Hertha Eisenmenger Flack ’38A mother of four who enjoyed dance, music, art, and traveling, Hertha died March 23, 2019. “Tah” was a tireless hiker and published a book with her late husband about their exploits, Ambling and Scrambling on the Appalachian Trail. She also held her own in golf, horseback riding, and tennis (backhand notwithstanding), and helped to establish and support several organizations, including FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature Center), the Hospital Foundation, and the Community Foundation. Read more.
Elizabeth Stubbs Cooper ’38Elizabeth, a homemaker, Girl Scout leader, and avid golfer who shot her age at 86, died Feb. 25, 2019. Elizabeth read the News Virginian and New York Times every day and was fully up to date on current events and sports, especially the Virginia Cavaliers, New York Yankees, and PGA. Read more.
Ethel Wolf Boyer ’41A natural leader and devoted family matriarch, Ethel died March 25, 2016. Ethel’s efficient and effective organizational skills were put to use as national president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Auxiliary; president of the Women’s Board of Lankenau Hospital; docent and president of the Philadelphia Zoo Docent Council; and longtime volunteer at the Philadelphia Ethical Society. A Girl Scout leader for many years, Ethel also enjoyed ballroom dancing and playing bridge with husband Vincent Boyer ’39, who predeceased her. Read more.
David Oliver ’41David, a petroleum economist with Atlantic Refining Co. and the U.S. Department of Energy, died May 4, 2019. Dave served in the Army from 1943 to 1946, earning the European Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He enjoyed tennis and woodworking, and was the widower of Charlotte Bolgiano Oliver ’41, who died in 2013. Read more.
Sarah Lippincott Zimmerman ’42, M’50Sarah, who broke ground in the use of astrometry to discover the character of binary stars and search for extrasolar planets, died Feb. 28, 2019. Sarah was a protégé and colleague of internationally recognized astronomer Peter van de Kamp for nearly 30 years before succeeding him as longtime director of Swarthmore’s Sproul Observatory. A professor of astronomy, Sarah published more than 100 academic papers and co-authored two books, Point to the Stars and Philadelphia: The Unexpected City. Among her numerous honors were the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Achievement Award in 1966, an honorary doctor of science from Villanova University in 1973, and election to the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania in 1976. Read more.
John Dugan Jr. ’43A businessman and World War II Navy veteran, John died April 17, 2019. After the war, Jack earned an MBA from Wharton and worked for 25 years in business, primarily with Johnson & Johnson, and 25 years in nonprofits, including as founder and president of The Buck Hill Conservation Foundation. A Navy reservist until 1961, Jack was also an avid sportsman, and was especially accomplished in golf, tennis, and paddle tennis. Read more.
Robert Ehrmann ’44A gynecological pathologist who enjoyed gardening, photography, and world travel, Robert died Feb. 24, 2019. Robert studied at NYU College of Medicine and was later director of the Boston School of Cytotechnology. His accomplishments included participating in tissue culture research under the late Dr. George Gey, and authoring the text Benign to Malignant Progression in Cervical Squamous Epithelium. Read more.
Margaret Keeler Bowen ’44Margaret, a devoted volunteer with a passion for poetry, especially Robert Frost, died Feb. 14, 2019. A mother of six, Peggy was a charter member of the Habitat for Humanity of Kearsarge/Sunapee (N.H.), worked with the Council on Aging and the local garden club, and attended the First Baptist Church in New London. She loved travel and adventure, and enjoyed many years riding a tandem bicycle with husband Dave up and down the East Coast and through Ireland and Europe. Read more.
Marcia Gauger ’44Marcia, a journalist and former New Delhi bureau chief for Time magazine, died May 14, 2018. Marcia began as a researcher for Time’s business section and later became a reporter, traveling widely in Europe, the Middle East, the Soviet Union, China, and India. Her papers are housed at Harvard’s Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. Read more.
Robert Smith ’45Robert, a pioneering physicist and brilliant inventor whose work resulted in 50 patents, died March 10, 2019. During World War II, Bob joined the V-12 program at Swarthmore and at Duke, where “The Bulldozer” played for the national championship football team and won a Sugar Bowl gold football. As a scientist at IBM, he researched the physics of magnetic thin film, and subsequently helped develop technology used in the production of the early electroplated computer disk. Bob combined his passion for fitness and physics with the development of innovative exercise equipment decades before such devices became commonplace. Read more.
