Taps Charles H. Beckham ’43 Charles Hard “Chuck” Beckham ’43 of Fulshear, Texas, died Nov. 22, 2021. He was 100. He matriculated from Lakeland, Florida, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He is survived by his children, Charles Richard Beckham and Susan Beckham Herring; grandchildren, Kristen Beckham Fourie, Eric Beckham, Carrie Beckham, Brooke Kenjura, and Kristine Feagan; and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Clinard Beckham.
Floyd D. Gottwald ’43 Floyd Dewey “Bill” Gottwald Jr. ’43 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 27, 2022. He was 99. He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He received a Master of Science degree from the University of Richmond. (Editor’s Note: An extended obituary for Gottwald appears in the In Memory section of this issue.)
John T. Boyd ’48B Hon. John Thomas Boyd ’48B of Amarillo, Texas, died Nov. 23, 2021. He was 94. He matriculated from Plainview, Texas, and spent one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor degree from Baylor University. He earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Lamb Boyd; children, John Thomas Boyd Jr. (Laura) and Rebecca Boyd Bailey (Wes); grandchildren, Boyd Murphy Bailey, Hillary Anne Boyd, Erin Bailey Simpson (Sam), Megan Boyd Rayburn (Brian), Kate Bailey McCunniff (Bill), and Clarissa Emily Boyd; and great-grandchildren, Juliet, Johnny, and Bridget Simpson, Wesley, Bailey, and Molly Kate McCunniff, and Pax and Macrina Rayburn.
Charles E. Hartman II ’48B Charles Edward “Ed” Hartman II ’48B of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died Jan. 15, 2022. He was 95. He matriculated from Baltimore, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Harvard University. He is survived by his wife, Deb; children, Debbie Gosselin, Carolyn Sutch, and Ed
2022-Issue 2
Hartman III; six grandchildren; and seven greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Catherine Marie.
Simon W. Nelms ’49B Simon Whitaker “Si” Nelms ’49B of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec.13, 2021. He was 93. He matriculated from Newport News, Virginia, and spent less than one month at VMI. He is survived by his daughter, Ann Cary Carr (Nevin); son, James Whitaker Nelms (Marissa); grandchildren, Nevin Palmer Carr III (Maddie), James Nelms Carr, Adam Judson Carr (Miranda), Elizabeth Cary Carr (Phillip Owsley), Nicholas James Nelms, Russell Whitaker Nelms, and Margaret Rose Nelms; five great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, John Young Faulconer and Monroe (Rody) Nash; and sister-in-law, Janet Faulconer. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret “Peggy” Faulconer Nelms, and sister, Elsie “Sis” Nelms Nash.
Harry P. Smith Jr. ’49B Harry Pelham Smith Jr. ’49B, D.D.S., of Cobbs Creek, Virginia, died May 25, 2021. He was 92. He matriculated from Newport News, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, Sophia B. Smith; children, Caroline S. Parker (Brian) and Harry P. Smith III (Valeria); grandchildren, Jason Parker (Ashley) and Jonathan Parker (Jennifer); six great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Evelyn B. Kadlub.
Ralston L. Brooke ’50B Ralston Lewis “R.B.” Brooke ’50B of Richmond, Virginia, died Dec. 9. He was 94. He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He is survived by his son, Robert Lawrence Brooke (Lynn); granddaughters, Anne Ralston Burris Brooke, Elizabeth Brooke Hester (Clay), and Caroline Brooke Englert (Alexander); great-grandson, Charles Lawrence Englert; sister, Catherine Brooke Buckingham; and brother, Francis Doswell Brooke (Judith). He was preceded in death by his wife, Beverley Bowles Brooke, and brother, Richard Brooke Jr.
Carl L. Galliher Jr. ’50B Carl Livingston Galliher Jr. ’50B of Bristol, Tennessee, died Oct. 27, 2021. He was 93. He matriculated from Bristol and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Marian Galliher; daughters, Kay Galliher and Louise McCall; son, Lee Galliher (Betsy); grandchildren, Katie Church (Chris), Chase McCall, Sarah Newton (Chris), Pearce Galliher, and Duane Fernades (Hillary); and great-grandchild, Evelyn Fernades. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sabelle Powers.
Thomas R. Handy ’50B Retired U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Thomas Reed Handy ’50B of Richmond, Virginia, died Nov. 23, 2021. He was 93. He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth Handy Forrest (Steven), Thomas Reed Handy Jr. ’79 (Georgia), Sally Garland Handy Schmidt (Gray), and Mary Charles Handy Eckloff, and grandchildren, MacRae Forrest, Sara Forrest, Jessica Holland, Annalee Handy, Sally Rutherfoord Handy, Everett Eckloff, Paige Eckloff, and Mitchell Eckloff. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Clay Handy.
Joseph B. Kohen Jr. ’50B Joseph Bud Kohen Jr. ’50B, M.D., of Walnut Creek, California, died Oct. 22, 2021. He was 92. He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medical from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Curry; children, Douglas Kohen and Susan Decker; grandchildren, Kyle Decker, Jamie Decker, Evan Kohen, and Andi Kohen-Flores; great-grandson, Ryder Kohen; and sister, Norma Friedman. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margot Bernstein.
James D. Jones ’50B James David Jones ’50B, M.D., of Raleigh, North Carolina, died Nov. 9, 2021. He was 92. He matriculated from Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medical from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University. He is survived by his wife, Lucile Best Jones;
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