In Memory

FORMER TRUSTEES Francis Power “Peter” Parker Jr. passed away due to natural causes after a long illness in early July 2019 in Wilmington, Delaware, at the age of 79. With an abundance of love and joy Peter will be remembered by his daughter, Gray Parker, and son-in-law, Mark Hodgson, of Tega Cay, SC; son, Geoff Parker ’91, of Tampa, FL; sister, Valeria Parker Storms, and brother-in-law, Clifford Beekman Storms, of Stamford, CT; and sister, Patricia Parker Ferebee, and brother-in-law, John Jethro Ferebee, Sr., of Rocky Mount, NC. Peter was also adored by his two grandchildren, Leyton and Sebastian Parker. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Robin Hickman Parker. Peter was subsequently married to Catherine Bruni Parker from 1994-2007.

Born in 1940 in Atlanta, GA, to Francis Power Parker Sr. and Winifred Orr Parker, Peter graduated from The Westminster School in Atlanta with high academic and athletic honors in 1958. At Vanderbilt University he majored in English, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa, was president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and graduated in 1962. He attended medical school at The University of Virginia, where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and was President of his class. Upon graduating in 1966, he interned at New York Hospital (Cornell), served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, and then returned to Charlottesville where he completed his pathology residency and was a faculty member of the Department of Pathology at The University of Virginia.

Peter had a lengthy and distinguished career as a pathologist at Christiana Care in Delaware, where he became chairman of the department. He was a member of the American Society for Clinical Pathologists, the College of American Pathologists, and the Delaware Clinical and Laboratory Physicians. Further, he served as a Director on the UVA Medical Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, as well as a Trustee on the Medical School Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Dr. James Francis Fess Reamer passed away on Saturday, August 3, 2019, at age 83. Jim was born on December 12, 1935 in Baltimore, Maryland to Francis Fess Reamer and Edith LaRue (née Unger) Reamer of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and his Doctor of Medicine from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia. He practiced Pathology at the now closed Wilmington Medical Center and then at Christiana Hospital, both in Wilmington, Delaware. Jim was predeceased by his first wife of 32 years, Arleyne Terry Reamer (née van Gampler) and his sister, Nancy Jane Walker, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his second wife, Michele Sullivan of Kendal, Kennett Square, and his three sons and their families, James Reamer, Jr. ’80 and his wife Karen Coleman, of Ashland, Massachusetts, Hudson Reamer ’82, of Indianapolis, Indiana and Jordan Reamer ’85, of Claremont, California. Jim has three grandchildren, Lindsay, Hudson, Jr. and Garrett.

FORMER FACULTY & STAFF Nancy Fitts Donaldson, 93, of Newtown Square, a longtime Quaker school educator and the mother of Inquirer cartoonist Signe Wilkinson, died in her sleep Thursday, September 26, at White Horse Village. Nancy attended Media-Providence Friends School and graduated from Swarthmore College, where she was known as “Fittsy.” She married Peter B. Wilkinson in the late 1940s and lived in Texas, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh, before settling in Paoli to raise three children. When her children were old enough to attend school, Nancy earned a teaching certificate in education from West Chester University, and began her career as a fourthgrade teacher at Paoli Pike Elementary School in West Chester. She then came to WFS and continued teaching until 1971, when she became the head of Lansdowne Friends School. She was then named lower school principal first at Abington Friends School and then at the Shipley School. She later supervised student teachers for Swarthmore College. Nancy retired in 1990 and served on the board of directors for Friends’ Central School and Media-Providence Friends School. She was the first clerk for the board of Stratford Friends School in Newtown Square, tutored pupils in the city of Chester, and supported the Chester Children’s Choir. In 1984, Nancy married Orlin Willits Donaldson who sadly passed away in 2008 after 24 years of marriage. She is survived by daughter Signe Wilkinson and sons Gregg Wilkinson ’70 and Geoff Wilkinson ’74; stepchildren Storm Snaith and Kyle Donaldson; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Ellen Fitts Millick (WFS parent of alum and former trustee & faculty). Her first husband died in 1983.

