their light lives on

Art, a research psychiatrist,
died April 6, 2024.

He attended the College, then transferred to the University of Michigan where he earned his medical degree. He was in the first residency class of the Psychiatry Department at N.C. Memorial Hospital of the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, remaining at UNC for more than four decades. Art’s research focused on the endocrine system’s function and its relationship with depression, supported largely by National Institutes of Health grants. He published more than 250 peer-reviewed studies as well as receiving numerous awards and recognitions.

Charlie, an engineer and athlete, died May 19, 2024.

He attended the College and earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering at Rutgers University and was a municipal engineer/director of public works for three New Jersey municipalities, finishing his career as Monmouth County engineer for 16 years. A golfer, Charlie helped design and found Warrenbrook Country Club. He was a member and past president of various engineering societies and associations, including Tau Beta Pi National Honorary Engineering Society and the New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers.

Esther, a volunteer and lover of local history, died April 3, 2024.

The class secretary, she earned a bachelor’s in psychology at the College and studied French at Université Laval in Canada. With an interest in local history, Esther volunteered in the archaeology department of the Cincinnati Museum Center for 20 years; at the Cincinnati Historical Society, as records keeper and archivist for the Village of Terrace Park; with the League of Women Voters; and with the University of Cincinnati faculty wives’ groups.

Russell, a financial planner and wide-ranging volunteer, died Feb. 24, 2024.

He attended the College, joined the Navy, returned to Swarthmore, and earned a bachelor’s in engineering. Then he earned an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. in business administration from Harvard Business School. Russell worked at Tufts University from 1949–89, and was the founder of The de Burlo Group, a financial planning company, with which he remained involved until his death. Additionally, he was a member of the boards and committees of numerous organizations such as the CFA Institute, Friends Meetings, and land trusts.

Sue, a potter who studied zoology, died May 8, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in biology at the College, where she was in the Hamburg Show and a part of WSRN, and earned a master’s in zoology from the University of Michigan. While in Tennessee with her husband, who was on sabbatical leave in 1968–69, Sue took a pottery class that led to her career as a potter. After their return to Fairbanks, Alaska, her family built her a studio, where she made pottery for friends, family, local galleries, and commissions into her early 90s.

Ruth, a pioneering MBA recipient, died May 29, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in economics at the College, where she met first husband and father of her children, the late Paul Trescott ’49. After divorcing, Ruth was one of the first women to earn an MBA from the University of Dallas and worked for the old Republic National Bank of Dallas, from which she retired as a vice president. In 1975, she met and married Edward Krusen who died in 2002. Ruth enjoyed travel, reading murder mysteries, theater, and costume design.

Hélène, a teacher and volunteer archaeologist, died July 14, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in English literature at the College, attended Oxford University in 1970 for archaeology, and taught for 23 years at prep schools in Rochester, N.Y. Hélène volunteered at the Archaeological Institute of America Society in Rochester for 34 years as coordinator of programs and membership and newsletter editor as well as serving on the boards of the English-Speaking Union, the Burroughs Audubon Club, and the American Recorder Society. She was bilingual, played piano and woodwinds, and composed music.

Ellen, who achieved many legal firsts and escaped Nazi Germany, died April 17, 2024.

She earned her bachelor’s in economics with Honors at the College, served on the Board of Managers, and earned her law degree from Yale Law School. Ellen was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Connecticut, to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut, and to be a tenured professor at Yale. She authored many important decisions, including schoolchildren having a constitutional right to equal education. After accepting senior status in 1996, Ellen was a judge trial referee and a visiting law professor at the University of Connecticut law school.

Larry, whose work was part of the moon landing and the Hubble telescope, died May 19, 2024.

He earned a mathematics degree and a master’s in astronomy at the College, a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Pennsylvania, and headed the astronomy department at the University of Virginia until his 1995 retirement. As well as teaching NASA technicians and engineers, he worked with the group that determined the Apollo moon-landing sites. His research was part of the development of the Hubble Space Telescope. Larry served 12 years as the secretary of the American Astronomical Society and was a member of the board of the American Institute of Physics.

Dick, a scholar and professor in international relations and peace studies, died March 7, 2024.

