their light lives on
Joan, who died at 103 Nov. 3, 2021, was endlessly curious, a collector of vintage bottle openers, and an advocate for justice.
Throughout her life and with husband Monroe, she stood up for the rights and dignity of those with less power, especially those with disabilities — son David was born with an autism spectrum disorder and her sister with multiple disabilities. The couple were among the founders of the ARC of Maryland and had two inclusive child-care centers named for them. Joan wrote numerous policy position papers as well as books on her father and her family’s history
DeWitt, a longtime advocate and activist for humanism and professionalism in medicine, died Jan. 5, 2022.
In a career that spanned 70 years with more than 200 scholarly articles and several books, he was an advocate for teaching social and behavioral sciences in medical and dental education; founder and two-time president of the Association for the Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education, and taught at the university level. DeWitt conducted medical education research at the American Medical Association, supporting changes in the learning and working environment, then joining the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in 2002, as senior scholar in residence since 2008.
New York Supreme Court Justice and Legal Aid attorney Felice, a Columbia Law School Medal of Excellence recipient, died Dec. 27, 2021.
A 1950 Columbia Law School graduate, she served as a justice of the New York Supreme Court, from 1983–89, among other judicial positions. Before election to the bench, Felice worked for 11 years as an attorney with the Legal Aid Society and returned to volunteer there after her retirement as well as serving in a number of other volunteer positions such as an officer and director of the New York Women’s Bar Association and the first woman to serve as president of the Columbia Law School’s Alumni Association.
Laura, who was known for her sticky buns that regularly sold out at the Pennswood Village gift shop, died
Jan. 30, 2022.
While at Swarthmore, she married and went on to raise a family, being active in in Girl Scouts, PTA, and the George School Parents Council, as well as volunteering at Chandler Hall and Woodside Meals on Wheels. Laura served on many boards, such as the Friends Home, Jeanes Hospital, and Pennswood Village, along with being a member of the Yardley Friends Meeting serving as treasurer for 10 years and as a representative on the Bucks County Quarterly Meeting.
Alan, a scientist, inventor, software designer, and lifelong angler, died Feb. 22, 2022.
A member of Swarthmore’s varsity swimming and lacrosse teams, he served as a radar officer in the U.S. Navy in World War II, then did his doctoral work in physics at New York University, where he later directed a research laboratory. Alan invented creative solutions across a range of fields, from optics (seeing through fog) to satellites (orienting them precisely), and was one of the first to design software for quantitative analysis of financial markets.
Jane, a world traveler, musician, and athlete, died Feb. 21, 2022.
After receiving a bachelor’s in English, she was one of the first women hired by IBM in Philadelphia, worked for Franklin & Marshall College, and provided behind-the-scenes assistance to her husband, the late Judge Clarence C. Newcomer. In later years, Jane tutored elementary school students in reading, was a supporter of the Lancaster Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and was a long-time member of St. James Episcopal Church
Barbara, a force of and for nature who completed the Beyond 6000 mountain-climbing challenge, died Jan. 29, 2022.
With a long connection to Swarthmore including her parents, late husband A. Thomas Hallowell ’37, who was related to College founder Benjamin Hallowell, she graduated with a biology degree and then taught science before studying physical therapy. Barbara taught continuing education for the National Wildlife Federation and Blue Ridge (N.C.) Community College; wrote, with her husband, “Nature Notes” for the Hendersonville Times-News; authored two books, and co-authored with daughter Anne Fern Finder: A Guide to Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada.
Sallie, a lifelong reader and book collector, died Feb. 14, 2019.
At Swarthmore, she was a psychology major and participated in WSRN, the Phoenix, the Halcyon, and earned a master’s in library science from University of California–Berkeley. Sallie had a career as an elementary school librarian on the San Francisco Peninsula, retiring in 1983 to enjoy traveling, subscribing to the arts, and volunteering at her local library.
Mim, who never shed her deeply-felt identity as a Marylander, died Feb. 2, 2022.
A history major who was Phi Beta Kappa and graduated with high honors, she served for many years on the Maryland State Board for Community Colleges, appointed by the governor, along with being chair and a member of Allegany College’s Board of Trustees. Mim was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Cumberland, Md., and had a love of good food, a zest for travel, and a gift for friendship.
