Charles Nuttle ’35Charles, a World War II Army veteran, avid tennis player, and devoted golfer—who even once landed a hole in one—died Jan. 11, 2019. A lifelong New York Yankees fan, Chuck held season tickets for years and had seen all the greats play, including Babe Ruth. In 2001, Chuck married the love of his life, Charlotte, whom he had dated when they were in their 20s. They met again by accident while visiting their mothers at a hospital, rekindled their friendship, and were married on Valentine’s Day when they were in their 60s. Read more.
Thomas Findley ’42A research chemist who held 64 patents, including one for epoxy, Thomas died Nov. 1, 2018. Opposed to materialism, Tom traveled the world in a self-made canoe, driven by the motto “Affluence is the disease, poverty is the cure.” He settled in Canada, where he lived for 30 years in a cabin with no electricity or running water, using solar panels to power his computer.
Lucinda White Lohr ’43Lucinda, who exuded energy and made friends everywhere she went, died Nov. 5, 2018. The widow of Freeman Lohr ’43, Cindy loved opera and was devoted to the American Friends Service Committee, League of Women Voters, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, among other causes. Read more.
Jane Hand Bonthron ’43An English major, proud Navy veteran and devoted volunteer who also enjoyed playing bridge and golf, Jane died Dec. 15, 2018. “My mother loved Swarthmore and was an ardent supporter of the College,” daughter Susan Jane Bonthron ’70 wrote in a tribute. “When she graduated as an English major in 1943, she had no definite career plans but knew she didn’t want to end up at Katy Gibbs as a secretary, so she marched right down to the enlistment office in Philadelphia and signed up for Naval Officers Training School. When asked if she would sign up as a seaman if she wasn’t accepted in officers training, she announced, ‘No, that would be a waste of my education!’ She later wondered how she had the audacity to answer this way.” Read more.
Hilda Findley-Knier ’43A distinguished mathematics teacher at the high school and university level, Hilda died Dec. 6, 2018. Strong, generous, and always there for her family and friends, Hilda was also a master gardener who encouraged her loved ones to reach their full empowered potential. Wrote her loved ones: “She told her daughters, using the language of the times, ‘A true lady can do anything she wants to do and still remain a lady.’”
Frances Wallin Shaw ’44Frances, a psychology major who credited her Quaker education for her lifelong devotion to helping others, died Dec. 22, 2018. A social worker for preschool children, a dedicated volunteer furthering the causes of human services and environmental responsibility, and a loving mother of four, Frannie focused her considerable gifts on making the world a better place for all. Read more.
Edward Babbott ’44Edward, a lifelong educator and environmentalist who possessed the gift of magic, died Jan. 15, 2019. Ed earned an Ed.D. from New York University and found a calling as a high school director of guidance. An active member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, for which he served a term as president, Ed also loved fly-fishing, photography, needlepoint, the New York Giants, Shakespeare, crafting poetic rhyming toasts, and traveling. “But what friends may not know,” his loved ones wrote, “is that Ed was a magician of the highest order. … His magic was infectious, making cups half-full to overflowing; transforming loneliness to connection; in sum, you left an encounter with Ed feeling as though you genuinely mattered.” Read more.
Arthur Dannenberg Jr. ’44Arthur, a medical researcher, physician, and expert in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis, died June 15, 2018. Known to friends as Ark or Art—and to his children as Lord Macrophage—Arthur spent most of his professional career at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore. He published extensively, taught enthusiastically, and lectured internationally. “Trace the path of an inhaled particle through the airway,” his daughters’ beaus were ordered. His love of running, swimming, and a good question lasted his entire life. Read more.
Joan Anderson Hannay ’45Joan, a homemaker and one-half of a matchbox marriage to the late Bruce Hannay ’42, died Jan. 17, 2019. Joan’s Swarthmore connections also included daughter Robin Hannay Nelson ’67, son-in-law Jeremiah Nelson ’65, and grandson Lorrin Nelson ’00.
Robert Segal ’46Robert, a longtime internist at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center who served as a Navy physician in World War II, died Aug. 2, 2018. A founding member of Mount Sinai’s Department of Endocrinology, Robert loved taking care of patients and studying thyroid disease. Read more.
