Vital Statistics: Winter 2011

Deaths

Obituaries from the Winter 2011 issue of Bates Magazine. Edited by Christine Terp Madsen ’73.

1927

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Elizabeth Alden Wassell, Sept. 15, 2005
Betty Alden Wassell and her husband, Albert, were both teachers, she of English and he of music. She taught in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Massachusetts. In 1931, the received an award from the Rotary Club in Worcester, Mass., for outstanding service to the community. After retirement in 1964, they moved to Florida where music, reading, and travel eventually gave way to swimming, gardening, and bridge. A Mainer by birth, she was always happy to hear a Maine accent in the Sunshine State. She also held a master’s from Boston Univ., and became a life member of Delta Delta Delta, which was founded at BU, while there.

1932

Ruth Brown Hedges, July 12, 2009
Ruth Brown Hedges was living in Massachusetts at the time of her death. Her husband, Gregory, predeceased her.

Richard Calder Eliott, July 21, 2010
Dick Eliott was a man who stuck with things. A four-year member of the band, YMCA, and Outing Club at the College, he went on to work for W.T. Grant Co. (19 years) and King’s Dept. Store (18 years) for his entire career. He managed stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut for both companies. His career in retail was interrupted by service in the Army during World War II. Following retirement, he and his wife, Alice, moved to Arizona, but soon found they preferred Cape Cod winters to Arizona summers. His wife passed away in 2008. Survivors include daughters JoAnne LasCasas, Kathleen Rua, and Susan Searles; 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

1933

Marjorie Arlington Anderson, Dec. 28, 2009
Marge Arlington Anderson arrived in Lewiston as a 10-year-old and immediately got to know the students on campus, who crowded into her stepfather’s ice cream store near the College. (Her stepfather, George A. Ross, was a member of the Class of 1904.) She left Lewiston with a degree in English and enrolled at Simmons to earn a bachelor’s in library science. For 31 years, she was the children’s librarian for the New York Public Library. Her husband, Carl, died in 1987.

1935

Morton Newell Arnold, April 3, 2010
Morton Arnold was a national sales manager for TV Guide and other publications. His late brother-inlaw was John H.W. Marquis ’35.

Kenneth Lewis Bates, June 15, 2010
Ken Bates was born in Orono and went to high school in Damariscotta. He considered his time at Bates his first foray into the “real” world, and once said he would be glad to repeat it. In addition to his accomplishments both academic and athletic, he met his future wife, Marjorie Coggeshall ’35, at the College. A math major, he taught high school math in Massachusetts before joining Norton Mfg. Co. in Worcester, where he served as an instructor and sales supervisor. The highlight of his career there was a year in Brazil, where he organized and trained sales personnel. He was a registered professional engineer and a member of the Worcester Engineering Society, the American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers, and the Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers. As an alumnus, he served as president of the Worcester Bates Club and as a class agent. His wife died in 2008. Survivors include three sisters and a number of nieces and nephews. His late sister was Toni Bates Brown ’36, whose daughter, the Rev. Karen Brown Johnson ’65, briefly served the College as chaplain.

Harry Fenton O’Connor, March 25, 2005
Phi Beta Kappa and an honors graduate in chemistry, Harry O’Connor worked as a research chemist until 1956, when he became president of Teulon Inc. in Cleveland. Four years later, he was appointed assistant sales manager for Carbic-Hoechst in Providence; in 1970, he became vice president and sales manager at Graphic Printing Ink. He retired from that company as president in 1976 and moved to Florida. Even there, he set up two corporations, one in sales and one in consulting, as a retiree. In 1938, he married Elizabeth Allen, and in 1960 he married Peggy Harrell, with whom he had a son.

1936

Damon Mitchell Stetson, May 31, 2010
Damon Stetson made his decision to attend the College when he was 10 and found that the outdoor track was to his liking. He visited the campus often as a child when his mother, Marion Mitchell Stetson 1905, returned for reunions. Not only did he run track and cross-country, he won the freshman prize in speaking, the sophomore prize in debate, and spoke at his graduation. He worked for The Bates Student and played on the College’s last varsity hockey team. His honors English thesis was on social change as seen through the works of Charles Dickens, a subject, he acknowledged, that might have sparked his interest in the labor movement, which he covered for many years as a reporter for The New York Times. His career in journalism started even before he completed a master’s at Columbia, when the Newark Evening News hired him as a copy boy, the traditional entry job. He left to join the Navy, conducting surveillance of potential officers and writing training manuals before applying for training in air combat intelligence. This eventually landed him in the middle of the battle for Okinawa aboard the USS Bataan. At war’s end, he flew along on missions that dropped supplies on former POW camps around Tokyo. He returned to the Newark newspaper, but soon started to teach at Columbia, where an editor for the Times also taught. In 1953, this editor offered him a job at the Times, and he remained with the paper until he retired in 1984. In addition to covering labor and employment issues, he covered some political campaigns and was part of a group of reporters who wrote an extensive series about desegregation in 1956. He recalled sitting in the office of Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus as Faubus struggled to avoid his questions about the issue. He followed Ed Muskie ’36 when he campaigned for vice president (yes, the Times traded shamelessly on the Bates connection), and he toured the Midwest with John F. Kennedy and his wife, along with a young Teddy Kennedy. As an alumnus, he served as president of his class, and was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1980. He and co-class agent Lewis Davis received the Peabody Award that year for their innovative appeal letter. Following retirement, he and his wife, Shirley, moved to Cape Elizabeth. She survives him, as do children Nancy and David and four grandchildren, one of whom is Erik Remsen ’01.

1937

Electa Corson Tubbs, Dec. 29, 2009
Electa Corson Tubbs and her late husband, Paul Tubbs ’36, grew vegetables and fruit, enough to feed nearly 20 friends and family members at the holidays with enough left over to see them through the colder season. She enjoyed teaching neighborhood children how to cook and bake, as well as tend garden. She taught English for many years in New London, Conn., after her children were grown enough. She also taught in Maine before they were born. At the College, she was active in athletics and student government. Survivors include children Catherine Burdeshaw and David P. Tubbs ’64; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and nephew Everett Corson Barclay ’66. Her father was D. Herman Corson 1908; other Bates relatives are uncle Linwood Corson 1907 and cousin Muriel Corson Newman ’36, both deceased.

