in memoriam
A branch covered in snow with Scott Amphitheater in the background

their light lives on

our friends will never be forgotten
expanded tributes at bulletin.swarthmore.edu
Catherine Ferguson Riisness ’40

“Kit,” a librarian and director of the Mentor (Ohio) Public Library, died Nov. 13, 2017.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she retired in 1980 as library director and enjoyed needlecrafts, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Helene Herzberg Suydam ’41

Helene, a mathematics major who worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory, died Aug. 3, 2020.

Helene began work at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Va., in 1942, where she helped develop the Norden bombsight used in World War II; she was later recruited with her husband to work in Los Alamos, N.M. In the late ’50s, the couple moved into the house that had been occupied by Robert Oppenheimer during the Manhattan Project, eventually donating it to the Los Alamos Historical Society.

Black-and-white closeup of Mary Jane Caldwell Nickerson
Mary Jane Caldwell Nickerson ’40

M.J., a nurse and former Halcyon photo editor, died July 10, 2020.

A biology major at Swarthmore, M.J. also belonged to the archery and badminton teams and was a member of the Photography Club. She received a master’s from the Yale School of Nursing.

David Hewitt ’44

Dave, a member of the actuaries ethics board, died Aug. 25, 2020.

An Army veteran, he was a senior vice president specializing in pension plans for Huggins & Co. He was also president of the Conference of Actuaries in Public Practice and served on the profession’s first national ethics board. He was an active Quaker, loved classical music and Gilbert and Sullivan, and sang with the Mendelssohn Chorus and the Rose Valley Chorus in Pennsylvania.

Mary Bradshaw Whaley ’44

“Molly,” a World War II code breaker and social worker, died Dec. 25, 2019.

Molly attended Swarthmore for two years, ultimately graduating from the University of Michigan. She then became a communications officer for the WAVES; her unit received a Naval Unit Commendation for their work on breaking the Japanese code. She did postgrad studies in social work at the University of Southern California, and was later employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Charles Booth ’45

A Maine real-estate broker, Chuck died Sept. 17, 2020.

After serving in the Army Air Corps in World War II, he worked as a lithographic specialist until he joined the family business, Deemer Steel Casting Co. in Delaware, as vice president and production manager in 1952. Upon moving to Maine in 1974, Chuck earned his broker’s license and, for the next 30 years, sold real estate.

Joan Seidel Gross ’46

A social worker who displayed wisdom, integrity and compassion, Joan died Aug. 24, 2020.

Joan studied political science in Swarthmore’s Honors Program, returning to school 25 years later to earn a master’s in social work from Bryn Mawr College. She then served as a social worker at a community mental health center and the Philadelphia Geriatric Center.

Susan Harwig ’46

Susan, a psychology major and social worker, died July 24, 2020.

At Swarthmore, she was a member of the softball team and editor of the Phoenix. She later earned a master’s in social work at Columbia University.

Gerald Nolin ’46

A Navy veteran and industrialist who provided support and shelter for political refugees during international crises, Gerry died Aug. 18, 2020.

In 1942, he joined the Navy V-12 program, studying civil engineering at the University of Pennsylvania and then at Swarthmore, where he was student council president and a member of Sigma Xi. For 40 years, Gerry worked at Prouvost Lefebvre, becoming company treasurer and president of its subsidiary, the Branch River Wool Combing Co.

Nancy Jones Svoboda ’46

Nancy, who loved dogs, volunteering, and her family, died July 8, 2020.

She worked in the advertising industry and later volunteered at various organizations, including St. Margaret Memorial Hospital, Cooper-Siegel Community Library, and Guyasuta Garden Club, all in Ohio. Nancy was an avid reader and subscriber to the arts, and she had a talent for painting, gardening, and playing the piano.

John Pruden NV

A pilot who played piano and organ by ear, Jack died July 22, 2020.