Ginnie, a teacher and mother of three, died Jan. 15, 2022.
She graduated with a bachelor’s in English literature and psychology, served as class secretary, and was on varsity women’s tennis and swimming. Ginnie was a teacher at Shady Hill School.
Jean, a tennis player and mother, died Feb. 27, 2022.
A psychology major at Swarthmore, she played on the women’s varsity tennis team, enjoyed sailing at her family’s Mattapoisett, Mass., cottage, and worked as a librarian at the Thayer Academy. Jean played tennis competitively until she was 85, steadfastly supported her favorite causes, including Meals on Wheels, and was a long-time congregant of First Parish Duxbury.
Marion, a quilter, painter, and poet, died Jan. 1, 2022.
An Honors graduate of Swarthmore, she received her master’s from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a teacher at the Shippensburg State College, later retiring from Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa. Marion was a member of the American Association of University Women and the United Methodist Women, serving as a lay speaker and representative of her church at the annual conference.
faculty & staff
Don Bankston, a longtime supervisor on the Environmental Services (EVS) team, served the College for almost 21 years. He died on Mar. 15, 2022. He was 71.
Elaine Hill-Hamilton, who was employed by the College, died Nov. 23, 2021. She was 83.
Chuck James, the Sara Lawrence Lightfoot Professor Emeritus of English Literature, died March 15, 2022. He was 87.
Christopher Ray, who worked with the late Wulff-Dieter Heintz to maintain the College’s 24-inch telescope, died Dec. 5, 2021. He was 86.
Laura C. Rideout, who worked for 37 years at the College, died Feb. 16, 2022. She was 75.
Richard L. Rubin, former professor of political science at Swarthmore, where he was a mentor to many over his 30-year tenure, died Jan. 25, 2022. He was 92.
Susan C. Sayer-Crew, who retired from the College in 2006, died Oct. 30, 2021. She was 60.
Lee Wimberly, former head basketball coach, who compiled a program-record 184 career wins, died Nov. 18, 2021. He was 75.
Alex, a WWII Navy combat artist and inspiring educator, died Dec. 1, 2021.
He spent two years at Swarthmore studying English literature, philosophy, and psychology before receiving two Guggenheim fellowships, then earning a bachelor’s from Columbia and receiving a Fulbright to study in Rome, eventually accepting an assistant professorship at the University of Buffalo, New York, followed by more teaching opportunities. Alex published Profiles on Women Artists and The Challenge of Drawing: An Introduction while his paintings were in numerous collections including the Academy of Arts and Letters in New York City, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the National Collection of the Smithsonian Institution.
Ruth, a mathematician and lifelong social justice activist, died Feb. 9, 2022.
She graduated summa cum laude with a mathematics degree, then earned a master’s and Ph.D. and was hired as a lecturer at the University of Colorado in 1961, the math department’s first married woman with children. Ruth taught there for 40 years, her area of research was group theory, but her particular passion was mentoring young women, along with politics, women’s rights, and environmentalism, supporting recycling and pushing for bike paths and bike lanes in and around Boulder, Colo.
Lise, a deep thinker, inspiring teacher, and generous mentor, died Nov. 7, 2021
She earned a Ph.D. in developmental psychology in 1957 and went on to hold academic positions at Wellesley College, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke, where she worked for a number of years. In her research, Lise and her late husband tackled big problems with important implications for the field of psychology and for improving society as a whole.
Professor of American History and Native American Studies Emeritus at Colgate University Dick, a sailor and photographer, died Nov. 23, 2021.
His teaching career began in 1960 in Canada after earning his master’s and Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley, followed by teaching American and Native American history at Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y., where he was instrumental in the off-campus Santa Fe Study Group, retiring in 1996. Dick was an author of books and numerous articles; served as an expert historical witness for pueblos in natural resource lawsuits, and was a member of choral groups including The Four Flushers and Tapestry—The All Centuries Singers.
Artist, museum volunteer, and mother of three, Nancy died Feb. 13, 2022.
After graduating from Swarthmore, she married and moved to Philadelphia, volunteering at the Philadelphia Museum of Art before moving to Connecticut in 1969 where she opened a retail gift shop with three friends. Nancy also served on charitable and civic boards, including with the Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Conn., and the Tubac (Ariz.) Center of the Arts, and was a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames and Zion Episcopal Church, Manchester Center, Vt.