1937 Jane Hayden Frelick ’37, age 99, wife of the late Robert Frelick, M.D., died on September 4, 2019 at the Lorelton in Wilmington. Jane Owen Hayden was the daughter of Oliver and Dorothy Hayden of Wilmington. After graduating from Friends School, Jane earned a BA from Oberlin College, Ohio, and a Masters in Nursing from Yale University. She joined her husband and worked as a civilian nurse with the occupation forces in Germany in 1946- 47. Subsequently, they established a medical practice from their home office on Murphy Road, serving the community for 30 years. They moved to her parents’ home in Westover Hills in 1976. Jane’s home was a welcoming sanctuary to itinerant opera singers, exchange students, refugees, far-flung family and friends. She campaigned to educate children against smoking, to stop gun violence, to promote fluoridated water and safe and legal abortions. She tutored at the Baylor Women’s Correction Facility and the Ferris School, served on the board of the Delaware Center for Justice, and was active in the PTA, the League of Women Voters, Opera Delaware, and PFLAG. She was a lifelong member of The Brandywiners and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek. Jane is survived by five children: Sally O’Byrne (Terry O’Byrne) and Scott Frelick of Wilmington; Susan Goekler (Mac Goekler) of Rehoboth; Alcy Frelick (Bill Martin) of McLean,

VA; and Bill Frelick (Helen Lann) of Columbia, MD. Also surviving are nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

1941 Nancy Jessup Edgar Wells ’41, age 96, of Kennett Square died at Crosslands on October 22, 2019. She was born in Wilmington, Delaware. Nancy graduated from Wilmington Friends School in 1941. There she fell in love with John Mendinhall ’39, who shared her passion for horses, tennis, and flying. Mendinhall, a Marine Corps pilot, was killed in action in Okinawa in 1945; he was 24. After attending Mills College for a year, Nancy earned her private pilot’s license at the Embry Riddle School of Aviation and served in the U.S. Navy WAVES from 1944 to 1946. In 1948 she married James Milne, also a Navy veteran, but they were divorced a few years later. On her own with a young son, she worked at the Delaware Heart Association until retiring when she married W. Coleman Edgar in 1955. During the 1960s, Nancy and Coleman and their children lived in San Francisco, The Hague, and Brussels, before returning to the Wilmington area, where they lived until Coleman’s death in 1988. Always active in community affairs, Nancy served as president of the Junior League of Wilmington, chairman of the Wilmington Flower Market, chairman of the board of the Arthritis Foundation and a trustee of the Delaware Art Museum. She sat on the boards of the Wilmington World Affairs Council, the Grand Opera House, and the National Defense University Foundation in Washington, DC. She was a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames. In 1990 she was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be a charter member of the Kennedy Center’s National Committee for the Performing Arts. She was married to A. Judson Wells, Jr. from 1994 until his death in 2008. Nancy will be missed by her many friends and family members. She is survived by her children, Michael S. Edgar and Kate Edgar (their brother Sam Edgar died in 2010), her sons-inlaw, Gary Vogt and Allen Furbeck, and her grandson Kai Furbeck, as well as her step-children: Anne Harms, Lucy Hausner, Harriet Shaw, David Wells, Jack Wells, and Jane Wells, and their families.

1946 Elizabeth “Betty” Rheuby Gillespie ’46 died peacefully at home in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 22, 2019. Born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1928 to William and Eleanore Rheuby, she was a graduate of Wilmington Friends School where she was a head cheerleader, played field hockey, a member of several clubs and was fondly know as “Rube”. She went on to graduate from Centenary University. Her father introduced her to trapshooting at an early age, and it quickly became her favorite sport. At age 21, she became the Delaware state trapshooting champion, earning the nickname of “Wilmington’s own Annie Oakley”. She married Larry Gillespie in 1951, and they started their family in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Between stints in Wilmington, moves with E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company took them to Birmingham, Michigan and La Canada, California. Ultimately it was their love for Wilmington that brought them back. An unselfish and giving mother and GiGi, Betty was most proud of her children and grandchildren. Forever active, she loved to play golf and tennis with friends at Wilmington Country Club. Betty was the devoted wife to her husband Larry, the beloved mother of Larry Gillespie (Shannon) of Charleston, South Carolina, Ellie Elmore (Bill) of Charlotte, North Carolina and Andy Gillespie of Mission Viejo, California, and the adored GiGi of Drew Gillespie of Brooklyn, New York, Grant Gillespie of New York, New York, Blair Gillespie of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Craig Elmore of Charlotte, North Carolina and Jack Elmore (Caiti) of Atlanta, Georgia.