Nancy Carpenter Hewitt ’45A successful magazine editor who enjoyed volunteering and adventures, Nancy died April 4, 2019. Nancy “backed into a career” that started in New York assisting a foods publicist and ended up in San Francisco as senior editor of American Home. Along the way, employers included cosmetics queens Helena Rubenstein and Jacqueline Cochrane; magazines Successful Farming and Better Homes & Gardens; and “the Monarch of the Dailies,” The San Francisco Examiner. Read more.
Dietrich Oberreit ’45Dietrich, a “ski nut” who fulfilled his family’s dream of building and operating a ski lodge, died April 6, 2019. A mechanical engineer who participated in the Navy V-12 program, Dietrich and wife Anneliese moved their family from New Jersey to Wyoming in 1965 to open the Alpenhof Lodge, one of the first hotels at the newly developing Jackson Hole Ski Area. After selling the Alpenhof in 1988, Dietrich stayed active in the Rotary Club and skied until he was 90, always stopping for lunch at lodge’s “Dietrich’s Bar & Bistro.” Read more.
Richard Landis ’46Richard, a general practitioner who at his retirement in the ’80s was one of the few doctors still making “house calls,” died March 4, 2019. Dick’s time at as a premed student at Swarthmore was interrupted by World War II and the need for doctors. He was sent to an accelerated program at the University of West Virginia, and completed med school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dick continued his military service through most of his medical career, retiring as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1975. Read more.
Dorothy Bowman Trippel ’46Dorothy, who took an active role in local concerns in Illinois, including the integration of housing in Evanston, died March 9, 2019. A mother of six, Dorothy also co-founded the Dewey Community Conference; created an interdisciplinary psychology/anthropology class at Evanston Township High School; managed a large Scandinavian design retail store; volunteered at the Evanston Ecology Center; and taught in Evanston’s adult literacy program. Read more.
Nancy Eberle Valtin ’47A history major and one-half of a Quaker matchbox marriage, Nancy died March 15, 2019. Nancy and Rolf ’48 were married for 70 years, until his passing in August 2018. “Nancy was passionate about many things, including her family, her beloved pets, reading, politics, the beach, and the Baltimore Orioles,” her loved ones wrote. “We will miss her good humor, frankness, frugality, and compassion for the less fortunate.” Read more.
Janet Tooley Kuhn ’47A chemistry major whose many interests included pottery, photography, orchids, and minerals, Janet died Sept. 25, 2018. Janet loved to travel, especially to Disney’s Animal Kingdom lodge, where she could spend time among nature’s most beautiful creatures, her favorite being the giraffes. She also enjoyed watching movies, going out to eat, and living life to the fullest. Read more.
Eloise Schlichting Twombly ’48A professional musician and devoted Unitarian who enjoyed tennis, golf, swimming, and sailing, Eloise died March 31, 2019. Eloise played the cello with the Augusta Symphony for 48 years and taught piano for more than 25 years, mentoring students who won South Carolina state competitions. A founding member and first president of the Aiken County (S.C.) Council on Human Relations, Eloise was most proud of her accomplishments as a civil rights activist in the early 1960s. Read more.
Christine Dorsey Abram ’48Christine, a passionate advocate who worked for many years on Capitol Hill, died Feb. 24, 2019. A quiet observer and lover of learning, Chris held a master’s in special education. She also enjoyed books, bugs, and nature, and in retirement volunteered at Selby Gardens in Anna Maria Island, Fla. Read more.
Ann Thompson Miller ’48Ann, who served in the Navy after graduating from Swarthmore, died Aug. 23 2016. Always involved in the community, Ann was a leader in the League of Women Voters, a volunteer for hospice, and very active at her local YMCA and Congregational church. Read more.
Richard Longaker ’49Richard, a political science professor who became provost at Johns Hopkins University, died Sept. 22, 2018. A skilled mountain climber and skier, Richard served in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War II. His achievements as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Hopkins included the establishment of the Nursing School, the Center for Talented Youth, and the JHU–Nanjing University Center in China. Read more.
