In Memoriam

By Maya Schioppo

The H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College Institute remembers all of our alumnae who have passed away over the last year.

Photos from left to right: Louise Belle Prosser, Monica Fried, and Alice Rose “Pi” George

Louise Belle Prosser

1924-2021 Louise Belle Prosser was born in Alexandria, LA to Frank Harris Peterman and Julia O’Shee Peterman. She attended St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame University and graduated from Newcomb College with a degree in English. Prosser also received her Master of Library Science from Louisiana State University (LSU). She served as school librarian at St. James Episcopal Day School for 25 years and was later elected president of the Newcomb Alumnae Association. In 1944, she married Dr. Charles Prosser to whom she was happily married for 60 years until his death in 2005. They had 8 children, 20 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren. Prosser’s special interests beyond her family and friends included being a member of Our Lady of Mercy Church choir, the Baton Rouge Music Club, volunteering for St. Vincent de Paul, Friends of the LSU Library, LSU Readers and Writers, and Inner Wheel of the Downtown Rotary Club. She was active in the Junior League and was voted Sustainer of the Year.

Monica Fried

1941-2021 Monica Fried was born in Panama City, Panama to Dr. George Yates and Audrey Derienbecker. She graduated from Newcomb College with her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and received a master's degree in counseling from Tulane University. After graduation, Fried worked for the College of Arts and Sciences and Tulane Medical School. She married her husband, Gabe, in 1971, and they were married 49 years. In Dallas, TX, Fried worked for Parkland Hospital as a social worker and had an administrative position at the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. She worked for and held board positions in the League of Women Voters, the Dallas Women's Foundation, Women's Issues Network (WIN), the Dallas Opera Board, and The Summit. Fried was especially active in fighting against domestic violence, for reproductive choice, and promoting women for boards, commissions, and civic awards.

Alice Rose “Pi” George

1944-2020 Alice Rose “Pi” George was raised in Silver Creek and Monticello, Virginia. She studied art and English literature at Newcomb College and the University of London. After completing her studies, she moved to New York City, where she remained for 55 years. George worked as a photography editor for a variety of publications, including Time Magazine, GEO, Fortune, and as a consultant for The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, U.S. News and World Report, and many others. A large part of her career was spent as an independent art and photography buyer and curator for private collectors and as author/editor of photography books. George authored, edited, or consulted on more than 30 books of photography, including co-editing Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs, a collection of photographs of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and the response of the people of New York. Her career was primarily focused on art and photography, but George’s love was poetry. She was an accomplished poet, having published two collections of poems—“Ceiling of the World” and “Two Eyes”.