1938

Margaret March Randell, April 15, 2010
Margaret March Randell grew up in what is now Stillman House on Wood Street. A member of Lewiston’s state championship basketball team in 1933, she turned her attention to the Heelers and the Student once she reached the College. In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Bates, she held a master’s from Middlebury. She worked as a medical secretary in hospitals in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Survivors include son John M. Randell; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Her husband, William, died in 2007. Her father was Clarence E. March 1915.

Gordon Louis Williams
, Aug. 8, 2010
Gordon Williams enjoyed a Bates experience only a few other alumni have savored: watching his child receive an honorary degree from the College. When NBC newsman Brian Williams accepted the honorary degree, he pointed out that it was in fact his first college degree — he dropped out to work at the White House — and that it would not have been possible without Bates, since his parents, Gordon and Dorothy Pampel Williams ’40, had met while students. Their oldest son, David ’65, passed away in 2001, and Mrs. Williams died in 1992. A physics major, Gordon paid part of his way through college by cleaning the chapel. He was the editor of The Mirror, managed the cross-country team, and served as a physics assistant. He began his career with W.T. Grant in 1938. Army service interrupted his career. His college degree placed him in a special group that received intelligence training, work which kept him stateside for the duration. For a time he worked with Helen Keller, rehabilitating soldiers blinded by battle. Afterwards, he earned an M.S. in retailing from NYU while continuing at W.T. Grant. He later held management positions at John Wanamaker in Philadelphia, Grand Union, and Corning Glass. In 1974, he became the manager of the operations division of the National Retail Merchants Assn. Two years later, he was appointed the group’s vice president, and retired in 1982. As a consultant, he finally got overseas — to four different continents, including a lengthy stint in Brazil as part of the International Executive Service Corps. Along with Brian, he is survived by son Richard; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His daughter, Mary Jane Esser, predeceased him.

1939

Austin Eaton Briggs, Feb. 18, 2010
Decades before Chesley Sullenberger safely crashlanded in the Hudson River, Austin Briggs was co-pilot on a flight from Boston to New York that crashed into the East River just 300 yards from Rikers Island on Jan. 15, 1952. Despite the plane sinking almost immediately, all 33 passengers and three crew members made it safely onto rescue boats, because of the cool-headedness of rescuer and rescued alike. The cold, wet, and injured survivors helped each other aboard the small ferry that arrived to help them. At the time, Mr. Briggs had been with Northeast Air Lines for only a few years. He went on to become a captain in 1969, staying with the company when it became part of Delta in 1972. He retired in 1977. He played football, basketball, and baseball and had a double major in economics and sociology at the College. In his senior year, he captained the football team and was president of the Publishing Assn. and the Varsity Club. He also met his wife, Carolyn Moyes ’41, and married her in the College Chapel in 1939; she passed away in 2000. He served as a Navy pilot during World War II after teaching aeronautics for several years. In retirement, he became an avid golfer. Survivors include children Frederick Briggs, Stanley Briggs, Austin E. Briggs Jr., Beverly Lamanna, Susan Richardson, and Carol Ann Richardi; 17 grandchildren, one of whom is Benjamin Lamanna ’02; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Irene Edwards Parker, March 13, 2010
Rene Edwards Parker, a history and government major, taught English for many years in her hometown of Auburn. She worked briefly for the Federal Works Agency following graduation and before becoming a “cadet teacher” at Webster Grammar School in Auburn. Her husband, Charles Parker Jr. ’40, who was also an Auburn native, passed away in 1989.

1940

Lawrence Owen Wheeler, June, 25, 2010
Larry Wheeler worked briefly in Boston before joining the Navy in 1941. He served in the South Pacific and left the service in 1946 as a lieutenant commander. He made his career in the packaging industry, first with Continental Can Co. and then with several carton manufacturers. He eventually rose to senior vice president with Robertson Paper Box Co. Ltd. Later, he owned and operated a printing business in Portland. His wife, Adela, worked with him as bookkeeper and salesperson. A history and government major, he was active in debating at the College and graduated cum laude with a Phi Beta Kappa key. He went on to earn an M.B.A. from Harvard. He served as class vice president as an alumnus. Survivors include his wife; children Richard Wheeler, Katherine Pryor, Mary LaDouceur, and Robert Wheeler; and seven grandchildren. 1941 Charles Alfred Baulch, April 3, 2010 Charlie Baulch graduated with a degree in sociology and the intent to be a social worker. He did so for two years, until the U.S. Air Force rescinded his medical deferment. Trained as a cryptographer, he served in Australia, the Philippines, and Japan, among other assignments. The G.I. Bill helped him earn a master’s in business from NYU and he had a long career in industrial relations and personnel work, most of it with IBM, where he managed procurement distribution and training. He developed a purchasing education program that was used worldwide, and that took him to Paris, Latin America, and the Far East. Throughout his career, he also taught at local colleges. Even in retirement, he continued to work with purchasing professionals by founding his own company. His first wife, Marion Becker Baulch, died in 1981. His second wife, Gertrude Miller Baulch, survives him. Other survivors include children Robert Baulch, Arthur Baluch, and Barbara Manning; stepchildren Lawrence Kilduff, Patricia Reavy, Kathleen Lawrence, and Diane Walker; 15 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. His cousin is Betty Baulch ’57.