Alison, a mother and grandmother who had an optimistic spirit and was fiercely independent, died Dec. 23, 2021.
At Swarthmore, she met her late husband, Ernest ’50, to whom she was married for 50 years and traveled extensively, until his 2002 death. Alison was a life member of American Association of University Women, an avid reader, a PBS devotee, lover of classical music, and a longtime resident of California, where she spent part of her summers in Mammoth Lakes.
Engineer and father of two Ken died Nov. 12, 2020.
Graduating with a bachelor’s of science in engineering, he was a member of the secret Book and Key Society at the College. Ken retired as consulting engineer from General Electric, was married to Marilyn Goldy Ruhl, and had two children.
Susie, a social worker, animal lover, and gardener, died Aug. 3, 2021.
An English major at Swarthmore, she earned a master’s in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, then worked in publishing in New York before marrying, moving around the world with her family, and finally settling in Melbourne, Australia. Susie was a social worker at Boxhill Hospital for many years and supported numerous organizations, including Amnesty International, the Australian Jojoba Save the Whale campaign, the Melbourne Zoo, and the Royal Botanical Gardens, among others.
Anne, who helped her husband gather first-hand accounts of Africa at the close of the colonial era, died Jan. 9, 2022.
After earning her degree in history and literature, she worked as United Press International’s first woman London correspondent, then traveled extensively with husband Charles, including a drive across Africa. During the 1970s, Anne worked as a radio broadcaster for public radio in Madison, Wisc.; earned a master’s in public administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison; worked for the Wisconsin State Assembly Agriculture Committee and was the author or editor of several books, including Discovering the Chesapeake.
Pam, a member of Swarthmore’s Board of Managers, died Dec. 21, 2021.
She earned a bachelor’s in English at the College, played varsity lacrosse and field hockey, and was on the Halycon. Pam, who also attended the University of Colorado–Boulder, served on the Board of Managers from 2001–09, and established The Elizabeth Cox Wright Endowed Scholarship to honor this outstanding teacher known for instilling a love of Shakespeare in her students.
Deborah, nature lover and devoted educator, died Jan. 25, 2022.
At Swarthmore, she earned an English literature degree, was on women’s varsity squads in basketball, field hockey, and swimming, and was on the Phoenix, among other activities; received a certificate in education in 1970 from the University of Pittsburgh, and worked at the YMCA of the Rockies. Deborah and her late husband lived in many states, most recently, Arizona and Colorado.
Merrillan, artist, mushroom hunter, and filmmaker, died Dec. 18, 2021.
At Swarthmore, she earned her bachelor’s in history, met her late husband, Woodlief “Woody” Thomas Jr. ’51, married, and moved to Rochester, N.Y., where she worked at the Memorial Art Gallery until the birth of her first child. Merrillan was politically active, volunteering for anti-war marches and the Eugene McCarthy presidential campaign, and, when her children struck out on their own, she joined Woody in making travel movies that they showed throughout the United States and Canada until their retirement in 2001.
Julia, a polymath and feminist who zip lined at age 84, died Nov. 19, 2021.
After graduation, she made two trips that she cherished — one a three-month U.S. road-trip with a College friend and the other the 1955 European tour of the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church choir — and then worked at Eternity Magazine, where she met her Colombian husband. After her homemaking years, Julia was a teacher, loan officer (while earning an MBA from Rutgers University), and in real estate, while taking time for community theater, singing with choirs, as well as her church and political activism.
Edgar, legal reformer, law school founder, and time-bank “inventor,” died Jan. 23, 2022.
After Swarthmore, he earned a law degree from Yale, followed by work in the federal government and writing with his late wife Jean Camper Cahn ’57 a paper that criticized the War on Poverty and included the idea of federally funded legal services that later became the Legal Services Corporation. The couple went on to found the first public-interest law school, Antioch School of Law in Washington, which was absorbed into the University of the District of Columbia, while in the 1980s, Edgar developed the concept of time dollars that allowed volunteers to earn credits that could be spent on services from other volunteers.