He earned his bachelor’s in political science with High Honors at the College and his master’s and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and held teaching positions at institutions such as Brown University, University of California–Berkeley, and Harvard’s Kennedy School. Dick championed international cooperation, diplomacy, trade, and soft power; wrote books including Action and Reaction in World Politics, The Rise of the Trading State, and The Rise of the Virtual State; and had his research supported by fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright program, and NATO, among others.

Paul, a physician and lifelong teacher, died March 26, 2024.

He earned his bachelor’s in biology with Honors at the College and his M.D. from Columbia University; spent two years as an Army physician; and helped found the gastroenterology department at Mt. Auburn Hospital, working there and at the MIT clinic until 2015. Paul was active in national professional organizations, and after his retirement, continued to teach interviewing and communication skills to first-year students at Harvard Medical School. He traveled with his wife of 65 years to Paris, France; Kyoto, Japan; and Copenhagen, Denmark, among other destinations.

Anita, a journal article translator, died Jan. 3, 2023.

She earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at the College, where she played varsity volleyball and sang in the College Chorus. A native of São Paulo, she used her foreign language skills to work as a freelance research assistant translating journal articles for Brazilian medical doctors. Anita traveled to and photographed remote places such as Antarctica and small South Pacific islands and provided travel and educational lectures on Lindblad Expedition cruises as well as to local groups.

Herb, who worked for the federal government, died May 3, 2024.

He attended the College and served in the Korean War with the U.S. Air Force. Highlights of Herb’s work with the federal government included being the first African American employee management cooperation specialist in the Federal Aviation Administration Eastern Region Headquarters; chief, Personnel Programs Division, Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation; and director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity, U.S. Department of Agriculture. After retirement, he was a consultant and founded Scurlock Home Security.

Jerry, a psychiatrist, cellist, and composer, died May 27, 2024.

He earned a bachelor’s in biology at Swarthmore and a medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania medical school, where he was a resident in adult psychiatry, and studied child psychiatry at Columbia University. Jerry was elected to the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry; joined the staff of Bergen Pines Hospital in 1971, developing treatments for autistic children; and treated thousands of private practice patients over 50 years. In 1976, he returned to music as a composer with some of his works performed and recorded by U.S. and international orchestras.

Judy, who had a career in Jewish education, died May 26, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in psychology at the College, where she sang in the College Chorus, and then worked at ETS in Princeton, N.J., where she met her husband-to-be. The couple spent a year at the Weizmann Institute, Israel, before settling in Rochester, N.Y., to raise their family and where Judy eventually had a career in Jewish education. In retirement, she and her husband took up photography, biking, and canoeing, and Judy discovered a talent for quilting.

Elena, a librarian, died April 21, 2024.

She earned her bachelor’s in political science with Honors at the College, where she was a member of the Folk Dance Club, and received a certificate in elementary education from the University of California–Berkeley. A librarian, she had three children, including Gordon Katz ’90.

Jane, a Silicon Valley librarian, died April 20, 2024.

She attended Swarthmore and earned her bachelor’s in history at the University of the Pacific and a master’s in library science at San Jose State University. Jane was a special librarian, managing collections for various Silicon Valley companies across diverse domains from law to engineering to genetics. She loved traveling and had visited all seven continents, often accompanied by her college roommate, Sarah Freedman Hoopes ’59. Jane sang soprano in choirs and started an a cappella madrigals group.

Carol, a philosopher and Buddhist, died July 27, 2023.

She earned a bachelor’s in English literature with Honors at the College and ultimately a Ph.D. in philosophy at Syracuse University. She was a professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges for more than 20 years, receiving its Faculty Teaching Award in 2009 and stepping down in 2022. Carol was a student of Tibetan Buddhism and a member of its spiritual community in Syracuse, N.Y., and with her late husband, was part of the Syracuse classical music community and sang together in a variety of choral groups.

Genie, an educator and volunteer, died June 8, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in philosophy at the College and a master’s in education at Adelphi University — first teaching preschool and third grade and then substitute teaching in Tel Aviv. From 1978–2000, Genie was a teacher and principal at the West Sayville [N.Y.] Christian School. She was a member of Mission Church in Lancaster, Pa.; of the Gideons, distributing Bibles to health care organizations; and of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, helping women attain higher education, as well as volunteering in many capacities to help others.