Roberta Evans Bennett, May 23, 2010
“Our children…go into paroxysms of laughter when they recall that their parents met at a freshman mixer,” Bert Evans Bennett wrote in her 50th Reunion booklet. After Bates, she and husband Frank C. Bennett Jr. ’41 “stuck it out,” as she wrote, for 48 years of marriage, until Frank’s death in 1991, just before their 50th Reunion. They co-chaired their 40th. She held a degree in occupational therapy from the Philadelphia School of Occupational Therapy and an M.S. from the Univ. of Penn. She and her husband considered Rochester, N.Y., the best place to live, and she was deeply involved in community groups. Their standards were “do something for your church, something for your community, and something selfish for yourself.” Girl Scouts, YWCA, church groups, and garden clubs were just some of her interests. She was also an accomplished weaver and gave demonstrations at the museum in Rochester. She was a member of both the Rochester Weavers’ Guild and the Boston Weavers’ Guild. Survivors include children Nancy Evans-Bennett, Douglas Bennett, and Kate Bennett; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Rowena Fairchild Hewitt, June 23, 2010
Rowena “Boots” Fairchild Hewitt delayed her teaching career to work for the Red Cross in New Jersey during World War II, caring for wounded soldiers returning from Europe. She received an M.A. from Cornell in 1948, and also met her husband, R. Hugh Hewitt, there. She taught in Presque Isle and Lewiston before moving to the Albany, N.Y., area, where she taught at Albany Academy for Girls and Hackett Junior High School. She also taught briefly at Bates. She was deeply involved in the Reconciling Congregations movement of the United Methodist Church; volunteered at the Albany Institute of History and Art; and was a member of the Slingerlands Garden Club. She was outspoken about human rights and the situation of Palestinians. At the College, she was active in musical groups and theater groups, and earned a degree in English. Survivors include daughters Roxanne Hewitt, Rebecca Coughtry, and Ruth Wiseman.

Marjorie Moulton Perkins, June 8, 2010
For a while, Jerrie Moulton Perkins thought she had 21 relatives who graduated from Bates, but after studying family records, she put the final count at 23 — 22 plus herself. From her parents, Joseph and Florence Hooper Moulton Class of 1915, through uncles, aunts, sisters, and cousins down to her daughter, Deborah Perkins ’64, the list is too long to give here. Her parents were missionaries in India, where she was born and educated. She left India for good when she came to Bates, blazing the path for two of her three sisters who followed her, the late Barbara Moulton Scott ’44 and Margrett Moulton McFadden ’51. She excelled in biology (Phi Beta Kappa), was vice president of Spofford Literary Club her senior year, and earned her WAA numerals. She turned her passion for biology into a teaching career, first in elementary school and then in high school, in New Hampshire. She served as state chair of the Science Professionals Organization and became department head in Somersworth, N.H. She received two master’s degrees from the Univ. of New Hampshire, and was designated a Master Teacher. She married Elmer “Perk” Perkins the same month she graduated from the College; he died in 1982. Her son, Edward Perkins, also predeceased her. Along with her daughter and sister, survivors include four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and another sister, Ellen Bedington. Her son-in-law is Meredith (Jerry) B. Handspicker ’54.

Norma Field Varanka, Jan. 29, 2010
After graduating with a degree in German, Norma Field Varanka worked as a bookkeeper, salesperson, and teacher. But her life found its focus when she married Raymond Varanka in 1949; their marriage lasted until his death in 1996 and gave her two children, Robert Varanka and Mary Calabrese, who survive her. Other survivors include four grandchildren.

Ruth Beal Winter, Sept. 29, 2010
Ruth Beal Winter lived for 50 years in the house that she and her husband, Henry Winter, built in Horsham, Pa. Always athletic (she was an assistant in P.E. at the College), she skied enthusiastically until she was 80 and was the top-ranked skier for her age group for several years in the late 1990s. At Bates, she was also active in student government, Robinson Players, and Heelers. She was president of the Basketball Club as a senior, and graduated with a degree in English. She taught and coached in Brownville Junction and Bar Harbor before marriage. Survivors include sons Henry Winter Jr. and Robert Winter and three grandchildren.

Paul Albert Wright, April 13, 2010
Classified 4-F during World War II, Paul Wright spent the war years completing his education, first with a master’s and then a doctorate from Harvard. Both degrees were in biology, as was his degree from Bates. He and wife Claire “Ginger” Wilson Wright ’42 traveled across country and back as Paul took positions at the Univ. of Washington, Boston Univ., Univ. of Michigan, and the Univ. of New Hampshire, arriving there in 1958. It was there that he caused quite a stir with his then-controversial course on sex education, which had an enrollment over 2,000 one semester and reached about 11,000 students over 10 years. His area of research was in comparative endocrinology. He chaired the department of zoology for six years, retiring in 1982. He and Ginger then ran a chowder restaurant in the house she had designed underneath a covered bridge, one of five houses she designed for them and their children. They closed the restaurant in 1991 and retired again, this time to Port Charlotte, Fla., to another house Ginger had designed, this one incorporating six old live oaks. Ginger passed away in 2007. Paul’s interest in music was lifelong: He played organ at his childhood church and again at the College, for chapel services and as accompaniment to the Choral Society, Choir, and Glee Club. He even played at his own wedding, accompanying Ginger as she sang. He built two organs from kits, in between traveling the world with his wife. Survivors include sons Loren, Darryl, and Barton Wright; two granddaughters; and cousin Jane Woodbury Quimby ’42 and her daughter, Barbara Quimby Libby ’72. His sister was Elizabeth Wright Carter ’44.

1943

Mary Derderian Brown, June 23, 2009
A mathematics major, Mary Derderian Brown put her number skills to use in an unusual way: She authored more than 100 crossword puzzles for a number of publications, including The New York Times. “People almost bow when they hear you’ve had a puzzle in the Times,” she once told Bates Magazine with a laugh. That work, along with writing short stories and poetry, drawing, and painting, filled her years after retiring. “When you work on puzzles,” she said, “you get so involved you forget your cares for awhile.” She had worked as an engineering assistant at General Electric in Massachusetts and as a substitute teacher in New York. An accomplished pianist, she also taught piano to children in Scotia, N.Y. It was at General Electric that she met James Brown, to whom she was married for a happy 54 years, though he did not enjoy trying to solve her puzzles. “He didn’t think like I do. He was an engineer, and everything was black and white, while I love puns, and my puzzles were sometimes silly.” She is survived by her children, Sandra Houck, Randall Brown, and Deborah Brown; and four grandchildren. Other survivors include nephew Scott K. Derderian ’77. Her late brother and sister were Setrak “S.K.” Derderian ’43 and Agnes Derderian Devejian ’48.

