Gold Nuggets Leaders the World Needs

GOLD NUGGETS publishes submitted updates about DePauw alumni’s careers, milestones, activities and whereabouts. Send your news to DePauw Magazine, P.O. Box 37, Greencastle, IN 46135-0037 or dgrooms@depauw.edu. Faxes may be sent to 765-658-4625.

Space considerations limit our ability to publish photos. Group photos will be considered if you include each person’s name (first, maiden and last), year of graduation and information about the gathering or wedding. Digital photos must be high-quality jpegs of at least 300 dpi. Submitted hard copies cannot be returned.

Questions? Contact Mary Dieter at marydieter@depauw.edu or 765-658-4286.

1955

Robert H. Giles was honored by the National Writers Series of Traverse City with its Bill Montgomery Literary Service Award. for “instilling an appreciation of truth” during his long journalism career. He is the author of “When Truth Mattered” and was the managing editor of the Akron Beacon Journal during its Pulitzer Prizewinning coverage of the 1970 Kent State shootings. He also was curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism.

1957

Esther Reece Painter, former Connecticut state representative who was elected justice of the peace in Woodstock, Connecticut, was inducted into the Plainfield (Indiana) High School Hall of Fame.

1963

Bayard “Bud” H. Walters, chief executive officer at Cromwell Media, was voted No. 1 leader in radio by his peers in the industry.

1973

Rebecca “Becky” Clark Williams selfpublished a book, “Sowing the Seeds of Justice/Courage, Persistence and Faith of African-American Women in the Delta.”

1974

W. Charles Bennett, a forensic accountant, has written “Dirt Under the Cap,” a book about his experiences in the 1990s disputes between NBA owners and players. The book is due out in August.

William H. “Bill” Tucker, a lawyer in Aiken, South Carolina, was awarded an honorary degree by the University of South Carolina Aiken, for which he has been a supporter, donor and advocate, including serving two terms on the university’s Education Foundation’s governing body.

1975

Mary B. McClendon Johnson writes entries based on her dissertation for the YWCA blog.

1977

Stephen N. Polezonis was elected president of the Connecticut Association of Optometrists at its annual meeting in January 2020. A 1987 graduate of the New England College of Optometry, he has been practicing since his graduation. He is in a group practice, Doctor Pavano & Associates, with multiple locations. He has served the association in various capacities, including on the academic committee, the board of directors and as vice president and president-elect.

Peter D. Prowitt is the chief operating officer for the Aerospace Industries Association. He is a member of the faculty at the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. He serves on the boards of the Max S. Baucus Institute of the University of Montana and the George C. Marshall Foundation. He and his wife, Lynn, live in Arlington, Virginia.

1979

Charles “Chuck” Brooks briefed the G-20 Energy Conference on operating systems cybersecurity. He is president of Brooks Consulting International and an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University’s graduate Applied Intelligence Program and the graduate Cybersecurity Programs, where he teaches courses on risk management, homeland security and cybersecurity. He was featured in the 2020 Onalytica “Who’s Who in Cybersecurity” as one of the top influencers for cybersecurity issues. He is also a cybersecurity expert for “The Network” at the Washington Post, visiting editor at Homeland Security Today, an expert for GovCon and a contributor on emerging tech and cybersecurity to Forbes.

David P. Nance received the Director’s Award from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks for his “commitment to conserve, manage and interpret resources while creating memorable experiences for guests in 2020.”

1980

Paul McGrath retired from the insurance industry. He lives in Cameron Park, California, is married and has two children and three grandchildren. He asks that you send him an email at paulmc46@sbcglobal.net.

1982

Katherine Pennavaria is the library director at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She recently published a book, “Genealogy for Beginners.”

1984

David M. Findlay has been elected to the Trine University board of trustees. He is president and chief executive officer of Lakeland Financial Corp. and Lake City Bank in Warsaw, Indiana.

Dave Jones is running for the California Senate. He previously was a Sacramento city councilman, a member of the State Assembly and state insurance commissioner for two terms.

Frank Tigue has published a book, “The Power of Faith: How the Love of God Found Me,” a memoir about the presence of God in Frank’s life journey.

1985

Kris Kagler Burbank completed her leadership coaching certification through Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. The mother of three adult children, including one with cerebral palsy, she coaches families with disabilities so they can “learn to bloom.” Kris’s mission is to help parents build fulfilling lives and futures for themselves and their loved ones despite the demands of caregiving and work. She produces a weekly e-newsletter on this subject and advocates for individuals with special needs at the state and federal levels. Connect with her at www.krisburbank.com.

1986

Dora Hardman Black was selected as Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School Teacher of the Year in 2020. She is the school librarian at the Arlington, Virginia, school.

William T. Jennings and his wife, Becky, have opened Golden Greens Provisioning Center in Lawrence, Michigan. Their store sells recreational and medical marijuana. They invite alumni to stop by and say hello if you are driving by Exit #52 off I-94 in Michigan and to “tell our folks you are a DePauw grad so you can get the special discount.”

Sherry Richert Belul was featured on KTVU television in San Francisco sharing her book, “Say It Now,”

encouraging gifts of love for people who are grieving, lonely, depressed or ill.

1988

Dave Martin, an economics professor at Davidson College, was given the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award, which honors teachers who inspire the full potential of their students.

1989

Nancy Fox Ardell has joined the executive leadership team of the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute as chief legal officer and general counsel.