Frank Solomon Jr. ’50A lawyer who built a successful real estate investment and management business, Frank died Feb. 16, 2019. Frank practiced law in San Francisco and Marin County, Calif., but gradually discovered a penchant for real estate transactions. Active in civic affairs, he was an elected member of the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District Board for 28 years, and served on the Marinwood Community Services District Board during the years that saw the establishment of the local community center, pool, and fire department. Read more.
Sally Shields Shane ’51A research specialist, avid reader, and dedicated volunteer, Sally died Feb. 19, 2019. Born in Egypt to missionary parents, Sally fled the Nazi invasion with her brother at age 10 and was raised by relatives in Wisconsin. Always interested in biology, Sally worked with one of the early electron microscopes at Haverford College before later joining the Wistar Institute at Penn. Read more.
Patricia Meyer Battin ’51Patricia, a pioneer in the digital library movement who was lauded for her contributions to book preservation, died April 22, 2019. A former director of library services and vice president for information services at Columbia University, Patricia went on to become the first president of the Commission on Preservation and Access. In that role, she led the commission’s comprehensive efforts to battle the acid paper problem, and in 1999 she received the National Humanities Medal for her “exemplary public service by organizing and leading a national campaign to save millions of brittle books in America’s libraries and archives.” Read more.
Anne Thomas Moore ’51Anne, a devoted Quaker and volunteer, died Jan. 24, 2019. While raising her three children in Lawrence, Kan., Anne served on the board of the American Friends Service Committee and was active with the Friends Committee on National Legislation. She was also a director of the Volunteer Clearing House, a supervisor of VISTA volunteers, and a founding member of Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice. Read more.
Jacob Nachmias M’52Jacob, a Penn professor emeritus of psychology with a specialty in visual perception, died March 2, 2019. Born in Greece, Jack left his home in Bulgaria with his family in 1939 to escape the Nazis; their departure on the last ship to sail from Paris is the subject of family legend, documented online through the Holocaust Museum. Though legally blind his entire life, Jack refused to consider that a disability. He earned a Ph.D. from Harvard, followed by studies at Cambridge on a Fulbright scholarship. Read more.
Joan Price Spencer ’53Joan, a beloved teacher who specialized in remedial reading and English as a second language, died April 7, 2019. With a master of education from Northern Arizona University, Joan taught elementary students, college students, adult learners, immigrants, prisoners, and international students. A Quaker, she was also a caseworker for U.S. Rep. Morris Udall, was instrumental in the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty, and volunteered for many organizations. Read more.
Patricia Bryson Van Pelt ’54Patricia, whose combined pursuits of art history and education formed the basis for many achievements over six decades, died April 14, 2019. Patricia’s career started with volunteer work at the Katonah (N.Y.) Museum of Art and continued as art education officer for the Arts Council of Great Britain. She later founded a bookstore in Michigan, eventually donating it to Finlandia University, on whose board she served for 12 years. Read more.
Kenneth Conrow ’54A proud Quaker and accomplished chemist who became a pioneer in Kansas State University’s computer science department, Kenneth died March 18, 2019. Ken developed several computer programs, the most famous of which was Neater2, a reformatting program that was leased through the KSU Research Foundation. He was a repeated commodore of the Blue Valley Yacht Club, enjoyed biking to work, and was an avid stamp collector from a young age. Read more.
David Dennison ’54David, who introduced generations of undergraduates to the biological sciences as a professor at Dartmouth, died March 10, 2019. With a biology Ph.D. from Caltech, David taught Dartmouth’s introductory “Bio 5” class as well as a popular freshman seminar. An active skier, hiker, and sailor, David also trained himself as a clockmaker and photographer, and maintained an interest in precision machinery. Read more.
Bartlett Jones ’54Bartlett, who taught history at colleges in Texas, Ohio, Florida, and Missouri, died Oct. 16, 2018. “B.C.” published 20 scholarly articles in his field, and had lifelong interests in gardening, duplicate bridge, golf, and tennis. In retirement, he developed a passion for Florida wildflowers and for writing one-act plays, which were performed locally. Read more.
