In Memoriam

1946 Carl J. Austrian Jr. died June 27 in New York City. A clinical psychologist, he graduated from The Hill School and Williams College and did postgraduate study at Columbia University Teachers College. He served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was predeceased by his son and survived by his wife, Jane, a stepdaughter, two stepgrandchildren, a brother, two nieces, a great-niece and a great-nephew.

1949 Charles Templeton Kellogg died Nov. 20. He was born and lived in Waterbury, Conn., his whole life. He was the grandson of former Connecticut Gov. Charles A. Templeton. Chuck attended Waterbury public schools before Westminster and graduated from Princeton University in 1953, where he participated in ROTC. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany as an officer during the Korean War. After earning his MBA from Columbia University, Chuck joined Hubbard-Hall as a fifth generation family member of the chemical distribution company. His leadership roles included president, CEO, treasurer, and for the last five years, as chairman and chief financial officer.

Chuck was dedicated to charitable activities and public service. He served on the Governor’s Task Force on Brownfields and on numerous boards of directors, including as chair. He was most proud of his participation in the Waterbury Oversight Board in the 2000s, where he helped lead the nearly bankrupt city out of receivership and into years of surplus budgets. He won many awards for his volunteer service and business expertise.

Chuck competed in 10 marathons and played golf into his 80s. He and his family traveled extensively, including many bike trips throughout the world. Summers were spent in Rhode Island.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Martha; four children; seven grandchildren, including Oliver Frantzis ’22; his sister; his brother, Peter Kellogg ’59; many nieces and nephews, including Lt. Col. Hunter Kellogg ’86; and great-nephews Duncan Kellogg ’15 and Andrew Skipp ’07.

1955 David Arthur Werblow died Feb. 20 and leaves behind his wife, Virginia, two sons, three grandchildren, three stepchildren, six stepgrandchildren and his former wife. After spending his formative years on a farm in Shaftsbury, Vt., he graduated from Westminster, NYU and Columbia University. He first taught in Australia and then spent multiple years teaching in the Connecticut Community College system, first at Norwalk Community College and then at Middlesex Community College. He built sailboats, restored cars and was a two-term president of the Connecticut MG Club. He traveled extensively into his 80s.

1956 Henry Ingersoll Brown III died Nov. 21. Born in Philadelphia, Jerry attended Chestnut Hill Academy until his family moved to Wilmington, Del., where he attended Tower Hill School until ninth grade. After attending and graduating from Westminster School, he earned a B.A. at Williams College and an M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture. He spent his entire working career as an architect at Anderson, Brown, Higley and Associates in Wilmington. Jerry spent almost every summer in Greensboro, Vt., fishing and enjoying the beauty of the Northeast Kingdom. He married Caroline “Cookie” Schutt, his high school sweetheart, in 1961. The two were soul mates until Cookie predeceased Jerry in 2010. He leaves behind three children, four grandchildren and two sisters.

James Stuart Reyburn died Dec. 3. Following Westminster, he earned an Associate of Arts degree from Mitchell College and a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut. He started his career as a reporter for the Norwich Bulletin and then worked at Shell Oil, where he produced employee and marketing magazines. He also served as editor at Croft Educational Services and then at the National School Board Association, Board Policy Division. In 1976, Jim joined General Dynamics Electric Boat as a news information specialist in the public affairs department. After 14 years at Electric Boat, he pursued freelance writing with his work appearing in numerous publications. He also wrote two books.

Jim served as a crewmember aboard the former Camelot Cruises on the Connecticut River and, later, with a business partner, founded Thames River Cruises. Subsequently, Jim joined Fox Navigation and crewed on the Fishers Island Ferry. He also operated a tour boat on the Mystic River for a year. A United States Coast Guard veteran, he held a 100-ton Coast Guard master’s license for 20 years. He was a member and board member of numerous organizations, sang for 25 years with the New London chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America and acted in community theater productions.

Jim is survived by two daughters, four grandchildren, two sisters, two brothers, his former wife, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Maury Reyburn ’32, and his uncle Lt. Col. John Reyburn ’31.

Dick Clement shared: “My fondest memory of him is acting in the play “My Three Angels,” in which he and I were two of them, actually convicts, along with Frank Sands. He and I shared the vote for best actor in the class poll. We were also in the Harmonaires, singing barbershop sometimes at a local hostelry for a free dinner.”

Frank Sands writes: “Jim was a valued classmate. He had a great sense of humor, was an actor, and we had fun in the 1954-1956 years at Westminster.”