Art major and mother of three, Sooky died March 1, 2021.
At Swarthmore, she earned an art degree, was on the varsity women’s field hockey team, was a member of the Studio Art Group, and was in the Hamburg Show, among other activities. At one time, Sooky was president of the Good Yarn book store in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Ann, a Sunday school teacher and transportation manager, died March 8, 2022.
As her children grew, she joined the Washington County Transportation Committee, helping establish a bus system in Hagerstown, Md., and later managed Pan-Tran transit authority in Martinsburg, W.Va. Ann was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where she taught children’s Sunday school for over 30 years and was a member of the hand bell choir; served on the board of the League of Women Voters of Maryland, and played tennis into her 70s.
Annette, a medical doctor and mother of three, died Jan. 6, 2022.
At Swarthmore, she was a member of the College Chorus. She graduated with a medical degree in 1961, living in the Netherlands. Annette, who had three children, was a retired radiation oncologist.
Sue, writer, editor, and matriarch of a family that rediscovered its Jewish roots, died Jan. 2, 2022.
She, husband Max, and their four sons spent four years in Jerusalem in the 1970s that led her from science and teaching to editorial work with Biblical Archaeology Review and Moment, a magazine focused on modern Jewish life. Sue’s children emigrated to Israel as young men and son Alex, an Israeli soldier, was killed in action, which led the couple to celebrate his life by creating a book from his journals and drawings; Sue and Max moved permanently to Israel in 1998.
Fil, an English professor, died Feb. 9, 2021.
He earned his bachelor’s in English literature from the College where he was on the men’s varsity soccer team and worked with WSRN. Fil, an English professor emeritus at Towson (Md.) University, earned his master’s at University of Wisconsin–Madison and his Ph.D. from Lehigh (Pa.) University.
Gene, whose work brought him patents for such things as the digital displays where information appeared to slide across a screen, died Jan. 25, 2022.
He was an engineering major and a wrestler at Swarthmore; worked for Kalbro, a computer repair firm, and started his own company — a franchise operation of a national voice mail system — that he later sold, retiring to Prescott, Ariz. While there, Gene and his second wife delivered tens of thousands of pounds of clothing, furniture, and household goods to those in need on nearby Native American reservations, which was recognized in the 2002 Congressional Record.
Harriet, retired professor of sociology, Navy wife, and mother of six, died Jan. 21, 2022.
After graduating from Swarthmore and marrying husband of 64 years Jonathan, she moved and re-settled the family to over 20 locations and was a pioneer in creating support networks for military families, including the Navy’s Ombudsman Program. Harriet earned her master’s in human development at National University in San Diego, and at 60, her Ph.D. in sociology from American University, becoming a professor of sociology at both Jacksonville (Fla.) University and the University of North Florida, Jacksonville.
Bill, a Quaker and engineer, died Dec. 22, 2021.
At Swarthmore, he earned an engineering degree with honors and was a member of Tau Beta Pi and worked at WSRN radio station, then as a Quaker and a conscientious objector, he was imprisoned as a draft resistor during the post-WWII draft. Bill lived most of his life in Wyoming, working on hydroelectric and wind-power projects as an electrical engineer.
Alison, a French teacher, gardener, and arts supporter, died Dec. 5, 2021.
After graduating from Swarthmore, where she was on the drama board and Phoenix, and earning a master’s at Harvard, she taught high school French for many years before becoming director of the Rochester (N.Y.) Housing Council. Alison was an avid gardener, reader, and supporter of the arts.
Art historian Charles, who was deeply committed to equal opportunity, fairness, and social justice, died Feb. 2, 2022.
He earned his master’s and Ph.D. from Princeton University and served several terms as chair of the History of Art departments at Bryn Mawr College and at Johns Hopkins University, from which he retired. Charles was a fellow of Villa I Tatti, the Harvard Center for Renaissance Studies, and the American Academy in Rome; delved into scholarship that included Botticelli and pagan mythology and Donatello and archaic demons re-fashioned as “putti,” among others, and was a member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dave, family physician and exercise advocate, died Dec. 20, 2021.
