicated member of the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, and the Out Door Country Club. Read more.
Burdette Poland ’48Burdette Poland ’48, a World War II veteran and lifelong scholar, writer, and lecturer, died April 1, 2018. Specializing in the revolutionary histories of Russia and France, “Bud” built a distinguished 31-year professorial career at Pomona College, earning a place in countless hearts for being, as his obit says, “a unique and marvelous teacher, father, and husband, with a dry wit and gentle, generous, and thoughtful spirit.” Read more.
Barbara Darrow Hays ’48Barbara Darrow Hays ’48, an intellectually curious scientist, mother of four, and nature lover, died Jan. 31, 2018. An adventurous spirit who traveled the world working for the Semester at Sea program, “Bobby” also taught and supported science at multiple colleges and universities. After retiring, she volunteered as a docent at the Museum of Natural History, passing on her love of science to hundreds of schoolchildren by introducing them to the Carnegie Museum dinosaurs and the world of natural history. Read more.
Paul Trescott ’49Paul Trescott ’49, a professor emeritus of economics, died Feb. 8, 2018. Drawing on his own experience teaching and traveling in China, “Bart” was especially proud of his book From Frenzy to Friendship, which critics felt presented one of the clearest portraits yet of the complex story of the controversial U.S.–China Peoples Friendship Association. Read more.
Lawrence Weiskrantz '49Lawrence Weiskrantz '49, who remained impeccably modest despite his well-deserved reputation as one of the greats of experimental psychology, died Jan. 27, 2018. Chair of his department at Oxford from 1967 to 1993, Larry was most famous for discovering “blindsight”—when a brain-injured person who is blind due to their injury can detect and discriminate visually presented objects. Read more.
John Koelle ’49John Koelle ’49, an engineer and U.S. Air Force captain who served in World War II and Korea, died April 25, 2018. A weekly food pantry volunteer, John was also a certified diver who loved oceanology, underwater photographer, reading, classical music, and all things Sherlock Holmes. Read more.
Herbert Kaiser '49, H’04Herbert Kaiser '49, H’04, an American diplomat who ultimately helped more than 10,000 South Africans of color become medical professionals, died March 30, 2018. A Navy veteran and polyglot, Herbert witnessed the racially based disparity in quality of health care during a tour of duty in South Africa. A decade later, he and his wife, Joy Dana Sundgaard ’51, founded the nonprofit Medical Education for South African Blacks, which raised more than $27 million and earned the gratitude of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Read more.
Edwin Nicholson ’49Edwin Nicholson ’49, a Quaker builder who believed in peace and community, died April 20, 2018. Responsible for the construction of countless homes, structures, and subdivisions, Ed was also heavily involved in a wide range of political and civic activities. Twice a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives, he also served as volunteer construction supervisor for 28 Habitat for Humanity homes. Read more.
Thomas Kinney ’50Thomas Kinney ’50, an Army veteran and amateur musical theater star, died April 6, 2018. A pillar of Bowling Green State University’s English department for 32 years, Tom was beloved for his riveting courses on Shakespeare, Chaucer, and the legend of King Arthur. He loved to travel, canoe, sing in his church choir, play golf, read mysteries, and—best of all—to hear and tell jokes, good and bad alike. Read more.
John Schwantes ’50John Schwantes ’50, a chemical engineer, conscientious objector, lumberjack, and firefighter, died Feb. 6, 2018. Warm, kind, generous, smart, fun-loving, and adventurous, John traveled the world with his family and remained as curious as he was compassionate all his life. A woodworker, avid churchgoer, choir member, and volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society, John brought smiles to loved ones’ faces with the painstakingly maintained Wii bowling league spreadsheets he created on his cherished iMac. Read more.
Frederick Morehead Jr. ’50Frederick Morehead Jr. ’50, a chemist and author, died Jan. 21, 2018. After building an impressive career at General Electric as well as in the research department at IBM, Frederick retired to become an adjunct lecturer in chemistry. Extremely proud of his large family, he also published more than 60 articles in professional journals and served his community on many civic associations. Read more.