1990

Mary McCracken Tyndall has joined the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation in Fort Wayne as its new Double Up program manager and chief storyteller.

1991

Michael A. Catalano is chief operating officer for Southern Research. (See photo.)

Andrew J. Harmening is president and chief executive officer of Associated Bank and a member of its board of directors.

David L. Singer was named No. 1 wealth adviser in Ohio by Forbes.

1991

Virginia “Ginger” Weiss Danz is a professional artist living in Roanoke, Virginia. Her most recent series of paintings focuses on still life arrangements using her mother’s handmade ceramic pieces. Her mother, Ann Weiss, who died in May 2020, was an instructor in DePauw’s English department and was co-founder of DePauw’s Speaking & Learning Center. The series explores universal themes of grief, loss and healing. Ginger’s work can be viewed at www.gingerdanz.com and at Instagram.com/gingerdanzart.

1992

“The Painter’s Daughter,” a portrait by Timothy Joseph Allen of his daughter Grace, was among 200 works selected by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters for its 2021 annual exhibition in London in May. “The Cabinetmaker,” another of Allen’s paintings, was one of 70 finalists in the ModPortrait 2020 competition, which was exhibited in Spain in May and June, and was long-listed for the 2021 Jackson’s Painting Prize. (See photo.)

Stephanie R. Lancaster is the director of community health solutions for Emergent BioSolutions. She was awarded Director of the Year for 2020 in recognition of her work to make NARCAN® Nasal Spray accessible to those who may need it to reverse an opioid overdose. Stephanie covers the states of Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia. (See photo.)

1994

Patrick J. Terry Sr. is the president and chief executive officer of Triangle Financial Group, specializing in insurance and financial services. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, Lori, and their five children. (See photo.)

1995

Laura Allport Hammack is the superintendent of the Beech Grove (Indiana) school district.

Darrianne Howard Christian was elected chair of the Board of Trustees of Newfields, the first Black woman to lead Newfields and among the first to lead a major art museum in the country. She has been a driving force behind Newfields’ work to transform itself into a multicultural, anti-racist institution.

1996

David C. Wolf is chief executive officer of BSW Wealth Partners in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. BSW Wealth Partners was named the No. 1 Place to Work by the Denver Business Journal. Michael A. Catalano ’91

Stephanie R. Lancaster ’92

1998

Thomas D. Fagan Jr. is the chief operating officer at VMS BioMarketing.

Jeremy T. Stierwalt is a partner with Capco, a global technology and management consultancy, in its U.S. data practice.

1999

Gavin G. Greene is the chief growth officer for Expression Networks and is on the board of advisers for Integrated Systems and Sphinx Solutions.

2001

Justin M. Gash, professor of mathematics at Franklin College, was Timothy Joseph Allen ’92 painting

Patrick J. Terry Sr. ’94

Justin M. Gash ’01

awarded the 2021 Distinguished Service Award by the Indiana section of the Mathematical Association of America. (See photo.)

2002

Alison M. Knowlton and Lance Mason were married Jan. 18, 2020, in Miami. (See photo.)

2003

Leslie Williams Smith is a writer for the Indianapolis Recorder.

2004

Jason Becker, who has been with RICS Software Inc. since 2012 and its chief executive officer since 2015, will continue to lead day-to-day operations now that the company has been purchased by Fullsteam.

Eric A. Wolfe is a board member of the Indiana 4-H Foundation. He is owner and managing broker of Prime Real Estate Group in Greencastle and a member of the DePauw Alumni Board of Directors.

2005

Olivia L. Hatton was promoted to associate professor and granted tenure at Colorado College. She is an immunologist whose interests lie at the intersections of immunology, virology and cancer biology. Rules, Creating Conversations, and Talking Action,” that was published in OT Practice, a magazine about occupational therapy.

2020

Brooks C. Thompson is an associate account executive with Brighton, a fullservice, integrated marketing agency.

Ashley R. Holland is the associate curator for the Art Bridges Foundation.

Andrew B. Rosner is the director of digital fluency at Franklin College. He is the owner of digital marketing company Everlong Digital.

2009

Leah L. Seigel has joined Lilly Endowment as a program director in community development.

2017

Elizabeth Morales won the “Rising Star” award from the Global Social Media Awards for her work at Insider.

2018

Mary “Emma” Baldwin recently wrote an article, “Acting in 2021 for Occupational Justice: Acknowledging Alison M. Knowlton ’02 and Lance Mason.

DePauw Magazine marks the death of alumni, faculty and staff members and friends. Obituaries do not include memorial gifts.

When reporting a death, please send as much information as you have about the person and his/her affiliation with DePauw to Alumni Records, DePauw University, P.O. Box 37, Greencastle, Ind. 46135-0037 or to jamahostetler@depauw.edu.

IN MEMORIAM

1941

Helen Marxer Bryant, 102, Alexandria, Virginia, March 16. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and Phi Beta Kappa and a community volunteer. She was preceded in death by her husband, William C. Bryant Jr. ’39.

1942

Joanne Lloyd Molitor, Goleta, California, Dec. 19. She retired from Mastercraft Engineering Co.

1943

Barbara McDonald Decker, 99, Indianapolis, April 1. She was an accomplished musician who taught violin and piano.

