In Memoriam

WITH SORROW, THE UNIVERSITY NOTES THE PASSING OF

1950s

Garner H. Downey, OD ’50, passed away on Feb. 1, 2022, at the age of 99. His office of optometry was opened above Downey’s Furniture, his mother and father’s furniture store in Virginia, in 1950. He retired in 2010 after working 59 years.

Donald H. Lakin, OD ’53, passed away on Feb. 1, 2022, at the age of 91. After graduation from high school, Dr. Lakin attended the Detroit Institute of Technology in Michigan and then PCO, from which he graduated in 1953 with his Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. Dr. Lakin practiced in the Detroit area for over 30 years, establishing what is now Family Eye Care Associates.

Floyd M. Lapidow, OD ’53, passed away on Oct. 17, 2021. Dr. Lapidow graduated from Burlington High School, attended the University of Vermont, and graduated from PCO. He practiced in Essex Junction, Vermont, for more than 50 years, retiring in 2000.

Charles Lester LeValley, Jr.,

OD ’53, passed away on Aug. 10, 2021, at the age of 92. After receiving his doctorate and board certification, he established his practice in Lakeland, Florida, under the name “Dr. Lester LeValley, Optometrist” and later on “LeValley Vision Center.”

Joseph A. Bouchard, Jr.,

OD ’54, passed away on Dec. 6, 2021, at the age of 97. He was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, and was a resident of Claremont, New Hampshire, for 51 years. In 1969, he purchased the Optometric Practice of Dr. Porter O. Dexter in Claremont, New Hampshire in which he moved his family in 1970.

Melvin H. Winter, OD ’54, passed away on Oct. 1, 2021, at the age of 90. Born in Bronx, New York, he was a graduate of City College of New York and PCO. He opened his optometry practice in Newport News, Virginia, and practiced for 53 years.

Jerome H. Resnick, OD ’55, passed away on May 2, 2021, at the age of 89. After graduating from The Bronx High School of Science, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at New York University and his Doctorate of Optometry at PCO. After his tour in the military, he opened his office in the village of Keeseville, nestled between the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain in New York.

Thayne W. Maurer, OD ’57, passed away on Nov. 18, 2021, at the age of 89. Born on June 5, 1932 in Tremont, Pennsylvania, he was a 1950 graduate of the Tremont Senior High School, and a 1957 graduate of the then Pennsylvania State College of Optometry (PSCO). Dr. Mauer had his own practice for 50 years with offices in Shippensburg and Greencastle, Pennsylvania.

1960s

Gilbert E. Selvin, OD ’62, passed away on Sept. 30, 2021, at the age of 88. Dr. Selvin was born in Brooklyn, New York, graduated from Arkansas State University, served in the U.S. Army, and then attended PCO.

Jeffrey M. Kramer, OD ’63, passed away on Oct. 22, 2021, at the age of 85. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Optometry in 1963. Dr. Kramer built a successful optometric practice in Clifton Park, New York.

1970s

Harold B. Wagner, OD ’79, passed away on Jan. 26, 2022 following a long battle with a chronic medical condition complicated by COVID-19. Dr. Wagner lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and practiced optometry until his retirement in 2018.

1980s

George A. Stephenson,

OD ’83, passed away on Oct. 24, 2021. He was a graduate of the College of William and Mary, received a master’s in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a doctorate from the PCO. He practiced optometry in private practice in Virginia.

Roxanne Del Frari, MS ’84, passed away on Jan. 4, 2022. In 1984, Del Frari earned her master’s degree as part of the first class in Low Vision Rehabilitation at PCO.

J. Maria Danyi, OD ’87, passed away on July 23, 2021. She attended the University of Maryland, graduating with a bachelor’s in microbiology in 1983 and then attended PCO, graduating in 1987. Dr. Danyi had an optometry practice in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for 36 years.

2000s

Thomas E. Fisher, AuD ’03, passed away on May 23, 2021. He was employed as an audiologist in Champaign, Illinois, and then relocated to Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1979 and joined Ear, Nose and Throat Associates. He continued to be dedicated to his patients at ENT Associates until his retirement in May of 2019.