Phyllis Hicks Wood, Feb. 24, 2010
Phyl Hicks Wood raised two children while her husband, classmate Horace (Woody) Wood, pursued a career that took them to Massachusetts and Connecticut, interrupted by a sojourn in Morocco when Woody was called up by the Navy during the Korean War. In 1968, she became a college counselor at Dana Hall in Wellesley, Mass., where, she said, she put her Bates education (B.A., sociology) to good use. She retired in 1985 and they moved to Saco, close to where she had spent summers growing up (and where Woody had worked in Phyl’s father’s restaurant years earlier). There they became the backbone of the Ocean Park Bates Club. She became interested in various crafts, especially quilting, and taught herself to use computers. She also volunteered for the Red Cross and was active in the Congregational Church in Saco. Her husband predeceased her by eight months. Survivors include children Judith Bunting and Robert Woods, and three grandchildren.

1944

Edith Hale Ferguson, June 14, 2010
With a degree in English and a Phi Beta Kappa key, Edith Hale Ferguson started out in the editorial world at King Features Syndicate. But five years later, she married Troy Ferguson, and turned her attention to raising her children. They settled in her hometown of Bronxville, N.Y., where she was active in the PTA, Girl Scouts, DAR, and the Bronxville League for Service. Her PTA work led to a position as an elementary school registrar, a job she thoroughly enjoyed because of the children. In retirement, she and her husband moved to North Carolina, where he was from, where she was active with the New Bern historical and preservation societies and the garden club. She also served as vice regent of the local DAR chapter. Her husband predeceased her. Survivors include children Anne Leach, Troy Ferguson III, and John Ferguson, and five grandchildren.

1945

John Prescott Cushing, Feb. 27, 2010
Jack Prescott Cushing left Bates after two years to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II. After its conclusion, he earned a bachelor’s and a master’s from Cornell. His career was at Scott Paper in industrial relations. Survivors include wife Marion, whom he met at Cornell; sons William, John Jr., Stephen, and Scott; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Paul Joseph LaFlamme, April 24, 2010
Paul LaFlamme, a Lewiston native, returned to his hometown after completing medical training to serve his community, first as an internist and later as a cardiologist. His medical degree was from McGill Univ., and he was an intern and resident in New Jersey. He also served in the military in Germany and Hawaii after World War II, and as a medical officer at the Air Force hospital at Westover Air Force Base. He joined the staff at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Lewiston in 1955, remaining there for the rest of his career. He served two terms as president of the hospital, one of only a few to do so, and as its chief of internal medicine for 10 years. He was very active in planning the hospital’s intensive and coronary care unit in 1975. He was a past president of the Androscoggin County Medical Society. In all, his medical career in Lewiston spanned over 40 years. Survivors include daughters Donna LaFlamme, Susan LaFlamme, Janet LaFlamme ’81, Laura Reynolds, and Elaine LaFlamme, and seven grandchildren. His wife, Marion Sullivan LaFlamme, predeceased him.

Shirley Raymond Blanchard, April 18, 2010
After marrying Dick Blanchard ’42 in the College Chapel just weeks after graduating with a degree in English, she and Dick moved to Gorham, N.H., for four years before returning to Maine. They lived in Dixfield for 13 years before returning to Lewiston. She held secretarial positions at the Bates Mill and with the Lewiston School Department, and worked briefly in the Bates development office. She retired in 1988 as deputy clerk of the Eighth District Court. While in Dixfield, she served as president of the Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs Advance Club. In Lewiston, she served as president of the Women’s Legislative Council of Maine 2001–2003. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church. At the College, she played in the Orphic Orchestra and rang the carillon. She also was a member of the Portland Symphony. Her husband died in 2008. Survivors include son Gary Blanchard ’81 and two grandchildren.

1948

David Bailey Ramsdell, June 25, 2010
Dave Ramsdell delayed college until after World War II, during which he was stationed in Burma, China, and India in the Air Force. An English major, he worked on the Student and other publications, preparing himself for a career as a writer. He wrote print, television, and radio copy for consumers and industrial services at Davis Advertising, after working as a copywriter and trade show manager for Dennison (now Avery). He also worked for the Worcester Film Corp., New England Electric System, and McKinney/New England. He was a freelance copywriter for 10 years before retiring in 1994. He was a past director of the Advertising Club of Worcester (Mass.) and past chair of Family Services of Central Massachusetts. Survivors include wife Barbara Boger Ramsdell; children Christopher Ramsdell, Catherine Ohlinger, and Kimberly Ramsdell; and seven grandchildren.

John Nelson Thomas, April 4, 2010
John Thomas, a three-sport athlete at Bates, served as an Army Ranger before coming to the College. He had the distinction of having his Expert Infantry Badge pinned to his uniform by Winston Churchill. (He also played football with future boxer Rocky Marciano in high school.) His degree from Bates was in physics, and he went on to earn a master’s in education from BU, and completed further studies at UConn. He taught math and physics at Norwich (Conn.) Free Academy, and coached JV and varsity football. He later became vice principal at South Windsor (Conn.) High School, a position he held for 20 years. A skilled carpenter, he spent summers building houses. He was also a certified master gardener, a Mason, and a 50-year member of Central Baptist Church. After retiring from public schools, he continued to teach two days a week, both physics and carpentry, at an alternative high school in Norwich. Survivors include his wife, Enid “Nikki” Jones Thomas; children Gregory Thomas, Debora Thomas, and Alison Nelson; and six grandchildren. His sister-in-law is Norma Reese Jones ’51, whose late husband was Austin Jones ’50.