Already a licensed pilot at age 17, Jack enlisted in the Navy and then enrolled in Swarthmore under the GI Bill before transferring to Ball State University. He began his career as a teacher before moving to IBM, where he worked until retirement, and he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol.

John Bacon ’47

John, a Florida surgeon, died June 26, 2020.

He earned his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania while serving in the Navy, then moved to Florida and practiced medicine for more than 30 years in Palm Beach County. An avid fly fisherman and a bridge life master champion, John also scuba-dived and traveled the world as a nature photographer.

David Armington ’49

A researcher and a College athlete, David died Jan. 30, 2020.

At Swarthmore, he was a member of Delta Upsilon, the basketball and golf teams, and the orchestra. David graduated with high honors in political science, and went on to receive his master’s in history from Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University in 1958.

Robert Brown ’49

Bob, a mechanical engineer who held six turbine patents, died July 7, 2020.

Bob earned a master’s in mechanical engineering from Drexel University and completed coursework at Harvard Business School. He worked on turbine development with the steam turbine generator division of Westinghouse Electric Corp., from which he was drafted in 1950 to serve in the Korean War, returning to his career in 1956. When he retired in 1984, one-third of all electricity generated in the U.S. came from turbines for which Bob had design responsibility.

faculty & staff

Elissa Chansky, a former staff nurse at Swarthmore, died Oct. 9, 2020. She was 88.

Theodore “Dorie” Friend III, a prodigious scholar and Swarthmore’s 11th president, serving from 1973 to 1982, died Nov. 4, 2020. He was 89.

Geneva Gilliam, who worked in Dining Services in the ’80s, died Aug. 20, 2020. She was 72.

Margaret “Peggy” Giovannini, a former secretary in the President’s Office, died Aug. 23, 2020. She was 88.

Richard Kelly, a former maintenance worker in Swarthmore’s physical plant, died July 16, 2020. He was 70.

Robert Roza, the Susan W. Lippincott Professor Emeritus of French, who taught at Swarthmore for 33 years, died April 9, 2020. He was 88.

Bertha Lee Tyson, who worked in Environmental Services for 25 years, died Aug. 19, 2020. She was 91.

Larry Westphal, the J. Archer and Helen C. Turner Professor Emeritus of Economics, who taught at Swarthmore from 1985 to 2012, died Nov. 11, 2020. He was 78.

Black-and-white closeup of Edwin Alexander, wearing glasses and a serious expression
Edwin Alexander ’50

Ed, a communications technology inventor, died Aug. 14, 2020.

An Army Air Corps radio operator in World War II, he earned two Air Medals and two campaign medals. After completing a bachelor’s in electrical engineering at Swarthmore, followed by a master’s at Princeton University, he worked at Bell Laboratories, where he helped develop plug-in wall transformers, fiber optics, and undersea communications cables.

Jane deVries Stark ’49

An anesthesiologist and Red Cross volunteer, Jane died Aug. 30, 2020.

With a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Jane practiced anesthesiology in New Jersey at Orange Memorial Hospital and Overlook Medical Center, retiring in 1995. She was an avid hobbyist and enjoyed knitting, needlepoint, quilting, scrapbooking, golf, tennis, crosswords, reading, sailing, Scrabble, and bridge.

Robert Ganter ’50

A history major and psychologist, Robert died Aug. 7, 2020.

Robert went on to earn a history master’s from the University of Pennsylvania and a psychology Ph.D. from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Shirley Bryan Holder ’50

Shirley, a mathematician, died June 20, 2020.

Shirley received a bachelor’s and master’s in mathematics from what is now Rowan University after attending Swarthmore. She was a mother of four, including Janet Muchovej Horton ’71 and Peter Mucha, who had a semesterlong fellowship at Swarthmore.

Elizabeth Clum Myers ’50

Elizabeth, a lifelong learner and educator with encyclopedic knowledge, died June 21, 2020.