Nancy Grace Roman ’46, H’76Nancy Grace, a trailblazing astronomer whose scientific impact was so great that she was credited as “the mother of the Hubble telescope,” died Dec. 25, 2018. The first chief of astronomy at NASA headquarters, Nancy overcame countless sexist obstacles and, in turn, tirelessly promoted professional opportunities for women in science. So iconic was her legacy, in fact, that she was immortalized in a 2017 set of Lego figurines honoring four pioneering women of NASA. Read more.
Mary Lou Dutton Wolfe ’46Mary Lou, an avid gardener and librarian for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, died Jan. 2, 2019. A mother of five, Mary Lou was also a feature writer for Green Scene magazine, for which she enjoyed interviewing and photographing local gardeners. A Kendal at Longwood resident, she loved walking in the woods with her beloved dachshund. Read more.
Katharine Hill Ostrander ’46A dedicated social worker who studied history and philosophy at Swarthmore, Katharine died Jan. 17, 2019. Katy earned a master of social work from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and later founded the Department of Social Work at Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I. When the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center in Newport was struggling, she took the helm and ensured its survival. A passionate, wide-ranging reader, Katy was also a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Read more.
Floyd Hower Jr. NV“Bud,” a retired Navy commander beloved for his optimism as well as his skill at pingpong, died Jan. 3, 2018. Read more.
Clayton Wright NVClayton, who served in World War II and ultimately transferred from Swarthmore to Ohio State, died Nov. 13, 2018. Building an impressive career at Ohio Power/AEP, “Bill” also devoted himself to community service and even lived and worked in Pakistan for two years to help develop a functional electrical distribution system there. Read more.
Susanne Bradley Bush-Wilcox ’47A chemistry major at Swarthmore and a resident of Santa Fe, N.M., Susanne died Feb. 26, 2018. Read more.
Lada Hulka Young ’47Lada, an information systems analyst who worked at Princeton and Sunoco, died Nov. 17, 2018. A chemistry and economics major, Lada was also a U.S. delegation representative while at Swarthmore, traveling to Czechoslovakia. As a news correspondent in the 1960s, Lada wrote articles about political issues and Prague. “She was a brilliant woman who was a superhero to her family and friends,” her loved ones wrote. “Elegant and proper in everything she did—from the way she spoke to how she dressed—she led those in her life by not only the spoken word, but by example, as well.”
Demaris Affleck Carrell ’47Demaris, who with husband Jeptha ’45 helped establish Kendal at Oberlin in Ohio and the Ninde Scholars Program, died Nov. 19, 2018. A professional volunteer once named one of Dayton, Ohio’s “Top 10 Women,” Demmie had also done testing for special education students, been a ghost-speechwriter for an Ohio governor and an assistant to the director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and worked for both Swarthmore and Oberlin colleges. As her loved ones wrote: “Demmie had a gruff exterior, a great sense of humor, and was known for nudging young folks (her own kids, grandkids, and others) about their life plans, encouraging them to aspire to learn more and do more and helping to connect them to new opportunities.” Read more.
Calvin Kaiser ’47Calvin, a Navy veteran who spent his career in the hand tool and hardware industries, retiring from what is now Stanley Black and Decker in 1988, died Dec. 5, 2018. An avid golfer and former adjunct professor of marketing, Calvin also served his community in many ways, including as a Little League coach, Board of Education member, and deacon at First Church of Christ, Congregational in Farmington, Conn. Read more.
Betty-Lou Monett Hess ’47Betty-Lou, a onetime Stephen Minister at First Presbyterian Church in Deerfield, Ill., died Jan. 21, 2014. Betty enjoyed traveling and loved her family, especially her three grandchildren. Read more.
Philip Gilbert ’48Philip, an inspirational Quaker light who was predeceased by his matchbox wife, Alice Higley Gilbert ’48, died Nov. 28, 2018. Beloved for the way he lived every aspect of his life to help others, Phil was devoted to serving the Religious Society of Friends on the national and local levels, including acting as honorary curator of Friends Historical Library and an advocate and ally for Swarthmore College. Read more.
Janet MacLellan Clark ’48Janet, a beloved wife and mother active in community service, died Nov. 24, 2018. An accomplished gardener who had a greenhouse in her home for a time, Janet also loved tennis, Labrador retrievers, reading, oil painting, bridge, and needlework. In fact, she made quilts for each of her grandchildren when they were born. Read more.