1944

John R. Jewett, 98, Indianapolis, March 1. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi; a Rector scholar; a former member of the DePauw Alumni Board of Directors; and an alumni citation recipient. He was a commercial real estate broker who was active in many civic organizations. Survivors include a son, John R. Jewett Jr. ’77; daughter, Jane B. Jewett ’78; a grandson, Charles W. Jewett ’10; a nephew, Thomas S. Yeo ’70; a niece, Mary Day Kilborn Musgrave ’63; a great nephew, Charles J. Yeo ’00 ; and a cousin, Arthur J. Walters ’46. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marybelle Bramhall Jewett ’45; his parents, Chester A. Jewett 1909 and Grace Rhodes Jewett 1909; a sister, Martha Jewett Yeo ’42; uncles Charles W. Jewett 1907 and Russell P. Jewett 1913; and aunts Elizabeth Daugherty Jewett 1907 and Mary Jewett Walters 1912.

1945

Elizabeth Fawcett Halsted Farone, 97, Burnt Hills, New York, Feb. 6. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta; a school psychologist; and a family counselor. She enjoyed theater, the arts and dancing. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Richard Halsted ’47.

1946

Robert DeVries, 98, Burnt Hills, New York, May 3. He was a Rector scholar who interrupted his time at DePauw to enlist in the Air Corps; after being given a medical discharge, he worked as a topographer for the U.S. Geological Survey before returning to DePauw. He earned a Ph.D. and taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before joining General Electric Co.’s research lab, where he worked 34 years.

Margaret Ebbert Lewis, 96, West Chatham, Massachusetts, April 21. She was a member of Alpha Phi. She enjoyed travel, sailing, swimming and tennis.

1947

Margaret Ross Black, 95, Richmond, Indiana, April 19. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta; an elementary school teacher; and a reading specialist. She volunteered in after-school activities with the Boys and Girls Clubs, and worked with the local library on literacy programs. She was preceded in death by a sister, Eleanor Ross Holby ’49.

Frank Steele, 96, Kalamazoo, Jan. 7. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and a physician. He enjoyed camping, traveling, sports and family nights. He was preceded in death by mother, Leora Hahn Steele 1918.

1948

Janet Ames Borman, 94, Pensacola, Sept. 4, 2020. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta; a commercial artist; and an art teacher.

John R. Claycombe, 95, Indianapolis, Feb. 15. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi; a former member of the DePauw Alumni Board of Directors; an attorney; and former general counsel of Indiana Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He enjoyed golf and was active in various civic and community organizations. Survivors include a son, Richard J. Claycombe ’74; a niece, Carol Adney ’71; and a nephew, James R. Adney ’68. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jean Maglottt Claycombe ’47; his second wife, Elizabeth Gift Claycombe ’48; and a sister, Mary Claycombe Adney ’42.

1949

J. Bruce Amstutz, 92, Brunswick, Maine, March 25. He was a member of Delta Upsilon, a retired minister counselor from the U.S. Foreign Service and an author. He received an alumni citation from DePauw.

Beverly Campbell Cluster, 92, Palm Coast, Florida. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Washington C. DePauw Society and a teacher who taught keyboarding. She enjoyed golf, bridge, the organ and painting. She was preceded in death by her husband, Burton D. Cluster ’45.

James P. Fairfield, 93, Indianapolis, Jan. 23. He was a member of Sigma Nu, a Rector scholar and an actuary who had a 40-year career in insurance.

Richard E. Hamilton, 93, Indianapolis, Feb. 22. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega; a former member of DePauw’s Board of Trustees; a Rector scholar; and a United Methodist pastor. He received an alumni achievement award and an honorary degree from DePauw. Survivors include a brother, Lee H. Hamilton ’52. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Schmidt Hamilton ’50; a brother-in-law, William E. Schmidt ’55; and a sister-in-law, Nancy Nelson Hamilton ’52.

Lorraine Long Madsen, 93, Stuart, Florida, Jan. 20. She was a member of Delta Zeta and a teacher. She was preceded in death by her husband, Anders N. Madsen Jr. ’49.

Gretchen Scott Anderson, 93, Fountain Hills, Arizona, Feb. 7. She taught high school English and Spanish. Survivors include her husband, Dean K. Anderson ’50. She was preceded in death by a sister, Janet Scott Schanken ’48.

Richard H. Showalter, 98, Grand Ledge, Michigan, Jan. 7. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta; an executive with the Boy Scouts of America; and a real estate agent. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Foley Showalter ’46; his father, Wilbur H. Showalter 1913; his mother, Helen Guild Showalter 1916; an uncle, Paul C. Guild 1913; and an aunt, Geraldine Guild Noble 1926.

Jules B. Sprung, 92, Westport, Connecticut, March 6. He was a business owner, a marketing consultant, a writer and a swimming instructor.

Doris Starbuck Perry, 93, Fort Collins, Colorado, March 24. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta and a community volunteer who enjoyed painting.

1950

Neal L. Creswell, 93, Morrison, Colorado, March 6. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and a Rector scholar who had a career in insurance as a chartered financial consultant. Survivors include his wife, Ann Hartenstein Creswell ’50.

Dale J. Ducommun, 92, Midland, Michigan, Jan. 20. He was a member of Sigma Nu and a physician. He was preceded in death by his wife, A. Janet Cain Ducommun ’52.

Marjorie Gardner Schweitzer, 92, Boulder, Colorado, April 23. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi

and a professor of anthropology. She enjoyed music, baseball, needlework and photography. Survivors include a sister. Dorothy Gardner Goodnough ’43. She was preceded in death by a brother-inlaw, Frank O. Goodnough ’42.