1949 Marcia Staats Lusardi ’49, 82, beloved mother, “Nana” and friend, entered into her eternal life Sunday, April 27, 2014 at her home after succumbing to end stage COPD. Marcy defied all odds with her illness for 8 great years and continued to amaze medical staff with her strength and resilience. Born July 21, 1931 in Wilmington, DE, she was a daughter of the late Ralph and Ethel (Lynch) Staats. Her husband James P. Lusardi died in 2002. Marcy grew up in Wilmington, DE and attended Wilmington Friends School, Lasell Junior College, MA and Thompson’s Private Business School, Wilmington. In 1953, Marcy married James P. Lusardi. The majority of the next forty years were committed to her husband and his career as a professor of English Literature. In 1967 they moved permanently to Easton and Lafayette College. Marcy’s executive secretary training served her well over the years working as a secretary, and volunteering for various organizations. An advocate for women’s rights, she became involved with Planned Parenthood of Easton in 1970. In 1972 she became the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood of Northampton County and held the position until she retired in 1983. She was active in the League of Women Voters not only of Easton but for the state and country as well. She remained active until her illness caused her to resign. Marcy had a great love of animals. She was an advocate and supporter for numerous animal protection organizations including ASPCA, Humane Society, World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club, and Tiger Creek. She is survived by her two daughters, C. Lynn Williams (Park) and Jill Marie Hahn (Jeffrey); grandchildren, Sarah, Tyler (Karissa), Carly and Kate; two greatgrandchildren, Idalynn and Marcus; brother-in-law Henry Truax; nephew Michael Truax and his son Aiden; and her cousin Jimmy Lewis. She was predeceased by her husband Jimmy and her sister Carol Staats Truax ’52.

Loretta Mearns Setter ’49, age 88, passed away at Stonegates Retirement Community on October 2, 2019. Loretta (aka Mimi to her family) was born in Wilmington, Delaware and attended Wilmington Friends School from K thru 12th grade. Upon graduation, Loretta proudly received the John Marshall Mendinhall II Memorial Award which is awarded to the WFS senior considered to have done the most for Friends School. In 1949, she headed to Colby College in Waterville, Maine to study chemistry and was an active member of Chi Omega Sorority. Upon graduation she moved back to Wilmington and became certified by the

American Society of Clinical Pathologists as a Medical Technologist and started her long career in this field. In 1969, she married Claude Setter and for the next 19 years worked for the DuPont Company at Chestnut Run in the Health Services Department. Loretta was also an artist, having studied painting with William Schoonover. The couple were active parishioners at St. Joseph’s on the Brandywine. Upon retirement, Loretta and Claude moved to Rancho Bernardo in San Diego, California. Loretta loved Rancho Bernardo and became a very active community member, volunteering for several different organizations including the Cancer Society, the Joslyn Center/Ed Brown Senior Center and was on the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Club. For the last few years Loretta has been back in Wilmington living with her loving sister, Alice Mearns Ivy ’48. The enthusiastic sisters could be found running errands in Greenville, laughing, dancing and giggling along the way. Mimi was adored by her 5 nieces and nephews: Lee Ivy (Cindy), Herb Ivy (Deb), Alice Barnett (Ted), Carroll Ivy (Doug), Jackie Ivy-Spatafora (Sally) and her 11 grandnieces and nephews and 1 great grandnephew. Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Loretta Mearns.

Miriam Stausebach Gedling ’49 (member 1748 Society) passed away on January 30, 2019.

Leroy “Lee” C. Olmstead ’49, age 84 years of Atco, NJ, passed away on July 7, 2015. He is survived by his devoted wife Catherine (nee Efimov), three loving children, Michael and his wife Michele, Jeffery and his wife Karen, Eileen and her husband Richard Swan, and seven cherished grandchildren. Lee served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War where he received 3 Purple Hearts. He also loved collecting model trains.

1950 James Wilson Harper ’50, 88, of Ambler, died on September 13, 2019 at Foulkeways at Gwynedd. He was the beloved husband of Nancy (Castner) Harper for over 30 years. He was born in Riverton, NJ on February 10, 1931 to the late John C. and Mary Gahring (Price) Harper. Jim was a graduate of Wilmington Friends School and the University of Virginia where he studied biology and pre-med. He attended medical school at Temple University for one year, and later, decided he didn’t want to become a doctor. He spent his career in the pharmaceutical industry. Jim was a Senior Director for clinical research support for Johnson & Johnson for 23 years. He and his wife Nancy enjoyed working on and maintaining their “fixer upper” home in Lower Gwynedd. Jim was a talented and creative woodworker making many wonderful items for his children through the years. He was a member of the Associates of Clinical Pharmacology, where he served as President. In addition to his wife Nancy, he is survived by 3 sons James W. Harper, Jr. (fiancé Linda Tomaquindici), Mitchell P. Harper, David G. Harper, a brother John C. Harper, III (wife, Patty), his former spouse Janet Mitchell Harper ’50, and many nieces and nephews.