1949

Francis Roland Berry, April 27, 2010
Francis “Hi” Berry lived most of his life in Bethel — except of course for the summers he spent at his campground in Newry. His teaching career at Gould Academy in Bethel gave him summers free to build houses and pine furniture, as well as run his Lone Pine Campground. He entered Bates after serving in the Air Force during World War II, and in fact returned to service as a paratrooper after graduating with a degree in physics. At Gould, he also coached various sports; the award to the outstanding senior athlete is named in his honor. In 1974, the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce awarded him its Henry H. Hastings award for citizenship. In 1994, he built a baseball field for the town’s Little League team. His first wife, Pauline Graham Berry, died in 1955; his second wife, Helen Conroy Berry, died in 1989. In 1991, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Chapman; she survives him. Other survivors include children Denise Roderick, Marjorie Osgood, David F. Berry ’83, and E. Scott Berry; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and three children of his third wife.

Arlene Tufts Cook, April 23, 2010
Anyone who drives to the very end of Bailey Island in Harpswell recognizes Arlene Tufts Cook’s name. She and her husband ran Cook’s Lobster House there until they divorced. Before that, she used her degree in sociology as a social services worker for the State of Maine Department of Child Welfare. Later, she taught social studies at Lewiston High School, where her first husband, the late Norman A. Parent ’50, was the athletic director. At the College, she sang in the Choral Society and the choir. She was active in Lambda Alpha and the C.A. Committee.

Lois McEnaney Foss, June 27, 2010
A French major, Lois McEnaney Foss was active in La Petite Academie as well as vocal music groups. She was an assistant in both French and Spanish. She taught high school in Vermont and then second grade in Canton, Mass., for many years before retiring to Montana in 2005. Survivors include children Pam Foss Lambott and Mark S. Foss; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and her sister and brother-in-law, Jean McEnaney Buker ’46 and Richard Buker ’46.

Kenneth Morton Smith, May 31, 2010
Ken Smith came to Bates after service in the Army during World War II. He earned a degree in sociology, and went on to earn an M.S.W. from the College of William & Mary. He worked for the Connecticut State Department of Health for many years, including 30 as chief of the public health social work section. Earlier, he was the director of the social services department at Hartford Hospital when the infamous fire broke out there in 1961. The fire resulted in 16 deaths and forced a thorough review of safety standards at hospitals, schools, and other public spaces. Among other improvements, sprinklers became required in all patient rooms. He also was an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at the Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine early in his career. An avid gardener, he worked in his garden each morning before work and liked to hike and camp. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Priscilla Hainsworth Smith; children Douglas Smith, Debra Bock, Robyn Audette, and Wendy Smith; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

1950

Carolyn Coburn Boothby, May 1, 2010
Lynn Coburn Boothby worked briefly as a social worker for the State of Maine (her degree was in sociology) before building a home with her husband, Richard Boothby ’50, in Cape Elizabeth. Ten years later, they built another home in Cumberland Foreside. At the College, she was part of the Robinson Players and served as a proctor. As an alumna, she and Dick served on their 50th Reunion social committee and as Alumni-in-Admissions volunteers. He survives her, as do children James Boothby, Richard Boothby, Barbara Perry, and David Boothby ’87; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Her sister-in-law is Barbara Boothby Wendt ’44.

Allison Graham Catheron II, June 15, 2008
Allison Catheron attended Bates for one year before transferring to the Univ. of Maine to pursue a degree in forestry. Nevertheless, he remained close to classmates and said several times that he wished he had remained at the College. After an injury forced him to retire as a forester, he became a college instructor. Survivors include wife Shirley; son Kevin Catheron; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Another son, Lloyd Cameron, predeceased him. His father was Robert Catheron Class of 1903, and his uncle was Allison Catheron Class of 1900.

Robert Alan Foster, April 29, 2010
Bob Foster made his mark as a journalist early on when a tornado ripped through Worcester, Mass., in 1953, killing 93 people. His articles interviewing people trapped inside the twister caught the eye of national magazines, such as Women’s Day, and propelled him upwards through the newsroom ranks at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. He had started there as a beat reporter in the suburbs, but soon was reassigned to the city desk. From there he became assistant city editor, assistant news editor, news editor, and finally an editorial writer, a plum assignment at any newspaper. He also wrote business stories and reviewed movies. A history and government major at the College, he was editor-in-chief of the Student, chair of the Christian Assn. publicity committee, an assistant in the College’s news bureau, and active in the Spofford Club. In 1951, he was awarded a master’s in journalism from Columbia. In 1967, he won two first-place prizes, from the Univ. of Missouri and John Hancock Insurance Co., for a series on industries merging in Worcester. In 1987 and 1989, his editorials won first prizes from the New England Press Executives Assn. He also wrote numerous articles for national publications such as Newsweek and The New York Times Magazine, and taught journalism at Becker Junior College. Even after he retired in 1989 and moved to Kennebunk, he continued to write for the Portland Press Herald. He is survived by his wife, Catharine Foster; children Mark Foster and Cynthia Smith; and four grandchildren.

1952

Prescott Wilfred Harris Jr., June 26, 2010 “Buzz”
Harris played basketball, baseball, and football at the College, and served as president of the student council. A government major, he married Grace Ulrich ’51 shortly after graduation and went to work for Milliken Woolens in Lewiston. He stayed with the company, which today is a leading textile and chemical manufacturer, in sales until 1987, when he joined Brooks Brothers. In 2001, he became vice president of Raritan Enterprises Inc. Survivors include his wife; children Dana Harris and Gail Zolluccio; and four grandchildren.

Miriam Olson Morrell, June 25, 2010
“Mim” Olson Morrell’s profession and passion was teaching people to read. Her Bates degree in English (Phi Beta Kappa), combined with a master’s in education from the Univ. of Maine, prepared her for a career in the Bangor schools, where she taught reading for 15 years. She served on the Maine Reading Assn. executive board and coordinated its international reading association in the early 1980s. At the College, she was involved with the dance program and served as president of the Modern Dance Club as a senior. She also was the director of the Winter Carnival Ice Show as a junior. In Bangor, she was active in the Shakespeare Club, the Junior League, the YWCA, and served as a trustee at All Souls Congregational Church. She started every day with a swim at the Y’s pool, and had recently become interested in Pilates. She and her husband, the late Malcolm E. Morrell Jr., sailed the coast of Maine every summer, and she held a season pass at Sugarloaf for 45 years. Survivors include children Stephen Morrell, Catherine Morrell, and Susan Morrell, and six grandchildren.