Eugene Galanter ’50Eugene Galanter ’50, a Columbia University professor emeritus, leader in the psychology of cognition, and patent-holding innovator, died Nov. 9, 2017. Highly decorated as a World War II veteran and multiengine, instrumented-rated pilot, Eugene was also the author of 12 books and the founder of several computer training schools and a testing company. Read more.
S. Morey Wetherald ’51S. Morey Wetherald ’51, a Navy veteran, family man, and lover of life and adventure, died March 13, 2018. Capping off his distinguished career at Boeing as deputy chief engineer for the interior configuration and design of the first 747 Air Force One, Morey traveled the globe, founded a school for special-needs children, and shot gorgeous photography of great blue herons. Read more.
Michael Paine ’53Michael Paine ’53, an aeronautical engineer who studied at Harvard and Swarthmore but became internationally known due to being an acquaintance of Lee Harvey Oswald, died March 1, 2018. Read more about him in our feature “A Friend Through Tragedy" as well as here.
Elizabeth Harlow Phillips ’53Elizabeth Harlow Phillips ’53, a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother who was also a former chair of the Quadrangle Library, died Jan. 30, 2017. As her husband, Steve Phillips ’55, wrote in a tribute, he met Betsy at Swarthmore, where he “asked her if she would take an intelligence test as part of a psychometric course I was taking. She agreed. After giving her two tests, I decided she was a lot smarter than me and asked her for a date!” A year later, they were married. The marriage lasted 67 years.
George Lowen ’54George Lowen ’54, a beloved father, father-in-law, grandfather, physician, and friend, died March 14, 2018. As his obit says: “Family, friends, and former patients treasured his expert care, sweet kindness, sharp and playful wit, thoughtful advice, and above all his deep love.” Read more.
Clinton Fink ’55Clinton Fink ’55, an enormously compassionate peace researcher, educator, and activist dedicated to creating a better world, died March 2, 2018. Over his career as the editor of The Journal of Conflict Resolution; chair of the Consortium on Peace Research, Education, and Development; and a visiting scholar at Purdue University, Clinton was also an accomplished pianist, singer, and actor. Read more.
Patricia Dilley O'Neil ’56Patricia Dilley O'Neil ’56, a loving homemaker and diligent professional tax preparer, died Feb. 24, 2018. Devoted to community service, Pat also liked to golf, ski, in-line skate, knit, listen to classical music, attend the theater, solve puzzles, and play games like bridge and pinochle. Read more.
Gordon Kahn ’56Gordon Kahn ’56, a world traveler who loved culture and the arts, died Feb. 24, 2018. Across the U.S. and even Italy, Gordon charmed countless in his career as a classical music and jazz radio host, actor, teacher, and blogger. Read more.
Dennis Becker ’56Dennis Becker ’56, a respected attorney especially proud of his work desegregating school districts in the South, died April 18, 2018. An Army veteran who loved playing card games and golf, Dennis was also a major contributor to the incorporation of the town of St. James Plantation, N.C., and served on the first town council as its mayor pro tem. Read more.
Natalia Harkaway ’57Natalia Harkaway ’57, a chemist and patent examiner, died Oct. 12, 2017. At Swarthmore, Natalia was active in the Hamburg Show, Women’s Student Government Association, Turkish Folk Singing, and the Outing, Chemistry, German, and Russian clubs. Read more.
David Robinson ’57David Robinson ’57, an Army veteran, Russian linguistics professor, and longtime volunteer in the mental health field, died April 14, 2018. An accomplished musician, David served as his church organist for more than 30 years, a keyboardist for countless central Ohio cultural performances, and the harpsichordist for the annual presentation of Handel's “Messiah” at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. In 1995, he also teamed up with classmate Peter Schickele ’57, H’80, at a circus in Indiana to play the calliope on the P.D.Q. Bach album The Short-Tempered Clavier and Other Dysfunctional Works for Keyboard. Read more.