1954 John “Jack” Wesley Nestor, Jr. ’54, 83, passed away in Concord, Massachusetts on June 2, 2019. Jack was born on March 25, 1936 in Wilmington, Delaware to the late John W. Nestor Sr. and Marian Chaney Nestor. He attended the Wilmington Friends School and went on to obtain a degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1959 and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 1964. Jack married Martha Martin in February 1968 and they moved to the woods of Carlisle, Massachusetts, where they had their three children. In 1977, the family moved to Concord. There, Jack maintained an 1815 house and barn, tinkered with his orange Corvette, built treehouses and brush bonfires with his children, and scared the local children playing a ghost in the cellar of the Haunted Barn tour, held at the Nestors’ barn for many years on Halloween. Jack spent the majority of his professional career as a Research Senior Manager at Polaroid Corporation. He was a member of the Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi, the National Chemistry Honor Society, Phi Lambda Upsilon, and the Scientific Research Honor Society, Sigma Xi. Jack loved basketball, golf and skiing, the third of which he generously passed on to his children. His later years were spent residing at Newbury Court in Concord, with a view of a golf course from his balcony. Jack is survived by his former wife, Martha Nestor of Concord, MA; Camilla Nestor and Will Hong of Newburgh, NY, John W. Nestor III and Erin Roland of Burlington, VT and Sarah Nestor Welch and Michael Welch of Kittery, ME; and his grandchildren Felix and Walker Nestor of Burlington, VT and Sargent and Miles Welch of Kittery, ME. A private memorial service will be held in Concord.

1955 William “Bill” Robert Epcke, Sr. ’55, age 82, of Wilmette, Illinois. Beloved husband of Joanne Epcke nee Parker; loving father of William R., Jr. (Judith) Epcke and Bradford P. (Karen) Epcke; proud grandfather of Lauren and Mitchell Epcke.

John Hammitt Lacher ’55 was born on December 23, 1936 and passed away on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. John was a resident of South Carolina at the time of passing. He attended Southern Technical School in Chamblee, Georgia and then enlisted in the Navy.

1959 Terrence Kinnard “Terry” Hancock ’59, of Wilmington, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on October 13, 2019. He was born on the 4th of July to John and Helen Hancock. After graduating from Wilmington Friends School and Dickinson College, Terrence served in the Army Airborne Division and spent a tour in Korea. He then worked as a stock broker for 51 years, 45 of those as a Senior VP with Morgan Stanley. He was predeceased by his parents John and Helen Hancock and his sister Patricia Russo ’57. Terry is survived by his wife Diana Hancock; 3 children, Jeff Evans, Melissa Chambers, and Tim Hancock, Jr.; 6 grandchildren, Brooke Kosiorowski, Jessica and Abbie Evans, Riley and Teddy Chambers, and Audrey Hancock; and one great grandson, Emmitt Kosiorowski. He is also survived by his sister, Deborah (Hancock) Breck ’62, and mother-in

J. Thomas Nash ’59 died Tuesday, July 30, 2019 from complications following open heart surgery. He is survived by his wife, Marti, daughters Katharine and Laura, their husbands Paul Suding and Erik Edborg, grandchildren Madeline and Thomas Suding, cousin Susan Nash Rice, niece Susan Johnson Preston, nephews Douglas and Kenneth Johnson and brother-in-law H. Keith Johnson. He was predeceased by his parents (Barbara and Duane Nash III, former WFS Teacher) and by his older sister, Nancy Nash Johnson ’56. He lived in Louisville, CO. Tom was born 78 yrs ago on July 30, 1941, in Glen Cove, L.I.,NY. He spent his childhood in Wilmington, DE, attending Wilmington Friends School, and on Lake Champlain near Keesville, NY. He graduated from Amherst College in 1963, then Columbia U. with a Ph.D. in Geology, 1966. His entire working career was with the U.S.Geological Survey, retiring in 2002. This work carried him happily throughout the West on summer field trips and down into working gold and uranium mines. Many younger colleagues will be forever grateful for his mentorship. He loved being a geologist. It allowed him to combine a strong work ethic and independent spirit with his lifelong love of open spaces.