1963 Rick Cooper died during the summer. The Bulletin has no additional information.

1965 Timothy Jackson, a lifelong resident of Dedham, Mass., died Nov. 18. Born in Boston, he attended Dedham Country Day School and the Fay School before Westminster. An accomplished ice hockey player, he graduated from Hamline University. He spent more than 40 years working at Dedham Country Day School, coached youth ice hockey, served on the board of the Dedham Community House and was an active town meeting member.

Tim started at Dedham Country Day as a teacher, and during his career, served as the head of the upper school and business manager. His time at the school culminated with the redesign of the schoolhouse before his retirement in December 2015 and the business office being named after him to honor his four decades of service to the school.

Tim enjoyed spending time with his seven grandchildren, sailing his boat on Buzzards Bay, and perfecting his woodworking craft in the shop he designed and built on Tobey Island.

He leaves behind his wife, Susan, two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren and his sister. He was predeceased by his brothers, former faculty member Mike Jackson ’49 and John Jackson ’55. He also leaves behind nephews Mike Jackson ’75, John Jackson ’78 and Tim Jackson ’82, as well as grandnephews Nat Jackson ’04 and

Sam Jackson ’08.

1966 Huston Huffman Jr. died Dec. 11. He was a resident of Oklahoma City since 1949. Until his retirement in 2019, he was a partner in H. Huffman & Co., an independent oil and gas firm, which he had managed since 1977. Before joining the company, he had a successful career with First National Bank & Trust Company of Oklahoma City. After Westminster he attended the University of Oklahoma.

Huey was an active civic leader and volunteer, having served on a number of local boards, commissions and committees. He was also a member of numerous professional, trade and civic organizations.

In his younger years, he was an avid offshore sailor, competing in numerous long-distance races in the North Atlantic. He enjoyed competitive croquet, competing nationally; golf; visiting his children and grandchildren; and many summers vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lexy, three daughters, eight grandchildren, a sister, two brothers, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Glenn Craft writes, “I only have positive memories of Huey, one of those rare and gentle souls who always put a smile on everyone, including the faces of those he met.”

Reginald Morgan shared: “Huey was a solid soul and had a great sense of humor. I will miss him at our reunions.”

William Holbrook writes: “We are lucky to have had this good man in our lives. Carpe Diem, my friends.”

Greg Islan shared: “Huey had a special place in my heart as I learned a lot from having him live next door to me Fourth Form year. It is very sad to lose him.”

Robert Hawes writes: “One of the original gang of 14 eighth grade rebel scholars. So many fond memories both during school and summers. I laughed in his presence.”

Richard Stewart writes: “He was a notable character in our class. He lived on the long corridor in Memorial House junior year. You always got to laugh when you ran into Huey.”

Jody Vaill writes: “How very sad. A friend, father, classmate, son, husband, boss, dad, neighbor, leader, granddad, patron, client, uncle, mentor, brother. A good guy. A fun guy. A kind guy. A smart guy. A serious guy. A caring guy. A giving guy. No more important than any of our other Westminster brothers. But a special guy, nonetheless. Lost before we could once again say ‘Hey!’ or catch that twinkle in his eyes. Always that twinkle.”

1969 Christopher Hale Porter died Jan. 7. He attended Mooreland Hill School before Westminster and received his bachelor’s degree from Kent State University. He then graduated from The New England Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, receiving his degree in mortuary science.

Chris became the fifth generation in his family to own and operate Porter’s Funeral Service Inc. He took great pride in the service he provided to families over the years in their most dire time of need. His commitment to the military and veterans was deep-rooted. He donated many electronic bugles so that “Taps” would be played for veterans’ burials across the area. He was honored with The Distinguished Citizen Award by the Marine Corps League and the Legion of Honor Award by The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation.

Chris was active in numerous organizations and donated countless funds to area charities and youth organizations. He loved playing Uno with his family, traveling, swimming, sailing, golfing and, above all else, spending time with his wife. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, four children, four grandchildren, a brother, a sister, and several nieces and nephews.

Dirk Dreux writes: “And de fideli is pretty much how I remember Chris. .... He was a true, Land of Steady Habits, what you see is what you get, Connecticut Yankee. Plainspoken. Straight, no chaser.

All fact, no brag. A Christian gentleman. Think Squire Weston, yet more approachable and with a better sense of humor.”

1970 Will Luckey died Aug. 17 on Martha’s Vineyard. He was known on the island as a piano, guitar and voice teacher for students of all ages, but he had a particular gift for bringing out music in young people. Will moved to the Vineyard in 1963, and attended the West Tisbury and Vineyard Haven schools before Westminster.