After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, he worked at Scott Paper Co., then in 1961 he took a leave to teach engineering in India for two years, returning to Scott Paper and to taking pre-med night courses. Dave changed careers at age 28 by starting medical school at Temple University, graduating in 1969, and, establishing Wayne Family Physicians, a family medicine practice, serving the community for 45 years, retiring in 2016 due to health issues.
Doc, a “molar mechanic” and expert fly fisherman, died March 1, 2022.
In addition to Swarthmore, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania dental school; joined the Army Dental Corps as a captain, and returned home to Tyrone, Pa., to join his father’s family dentistry practice. Doc retired in 1998 to a home on Spruce Creek, partnering with the Home Waters Club to share the waterway with other trout fishermen, and was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Spruce Creek Rod and Gun Club.
Joseph, who had a lifelong interest in ensuring freedom of economic opportunity, speech, and from national aggressors, died Jan. 27, 2022.
He graduated from Swarthmore with high honors then earned a master’s and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago; published two books: Accounting Standards and International Finance and A Treatise on Markets, and taught economics at Rice University, Houston, among others. Joseph also worked as the deputy director of Monetary Research at the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (1976–79) and later as a senior economist at the U.S. Department of Justice Anti-trust Division.
Betty Jo, horse lover and school psychologist, died Jan. 10, 2022.
After graduation and marrying Scott Hildum ’59, the couple settled in Baltimore where she worked for an animal research laboratory before moving to Boulder, Colo., where she completed her coursework for a master’s in psychology. Her husband’s work eventually took the family to Livermore, Calif., where Betty Jo achieved her professional goal of being a school psychologist at the Milpitas school district for 21 years, retiring along with her husband in 2001 and traveling for pleasure around the world.
Leading researcher Janet, who increased opportunities for women in science, died Sept. 21, 2021.
After Swarthmore, she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1967, served on the faculties of various universities and was named director of the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation in 1994, retiring in 2001. Among her many accomplishments, Janet and her late wife, Chris Cobb, established the Comis Foundation in 2002, which is committed to improving the education of young children and youth.
Editor’s Note: We regret the error in the original obituary for Janet that ran in the winter 2022 issue that misidentified Janet’s wife, Chris.
Librarian Maija, a Phi Beta Kappa member, died Oct. 18, 2021.
She earned her bachelor’s in French at the College with highest honors, was Phi Beta Kappa, and a member of the Creative Writing Club. Maija earned a master’s in library science from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Romance languages from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and was the librarian for many years of the Erickson Institute for Early Childhood Education in Chicago.
Jean, a writer at heart who loved news and politics, died Jan. 29, 2022.
After Swarthmore, she earned her Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, living and raising her children in DeWitt, N.Y. Jean taught part time at the Syracuse University school of continuing education and served as trustee at Manlius Pebble Hill School as well as being active in school politics, including fighting a plan to close local elementary schools and writing a book about it, while raising three children with her husband.
Maggy, a Florida environmentalist, five-term county commissioner, and sister of the late U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, died Feb. 19, 2022.
She graduated with high honors in psychology from Swarthmore and moved with husband James ’60 to Florida in 1964 where she was elected Martin County Commissioner in 1974, became respected as an uncompromising warrior for the environment and public lands. Maggy served on numerous commissions and committees at the regional and state level including a Blue Ribbon Transportation Committee, the State Comprehensive Plan Committee, and Growth Management Task Force; received many awards such as the Everglades Coalition George Barley Conservationist of the Year Award and the National Wetlands Award for Volunteer Leadership, and tried to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court a $4 million judgment over her criticism of a rock mining project near the Everglades.
Alan, a lifelong journalist, died Feb. 12, 2022.
At Swarthmore, he earned a history degree and was captain of the tennis team before becoming a journalist. Alan first worked at the Associated Press in Central and South America; was hired by the Wall Street Journal, eventually becoming its London bureau chief for six years, and moved with his family to Atlanta where he was editor of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, business editor of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and creator of two independent business and health newsletters before retiring.
Nina, a lifelong learner with an interest in women’s history, died Jan. 30, 2022.
She earned a bachelor’s at Swarthmore, a master’s from Drexel University, and a second master’s and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Delaware where her dissertation explored “Art, Industry, and Women’s Education at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women.” In later life, Nina engaged in local politics and became the president of the Democratic Party in her hometown of Ridley Park, Pa.