Constance Fales Schilling, Jan. 28, 2010
Born and raised in Lewiston, Connie Fales Schilling found Maine weather much too cold when she returned to visit her parents in the 1980s. After all, she’d been living in New Mexico and Nevada, where she worked as a geologic secretary. (Her Bates degree was in geology.) A few years after that visit, she earned a pilot’s license and later managed the office at a flight school in Reno. She also worked as an elementary school librarian there. At the College, she worked as a geology assistant and was an officer in Lambda Alpha. Her husband, John Schilling, predeceased her. Survivors include daughters Lynn Schilling and Lisa Shipman, and two granddaughters. Her late parents were Elton ’17 and Aurelia Griffin Schilling ’26. Her brother was Roscoe Fales ’54.

1953

Joanne Taylor Kellogg, Jan. 13, 2010
After teaching for several years in Connecticut, Jo Taylor Kellogg worked with her husband, Bud Kellogg, training and racing harness horses in Maine. She also wrote weekly articles for three national harness horse magazines. In 1967, she joined the staff of the Portland Public Library, and continued library work at the Pompano Beach (Fla.) Public Library when they moved there. They returned to Maine in the mid-1970s, and she became a real estate agent. She and Bud built a house for themselves on Sebago Lake. In 1982, she became the adult services librarian at the Windham Public Library, and later became the head librarian. During her tenure, she oversaw the expansion of the library’s building and established a series of talks by Maine authors, including Stephen King and Carolyn Chute.

1954

Louis Joseph Rose, April 14, 2010
They called him “Lieutenant Columbo,” after the TV character. Lou Rose, rumpled, coffee-stained, self-effacing, doggedly chased down stories for 31 years as an investigative reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And like his prototype, he always closed the case, exposing government fraud, conflicts of interest, political corruption, and cronyism. He investigated St. Louis city hall employees who spent most of their day not working; he exposed how DUI offenders got away with their crimes (which eventually led to stiffer sentences); he uncovered how the government ignored radioactive waste dumped in and around St. Louis; and he broke the story on a prominent circuit attorney who had siphoned off thousands of dollars of city money to pay prostitutes. He received a number of awards for his work, including one from the American Bar Assn., and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. An English major at the College, he played football and was the features editor of the Student. He also held a master’s in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. He was a member of Investigative Reporters & Editors Inc., and past president of the St. Louis chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. His book, How to Investigate Your Friends and Enemies, was released in 1981; now in its fifth edition, it is used as a textbook in journalism classes. In 1999, he wrote Make the Jerk Pay, a guide to shaking money loose from deadbeat dads, with fellow reporter Roy Malone. Survivors include his wife, Carol Ramp Rose; children Leslie Howell and John Rose; and two grandchildren. Another son, Neil Rose, predeceased him.

Roger Clayton Schmutz, May 17, 2010
“The Bates attitude is, if you want to do it, do it! Do it with passion and enthusiasm….” That is how Trustee Emeritus Roger Schmutz summarized his Bates experience. Coming from a high school where he couldn’t even try out for the tennis team because he wasn’t part of the “right” group, encountering the egalitarian atmosphere at the College was a revelation. He wanted to write, and he wanted to run track — and he did, excelling at both, at Bates. Part of the Student staff all four years, sports editor as a senior, and part of The Mirror staff all four years, editor as a senior, he had ample opportunity to indulge in writing. And he was the fortunate recipient of savvy training from a passionate track coach, Walter Slovenski, who inspired him to train harder and think harder. With a degree in English polished by a master’s from the Columbia School of Journalism, he started out as a reporter for the Worcester Telegram. Soon his interest centered on financial news, and he joined Brookmire Investors Service in 1956. Two years later, he joined Standard & Poor as a financial analyst. He retired from there in 1981 as group vice president for financial publishing. He served on the Bates Board of Trustees for 31 years, including a stint as secretary of the corporation, and worked on every Bates capital campaign, advising three presidents along the way and mentoring several generations of trustees. His service to Bates included club leadership, student recruitment, and Reunion leadership. In 2004, he received the Helen A. Papaioanou ’49 Distinguished Alumni Service Award for his service to Bates. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Fleet Schmutz; daughter Anne Hovey; and a grandchild. Other survivors include sister-in-law Alice Hilterhaus Schmutz ’57, widow of his brother, Charles A. Schmutz ’57. His father was Charles A. Schmutz, who received an honorary degree from the College in 1965.

Everett Avery Waldo, April 3, 2010
Everett Waldo left Bates after three years to pursue a degree in music at Miami of Ohio. He served in the Army during the Korean War, and entered divinity school afterwards. In 1961, he received a master’s of divinity from Wesley Seminary, and served churches in Bucksport and Maryland. He then became a civil servant and worked primarily for the Commission on Civil Rights, rising to become the deputy director of its mid-Atlantic region. His interests there ranged from police and community relations to desegregation to migrant workers. He was the founding president of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (D.C.), and sang a solo at one of his last concerts with them before moving to San Diego. In San Diego, he was an active lay member of First Unitarian Universalist Church. Survivors include sons Jonathan and Matthew; four grandchildren; former wife Liz Waldo; and sister Joanne Waldo Bixby ’54.

1955 Philip Walker Cowan, May 1, 2010 Phil Cowan was another of Walt Slovenski’s protégés, running indoor and outdoor track during his years at Bates. An economics major, he worked in insurance, first for Aetna in Buffalo and then in New Hampshire (where he was head of the office), and later for E.T. Clauss & Co., where he remained for 26 years. In 1993, he opened his own agency in nearby Amherst, N.Y., affording him the flexibility for extended family vacations. He spent six weeks hiking in Nepal with his son, and with his family visited places from the Arctic Circle to New Zealand. He moved to Austin, Texas, shortly before his death. He served as president of the Presbyterian Homes Foundation, of the Buffalo chapter of the Property Casualty Underwriters Society, of the New York Insurance Agents Assn., and of the Orchard Park (N.Y.) School District Insurance Board. Survivors include wife Joan Kittinger Cowan, and children Elizabeth Kelley and William Cowan. His uncle and aunt were former College Alumni Secretary Randall Webber ’36 and wife Priscilla “Happy” Walker Webber ’36.