Jim, a Quaker and lover of the natural world, died July 1, 2024.

He attended the College and earned his bachelor’s in education at Temple University. He taught in the sciences for 22 years before joining the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science as an educator and exhibit planner, retiring in 1996. He was a member of the New Hope [N.C.] Audubon Society, helping to re-establish bald eagle nesting which earned him a Take Pride in America award. After a move to Sparta, N.C., Jim joined the Blue Ridge Birders club and was a volunteer weather spotter for the National Weather Service.

Abigail, a leader at the Aquarian Minyan community, died March 15, 2024.

She attended the College, lived in an anarchist collective on the Lower East Side, and moved to the Bay Area, where she earned a bachelor’s at San Francisco State University and a master’s in psychology at Sonoma State University. Abigail started her own psychotherapy practice and founded the Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute. She had various leadership roles at the Aquarian Minyan, which was part of the Jewish renewal movement, including as president. She also led services with her wife.

John, a Philadelphia pioneer of pension and benefits law, died June 20, 2024.

He received his law degree from Harvard University in 1967 and became one of the first Philadelphia lawyers to concentrate on employee health benefits, incentives, compensation, and retirement plans. John joined Ballard Spahr in 1986 as a partner and later served as leader of the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group for close to two decades until his retirement at the end of 2009.

Will, a father and husband, died April 30, 2024.

He attended the College and earned his bachelor’s in sociology at Chaminade University in Hawaii. The father of two children played intramural football at Swarthmore.

Mary Beth, an art historian and scholar, died June 23, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in biology at the College, where she met husband Charlie ’65, and a master’s in art history at the University of Illinois. After moving to Princeton, N.J., in the 1980s, Mary Beth worked as a reporter for two local newspapers; the Center of Theological Inquiry, where she interacted with visiting religious scholars; and at the Institute for Advanced Study, working with resident art historians. She was a member of the Princeton Research Forum, a group of independent scholars.

Charles, a magazine publisher and Library of Congress employee, died April 3, 2024.

He earned a bachelor’s in philosophy at the College and received the Bland Blanshard Prize in philosophy, served in the Army as a radio repair specialist during the Vietnam War, published Sextant magazine for people interested in building their own computers, and worked at the Library of Congress until his 2016 retirement. Charles was active in conservative politics including as a supporter of the late Barry Goldwater and valued people and ideas over things.

Bruce, a photographer and singer, died Dec. 11, 2023.

He earned a bachelor’s in political science at the College and was captain of the lacrosse team in his senior year. Bruce was a self-employed photographer for decades in the Washington, D.C., area and did the portraits for the Congressional Black Caucus. He played guitar and was well-known for his covers of 1960s and ’70s folk music. In the mid-1980s, Bruce was diagnosed with MS and managed this disease for the rest of his life.

Cabot, an attorney who grew up homesteading in Alaska, died March 3, 2024.

He earned a bachelor’s in economics and philosophy with High Honors from the College and a J.D. from Stanford Law School, then moved to Anchorage, Alaska, to begin a 46-year law career specializing in commercial law and bankruptcy. Over the years, Cabot kayaked from Seattle to Sitka, Alaska, a 40-day, 800-mile voyage; hiked the John Muir Trail; and hunted mountain goat on Baranof Island, Alaska. He served as an elected member of the Anchorage School Board and as trustee for schools and a children’s camp.

George, an economist, died April 15, 2024.

He earned a bachelor’s in history at the College and a Ph.D. in economics at Northwestern University. George, who was married with two children, was a faculty member at various universities in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Pierre, a businessman and athlete, died May 17, 2024.

He earned a bachelor’s in economics at the College where he was a member of the varsity swimming and soccer teams, was a part of WSRN, and played ice hockey with the Motherpuckers. Pierre also earned an MBA and was a business owner in France.

Kathy, a competitive swimmer, died May 17, 2024.

She earned a bachelor’s in psychology at the College, where she was named All-American in swimming in 1984. After graduation, Kathy moved to Oklahoma City, where she was an administrator and met husband Jimmy, with whom she had two children.