Susan Hoppinger Carson, 92, Rocky River, Ohio, Feb. 7. She had a career in finance and was a community volunteer.

Carolyn Schwentker Daus, 92, Evansville, March 23. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a community volunteer who traveled extensively and enjoyed playing bridge.

Roland S. Yunghans, 96, Pittman, New Jersey, March 25. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi who worked in environmental protection for the state of New Jersey. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Cline Yunghans ’49.

1951

Joyce Adams Patterson, 91, Southbury, Connecticut, April 12. She was a member of Alpha Phi; an adjunct assistant professor of English at Indiana State University; an associate editor; administrative assistant; and a librarian. She was accomplished in needlepoint and knitting and played golf, tennis and bridge. Survivors include a daughter, Diana Patterson DiSabato ’80.

Ralph A. Berg, 93, Lombard, Illinois, Feb. 1. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and had a career in banking. He enjoyed his book club, reading, poetry, music, hiking and bird watching.

Bruce E. Kaufman, 91, Tucson, Jan. 9. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and a district judge. Survivors include a step-daughter, Jaclyn Rose Manzoni ’76. He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur D. Kaufman 1924.

James D. Lyons, 91, Crossville, Tennessee, Jan. 8. He was a member of Sigma Chi, a Rector scholar and a director of pricing and market strategies. He enjoyed golf.

Nancy Davis Morton, 92, Hendersonville, North Carolina, Jan. 5. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega and a community volunteer. She taught adult basic education and GED courses for Blue Ridge Community College. Survivors include cousins James R. Spindler ’59 and Joan Spindler ’61. She was preceded in death by her husband, James L. Morton ’50; her father, Royal E. Davis 1921; her mother, Mildred Spindler Davis 1927; an uncle, Charles H. Spindler 1934; an aunt, Flora Spindler 1931; and a sister, Joan Davis Vargo ’53.

John P. Rudy, 91, Alpharetta, Georgia, Jan. 8. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Rector scholar; a former member of DePauw’s Board of Visitors; an alumni citation recipient; and a business executive. Survivors include a son, J. Christopher Rudy ’81, and a sister, Helen Price Steegmann ’59. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Florence Durham Rudy 1889; his father, Preston O. Rudy 1917; and his mother, Maurine Hooker Rudy Price 1916.

Norman L. Thomas, 93, Pleasanton, California, March 3. He was a member of Sigma Chi and the Washington C. DePauw Society. He attended DePauw on the GI Bill after serving in the U.S. Army. He retired after 25 years as executive director of the Retail Furniture Association. He loved to travel and was known for his wonderful sense of humor.

Irving B. Weinstein, 92, Los Angeles, April 21. He was a member of the Men’s Hall Association; a Rector scholar; and an educator and administrator of the Los Angeles Community Colleges.

Charles A. Whitcomb, 92, Helena, Montana, April 26. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and had a career in international banking. He enjoyed golf, bridge, fishing, walking and volunteering. Survivors include a daughter, Laura P. Whitcomb ’79.

1952

Susan Shepherd Herron, 91, Columbus, Indiana, March 31. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega who worked for the school corporation and taught Sunday school. She was preceded in death by her husband, Marion W. Herron ’50.

Lester E. Tweedle, 91, Brownsburg, Indiana, Jan. 11. He was a member of Delta Upsilon; a meteorologist; and a dentist. He coached Little League; held Bible studies; and was a community volunteer.

1953

Richard A. Hansen, 89, Dallas, Jan. 28. He was a member of Sigma Nu and the Washington C. DePauw Society who had a career in finance and accounting. He enjoyed traveling in the United States and abroad.

Ronald C. Mottaz, 89, Alton, Illinois, March 24. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and an attorney. He enjoyed golf, reading, jazz and playing clarinet. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Elfgen Mottaz ’53.

1954

Jeanne Benson Van Nest, 88, Geneva, Illinois, March 14. She was a member of Delta Zeta; an office manager; and a community volunteer. She enjoyed bridge, travel and time with her grandchildren. Survivors include her husband, Robert G. Van Nest ’54; a daughter, Marcia Van Nest Smith ’89; and a son-in-law, Harry C. Smith ’90. She was preceded in death by her cousins Betty Benson Weiderman ’49 and Marjorie Benson Foster ’56.

Nancy Langsenkamp Frenzel, 89, Indianapolis, Jan. 29. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She worked as a newspaper reporter and a real estate agent and for nonprofit organizations.

Carmen Lynch Siegel, 89, Zionsville, Indiana, April 9. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, a teacher and an accomplished pianist and violinist. She enjoyed gardening and community volunteering. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, David L. ’87 and Gina Pobanz Siegel ’87, and a granddaughter, Sarah M. Redman ’18. She was preceded in death by a sister, Louann Lynch Roe ’55.

Mary Naugle Kiszla, 89, Noblesville, Indiana, March 1. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega and an author of Christian faith books. She enjoyed travel and board games.

Mary Schwartz Oakley, 88, Worcester, Massachusetts, Feb. 15. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega; a dietitian; a tax specialist; and a business owner. She enjoyed a competitive game of cards and bridge.

David C. Stockwell, 88, Evanston, Illinois, April 7. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and a partner and the creative director of an advertising agency. He was a Gilbert & Sullivan actor and a character baritone. For 13 years he was a story reader to grade school students. He was preceded in death by a brother, Michael S. Stockwell ’59.