1956

Caroline Louise Schaffrick, April 9, 2010 A teacher by profession, Caroline Schaffrick’s first love was the theater. A Robinson Player at Bates, she was part of a group of friends who formed the Civic Theater in Bristol, Conn., her hometown. She preferred backstage work and was stage manager for dozens of productions, eventually working up the courage to star in one. She taught first and eighth grades in Bristol, and was involved with the mentoring program in town. At the College, she also worked on the Student and played sports. She is survived by many nieces and nephews, one of whom, Laurie Moore, she raised after the death of her sister.

Paul Henri Tranchemontagne, May 27, 2010
When Paul Tranchemontagne ran his first marathon at age 56, he had three goals: finish alive, finish in under five hours, and finish better than last. He met all three (beating nine others). An avid sportsman, he loved the view of the third green from his condo in New Hampshire, played softball and tennis, and skied whenever he could. He left Bates during his sophomore year and went on to graduate from Nasson College. Survivors include wife Rachel; children Michael, Anne, and Scott Tranchemontagne, Claire Pouliot, Christine Hagen, and Teresa Tranchemontagne; and 11 grandchildren.

1957

Sally Smith Cooke, July 10, 2010 Sally Smith Cooke had a taste for adventure. She climbed 32 of the 48 4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire. She relished skiing at Waterville Valley, Jackson Hole or the Alps. She and husband Phil Cooke sought out the unusual in destinations and were especially fond of Spitsbergen, a Norwegian island well within the Arctic Circle. Her Bates degree was in biology, which she turned into a career as an occupational therapist by earning a master’s from Tufts in that field. She interrupted her career to raise three children, but returned to work with children with cerebral palsy once they were launched. Active in town life in Marblehead, Mass., she was a deacon and trustee of Old North Church, a past president of the Cottage Gardeners, and a longtime member of the Corinthian Yacht Club. She also made time each month for lunch with Bates classmates. At the College, she was secretary of the Outing Club as a senior, a member of the Jordan Ramsdell Society, and a biology assistant. She sang in both the choir and the Choral Society. Survivors include her husband; children Peter Cooke, Jonathan Cooke, and Jennifer Rotman; and six grandchildren. Her late uncle was Frank Benvie ’16. Before her death, she established the Sally Cooke Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Brookline, Mass.

Brian George Flynn, April 27, 2010
After running over the competition on the football field at Lewiston High School, Brian Flynn did the same at Bates. He was part of the 1956 state champion team, winning All-State honors as an offensive and defensive end. He played baseball, too, all four years. (It runs in the family: His brother is longtime Bates coach Bob Flynn.) He entered the Marine Corps after graduation, then started a career in education. He taught and coached at high schools in Rockland, Bellows Falls, Vt., and Westbrook, and at Thornton Academy. In 1968, he completed a master’s in education at the Univ. of Maine–Orono, and soon after became the assistant principal at Telstar High School in Bethel. In 1971, he moved up to principal, remaining in that position until 1977, when he asked to return to the classroom. In the summer, he often coached baseball teams or supervised baseball leagues. Survivors include wife Jeanne Gladu Flynn; children Kara Pidgeon, Brian Flynn Jr. ’82, Kelli Aitken, Michele Lever, and Amy Boucher; 13 grandchildren; and nieces Becky Flynn Woods ’89 and Susan Flynn Dorris ’85. His late father was Lawrence J. Flynn ’29.

1960

Jon Michael Whitten, July 7, 2010
Jon Whitten attended Bates for two years before leaving for the Univ. of Maine. He taught physical education at Lee Academy and was the athletic director at Bonny Eagle High School, where he led the baseball team to the state Triple C championship in 1966. He worked for S.D. Warren from 1966 until retirement in 1991. Survivors include wife Charlene; children Michael Whitten and Julie Fitzherbert; and a grandchild.

1962

Julia Terry Gillispie, April 1, 2010 For 25 years, Julia Gillispie and her second husband, John Sly, happily lived “off the grid” — no electricity or running water — in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, moving to a similar setup in Cabo, Mexico, during the coldest months. She worked as a massage therapist and personal caretaker. Her first husband, from whom she was divorced, is Nicholas A. Maistrellis ’62.

Allan Leland Pollock, April 1, 2010
Al Pollock’s life and career centered on ways to live harmoniously within the landscape. Professionally, he loaned his skills as a scientist to organizations such as the Merrimac (Mass.) Environmental Commission, the Merrimack River Watershed Council, and the Office for Resource Efficiency in Crested Butte, Colo., where he moved in 2001. More personally, in both places he built energy-efficient homes for himself. He taught anatomy and physiology for 30 years at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass., and indulged his love of ocean sailing. He moved to Montana to indulge his love of skiing and the Western mountains. At the College, he served on the board of the Outing Club for three years and was active in the Jordan Ramsdell Society. A biology major, he also held a doctorate from Northeastern in his field. His marriage to Linda Corkum ’64 ended in divorce. Survivors include brother Leland Pollock ’64 and sister-in-law Sylvia Woodaman Pollock ’63.

1966

Elizabeth Margaret McLeod, July 4, 2010
Betty McLeod built a career for herself at Aetna Insurance Co. A French major at the College, she turned herself into a technical writer and worked for Aetna for 30 years, retiring in 1994. An avid golfer, she was part of the Cedar Knobb Women’s Golf League and a member of the Southern New England Women’s Golf Assn. At the College, she was a faculty assistant, worked for The Mirror, and sang in the Choral Society. Survivors include her mother, Marguerite McLeod, and sister Linda Phelps.