She met husband Edward Myers ’53 in high school and dated him at Swarthmore. Elizabeth earned a master’s in philosophy from the University of Vermont and a Ph.D. from the State University of New York–Albany, and taught at St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vt., and at SUNY–Albany.

Sylvia Turlington O’Neill ’50

Sylvia, an activist and college professor, died Oct. 11, 2020.

She earned a psychology Ph.D. from Cornell University and taught at Rutgers University before becoming a full professor at what is now the College of New Jersey, where she helped create the women’s studies curriculum. Over the decades, Sylvia was involved with the women’s rights and gay rights movements, and she wrote poetry and created art at her retirement community in Madison, Wis.

Don Piccard ’50

Don, the father of modern hot-air ballooning, died Sept. 13, 2020.

Don was a Navy balloon and airship rigger during World War II and served in New Jersey during the Korean War. In 1963, he became the first, with Ed Yost, to pilot a hot-air balloon over the English Channel. The founder of Piccard Balloons, he made innovations that increased the crafts’ safety and promoted ballooning as a sport, appearing on The Tonight Show in 1967.

Joan Litchard Wyon ’50

Joan, a banker and supporter of professional women, died Oct. 8, 2020.

Joan earned an MBA from Simmons College in 1978 and later was vice president at the Bank of New England. She served on the board of Northfield Mount Hermon School and the vestry of Boston’s Trinity Church, and was an active athlete, an avid bridge player, and a member of multiple book clubs.

Dabney Altaffer ’51

Dabney, an expert in Native American law, died Sept. 2, 2020.

After leaving the Army in 1952, Dabney earned a law degree from the University of Arizona. He co-founded a law firm that represented the Tohono O’odam, Ak-Chin, and Quechan nations, and he served on the board of the Arizona Heart Association, the Arizona Women’s Clinic, and Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona, among other institutions.

Jean Leck Bauman ’51

A social worker, Jean died Sept. 7, 2020.

Jean worked for 28 years in the Santa Barbara County (Calif.) Department of Social Services, specializing in adoptions. She volunteered with political candidates, peace organizations, Meals on Wheels, and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care, and served briefly as a docent with Santa Barbara’s Museum of Natural History.

Closeup of a smiling Oscar Moreno
Oscar Moreno ’51

Oscar, a Korean War veteran and entrepreneur, died Aug. 16, 2020.

Oscar worked as a pharmacology technician and attended graduate school at Villanova University and Jefferson Medical School, earning an engineering master’s and a pharmacology Ph.D., respectively. He and his wife formed MB Research Laboratories in the 1970s; after 26 years, they sold the company and retired in Naples, Fla.

Nancy Kenney Connolly ’51

A Fulbright Scholar and poet, Nancy died Aug. 18, 2020.

After earning a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1956, Nancy taught at Michigan State University, edited college textbooks, was one of Merrill Lynch’s first female stock brokers, and was a nonprofit executive and a research associate. Nancy was a founding board member of the Women’s Exchange in Winnetka, Ill., and the director of the Austin (Texas) International Poetry Festival, among other volunteer activities.

Richard Kane ’51

Richard, a retired executive vice president of Scott Paper Co., died June 27, 2020.

Richard ultimately graduated from the University of Michigan. He served in the Navy from 1951 to 1955, after which he was employed by E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. and later by the Esterbrook Pen Co. He received an MBA from the Wharton School in 1961, and then joined Scott Paper, where he played a significant role in the growth of its international division.

Presley Brown ’52

Pres, a tinkerer and printer, died April 26, 2020.

Serving in the Army from graduation until 1954, Pres later earned his master’s in economics from Temple University in 1963. After working at high-stress corporate jobs, he opened Rapid Press printing company in 1976; while running the press, Pres also restored two 19th-century pump organs, repaired the family’s 1837 farmhouse, maintained a collection of 1,600 hymnals, and constructed scale-model churches in the form of birdhouses.