William Schweikle ’49A NASA engineer and Florida resident, William died Oct. 9, 2017. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, William loved to farm, garden, and spend time with his family. Read more.
Theodore Bromwell ’49Theodore, former chairman of the Swarthmore Print Club, who went on to sell cameras as owner of Bromwell Marketing, died Nov. 17, 2018. A “diminutive semi-genius,” friends wrote in the 1949 Halcyon, “no matter what, Ted’ll be good at it.” Read more.
Sarah Wood Fell ’49Sarah, an active Quaker and librarian in Bucks County, Pa., died Jan. 22, 2019. An avid world traveler, Sally completed graduate studies at the Drexel School of Library Science and served as a clerical librarian for the United Nations. Sally also volunteered for the American Red Cross, working with the blood division for more than 40 years. Read more.
Margaret Thomson Colgan ’49Margaret, the first woman to serve as president of the Rochester Academy of Medicine in New York, died April 7, 2018. A distinguished pediatrician, educator, and administrator, Meg loved art history, skiing, and spending time with her family. “Her indomitable spirit infused everything she attempted,” wrote her loved ones. “She exuded confidence, had an infectious laugh, and a generous spirit.” Read more.
Deborah Welles Hardy ’49Deborah, who attended Swarthmore for two years before transferring to Stanford, died Oct. 23, 2018. An internationally respected academic and longtime professor of history at the University of Wyoming, Deborah spoke four languages, was a gifted pianist and gourmet cook, and inspired all who knew her with her strength, wisdom, and laughter. Read more.
William T. Battin ’50William, a professor who was instrumental in starting Binghamton University’s environmental studies department, died Jan. 30, 2019. William earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, majoring in zoology with a minor in physiological chemistry, and taught at Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Harpur College (now Binghamton University), retiring as a distinguished professor in biology and environmental studies. Among his interests were reading, art, music, opera, gardening, and dining out in a wide range of cuisine. Read more.
Laurence Stabler Jr. ’50Laurence, an engineering major known to friends as Jan or Larry, died Jan. 5, 2019. A Quaker who joined the Merchant Marine in World War II, Jan later had several careers—as a building contractor, in industrial and residential real estate, and manufacturing communication equipment. He loved art and music—especially opera, bagpipes, and Ragtime—and was a member of the Barnacle Busters dive club in Gainesville, Fla. A skilled craftsman, Jan could build anything with wood, metal, and stone. Read more.
John Yntema ’51An engineer and Merchant Marine veteran who lived for many years in the U.S. Virgin Islands, John died Jan. 18, 2019. John designed and built the family house outside Frederiksted, St. Croix, and worked numerous jobs over his 33 years there: hardware sales manager, bicycle servicer, Mobil Oil distributor, commercial trap fisherman, and environmental specialist with the V.I. Bureau of Fish and Wildlife. John even discovered a new species of scorpion that was named after him: Heteronebo yntemai. “His legacy to his children,” loved ones wrote, “was an abiding belief in kindness, honesty, fairness, and a curiosity and respect for the natural world.” Read more.
Nancy Pawell Norris ’52Nancy, a lifelong learner and traveler brimming with exuberance, wit, and charm, died Dec. 2, 2018. “She served as devoted caregiver for her mother, sister Patricia, and husband Marsh, but her favorite career was grandma extraordinaire,” her loved ones wrote. “She attended Little League and soccer games, ballet recitals, track meets, film festivals and plays, christenings, graduations across state lines, and was blessed to share in the lives of Sam, Corey, Geoff, Jane, Audrie, Gemma, Morgan, Oliver, and great-granddaughter Addy.” Read more.
Marlee Turner ’54Marlee, who ultimately received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford, died Nov. 28, 2018. Quaker-raised and a mother of three, Marlee co-founded a public relations consulting firm and later became an owner of Northern Pines Health Resort and Bed and Breakfast in Raymond, Maine. Active in Rotary and the League of Women Voters, she also enjoyed canoeing, swimming, working crossword puzzles, and reading, and had traveled to 49 of the 50 states. “Marlee always looked for the positive in every encounter,” loved ones wrote. “Although she enjoyed a good argument, she never held a grudge, and looked ahead to a better future.” Read more.