1968

Robert Alan Neal, April 22, 2010
Bob Neal left Bates after one year to transfer to the Univ. of Maine and to marry his high school sweetheart, Linda Higgins. In 1974, he started Maine Poly in his garage, to produce flexible packaging (think of a bag of frozen beans), and built the company to 250 employees. He held a number of patents in plastic packaging. After selling the business in 1998, he and a partner started Purestat Technologies in Lewiston, which produces packaging for items that demand extreme cleanliness. Survivors include his wife; children Robin McFarren, Scott Neal, Katherine Landry, and Rebecca Smith; and 11 grandchildren. His cousin is John Neal ’78. His aunts were Beatrice Neal Class of 1912 and Patricia Patterson Murphy ’61.

1969

Michael Thomas Rossi, May 19, 2010
Mike Rossi was the kind of teacher who always had a crowd of students hanging out in his classroom. Nearly 300 of them attended his funeral. He had taught math for 11 years in Burlington, Conn., at the time of his death. (Previously, he taught in St. James, N.Y., and Thompson, Conn.) He also coached lacrosse and encouraged cross-country runners with a simple motto: “Run fast. Run long. Run hard.” Students recalled his sense of humor: “Whenever I think of some of the things he used to say to us,” said one, “I end up laughing again.” His Bates roommate, Peter Bates ’69, also recalled his humor: “We formed a singing group that we enjoyed but no one else did,” he wrote to this magazine. “He wanted to name our group ‘The Fussbudget, Yidkin, and Prangrap Railroad.’” In addition to his economics degree from the College, he held a master’s from the Univ. of Bridgeport. Survivors include his mother, Helen Rossi, and brother Edward Rossi Jr.

1973

Karen Ward Crisman, March 16, 2010
Karen Ward Crisman was a technical editor for McLaughlin Research Group before returning to school to earn an associate’s degree in science at Ventura College. This enabled her to become a respiratory therapist, in California and then at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, Mass. Survivors include husband J. Alan Crisman; children Joshua Crisman and Jeremy Crisman; two grandchildren; and her mother, Barbara Ward.

2004

Benton Randall Lyster III, May 1, 2010
Ben Lyster followed his love of the American West to Bozeman, Mont. He worked with a small theater group coordinating its marketing, but his heart never left the tall peaks he loved. It was there that he died of an undiagnosed heart condition while skiing with his closest friends. He excelled at baseball and basketball, was an All-New England runner in high school, and an enthusiastic rock climber and hiker. He traveled to Fiji, the Caribbean, and to the Great Barrier Reef, among other destinations. A philosophy major at the College, he lived his life to the fullest in keeping with his personal philosophy. Survivors include his partner, Cameron Bohn; parents Benton Randall Lyster II and Dianne McKinnon Lyster; sister Amy Lyster; and grandmother Amy Carter Lyster.

2005

Kerry Adam Lewiecki, June 24, 2010
Kerry Adam Lewiecki — known as Adam at Bates and as Kerry afterward — wanted to minimize inequalities and injustice, said his family. To that end, he worked for Habitat for Humanity for a year after Bates and before entering law school at the Univ. of Oregon. There, he served on the board of the university’s chapter of the ACLU, and won a summer stipend to work at the Disability Law Center. For two years, he taught an undergraduate course entitled “Competition not Conflict.” An associate editor of the Oregon Review of International Law, he earned a joint J.D./M.A. in law and conflict and resolution. Survivors include his fiancée, Sara Miller; parents E. Michael Lewiecki and Maura Lewiecki; sisters Kathrine Lewiecki and Amy Buono; and brother Brendan Lewiecki.

Former Faculty

George Robert Healy, July 8, 2010
Professor George Healy, an 18th-century historian, arrived at Bates in 1957 to teach Cultural Heritage. He was appointed dean of the faculty in 1961 and departed Bates to become vice president for academic affairs at William & Mary 10 years later. The last half years of his Bates deanship coincided with the College’s transition from President Phillips to President Reynolds, and during that time Healy is credited with employing strategies and tactics to support Reynolds’ efforts to rejuvenate the Bates faculty. John Cole, the College’s Reynolds Professor of History, recalls how Healey recruited Carl Straub back to Bates — Straub had left to complete his Harvard doctorate — in part by creating for Straub a part-time assistant deanship. Straub, in turn, would become a long-serving dean of the faculty and Bates faculty-builder himself. Cole recalls how his own recruitment to Bates involved a whirlwind day of interviews that ended with a family dinner at the Healy house. “Good food and gracious hospitality,” Cole recalls. “They wouldn’t remember. I can’t forget.” Healy was president of Christopher Newport College, 1986–87; Longwood College, 1987–88; and executive vice president at Old Dominion, 1988–89. He retired in 1992 as the acting director of the Institute of Early American History and Culture at William & Mary, and received awards for distinguished service from both that college and the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was a veteran of World War II who served in the Army Air Force in Saipan as a B-29 armament specialist. He graduated with honors from Oberlin College in 1948 and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Univ. of Minnesota. For 50 years, he owned a farm in East Sumner, where he worked to ensure that the original 1820 house (and his own hand-built barn and cabin) reflected that era. He was co-author of the town’s history published for its bicentennial in 1998. His wife, Dorothy Kohli Healy, died in 1997. Among his survivors are sons David Healy, Thomas Healy, and Roger Healy; and six grandchildren.

Friend

Stanton H. Whitman, May 14, 2010
Stanton Whitman’s affinity for the College came from his father, Emerson Whitman Class of 1900, who said that everything he was he owed to Bates. Stanton said he loved the College because of its values, its people, and its “sound financial policies.” A graduate of Dartmouth and Boston Univ. Law School, he practiced in Orange and Worcester, Mass., before being appointed assistant city solicitor in Worcester. He climbed all 48 New Hampshire peaks over 4,000 feet and was chairman of the Worcester chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, as well as president of the Green Mountain Club-Worcester Section. His wife, E. Thelma Benton Whitman, died in 1995.