Robert M. Thomas Sr., 88, Leawood, Kansas, April 21. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi; a physician; and a member of several medical boards.

1955

Charles S. Sanford Jr., 87, Twinsburg, Ohio, Jan. 1. He was a member of the Men’s Hall Association; a Rector scholar; and a sales representative. He sang in church choirs and enjoyed maps, exploring new places and diesel trains. Survivors include a sister, Virginia Sanford Tomsits ’64. He was preceded in death by his wife, Allison Paulett Sanford ’56, and his father, Charles S. Sanford ’29.

1956

Albert E. Crandall, 88, Indianapolis, Jan. 30. He was a member of the Men’s Hall Association and the Washington C. DePauw Society and an insurance underwriter. Survivors include a brother, Richard B. Crandall ’49. He was preceded in death by his wife, B. Louise Woods Crandall ’50.

Phyllis Held Gephart, 86, Sarasota, Feb. 20. She was a member of Delta Gamma; a teacher; and a membership director for a private club. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert I. Gephart ’55.

Virginia Jordan Burchard, 87, Cleveland, Feb. 15. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and a secretary at Ursuline College.

Martha Kerr Burrows, 87, Franklin, Tennessee, Feb. 22. She was a community volunteer who enjoyed tennis, reading, crossword puzzles and bridge.

W. Glynn Roehr, 86, Spring Hill, Tennessee, Nov. 23. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha; a Rector scholar; and a business executive. His love of learning was insatiable. He was a scientist, an ornithologist, a musician, an artist and a writer. Survivors include a niece, Megan Hughes Stumpf ’90. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter W. Roehr 1929; his mother, Esther Bash Roehr 1931; and a sister, Jane Roehr Hughes ’59.

1957

Charles E. Curtis, 85, Plano, Texas, March 3. He was a member of Sigma Chi; the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Rector scholar; and a business owner. He was an avid golfer, pilot and enjoyed being near the water and mountains.

Jerry H. Rose, 85, Geneva, New York, Jan. 20. He was a member of Sigma Chi; a Rector scholar; a professor of hospital administration; and corporate vice president at Oakwood Healthcare System in Dearborn, Michigan. He enjoyed playing and watching sports; live theater; concerts; reading; and volunteering in his community.

1958

James H. Beatty Sr., 85, Hinsdale, Illinois, April 26. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and an account executive. Survivors include a son, James H. Beatty ’87; a daughter and son-inlaw, Kathleen Beatty Wunderlich ’87 and Robert A. Wunderlich Jr. ’88; and a brother and sister-in-law, Stewart H. Beatty ’54 and Kathryn Fouts Beatty ’56.

Patrick M. Ewing, 84, Ashland, Ohio, April 10. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta; a Rector scholar; a DePauw Athletics Hall of Fame inductee; a retired professor; and a farmer. He enjoyed travel, golf, snow skiing and sports.

Barbara Smith Whitney, 85, Fort Wayne, Jan. 5. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega; an elementary school teacher; and an executive for the Association of Junior Leagues International. She enjoyed golf, tennis and swimming.

1959

William K. Blake III, 84, Dallas, Jan. 19. He was a member of Delta Chi; a former member of the DePauw Alumni Board of Directors; and a business owner. He delivered Meals on Wheels. He earned 11 varsity letters in swimming and track at DePauw. He and Thomas P. Blake ’61, who survives, are the only brothers in the DePauw Athletics Hall of Fame. He was a world-record holder in Senior Olympics swimming. Survivors also include a sister, Pamela Blake Peters ’66.

Victoria Kennon Lewis Kelly, 83, Ludington, Michigan, Feb. 8. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and a fiber artist. She enjoyed the outdoors, fishing and gardening. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert E. Lewis ’57.

Jack C. Morgan, 83, Sellersburg, Indiana, Jan. 29. He was a member of the Men’s Hall Association and Phi Beta Kappa and a Rector scholar. He was a college professor and the founder and executive director of the Kentucky Council on Economic Education. He enjoyed fishing, reading, coffee with friends, volunteering and time with family.

Charles E. Racine, 83, Gallatin, Tennessee, Dec. 28. He was a member of Delta Chi and the Washington C. DePauw Society and an attorney. He was active in the American Heart Association and prison ministry.

Mary Beth Edelson ’55, a New York-based, internationally known multimedia artist whose work celebrated women as goddesses and the feminist movement, died April 20 at age 88. Her work, exhibited around the world, included paintings, collages, drawings, photography and performance. She founded the feminist magazine Heresies and was an early member of the A.I.R. Gallery in New York, the first all-woman art gallery in the country. Her most famous work, a lithograph called “Some Living Women Artists/Last Supper,” replaced the male faces in da Vinci’s famous painting of Jesus and his disciples with photos of female artists. It is part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection. She twice received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, among other honors, and DePauw awarded her an honorary doctorate in fine arts in 1993.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. ’57, a tenacious civil rights leader and a trusted adviser to American presidents, died March 1; he was 85. He was the only Black student in his class and one of only five African Americans in the student body when he first stepped onto campus, but immersed himself in the student senate, excelled in oratorical contests and, by his own reckoning, was something of a big man on campus. After graduating from DePauw, Jordan earned a law degree from the Howard University School of Law. He worked first at a law firm, then went on to become Georgia field director for the NAACP; director of the Voter Education Project of the Southern Regional Council; executive director of the United Negro College Fund; and president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. He was an adviser to every president from Lyndon B. Johnson through Barack Obama, and was especially close with Bill Clinton. He survived a 1980 assassination attempt in Fort Wayne by an avowed racist. He returned often to DePauw, serving on the Board of Trustees and delivering commencement addresses in 1973, 1993 and 2018. DePauw awarded him its McNaughton Medal for Public Service, the Old Gold Goblet and an honorary degree. In May, the board voted to name the newest residence hall after him and created the Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Scholarship for Public Service and Community Leadership for young people who wish to become leaders in public interest work. The Corning Inc. Foundation donated $500,000 as seed money, and fundraising will continue at the Oct. 2 gala celebrating President Lori S. White’s inauguration.