He went to Colorado College, but gave up school to help form the band Magic Music, which developed an enthusiastic following with University of Colorado students in Boulder. The band lived in school buses in the canyons of Colorado and was asked to open for and tour with Cat Stevens, but they were told after playing their first set that they were fired because “they were too good.” Will spent several years touring with the band and then returned to Martha’s Vineyard where he performed in another band and worked as a roofer. After an accident, he thought he could not play guitar again and pursued a degree in music from Berklee College of Music, specializing in piano, which, in turn, launched his career in teaching. Years later, Lee Aronsohn, the co-creator of “Two and a Half Men,” produced a documentary of the Magic Music band, its music, and its amazing journey called “Forty Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie.” The band reformed again 45 years later and released an album.

Will is survived by his wife, Diane, his sister, three children and two grandchildren.

1971 Duncan John Draper died Nov. 27 in Nova Scotia. His unusual ability to fix anything was the impulse behind a life of constant involvement in homebuilding, cars, antique furniture and all things mechanical. Duncan was raised primarily in Fairfield, Conn., and Marblehead, Mass., with several years of childhood spent living abroad in London, Brazil and Taiwan. When Duncan grew into the American countercultural and political movements of the 1960s, he did so with a deeply humanistic and borderless perspective. He carried this through a life of social justice advocacy.

For many, Duncan’s truest expression came through music. He was a talented multi-instrumentalist from a young age, beginning with boogie-woogie piano as a child and continuing at Berklee College of Music. For many years, he worked as a musical accompanist for modern dance companies and schools and taught music in a variety of settings. Duncan was more than a resident, but an invested contributor to the culture, community and causes of the San Geronimo Valley and wider Marin County, Calif.; Marblehead, Mass.; Belfast, Maine; and his final home, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. He is survived by his wife, Naomi, two sons, two sisters and a brother.

Richard Pepe died Jan. 25. Following Westminster, he graduated from the University of Miami and Hospital of Saint Raphael’s School of Nurse Anesthesia. He practiced the art of anesthesia with an exceptional skill that was highly praised by his peers in the profession. Besides his love of family, he was passionate about his dogs, music, history, classic film, the Miami Hurricanes, art, literature, “Doctor Who,” and anything involving electronics and computers. He was an accomplished amateur videographer and music editor. He leaves behind his wife, Patricia, a daughter, three brothers, several nieces and nephews, and many cousins, including John Golia ’68 and

Robert Golia ’72.

Bill Bartholomay shared: “While my class at Westminster was small, and we crossed paths daily, I was not that close to Rik. I do remember, however, that we shared an English class together taught by Mr. Burdett, and that one of the segments focused on ‘Macbeth.’ We were tasked with memorizing and presenting the soliloquy beginning with ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me...’ Being an absolute ‘nimnal’ when it comes to anything Shakespeare, I remember trying to hide under my desk to avoid being called upon. It is one thing to know the words; it is another to understand them. To my relief, only two classmates were selected to present: Jack Stull and Rik. Jack was a good old southern boy, and his interpretive presentation would have won an award at any NASCAR rally. Rik, on the other hand, got it and delivered the lines as they were meant to be heard. To paraphrase something I heard long ago: Any musician can play the notes, but the gift is in interpreting them. I think that it speaks to Rik’s insight and being able to see and express things, as others did not.”

1979 Preston P. Test died Feb. 9. He attended Chestnut Hill Academy before Westminster and then the University of Delaware. While at Westminster, he excelled at swimming and set the school’s 50-yard swimming record that still stands to this day. In recognition for the longevity of his accomplishment and to honor his legacy of his unwavering commitment to the school’s swimming and diving program, Westminster recently created the Preston P. “Pete” Test ’79 Swimming Award to recognize the most valuable swimmer and diver for boys. Pete continued swimming in college and for years in the Masters Program.

While at college, Pete took flying lessons at Wings Field and was hooked. His career began as a traffic reporter in the early days of Shadow Traffic in the Philadelphia market. He moved on to be a pilot for Ransom Airlines, Pan Am Express, US Airways and, ultimately,

advanced to the rank of captain at American Airlines, flying domestic and international routes.