George Place Jr. ’52

A mechanical engineer, Army veteran, and All-American soccer player, George died July 26, 2020.

After graduation, George served at the Army Chemical Center, and then worked in the petroleum, water, and concrete industries. He had a lifelong love of athletics that included coaching his children’s sports teams and attending their sporting events.

Walter Schmitz ’52

Walter, a banking executive and lifelong St. Louis resident, died Sept. 14, 2020.

After graduating and serving in the Navy during the Korean War, Walter returned to St. Louis, where he worked for the old First National Bank, becoming executive vice president of commercial lending and credit policy; he had a similar position at Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis, retiring in 2000. He was a member of or served on the boards of many organizations, including the Risk Management Association, the Better Business Bureau, and the Neighborhood Health Center.

Elise Faulkner Jones ’53

Lisa (pronounced “Leeza”), a demographer and early family-planning activist, died Aug. 2, 2020.

Lisa and husband Parry ’50 lived in Pakistan for two years before settling in an old farmhouse in Bucks County, Pa. In the late 1950s, she took the birth-control pill to help determine the dosage level while it was still under development, and she was one of three women who founded the Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County in the mid-1960s. She earned a Ph.D. in demography from the University of Pennsylvania in 1979, before serving for 10 years on Swarthmore’s Board of Managers.

John Ridland ’53

A poet and English professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, John died Jan. 29, 2020.

John earned a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University, where his poems appeared in literary magazines; later, several of his books were published as Abattoir handpress editions. In 2013, his mock epic poem, “The Lincolniad,” was published as a special edition of Askew magazine, and a volume of poetry, Happy in an Ordinary Thing, was published by Truman State University Press.

Franz Allina ’54

Franz, a radio-station owner and board member of the Committee to Protect Journalists, died March 30, 2020.

After graduation, Franz worked for Radio Free Europe and radio station WMCA before joining the U.S. Agency for International Development in the early 1960s. Upon returning to New York, he was asked to find radio stations to buy to help fund a new program, Sesame Street. When that plan was discarded, Franz bought the stations himself, founding a radio company that later sold for a reported $20 million.

Diane di Prima ’55

Diane, a feminist and Beat poet who had lifelong friendships with Allen Ginsburg and Jack Kerouac, died Oct. 25, 2020.

Diane’s first collection of poems, This Kind of Bird Flies Backward, was followed by a short-story collection and a memoir about the Beat generation. Over the years, she published more than 40 poetry collections, novels, and memoirs; championed other feminist authors; was arrested for obscenity; once lived at Timothy Leary’s psychedelic commune; and, in 2009, was named San Francisco’s poet laureate.

Black-and-white closeup of Cornelia Fuller, wearing glasses and thick hoop earrings
Cornelia Fuller ’54

A teacher, tutor, and volunteer, Cornelia died July 17, 2020.

She earned a master’s in education from Cornell University and lived for extended periods in Paris, Copenhagen, and Cambridge, England. Having survived late-stage breast cancer at 46, Cornelia considered the rest of her life a gift, and she volunteered for many organizations in Pasadena, Calif., including the Gamble House, the League of Women Voters, the Pasadena Symphony, and Huntington Hospital.

Constantine Inglessis ’55

Connie, an engineering professor at American University in Beirut, died Aug. 4, 2020.

At Swarthmore, he indulged in engineering and soccer before earning a master’s in civil engineering from Colorado State University. During his half-century at American University, he followed a passion for teaching and education. His Greek name disguised his Palestinian roots that led to a lifetime of work in the cause of Palestine.

John McNulty ’56

Jack, the Roger J. Traynor Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a man of letters, music, and the arts, died Sept. 26, 2020.

A psychology major at Swarthmore, Jack graduated first in his class from Yale Law School, where he worked on the Yale Law Journal and clerked for Justice Hugo Black in 1959–60. He joined the faculty at Berkeley Law in 1964, retiring in 2002, and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1977 to conduct research on structural reforms of the U.S. federal tax system.