Charles H. Watson, 84, Zionsville, Indiana, April 15. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Rector scholar; and a former member of DePauw’s Alumni Board of Directors. He was a business executive, a community volunteer and an avid reader who loved to travel and explore new places. Survivors include his wife, Rosanne Nelson Watson ’59; a son, Andrew C. Watson ’87; a daughter, Cynthia Watson Yingling ’83; a sister, Carolyn Watson Kruger ’63; a sister-inlaw, Virginia Nelson Combs ’62; and a brother-in-law, Charles S. Combs ’62. He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl S. Watson ’33 and Judith McCormick Watson ’34.

1960

Mary Fromhold Oberhelman, 82, Mystic, Connecticut, March 28. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma who retired as the director of the MBA program at New York University’s Stern

Robert Willliam Schrier ’57, an international leader in the battle against kidney disease and an expert in patient-oriented research in acute kidney injury, died Jan. 23 in Potomac, Maryland. He was 84. He was a faculty member at the University of Colorado, where he was chairman of the Department of Medicine for 26 years. He was a prolific researcher, funded continuously by the National Institutes of Health for 45 years. He wrote more than 1,000 scientific papers and edited or co-authored more than 50 books, including three textbooks in nephrology. His contributions in science and leadership were recognized by the American College of Physicians, the Association of Professors of Medicine and the American Society of Nephrology. He was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and was the only person to serve as president of the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation. After high school, he was invited to the Brooklyn Dodgers spring training camp but chose to attend DePauw, where he still holds the basketball record for the highest scoring average of a four-year player. He was especially proud to be in three halls of fame: Indiana Basketball, DePauw Athletic and Indianapolis Public School. Upon graduation from DePauw, he won a Fulbright scholarship to study anthropology in Mainz, Germany. Survivors include his wife Barbara Lindley Schrier ’59; sons David Schrier ’83 and Douglas Schrier ’87; and brother-in-law, Barry Lindley ’60. He was predeceased by his daughter Deborah Schrier-Rape ’83.

School of Business. She was preceded in death by her brother, George B. Fromhold ’63, and her sister-in-law, Janet Seaman Fromhold ’64, died April 18.

Marilyn Hays Highland, 82, Naples, Florida, Feb. 6. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta; a piano teacher; and church organist. She enjoyed music, beautiful birds, sunsets and flowers.

Kenneth R. Ingle Jr., 83, Indianapolis, Jan. 1. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon; a Rector scholar; a physicist; a math and science teacher in the Philippines through the U.S. Peace Corps; and an independent oil producer. He enjoyed the outdoors; classical music; and solving mechanical problems. Survivors include a daughter, Kathryn Ingle Calkins ’91.

Kenneth R. Todd, 82, Indianapolis, Jan. 20. He was a member of Sigma Chi and a business executive with the Indianapolis Star and News. He enjoyed travel and reading and was a community volunteer. Survivors include his wife, Jo Ann Eggers Todd ’61.

Patsy Vaughn Gartley, 81, Indianapolis, Jan. 4. She was a member of Delta Gamma; an office manager; a bookkeeper; and a community volunteer. Thomas J. Walker, 83, Rockford, Illinois, April 9. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi; a Rector scholar; and a United Methodist minister. Survivors include his wife, Ellyn Vyhnalek Walker ’59, and a son, Stephen P. Walker ’85.

1961

Marlene Poncar Lackovic, 81, Vonore, Tennessee, Dec. 29. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Patty Rader Pelton, 81, Wilmette, Illinois, Jan. 22. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta and Phi Beta Kappa; a Sunday school teacher; a youth minister; and a pastoral associate. Survivors include her husband, Russell M. Pelton Jr. ’60.

Mary Jo Steinmetz Hunsberger, 81, Northbrook, Illinois, Feb. 9. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She was an administrative assistant to presidents and owners of companies. She enjoyed theater performances, gardening and travel.

1962

Roger R. Fross, 80, Chicago, Feb. 16. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta; a Rector scholar; an attorney; and a community volunteer. Survivors include a brother, G. Gerald Fross ’60. James N. Ross Jr., 80, Marco Island, Florida, Feb. 25. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta; a Rector scholar; a veterinarian; and a distinguished professor emeritus at Tufts University. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marcia Collins Ross ’62.

1963

Barbara Walton Blankinship, 79, Colorado Springs, April 25. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She spent 10 years as the office administrator in her husband’s pediatrics practice. She was an enthusiastic volunteer at her church and with the Junior League of Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and James Madison Elementary School. She loved the outdoors and was an avid tennis player, a runner, a cyclist/ spinner and a skier.