Pete was happiest when home with his family. He leaves behind his wife, Kim, a daughter, a son, a sister, three brothers, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dave Maclean writes: “I will always remember Pete as the keeper on our great ’78 soccer team. That team was loaded with scoring talent including Mats Alba,

Art Dague, Tim French ’80, Dan Bates

’80 and many others I can’t remember. I played defense and our job was to hold it together while the offense sliced and diced; we were a good team, maybe not Westminster’s best, but a good team. I remember Pete’s encouragement and steadiness behind me when we were struggling to fend off enemy attacks. I remember taking a collective deep breath with him when the ball went over the line for a goal kick or a corner kick. I did not know Pete well, but I remember him as always kind and always smiling. He was very good teammate, and I bet he was well loved during his life cut too short. There is a picture of Pete in the ’79 yearbook laid out horizontal stopping a shot. No offense to the swimmers, but that is how I will remember him.”

1988 John R. Bryan of Redondo Beach, Calif., died Dec. 20. Born and raised in New York City, he attended the Buckley School before Westminster. After a distinguished high school career, he followed in his mother’s footsteps at Vanderbilt University, earning a B.E. in mechanical engineering. At Vanderbilt, John served as an officer of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, discovered his passion for lacrosse and found the love of his life, Fiona. He went on to earn an MBA from the University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business.

John was a passionate, inventive and visionary leader in smart grid technology, renewable energy and energy storage, working for XCel Energy, CODA Energy Storage Systems and, most recently, as vice president of commercial applications at EPC Power. He was deeply committed to innovating new business models for clean technology, improving processes and efficiency and advocating for policy changes to create a sustainable, clean energy future for his children and the planet. His raw intelligence, drive and selfconfidence were balanced by his humility, integrity and brilliant sense of humor.

John is survived by his wife, Fiona, three children, his brother and his mother.

James Smith writes: “John was my first Westminster roommate. I was a newbie from way up in the Canadian backwater, and I’d never lived with anyone other than my family. I remember being pretty uncertain and off-balance those first days. John was a steady, normalizing influence. He knew the ropes and was a dedicated student. He gave me license to be just a little louder than him (which was my nature), but also inspired me to be as equally dedicated. We played JV football together that fall, and he was our best player. He played varsity the next year. Plus, he had a Macintosh. This was 1986, and I’d never even seen one before, so that was pretty cool. We drifted to our own social sets as you do in high school, but I am thankful for those first few months. I thought I was pretty much the funniest person ever, but he always found a way to put me in my place. His dry wit flashed up at the strangest times, over lunch or a walk to class, and I probably appreciated him most at those times, even if it meant I was getting the raw side of a gentle insult.”

Doug McLearn shared: “The first thing that I remembered about John was a time senior year when he was standing in the first floor hallway of Memorial dormitory. He had a huge smile on his face. I don’t remember the reason or the exact circumstances, but I remember him well and that smile seemed to personify him while we knew him at Westminster.”

1991 Ginna Foster Cannon died Dec. 7. She grew up in New York City, attending The Chapin School before Westminster. She received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She worked in the publishing industry before taking a cross-country road trip in search of a new place to live, discovering Nashville and moving there in 2006. She continued her education and received a Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences from Vanderbilt and a Ph.D. in historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. She was the director of cultural heritage and tourism for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of the Rutherford Arts Alliance. She leaves behind her husband, Mark, a daughter, a stepdaughter, parents, stepparents, sister Laing Foster Rikkers ’88, and several nephews, nieces, cousins, uncles and aunts.

Mary Peck ’90 shared, “When you spent time with Ginna, inevitably you laughed a lot, shared big ideas, talked about books and pop culture gossip, and left feeling very lucky to have such a special friend in your life.”

Jen Bihldorff ’90 remembered that Ginna “was an amazing blend of intellectual fire, artistic passion and kindheartedness. It was inspiring to watch from afar as she put those things into practice in her life. This is such sad news; it’s impossible to process.”

Former Faculty and Staff

Richard Bergen died April 9 in Hartford. A graduate of Kingswood School in West Hartford and of Denison University, he began his career as a volunteer for VISTA, where he worked with the Chippewa Tribe to found several communitybuilding initiatives in northern Minnesota. He then became a science teacher, sharing his love for nature and all things living with his students, before becoming an exceptional photographer, first for the Hartford Courant and thereafter started his own firm. He taught photography at Westminster for a number of years,

and for decades, he photographed Westminster events and members of the school community for the Westminster Bulletin and other school print and online communications.