Lawyer Chris, who loved silver queen sweet corn and body surfing, died Dec. 16, 2021.
He earned a master’s in political science at the University of Delaware and a law degree from Georgetown University law school; was editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Law Review, and was the motions clerk for the D.C. Circuit. Chris worked for Legal Aid, eventually moving to Baltimore, where in 1975, he also joined the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Law; started in 1982 his own law firm, Brown & Goldstein, and was admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Peter, a counselor and soccer player, died Jan. 18, 2022.
A philosophy major at Swarthmore, he was on the men’s varsity soccer team and in the Hamburg Show, and after earning his bachelor’s, he received a master’s in counseling from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. Peter was a retired executive director of Friendly House as well as having worked for CIC Consulting.
Hand therapist Katrina, a caring soul who provided support to many, died Dec. 3, 2021.
She graduated with a bachelor’s in English literature from Swarthmore and became a hand therapist. A Quaker, Katrina was remembered for having a sweet smile, compassionate presence, and words full of encouragement and was survived by her two children, a cousin, and niece and nephew.
Emel, a journalist and mother, died Jan. 31, 2022.
She earned a bachelor’s in political science at Swarthmore and was a retired Associated Press correspondent who lived in Ankara, Turkey. She is survived by two children, including Ela Anil ’99.
Artist and children’s author Ellen died Jan. 26, 2022.
After graduating from Swarthmore, she earned a master’s in teaching from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., and a Ph.D. in history from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, and worked as an assistant dean of students at Ohio’s Oberlin University, where she helped found its women’s studies department. After her divorce in 1981, Ellen lived in many different places; pursued several different careers, and published several books including on antebellum Black college women and another on prohibition in New York City.
Bob, a rheumatologist beloved by his young patients for his humor, kindness, and willingness to get on their level, died Jan. 21, 2022.
A McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore, he graduated with an M.D./Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Pennsylvania, becoming a pediatric rheumatologist; served as director of the Pediatric Residency Program of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and medical director at Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.; became vice president for Nemours Physician Practices based in Jacksonville, Fla., and developed and leadership training programs for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Bob was a supporter of the Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md., and the Easton (Md.) Choral Arts Society, among others.
Dog rescuer Francine Jo, a social justice theologian, died Jan. 21, 2022.
She earned a master’s and Ph.D. from Yale University; taught and published in the areas of early Christian history and theology, contemporary ecumenism, and women’s ministries and ordination, and helped to challenge and shape the Roman Catholic Church in her posts at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Francine Jo co-founded the Women’s Theological Center in 1981, establishing an alternative model of theological education for women, and was a frequent speaker for the Voice of the Faithful, a catholic movement founded in the wake of the clerical sex-abuse scandal.
Susan, a professor emerita of visual arts who studied medieval art from a feminist perspective, died April 5, 2021.
She received her bachelor’s with honors in history and philosophy; earned a master’s and Ph.D. in art history at University of Pennsylvania; was recruited in 1987 for a faculty position in the Department of Visual Arts at University of California–San Diego (UCSD) and later became provost of John Muir College, a graduate school of UCSD, and secured a grant to preserve its Modernist buildings. Susan’s groundbreaking dissertation, “‘To Women’s Wiles I Fell’: The Power of Women ‘Topos’ and the Development of Medieval Secular Art,” was widely cited, while her later articles looked at the disruptive power of art through a treatment of female nudity and the female gaze.
Randy, a retired Delaware Supreme Court Justice and former president of the American Inns of Court, where he worked on bail reform in domestic violence cases, died March 15, 2022.
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, receiving the Loughlin Award for legal ethics, and later earned a master’s in judicial process from the University of Virginia law school, Charlottesville, and taught corporate governance, appellate practice, and state constitutional law. Randy was appointed to the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986 as the youngest person ever to serve on the state’s highest court, retiring in March 2017 as its longest-serving justice, and wrote more than 700 reported opinions and several thousand case dispositive orders along with 10 books, including two on the Delaware Constitution, two histories of the Delaware Supreme Court, and a modern history of the Delaware bar.
Regents’ Professor Emerita of Psychology Lauren, an internationally recognized developmental psychologist, died Dec. 31, 2021.