Albert Metcalfe ’54Albert, who followed in his father’s footsteps to run Jordan Auto Co. in Natchez, Miss., died March 15, 2016. The consummate Southern gentleman, Albert was devoted to Natchez, his lifelong home. A Rotarian and 83-year member of First Presbyterian Church, he served in leadership roles with Britton & Koontz First National Bank, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and Trinity Episcopal Day School, while cheering on his beloved Ole Miss Rebels, Trinity Saints, Atlanta Braves, and New Orleans Saints. Read more.
William Walker ’55William, who ultimately graduated from Babson College, died Nov. 16, 2013. A retired certified public accountant and father of three, William was a longtime resident of Johnsonville, S.C., where he was affectionately known as “Mr. Will.” Read more.
Timothy Coss ’55A talented editor and tennis player who served in the Army for two years, Timothy died April 25, 2019. Timothy was an editor for the Civic Education Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce from 1955 to 1998, and for many years conducted a mail auction specializing in antique maps, newspapers, and prints. A skilled athlete, Timothy was a multiyear tennis champion for the Maryland/Virginia/D.C. area as both a junior and an adult, a five-time participant in the U.S. Nationals (now U.S. Open), and champion of the Armed Services Tournament. Read more.
Laura Salas Flores ’55 An early computer programmer who was proud of her family’s Belgian heritage, Laura died Feb. 3, 2019. Laura received a master’s in 1960 and worked for IBM Corp. before starting a successful computer consulting business. A spiritual person who dedicated herself to helping people in need, she supported relief work through the Rotary Club after natural disasters, and was an active member of her local Congregational church. Read more.
Eugene Heaton Jr. ’55A Korean War veteran and businessman who loved movies, music, and his dogs, Eugene died March 19, 2019. Eugene was a senior vice president in marketing and social research at Response Analysis Corp. and Opinion Research Corp. in Princeton, N.J. A lacrosse player and avid Baltimore sports fan, he also applied his analytical prowess to the study of baseball, inventing a new batting statistic (total production average) and publishing numerous articles in his retirement. Read more.
Jean Herskovits ’56Jean, a SUNY–Purchase historian with a lifelong interest in Africa, died Feb. 5, 2019. The daughter of a pioneer in the field of African anthropology, Jean earned a doctorate in African history from Oxford, conducting research in Nigeria, and later became involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. She was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Historical Society; on the board of directors of the Near East Foundation; and a founding member of the board of the TY Danjuma Foundation in Nigeria. Read more.
Pat Niles Middlebrook ’57A social psychologist who published two widely used textbooks in her principal field, Pat died March 13, 2019. Pat, who earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Yale, also owned and managed a 30-unit apartment complex in Bristol, Conn. She enjoyed horseback riding and golf, winning a nine-hole championship in 1974, and in retirement took up landscape photography in her beloved Virginia Beach, using a Leica camera for which she received special training in Germany. Read more.
Edward Terres ’58Edward, a computer science analyst and financial manager for the Navy, died Oct. 28, 2015. A graduate of American University, “Todd” was also an active volunteer, serving on the executive board of the California Strawberry Festival and as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocating for residents in assisted-living facilities. Read more.
Charles Miller ’59Charles, who devoted his life to scholarship as a professor and author, died March 22, 2019. A professor emeritus at Lake Forest College, Chuck taught classes in law—both contemporary and ancient—as well as nature, foreign policy, civil liberties, history, and utopian communities. His interests were exceptionally broad, from musical improvisation to wordplay and contemporary politics, and he was especially dedicated to maintaining recognition for Camp Catawba, a summer boys camp he attended in the Blue Ridge Mountains celebrated in his book A Catawba Assembly. Read more.
David Teller ’60A nature lover and professor emeritus at the University of Washington, David died in early February 2019. David worked for 40 years in “physical biochemistry,” identifying the exact chemical structure of biological proteins; his research was capped by the definitive description of blood-clotting proteins, including Factor XIII, and rhodopsin—one of the proteins in the human eye that captures light. He knew the Cascades and Puget Sound well, and enjoyed skiing, backpacking, sailing, and fishing. Read more.