Mary Pearson Noble ’56

Mary, a traveler and teacher, died Sept. 22, 2020.

Mary studied at the University of Edinburgh before Swarthmore, and then spent several years in Europe teaching. She completed a master’s degree at Simmons College in Boston before joining the faculty of the Fessenden School in West Newton, Mass., teaching international students for the next 28 years as she continued to travel the world.

Closeup of Peter Lenrow
Peter Lenrow ’56

Peter, a psychologist-turned-painter and poet, died July 5, 2020.

Peter trained psychologists and educators, maintained a private psychotherapy practice, and was a director of multiple programs, most recently the Somerville (Mass.) Mental Health Association. After his retirement in 2011, Peter rediscovered his creative side, becoming an ardent poet and watercolor painter, and active with the Westport Art Group.

Bernard Sarachek ’56

Bernard, a physician, died Aug. 4, 2020.

A graduate of Temple University medical school, Bernard spent three years as a Navy doctor before becoming a family physician in Concord, Calif. An avid fan of jazz, college basketball, and baseball, he was the football doctor for Concord High School for 20 years; served on the board of directors of the Concord Child Care Center and Diablo Scholarships; and annually supported about 25 environmental and social justice organizations.

Roland Reboussin ’56

A research analyst at the National Academy of the FBI, Roland died Sept. 18, 2020.

After serving in the Navy, he completed a psychology Ph.D. at the University of Kansas and then taught at Beloit College in Wisconsin. Roland took a job with the Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice in 1979, redesigning crime reporting and improving abuse prevention, shelter programs, and halfway houses, before joining the FBI in 1986.

Mary Roberts Craighill ’57

A daughter of missionaries who, as a young girl, witnessed the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Mary died July 25, 2020.

Mary taught at the Beirut College for Women and earned a master’s degree at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. She served in a joint ministry at Tainan Theological College in Taiwan, before returning to the U.S. in 1978, with a career that culminated with her being director of lay ministry for the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

Mary Boyce Gelfman ’57

Mary, an expert on special education and school nursing law, died Sept. 5, 2020.

Mary taught math while completing a master’s at Columbia’s Teachers College before moving to Ridgefield, Conn., where she was involved with the League of Women Voters, was elected to the school board in 1969, and earned a law degree from the University of Connecticut. She was an attorney with the state Department of Education before leaving for private practice and to work as an education hearing officer.

Ronald Sutton ’57

Ronald, a Methodist minister and American University professor, died Aug. 26, 2020.

Ronald was a minister and a teacher at Wilmington Friends before moving to Washington, D.C., to work in the American Film Institute’s education department and to join the faculty at American University’s School of Communication. After retiring in 1997, he spent the next 20 years in Pinehurst, N.C., where he served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, Arts Council of Moore County, and the Weymouth Center.

Stephen Watkins ’57

An honors graduate, Stephen died Sept. 11, 2020.

Stephen received a master’s from George Washington University. At Swarthmore, he was a member of the drama board, the Student Art Group, and Swarthmore Political Action.

Molly McCaslin Robinson ’58

Molly, a statistics lecturer at Smith College, died Jan. 5, 2020.

She attended Swarthmore and Pomona colleges and earned a master’s in education at Claremont University in California. Molly taught math in California before becoming a statistics lecturer at Smith, from which she retired in 2004. While she held positions at various organizations, she loved leading Girl Scout troops because they empowered girls.

James Parker ’59

A historian, amateur genealogist, and longtime Ford employee, Jim died Oct. 10, 2020.

Jim ultimately graduated from the University of Michigan and then worked at the Ford Motor Co. from 1961 until his retirement in 1992 as a quality-control specialist. Jim was active in the American Society for Quality Control and the Dexter (Mich.), Washtenaw County, and Webster Township historical societies, and was co-founder of the World Chamberlain Genealogical Society.