Gloria Chomiak Atamanenko ’55A social worker and lifelong activist and volunteer who nourished people around her with love, generosity, and a caring, joyful spirit, Gloria died Oct. 12, 2017. A lover of nature, literature, and thoughtful discussion, Gloria “will be remembered as a bright, shining light,” her loved ones wrote, “and a fierce but compassionate advocate for those less fortunate, in the various communities where she lived and worked.” Read more.
John Seaman ’56Author and life photographer John Seaman, a devoted Swarthmore alumnus who rarely missed a reunion, died in New York City on Feb. 3 at age 83. A prodigy and a 12-year-old winner of the prestigious Westinghouse Research Scholarship that would bring him to the White House to meet President Harry Truman, John entered Swarthmore at age 16—too young, he would say. But he made the experience work for him, academically and socially, including being elected president of the Outing Club, a post he embraced with enthusiasm, leading groups all over the Northeast and Southeast mountain ranges. John was born June 28, 1936, in Providence, R.I. In 1942, his father, a rubber chemist, got an editorial job writing for India Rubber World and the family moved to Merrick, N.Y., and later Baldwin, Long Island, where John’s mother taught school. John graduated from high school second in his class. John lived by the credo “Be bold.” After Swarthmore graduation, he suffered a severe psychic break that he wrote about movingly in his memoir Bloody but Unbowed. He quotes poet William Henley: “Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.” Although harrowing, his remarkable recovery and enormously productive life was a testament to his unique will, intellect, sense of humor, and deep humanity. John was the chief science editor at the Columbia University Press at age 23. He later wrote layman’s versions of Physical Review and Letters Articles for the American Review of Physics. He wrote and traveled all over the world (many trips to Western Europe, two trips to the USSR, one to Japan) for The Data Communications User, Electronics Products, and Computer Decisions magazines. A talented photographer, he authored a collection, John Seaman Classic Nudes, published by Artspan, and was a lifelong member of the Art Students League.
James Anderson ’56A Bronze Star recipient whose Swarthmore studies were interrupted by two wars, James died Jan. 6, 2019. Jim entered Swarthmore in 1943, but was drafted into World War II late that year. He returned home in 1945 and joined the Pennsylvania National Guard, which called him up as a reserve engineering officer in 1950 as war raged in Korea. During a detour through Pittsburgh, his sister Lois set him up on a blind date with Elizabeth “Betsy” Wright; 11 days later, they were married and bound for Seattle, where Jim would sail for Korea to join an engineering battalion. Back stateside, Jim and Betsy welcomed son Sam ’82 in 1953, then quickly moved to Swarthmore for Jim to pursue an engineering degree. Two more children followed during Jim’s time as a student, with a fourth born after graduation. Jim founded a business importing European construction materials, and served as president of the 95th Division Association for a number of years, often speaking publicly about his own—and others’—experiences of war. Read more.
Harriet Nerlove Mischel ’58Harriet, one of the first women to be awarded at clinical psychology Ph.D. from Harvard rather than Radcliffe, died Sept. 13, 2018. At Swarthmore, Harriet worked with pioneering social psychologist Solomon Asch on children’s development of understanding of metaphor. She was a faculty member in Stanford’s psychology department for more than 15 years before moving to New York, where she started a clinical therapist practice and joined the faculty of New York Presbyterian Hospital.
David Henderson ’61A beloved Cornell University professor emeritus of mathematics, David died Dec. 20, 2018. An influential educator and author of multiple textbooks, David also spearheaded countless workshops and initiatives to help elementary students and secondary-school teachers learn math in creative, active ways. “He was an outstanding mathematician, but also a great educator and an inspiring person to work with,” a colleague said. Read more.
Rasaba Sudarkasa-Kyasa ’66Rasaba, a Michigan resident who went by Delmer Scudder at Swarthmore, died May 5, 2018. Read more.
Sarah Graetz Gagnon ’69Sarah, a homesteading ecologist with a Ph.D. from Cornell, died Dec. 16, 2018. Sally was the first technical editor for the Ecological Society of America, a position she held for 25 years. A devoted member of her Catholic church, Sally and husband Joel helped others prepare for marriage—a great way, they found, to reinforce their own. Sally also believed strongly in “walking gently” on the earth, minimizing her carbon footprint, and appreciating simple pleasures, like homegrown food and community. Read more.