Jane Dixon McCullam ’62A bookseller with a passion for the outdoors, Jane died April 25, 2019. Jane earned a psychology M.A. from Western Reserve University, and was active in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Native Plant Society of Northeast Ohio, the Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society, and the Cleveland Memorial Society. Since 1985, she and her husband had operated Cattermole 20th Century Children’s Books, specializing in used and out-of-print kids’ books. Read more.
David Walter ’62David, an artist, athlete, dancer, musician, perfectionist, and relentless seeker of knowledge, died March 18, 2019. An All-American lacrosse player and gifted wrestler at Swarthmore, David majored in engineering and later studied at Princeton Theological Seminary. He returned to Swarthmore in the 1970s as a member of the Admissions Office, while also becoming a successful portrait painter with work hanging in numerous East Coast institutions. Read more.
David Morgan ’63David, who committed himself to progressive causes to ensure a better world for all, died Feb. 26, 2019. For 35 years, David was a professor in the University of Northern Iowa’s Department of Philosophy and Religion, teaching introductory courses as well as the philosophy of science, Marxism, logic, and medical ethics. He was a founder and active member UNI’s chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, and he served as an officer and newsletter editor for his local Citizens for Peace. Read more.
Russell Kimura ’67An inquisitive soul who embarked on many career paths, including teaching, owning a solar business, public accounting, and banking, Russell died March 2, 2019. Responding to an ad for a teacher, Russ moved to Williamsport, Pa., in the 1970s, where he and his wife built a home on Sunshine Farm, one of his greatest sources of joy. Year-round, Russ could be found outside gardening, cutting wood, hiking, or cross-country skiing. He retired as vice president and controller of Woodlands Bank. Read more.
Warren Grundfest ’74Warren, an internationally recognized surgeon, inventor, and bioengineer, died Dec. 28, 2018. A professor in the Department of Surgery at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, Warren was a pioneer in the development of instrumentation for minimally invasive surgery and the excimer laser for medical use. He also authored or co-authored more than 175 journal publications; held two dozen patents; and was a recipient of the Pierre Galleti award of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Read more.
Daniel Jinich ’76 A compassionate family doctor and team physician for Colorado Eagles hockey, Daniel died March 27, 2019. The son of a doctor, Dan learned as a small boy to treat the person rather than the illness. He was a former chair of the Larimer Humane Society and of 3Hopeful Hearts, a nonprofit that supports families after the loss of a child. Read more.
Alice Mitchell Rivlin H’76Alice, a master of budgetary policy who served as founding director of the Congressional Budget Office, died May 14, 2019. An economist known for her evenhanded analysis and unflappable demeanor, Alice weaved in and out of government service over a career spanning more than five decades. During her long affiliation with the Brookings Institution in Washington, she served as a moderating influence on politically driven ideologies. “She was the decathlete of public policy,” economist Robert Reischauer told The Washington Post. “There is almost no area of public policy where she wasn’t active and contributing at a very high level, and that’s extremely unusual.” Read more.
Reuben Canada ’99Reuben, a patent attorney who changed careers to become a successful beverage entrepreneur, died April 24, 2019. The CEO of Canada Enterprises, Reuben was the creator of Jin+Ja, an elixir named Outstanding Cold Beverage of the Year by the Specialty Food Association in 2013. He gained national acclaim through CNBC’s National Business Report, and his product was also featured on The Doctors, West Texas Investors Club, and in USA Today. Read more.
William Tise NVWilliam, who finished an engineering degree at Virginia Tech, died Nov. 29, 2017. After his Navy service, William pursued marketing management in the field of industrial rubber. He retired from his own company at age 72.
Karl Moberg NVKarl, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, died July 16, 2018. A longtime resident of Syracuse, N.Y., “Bud” was a skilled metal fabricator and woodworker who loved to golf and fish. Read more.
Frank Lockhart NVFrank, who spent a year each at Duke, Drexel, and Swarthmore studying engineering in the Navy V-12, died Feb. 25, 2019. Frank started a family sand and gravel business, Lockhart Inc., later becoming president and CEO of Liberty Corp. when the companies merged. A golf enthusiast who shot four holes-in-one over his amateur career, Frank also enjoyed singing in the choir at his beloved Christ Episcopal Church in La Crosse, Wis. Read more.