William Boehmler ’60

Bill, a Pennsylvania doctor and psychiatrist, died July 1, 2020.

Bill earned a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania on an ROTC scholarship, then served his Navy ROTC commitment in Japan. He was a general physician in Lansdale, Pa., before completing a psychiatry residency and joining the staffs of Reading Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center of Reading.

John Darley ’60

John, a social psychologist who conducted early studies on bystander intervention, died Aug. 31, 2018.

John earned a Ph.D. at Harvard University, but his career was started at New York University, where he delved into why bystanders who witnessed a murder did not intervene. After four years at NYU, he was hired by Princeton University and served on the faculty there for 44 years, studying behavioral approaches to energy conservation; the social influence and group dynamics on how organizations socialize wrongdoing; and laypeople’s conceptions of the law and the legal system. In 2013, he received the William James Lifetime Achievement Award for Basic Research from the Association for Psychological Science.

Closeup of smiling Austine Read Wood Comarow, wearing black with colorful artwork in the background
Austine Read Wood Comarow ’63

Austine, inventor of the art medium Polage, died July 31, 2020.

With an MFA in illustration from Syracuse University, Austine was best-known for creating Polage, which used polarized light and optically active materials to create changing colors and figurative images. She created works for science and nature centers, her most recent public work being the windows at the Kyle Canyon Visitor Gateway in Las Vegas.

John Munch ’60

John, a chemist and professor, died Aug. 23, 2020.

John received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1965 and began his professional career as a chemistry professor at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania; he later taught at Meramec Community College in Kirkwood, Mo. In between, he was a senior research chemist for more than 20 years at Petrolite Corp.

David Ashworth ’61

David, an Air Force veteran who worked for GE and Martin Marietta, died Sept. 19, 2020.

His time at Swarthmore was interrupted by a tour in the Air Force during the Korean War. After returning and earning an economics degree, David continued to serve in the Air Force, including active duty during the Vietnam War, transferring to the Air National Guard in 1977. He spent his retirement in West Chester, Pa., golfing and developing his role as a beloved grumpy school bus driver until age 85.

William Brownfield ’61

A forestry civil engineer, William died July 31, 2020.

After Swarthmore, William received a master’s degree from Arizona State University. A former employee of the U.S. Forest Service, William was also a member of Reunion Presbyterian Church in Mount Pleasant, Pa.

Walter Dickey ’61

“Chip,” a consumer-affairs specialist, died Oct. 18, 2020.

Chip earned a law degree and worked in IBM’s legal department before beginning a long career in consumer affairs at Hallmark Cards, from which he retired in 1990. He then worked for nearly a decade as an insurance agent. Chip was also an active volunteer, serving on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas, the Kansas City Lawyers’ Association, and Swarthmore’s Alumni Council.

Marilyn Emerson Lanctot ’61

Marilyn, a volunteer and veterinary assistant, died Aug. 3, 2020.

Marilyn earned a master’s in Russian studies from Indiana University, was a pre-nursery teacher, and worked with her husband at the New Hope (Pa.) Veterinary Hospital. She volunteered extensively, including with the League of Women Voters, the New Hope Eagle Volunteer Fire Co., and the New Hope and Solebury historical societies.

Mary Williams Clark ’63

Mary, a pediatric orthopedist, died July 22, 2020.

Mary received a medical degree from Yale University. She was on the faculty at Hershey Medical Center, the Medical College of Philadelphia, and the Medical College of Ohio, and retired from Sparrow Regional Children’s Medical Center in Michigan.

James Preer ’65

Jim, a science educator and amateur musician, died July 20, 2020.

Jim completed an inorganic chemistry Ph.D. at Caltech in 1970. He was a conscientious objector, and his alternative service was as a teaching intern at Federal City College in Washington, D.C., which served a predominantly African American student body. After finishing his internship, Jim stayed on the faculty of Federal City, now the University of the District of Columbia.