Alicia M. Krupa, OD ’08, passed away on Feb. 1, 2022 after a four-and-a-half-year battle with colon cancer. After graduation from college, she was employed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals as a research scientist before transitioning to the National

Institute of Health, where she worked as a genetic engineer. From there, she attended PCO and received her Doctor of Optometry (2008).

2020s

Anastasia R. Goerl, OD ’21, passed away on Jan. 18, 2022, at the age of 27. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she was a 2013 graduate of Lower Dauphin High School, a 2017 graduate of Shippensburg University with a degree in biology, and a 2021 graduate of PCO/Salus where she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree. Dr. Goerl worked for Dombroski Eye Associates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and formerly with Dr. Glenn Corbin of Wyomissing Optometric Center.

Salus Staff

Keith E. Locke passed away on Nov. 27, 2021. Born on October 29, 1946, in East Liverpool, Ohio, Locke was an alumnus of the East Liverpool High School Class of 1964. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German. For six years, he served as a part-time patient coordinator for international optometry programs at Salus University; he served in a similar role for Salus’ Veterans Readiness Initiative Pilot Clinic. He is survived by his wife, Linda Casser Locke, OD, FAAO, FNAP, coordinator of interprofessional education at Salus.

Former PCO Faculty Member Dr. Lawrence Ragone Passes

Lawrence A. Ragone, OD ’53,

FAAO, who joined the PCO faculty in 1965 and at the time of his retirement in 1993 held the rank of associate professor, passed away March 7, 2022, at the age of 94.

After graduating from PCO, he served in the U.S. Army as an optometrist at Army hospitals in California and Osaka, Japan. Since beginning his private practice in 1956 after his military service, first in his hometown of Camden, New Jersey, and then later moving to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Dr. Ragone had been active in all phases of his profession.

“Larry was a real leader in optometry for the state of New Jersey,” said Thomas Lewis, OD ’70, PhD, FAAO, PCO president from 1989 to 2008 and president of Salus University from 2008 to 2013. “When the New Jersey optometrists wanted to expand their scope of practice or do anything legislatively, Larry was always a key player because he could influence some legislators to support the optometry cause.”

Dr. Ragone was the founder and director of the Camden Optometric Center and a consultant to the Camden Public School system as well as coordinator of eye screening services for the Camden County Department of Health. He served as president of the New Jersey Academy of Optometry, president of PCO’s Alumni Association from 1999-2001, and was a member of PCO’s Board of Trustees.

Anthony Di Stefano, OD ’73, MPH, MEd,

FAAO, and vice president of Academic Affairs from 1989 to 2014 at PCO/Salus, said Dr. Ragone had a deep and instinctive public health philosophy that permeated each of his community activities.

“He not only understood the barriers that urban underserved populations faced but he took historic steps to address them in Camden,” said Dr. Di Stefano. “For example, he created a Mobile Vision Clinic that visited Hispanic and African churches and other community service organizations to bring screening services and comprehensive eye examinations to neighborhood residents.”

Dr. Ragone served on the New Jersey Board of Optometric Examiners and worked extensively within the Lions organization. He joined the International Association of Lions Clubs and served 65 years in that organization, was a past district governor and past council chairman. He received the Albert Fitch Memorial Alumnus of the Year Award from PCO in 1991.

Dr. Di Stefano underscored Dr. Ragone’s contribution to the establishment and growth of PCO’s externship program.

“When PCO received federal funding in 1976 to establish optometry’s first and largest externship program, Dr. Ragone was there to welcome PCO students for a unique clinical experience and the Camden Optometric Center,” said Dr. Di Stefano. “Students gained not only a rich variety of clinical experiences, but also a deep understanding of the disparities that exist in access to vision and eye care in urban centers.”

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Marie (DeMarco) Ragone; a sister and brother. Survivors: son, Lawrence A. Ragone Jr. of Cherry Hill; daughter, Mary Ann Ragone, MAS, MPH ’13, of Medford Lakes, New Jersey; and three grandchildren.