Natalie Hooker “O.B.” Smith ’59, age 76, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s residence on Friday, February 23, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Wilmington, DE on May 23, 1941, she was a daughter of the late Paul Edgar and Eve Manning (Reid) Smith. Raised in Arden, Natalie resided in Newark for most of her adult life. She graduated from the University of Delaware, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. A long career in food service, Natalie was a manager at Deer Park Tavern and was Director of Food Services at the Newark Senior Center where she retired after many years of service. She had a passion for Jazzercise, which she taught at the Newark Senior Center for the past 16 years. Natalie was a grateful and active member of AA for the past 38 years. In addition to her parents, Natalie was preceded in death by her son, Major Kenneth Charles “KC” Simpkiss III; sister, Priscilla Bill Witke ’57; and son-in-law, Edward Francis Crowe. She is survived by her daughters, Natalie Royer Fischer, and her husband, Rob, and Rebecca Parker Crowe; sisters, Reid Smith Suchanec, and her husband, John, and Krista Manning Meinersmann; brother-in-law, David Witke; 9 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

1960 Nancy Moore Goll ’60, age 76, of Fenwick Island died Monday, May 27, 2019 at Coastal Hospice At The Lake in Salisbury. She was born in Wilmington and was the daughter of the late David C. and Helen (Blackard) Moore. She was a graduate of the University of Delaware and a former member of the Wilmington Junior League. She is survived by a daughter, Cynthia G. Smith of Severna Park, MD; a son, Richard K. Goll Jr. and wife Jennifer of Selbyville; a sister, Elizabeth “Betsy” Moore Johnston ’58 of Sarasota, FL; two grandchildren; Carson Smith and Parker Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Kurt Goll and a sister, Sarah Moore Finger ’46.

1961 Hugh Buchanan “Bucky” Gage ’61 of Atlanta passed away on Thursday July 4th. Bucky was born on March 22, 1943 in St. Paul, MN. He was the only child of Jean Wherry and Hugh Buchanan Gage. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Wilmington, DE. After graduating from Wilmington Friends School, Bucky went on to the University of Virginia where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall and was an honored resident of the Lawn. Bucky completed his degree in English Literature in 1965 and moved to Atlanta to pursue an MBA from Emory University, graduating in 1967. His early career was in banking and securities. He later transitioned into commercial real estate, where he remained until his retirement in 2003. He was a member of The Piedmont Driving Club, as well as 9 O’Clocks. Bucky is survived by his wife of 37 years, Alice Monroe Gage, daughters Haley Champion of Savannah (Forrest IV), Maggie Gage and Cooper Gage of Atlanta, grandson Forrest V, and sister-in-law Isabelle Monroe.

1962 Philip J. Hessler ’62, age 76, of Newark, DE and Elkton, MD passed away surrounded by his loving family on May 10, 2019. Born in Wilmington, DE, Philip was the son of the late Dorothy (Carpenter) and Paul C. Hessler, Jr. He graduated with his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delaware. Phil was a teacher at William Penn High School, North East High School, and Padua Academy. Aside from teaching, he was a talented woodworker, chef, and brass musician, performing with the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band, Johannes Brass Band, Navy Alumni Band, Newark Symphony, and the Swing City Band, among others. Phil was a veteran of the United States Navy serving during the Vietnam Era. Phil is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lynn N. Hessler; his daughters and their spouses, Jennifer H. Dillard and Michael J. Dillard of Phoenix, MD and Dr. Jessica L. Hessler and Kenneth J. Sturniolo of Clinton, NJ; his siblings, Dr. Paul C. Hessler III ’58, Dr. Stephen Hessler (Susan Gramling), Ann Winston (Robert) and Robert Hessler (Melinda).

1963 Karen Alexandra Murphy ’63 was born on June 21, 1945 to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Murphy. She passed away on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

1979 Warren Harvey Minix ’79, 58, a longtime resident of Wilmington died on Friday, September 27, 2019. Born in Wilmington to the late Ray and Marjorie Minix, Warren was a graduate of Wilmington Friends School and the University of Delaware. He made his career as a chemical engineer. In his younger years, Warren enjoyed cycling. He was an astronomy enthusiast, photographing eclipses, one of which was published in the News Journal. He is survived by his sisters - Evelyn Rowe (Don) and Amanda Lawrence; nephew, William Rowe; nieces, Sara Mount (Tom), Kari Rowe (Geoff Brower), and Kat Lawrence (CJ Box); great-nieces, Charissa and Aerith; aunt and uncle, Elsie and Dave Russ; and cousins.