Charles Edward “Ed” Skeeters, 80, Portland, Oregon, April 2. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and a retired physician who served on several medical boards.

1964

William B. Kipe, 79, Buda, Texas, March 25. He was a member of Sigma Chi and the Washington C. DePauw Society who had a 35-year career with IBM. He enjoyed sports officiating, collecting stamps and coins, playing golf and traveling.

Janet Seaman Fromhold, 78, Middlebury, Vermont, April 18. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega; a teacher; and a clinical social worker in private practice. She enjoyed traveling, sailing and time with her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, George B. Fromhold ’63, and her sister-in-law, Mary Fromhold Oberhelman ’60.

1965

Caryl Fernandes Wilhoite, 77, Indianapolis, April 17. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma; a teacher; and a community volunteer. She enjoyed traveling in the United States and abroad. Survivors include her husband, Bert M. Wilhoite ’65; a son, Bert M. Wilhoite Jr. ’93; a daughter, Rebecca Wilhoite Jacklin ’95; and sisters-in-law, Ann Wilhoite Brilley ’68 and Matilda J. Wilhoite ’73. She was preceded in death by her father-in-law, Adrian E. Wilhoite ’36; her mother-in-law, Martha McKinney Wilhoite ’35; and a brother-in-law, A. E. Chip Wilhoite Jr. ’63.

Keith A. Gossard, 78, Greenastle, April 3. He was a member of Sigma Nu and owner of HBG Insurance and Bonds. He was a community volunteer and enjoyed playing golf. Survivors include a daughter, Dale Gossard Stevenson ’89; son-in-law, John G. Stevenson ’89; and a grandson, Alec N. Stevenson ’22.

George K. Tesar, 78, Rockledge, Florida, April 1. He was a member of Sigma Chi who retired from the U.S. Air Force.

1966

Phillip J. Brookins, 76, Jackson, Mississippi, March 3. He was a Rector scholar; a member of Phi Beta Kappa; an attorney; and a businessman. He starred in track and field at DePauw. He taught mathematics at Talladega College for a year but switched to the law, graduating from Harvard Law School in 1974. He excelled at appellate work before moving into corporate law. He enjoyed walking and sledding with his grandchildren; golfing with his son; and spending time with family. Survivors include a brother, Oscar T. Brookins ’65.

1967

Bradford L. Cobb, 75, McKinney, Texas, Feb. 3. He was a businessman who enjoyed golf and traveling.

Karen Greco Stuckey, 73, North Platte, Nebraska, Sept. 19, 2018. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma; a flight attendant; a farm manager; and a community volunteer.

1968

Timothy K. Buecher, 74, Wadesville,

Indiana, Feb. 20. He was a member of Delta Chi. He retired as director of the Career Counseling Center at the University of Southern Indiana. He enjoyed coaching youth sports and deep-sea fishing.

Patricia Englum Bader, 75, Fort Wayne, April 7. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and the Washington C. DePauw Society. She was a physician, geneticist, professor, educator and advocate.

John A. Gibson, 75, Indianapolis, Feb. 6. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi and a business manager. Survivors include a son, Michael G. Gibson ’04; a sister, Nancy Gibson Prowitt ’76; a brother, Thomas R. Gibson ’64; nephews Greg C. Gibson ’82, Thomas M. Gibson ’84, John W. Gibson ’85, Matthew B. Gibson ’93 and Jeffrey G. Gibson ’90; a niece, Katharine Gibson Wallace ’95; a great-nephew, John P. Gibson ’16; a great-niece, Nicole G. Gibson ’17; a daughter-in-law, Kristyn Tekulve Gibson ’04; and nieces-in-law, Margaret Mullen Gibson ’82 and Ann Sanger Gibson ’84. He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert W. Gibson ’60.

Patricia White Kelly, 73, Dumfries, Virginia, June 2, 2020. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a French teacher. She was a gifted musician and composer. She enjoyed gardening and travel.

1970

Donald E. Lovold, 72, Crawfordsville, Indiana, Feb. 9. He was a member of Sigma Nu and a business owner. He enjoyed golf, reading, boating, sports, travel and spending time with family. Survivors include his wife, Anne Sheldon Lovold ’81.

1971

Leslie Monson Crider, 71, Bay Village, Ohio, Oct. 17. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi and a studio manager. Survivors include her husband, Michael C. Crider ’70. Jimmy A. Proctor, 87, Reelsville, Indiana, Jan. 21. He was a mathematics teacher and a community volunteer.

1973

Michael T. Harves, 73, Spokane, Feb. 19. He taught middle and high school and ended his career teaching at Yakima Valley Community College. He was a community volunteer.

Phyllis Smelser Smith, 96, Bainbridge, Indiana, April 21. She was a retired elementary school teacher and a community volunteer.

1974

Rosemary R. Tudor, 89, Franklin, Indiana, April 2. She was an elementary school teacher who enjoyed traveling and reading.

1975

Lewis E. Moke, 72, Spencer, Indiana, Feb. 22. He was a teacher and coached high school football and wrestling and middle school basketball and track.

1978

Timothy A. Boyd, 71, Plainfield, Jan. 24. He was an elementary school teacher and a member of community organizations.

1980

Deirdre Kern Abbott, 62, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, March 9. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta; a music teacher; a choir director; and an organist. Survivors include a sister, Kathy E. Kern ’87.