Candace Putter ’69A social worker who advocated tirelessly for the vulnerable, Candace died Sept. 11, 2016. As a Stoneleigh Fellow from 2008 to 2011, Candace established the Pennsylvania Academic and Career Technical Training Alliance, a coalition of juvenile justice facilities voluntarily committed to improving education and training services for youths in their care. The coalition operates within Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services and has more than 50 affiliates across the state. Read more.
Peter Cook ’71Peter, a lawyer, savvy investor, and financial strategist, died Jan. 12, 2019. An avid photographer and ocean lover who grew up sailing the waters of Frenchman Bay, Maine, Peter also enjoyed traveling with his second wife, Thea Duell ’72, before she and Peter both developed terminal illnesses in 2014; Thea died last June. “He will be remembered,” loved ones wrote of Peter, “for his kindness, sense of humor, way with words, and the ever present twinkle in his green eyes.” Read more.
John Palmer ’71John, a Florida resident who majored in history at Swarthmore and worked in the insurance industry, died Dec. 19, 2018. Read more.
Bryan Butler ’71An IBM employee and respected leader in patent law, who taught courses at Lincoln Law School and authored a treatise on patent damages, Bryan died Oct. 1, 2018. With an exuberance, wit, curiosity, and generosity admired by loved ones, Bryan delved deeply into interests including photography, sailing, skiing, scuba, tennis, golf, history, philosophy, theater, and music. Read more.
Julius Nicholas ’73Julius, an electronic engineer, family man, and Army veteran of Korea and Vietnam, died Jan. 10, 2019. A staff writer for many years at the Delaware County Daily Times, Julius also taught computer classes and was a transportation provider for the Chester County (Pa.) Housing Authority. Self-taught in many areas of the arts and sciences, he was often contracted for his services as a singer, composer, portrait artist, photographer, painter, and computer technician. Read more.
Thomas Morrison III ’75Thomas, one of the founders of the Black Student Union at Swarthmore, died Dec. 13, 2018. Building an impressive career that included roles as a Wall Street brokerage firm vice president; city manager for Plainfield, N.J.; and director of finance for the city of Hartford, Conn., Thomas also loved to play golf and was especially proud of his family, including his father’s legacy as a Tuskegee Airman. Read more.
Lewis Shuster ’77Lewis, an influential director of more than a dozen life sciences companies, died Dec. 13, 2018. “Lew was a tremendously thoughtful and insightful board member,” his colleagues at Principia Biopharma Inc. wrote, “but more importantly, he was a kind and generous individual who brought a great deal of passion and energy to our industry and to the pursuit of our mission.” Read more.
Alison Wong Noto ’78A former New York and Philadelphia architect and a Rhode Island garden club president, Alison died Nov. 3, 2018. Devoted to her daughters, her matchbox husband, Richard Noto ’77, and her dogs, Alison had a self-effacing manner that belied how talented, intelligent, strong, funny, and caring she was—which only made her loved ones treasure her more. Read more.
Martha Loukides Walker ’86Martha, a mother of three and a social worker with a passion for helping the underserved, died Jan. 24, 2019. A longtime elder at Bethel Christian Church in Bristol, Conn., where her husband, Chris Walker ’79, is a pastor, Martha also enjoyed gardening, hiking, and canoeing. Read more.
Alexandre Michel Namour ’86Alexandre, a New York Police Department sergeant and one-half of a matchbox marriage to Leah Schanzer Namour ’92, died Feb. 3, 2019. A 22-year veteran of the NYPD, Alex also leaves behind a daughter, Ella, 18. Read more.
Bryan Berg ’97An economics major at Swarthmore and a Florida resident, Bryan died Jan. 25, 2018. Read more.
Emre Eren ’99Emre, a Swarthmore sociology & anthropology graduate who lived in Istanbul, died March 4, 2018.
George Balgobin ’00George, a sociology Ph.D. student at Northwestern, where he also earned a law degree, died Jan. 30, 2019. A passionate defender of human rights, and a lover of music and cooking, George had been writing a dissertation that blended ideas about criminal law with political socialization theory. “As a searcher for those ideas and truths that substantiate personal values,” loved ones wrote, “George had an open mind and heart and was always willing to re-examine his beliefs in the light of life experiences.” Read more.
Wonju Kim ’02Wonju, a research laboratory technician at the University of Minnesota, where he received a degree in economics, died Nov. 4, 2013. An accomplished musician, excelling at classical violin, jazz saxophone, and piano, Wonju also enjoyed gardening and Bible study. Read more.