After Swarthmore, she entered the Ph.D. program in developmental psychology at University of California–Berkeley but moved to Boston with husband Walt; worked in the Harvard Medical School research lab where the still-face paradigm assessment tool was developed, and after more moves and work on her dissertation, the family settled in Atlanta. In Georgia, Lauren took a psychology department position at Georgia State University, eventually becoming dean of Arts and Sciences, while pursuing her research on the development of “joint attention” in infants prior to verbal language along with work on autism, formally retiring in 2015.
Jean, who dedicated her professional life to clients with developmental disabilities and those affected by child abuse and neglect, died Feb. 1, 2022.
A psychology major at Swarthmore, she helped prompt her class’s graduation gift that ensured access to birth control for women students; earned a master’s in childhood development at Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Cornell University, New York, and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jean and her husband and children moved to Kansas, where she worked as a licensed psychologist for more than 30 years at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center in Lawrence.
Political science professor Cheeb died August 2021.
He graduated from the College with a bachelor’s in political science and went on to earn a master’s in Asian studies and a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford (Calif.) University. Cheeb taught political science at Thammasat University in Bangkok, specializing in East Asian studies, especially China’s politics and foreign affairs, and held a number of positions at the university.
Educator Margaret, who had a lifelong love of poetry and music, died Dec. 8, 2021.
She earned a bachelor’s in linguistics followed by a Ph.D. in theoretical linguistics from the University of Connecticut, Mansfield, and a master’s in instructional design from the University of Massachusetts, Boston; joined the faculty of Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School in Waltham, Mass., then became the school’s academic dean. Upon retiring, Margaret and husband Richard moved to Sebago, Maine, where she joined the Sebago Historical Society, was a member of the Lake Region Community Chorus, and helped establish the Sebago Artists group.
David, a football player, sports fan, and cook, died Feb. 1, 2022.
He attended Swarthmore and played football, living over the years in Philadelphia, Miami, and Denver. David was an avid reader, a student of history, a great cook, and sports fan.
Rob, founder of Threads for Success, died Feb. 21, 2022.
After Swarthmore, he joined the Peace Corps, teaching English for two years in Tunisia; joined his family’s men’s clothing business, leading the chain of seven metro-Detroit stores until 1990 when the company closed, and eventually accepted a position with the Tom James Company. Also, Rob launched the nonprofit Threads for Success in 2006 through which more than 1,000 high school seniors received professional clothing along with education about the professional use of social media and preparation for business and academic interviews.
Sue, who took Mandarin courses in case it was needed for her work, died Dec. 4, 2021.
In addition to Swarthmore, she graduated from the University of Washington law school, Seattle, followed by a career as a lawyer and CPA in the State of Washington Department of Financial Institutions where she’d celebrated 40 years, and was appointed, periodically, as a special assistant U.S. Attorney. Sue was a member of the Washington Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the North American Securities Administrators Association; volunteered as a mediator, and regularly attended opera and other music events.
Brendan, an Eurasier dog enthusiast, organist, and musicologist, died March 8, 2022.
He earned a master’s in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. from Capella University in business management; was employed as a financial adviser with Ferris Baker Watts and RBC, and was president of Groh Enterprises. Brendan served on numerous boards including the Meritus Health Board of Trustees and Maryland Symphony Orchestra board, and volunteered as a lacrosse coach and as a deck referee and starter with PIAA and USA Swimming, among others.
J.P., an engineer who enjoyed the outdoors, died Dec. 1, 2021.
At the College, he earned a bachelor’s in engineering and was on the football team, then earned a master’s in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University; served as a civil engineer with P.J. Dick & Trumbull Corp., Pittsburgh, KCI Technologies, headquartered in Sparks, Md., and Maryland Department of Transportation, LaVale, Md. J.P. was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Hill, Pa., and enjoyed fishing and the outdoors.
Matt, an economics major, died Dec. 18, 2021.
He earned a bachelor’s in economics at Swarthmore and played varsity baseball. Living in both Boston and San Francisco after graduation, Matt was a senior analyst at Treacy and Company and a product manager for Globality Inc.
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To report the death of an alum, email obituaries@swarthmore.edu. Please provide the class year (if known), the date of death, and a short biography or link to a published obituary.
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