Joel Tibbetts ’58Joel Tibbetts ’58, a beloved educator, minister, and Renaissance man, died March 1, 2018. An inspiration to many for how he lived his faith with love, generosity, and heartfelt service to others, Joel was especially proud of his loving family. In his free time, he took pleasure in playing the guitar, counted cross-stitch, trains, and his beloved Westies: Holly, Fiona, and Mackenzie. He also wrote to the Bulletin in 2016, asking about a poem that had appeared in the magazine decades prior. Although he could only remember the first and last lines, it haunted him. Thanks to the digitization of every issue, we were able to send it to him: an untitled work by Barbara Babock Dolliver ’48 on page 11 of the November 1985 Bulletin. Read more.
Mohamed Faisal ’61Mohamed Faisal ’61, a businessman and member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, died Jan. 14, 2017. Per the official statement from the royal court, “The funeral prayer will be performed for the soul of Prince Mohammed bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud after Asr prayer on Saturday 16/01/1438H at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.” Read more.
Kirk Roose ’68Kirk Roose ’68, a Quaker, attorney, tennis player, and activist who loved walking along the shore of Lake Erie, died April 27, 2018. In addition to helping thousands of disabled Ohioans receive Social Security benefits through his law practice, Kirk was a lifelong lover of barbershop harmony, singing with and directing numerous quartets and choruses, including an unforgettable performance at Carnegie Hall. Read more.
Nathan Wei ’71Nathan Wei ’71, known for his many contributions to the development of interventional rheumatology, including arthroscopy, stem cells, and platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of osteoarthritis, died March 27, 2018. An enormously influential teacher and mentor, Nathan was also an ace cook and fitness enthusiast who was happiest fishing, sailing, snorkeling, and snowboarding with his family. Read more.
Henry O’Karma ’71Henry O’Karma ’71, an Emmy-winning TV director and producer, died Feb. 24, 2018. A member of the Directors Guild of America, Hank created more than 200 hours of network television, including What Every Baby Knows with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and I Am Your Child with Rob Reiner. Read more.
Daniel Carbone ’72Daniel Carbone ’72, a disciplined spiritual seeker, devoted father, and masterful woodworker, died March 13, 2018. Known as “the guitar whisperer” for his end-career work creating and repairing custom instruments, Daniel was famous for approaching every task with passion and attention to detail, whether it was roasting and brewing his own coffee, learning golf, or nursing back to health the fig trees his Italian grandfather had planted. “The laughter and enthusiasm of children was one of the great joys of his life,” his loved ones wrote, “and he had a flock of grand-nieces and nephews in recent years that often surrounded him, to his delight.” Read more.
Deborah Hayek ’75Deborah Hayek ’75, a doctor and devoted mother who “waged a ferocious fight against cancer for nearly two years,” died March 1, 2018. After graduating from Swarthmore, Deborah earned her medical degree in Albany, N.Y., completed an internal medicine residency in Philadelphia, and moved to St. Louis to pursue fellowship training in critical care. Read more.
Michael Brogan ’97Michael Brogan ’97, who taught at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Md., died March 12, 2018. His loved ones described him thus: “A passionate seeker after truth, he loved philosophy, theology, teaching, the natural world, music, poetry and literature, his hometown sports teams, his friends, and his family. His faith was unwavering and brilliant. Shortly before he died he said, ‘Don't let anyone say this was unfair. I am the luckiest man alive.’” Read more.
Jeffrey Billion ’06Jeffrey Billion ’06, a dynamic, charming, and much-beloved force of nature, died Aug. 14, 2017. “His interests were as varied as he was brilliant. An archer with a crack shot, a talented chef, and a fierce debater, he touched many with his infectious laugh and dry wit,” his loved ones wrote. “Neither his heart, humor, nor beer cheese soup recipe will ever be replicated. In all ways, he was one of a kind.” Read more.