1981

Terri Weese Neufeld, 61, Overland Park, Kansas, April 26. She was a member of Alpha Phi and Phi Beta Kappa and an attorney. She enjoyed golf; gardening; painting; concerts; and Jayhawk basketball games. Survivors include her husband, Timothy K. Neufeld ’80.

Geoffrey Klinger ’88, who taught communication at his alma mater for 18 years, died suddenly May 9 at age 54. Known to don a toga when teaching about Cicero or a cowboy getup when the subject was modes of communication, Klinger also was director of forensics, a position in which he directed the debate program, and advised the student-run Debate Society. His scholarly interests were the connection between rhetoric and social theory; political communications; presidential, civil rights and business rhetoric; and Supreme Court opinions. As a DePauw student, he was an award-winning debater who double majored in communication and economics. He graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Survivors include his daughters Celeste ’18 and Sage ’21; his stepdaughter, Jessica Miller ’19; and his brother Kevin Klinger ’90. Donations may be made to the Geoffrey D. Klinger Debate Fund.

1982

John B. Joss, 60, Charlottesville, Virginia, Jan. 25. He was a teacher; a counselor; and a salesman in the food industry.

1988

Megan Reese Edwards, 55, Mission Hills, Kansas, April 6. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a businesswoman who had a passion for art and design. Survivors include her daughter, Helen Reese Edwards ’16; her siblings, the Rev. Martha Grace Reese ’75, Sarah Reese Wallace ’76, Gilbert H. Reese ’79 and Lucius E. Reese ’85; a brother-in-law, John H. Wallace ’76; a niece, Sally Wallace Heckman ’05; and nephews John Gilbert Wallace ’08 and John Gerald Wallace ’08.

2003

Derek L. Thayer, 39, Indianapolis, March 4. He had various jobs from retail to bank manager to flight attendant. He designed t-shirts, personalized gifts and cards. He enjoyed movies, video games and reading.

Faculty

Nahfat N. Nasr, 85, Indianapolis, June 8. He retired after 19 years at DePauw as a political science professor and former department chair. As a native of Lebanon, he brought a global perspective to his classes and believed time spent mentoring students could make a difference in the world. He started the conflict studies program; won a Fulbright Scholar grant to teach at a university in Lebanon; and received the Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Tucker Jr. Distinguished Career Award in 2006. He also taught at American University of Beirut, Vanderbilt University, Indiana University, Southern Illinois University and the American University of Cairo. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the American University in Beirut and a doctorate from Vanderbilt. Survivors include his daughter, Lena Nasr Snethen, who worked in DePauw’s development office; his son, Ghassan Nasr, who taught languages at DePauw; and two nieces, Amal Sweis ’00 and Reem M. Sweiss ’02.

Friends

Ronald McGuire, 77, Greencastle, Jan. 28. He was a police officer at DePauw University for 35 years.

Baxstrom, third from left, in Zimbabwe.

Alum wanted to ’make things better’ – and Nobel Prize proves she does

Having been a media fellow who participated in theatre at DePauw, Ashley Baxstrom ’07 considered careers in communication and acting, and even spent a little time in both.

But she also was a religious studies major and “I’ve always just wanted to do something to help and make things better – which is such a broad, stupid cliché, but I couldn’t not be doing something to make things better.”

So she moved to New York to pursue a master’s degree in religious studies and reconnected with a woman who had supervised her during her media fellows internship in Rome, where she worked for the World Food Programme. In 2012, the woman asked Baxstrom if she would work – unpaid – on a project in the United Nation’s Secretary General’s office.

The answer was “yes,” and the stint turned into a series of paid contracts that kept Baxstrom “growing within that role” for more than four years. During that time, she took a line from a speech given by then-Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and launched a Twitter handle and hashtag, #zerohunger. The concept “became a movement” and was adopted as one of the U.N.’s sustainable development goals in 2015.

A year later, after working four years “on this very, very broad, big-picture issue … I was keen to get a little bit more in the weeds,” she said. She had kept close contact with former colleagues in the World Food Programme who knew she was looking, “and they poached me.”

The programme, an arm of the U.N., deploys as many as 5,600 trucks, 30 ships and 100 planes every day to deliver food and assistance to 100 million people in 88 countries. Last October, it was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Baxstrom worked about seven months in the programme’s New York office, then moved in October 2016 to the Zimbabwe country office, where she was head of donor relations and communications. She spent time in the field, “making sure people are able to get through the day,” but mostly working to solve systemic problems and create sustainable systems that could be taken over by the country’s government. Her three-year assignment, during which she contracted typhoid from contaminated water, coincided with a severe humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, which was racked with recurring drought and economic crises.

Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Baxstrom was promoted to work in the programme’s regional bureau in Bangkok, Thailand. She visited home in Wooster, Ohio, in between assignments, and ended up stuck there several months. That’s where she learned about the Nobel win.

“It’s incredible to feel appreciated for the work that we do,” she said. “… Maybe more people will look at the work that we’re doing and care about it and want to help.”

She has finally made it to Thailand, where she supports management of a $3 billion portfolio of assistance for 30 million people in 15 countries across the Asia Pacific region. And she is doing something to make things better.

“I guess I am a bit of a nomad,” she said. “I keep shifting careers and paths. And you know, I don’t necessarily have a plan for five, 10, 20 years from now. But where I go, there I am.”

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