Both in and out of work, Richard never did things halfway: He became a master woodworker and spent countless hours both building fine furniture and offering guidance to anyone who asked; he built and maintained a professionalquality koi pond in his backyard; and he loved riding his motorcycle through the winding roads of rural New England. He adored his many summers spent on Squam Lake in New Hampshire with his family, reveled coaching his sons’ lacrosse teams and sharing his many passions with them, and had a limitless supply of empathy and generosity for everyone he met. He overcame many challenges with both grit and grace and was deeply appreciative of his family and many friends who loved and supported him throughout his illness.

Richard was the father of two sons, Connor of Evanston, Ill., and Leland of Boston, Mass. He cherished their mother, Eileen Flaherty of Bloomfield, Conn. Richard was predeceased by his parents, and by his brother Gordon. In addition to Connor, Leland and Eileen, Richard leaves his brother and his wife, Hunt and Jane Bergen, and his sister and her husband, Elizabeth and Jeff Von Kohorn.

Faculty member Jane Toner writes: “I have had the pleasure of knowing Richard for over 20 years, as we worked together often at Westminster and beyond while sharing a common passion for the art of photography. His professional photographic work was unsurpassed in the region. He had a diverse playbook, specializing in many aspects of commercial, event and marketing work. I truly admired his creativity, attention to detail, knowledge of his craft and adaptability to the ever-changing technology that was so inherent in contemporary professional photography. More importantly, he was a compassionate friend and selfless mentor and often a voice of reason when life became challenging. I will miss his warm, welcoming presence, felt by all, on his many visits to Westminster’s campus. Whether it was photographing a dance performance, a musical, candid scenes for our marketing materials, Grandparents Day, graduation events or proctoring endless AP exams, he loved his time at Westminster. It surely was where he felt comfortable and connected. Many of us at Westminster will miss his inclusive presence, his exceptional work and, most of all, his wonderful sense of humor!”

Faculty member Darlene Skeels writes: “I enjoyed working with Richard on photo shoots for the Westminster Bulletin and other Westminster communications needs for 13 years. He took the necessary time to make everyone he was photographing feel comfortable and to capture wonderful images. His photographs helped bring stories to life. I am especially grateful for his friendship. As Richard faced his illness with optimism and courage, he expressed appreciation for the many relationships he formed with members of the Westminster community over the years. He will be greatly missed.”

A member of the Westminster faculty from 1961-1967, Richard Thomas Flood Jr. died Oct. 30. He was a graduate of Noble and Greenough School and Williams College. Known to everyone as ‘Floodo,” he was an icon in the independent school world, especially in New England. After serving on the faculty at Pomfret School and Charterhouse School in England where he was a Fulbright Scholar, he served as college counselor, varsity hockey coach, French teacher and baseball coach at Westminster. Following Westminster, he returned to his alma mater, Noble and Greenough, and concluded an impressive service to schools as headmaster at Salisbury School.

After retiring from Salisbury School, Floodo created Dick Flood Education Services, inspiring young educators to find jobs in independent schools. Floodo was a Hall of Fame hockey coach who led Nobles across three decades. He founded the Summer Europa Cup, which graduated dozens of NHL and Olympic stars. Westminster’s First Boys’ Hockey team continues to compete in the annual holiday Flood-Marr Hockey Tournament in Massachusetts.

He is survived by his three children, including former faculty member Katherine “Kassy” Brewer Fritz; seven grandchildren; and his brother. He was predeceased by his wife, Sally.

Priscilla Nye MacMullen, who died March 21, 2019, graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy. A National Merit Scholarship recipient and winner of the Cox Medal, she won varsity letters in three sports. Polly attended Yale University, where she majored in French and later earned a master’s degree at Middlebury College. She was an extraordinarily committed French teacher who taught for four years at Westminster and then returned to her alma mater, where she devoted her life to teaching, advising and mentoring students. She was involved in countless ways outside the classroom as a dorm head, coach of girls’ lacrosse, a part-time college counselor, and a member of the admissions and discipline committees. In 1999, she was awarded with the Rupert Radford ’55 Faculty Fellowship award. Polly leaves behind her mother, father, stepmother, two brothers, a sister, and six nieces and nephews.

Mary Ellen McDonald died Oct. 25. She attended St. John’s University, where she met her husband, Tom, to whom she was married for 59 years. During her career, Mary was a teacher in New York City, the assistant to former Westminster School Headmaster Don Werner and the executive assistant to the CEO of Executive Risk. Mary loved her time at Westminster, where she made lifelong friends and had great admiration for the faculty and staff. Upon retirement, Mary and Tom moved to North Hutchinson Island, Fla., followed by Bluffton, S.C. Besides her husband, Mary leaves behind four children, including Katherine McDonald Finn ’88, and four grandchildren.