Jonathan Steinberg ’65

An editor and freelance journalist who ran track and field at Swarthmore, Jonathan died Sept. 30, 2020.

A political science major, Jonathan was very active at Swarthmore, serving on the Halcyon staff and as news editor of the Phoenix, and taking part in a number of student organizations, including the Social Action Group, the Drama Board, the Movie Committee, and the Hamburg Show.

John Thoms ’65

A professor of English literature and a polio survivor, John died Aug. 2, 2020.

John earned a master’s with high honors and a Ph.D. in medieval English literature from Columbia University. He taught English courses of every description at several New York-area colleges before being tenured at the New York Institute of Technology, where he taught from 1979 to 2010.

John Troyer ’65

John, a philosophy professor and member of an Oxford Common Room, died Aug. 11, 2020.

John earned a philosophy Ph.D. from Harvard University, and also was a Knox Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford University, where he remained a member of the Common Room until his death. In 1969, he joined the Department of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut, where he taught for 41 years.

Anne Mosher Wimsatt ’65

A English teacher and bookstore owner, Anne died June 24, 2020.

Anne earned a master’s in teaching from Cornell University and spent time as a lifeguard, teacher, Jeopardy! contestant, computer programmer, and mother. She was active in civic groups in Lewistown, Pa., and from 1986 to 1992, she owned and managed The Book Shop, an independent bookstore.

Closeup of smiling Daniel Menaker
Daniel Menaker ’63

An award-winning author and executive book editor, Dan died Oct. 26, 2020.

Dan earned a master’s in English from Johns Hopkins University then taught before being hired by The New Yorker in 1969. In 1995, he joined Random House where, aside from a brief time at HarperCollins, he stayed until 2007, rising to become executive editor in chief. As an editor, Dan helped polish the poetry and prose of Billy Collins, Alice Munro, and Salman Rushdie, among other writers. His critically acclaimed books included The Treatment and My Mistake, and last year he published Terminalia, a book of poems about cancer in a time of pandemic.

Gareth Jenkins ’66

Gareth, an educator who taught in Massachusetts, Italy, and New Mexico, died Aug. 18, 2020.

After entering Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he was sent to the Army, trained at the language school, and worked for the Army Security Agency. After discharge, Gareth came to Swarthmore and graduated with honors before receiving a fellowship to study Russian history at Harvard University, from which he received a master’s.

Lise Luborsky ’68

An attorney in Philadelphia, Lise died Oct. 18, 2020.

A Latin major at Swarthmore, she received a master’s in classics from the University of Toronto and a law degree from Villanova University. From 2009 to 2016, she was named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, with a practice concentrated on insurance insolvency, insurance coverage, casualty, and asbestos litigation.

Ellen Edwards ’71

Ellen, an advocate for immigrant children, died Feb. 27, 2020.

She received her master’s in health policy from Johns Hopkins University, after a bachelor’s in philosophy from Swarthmore. She taught at Johns Hopkins University as well as worked at the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization. In Baltimore, where she lived, she supported social-justice causes, including advocating for immigrant children.

Marcia Satterthwaite ’71

Marcia, a longtime social worker and travel writer, died Aug. 2, 2020.

Marcia earned a master’s of social work from Bryn Mawr College and was also a travel writer and co-owner of Tuscan Rentals. She was a former member of Alumni Council and a book lover and family historian.

Anne Seagrave Fullerton ’72

Anne, a counselor and educator, died July 14, 2020.

Anne worked briefly as a paralegal in New York City before settling in Santa Fe, N.M., in 1978. Anne received master’s degrees in education and counseling and was a wellness counselor in the Santa Fe Public Schools, while also sitting on nonprofit boards, counseling in private practice, directing the Poverty Task Force for the New Mexico Conference of Churches, and serving as an adjunct faculty member at Santa Fe Community College.

Hidemichi Tai ’72

Hidemichi, a devoted supporter of Swarthmore’s Japanese program, died July 23, 2020.

Hidemichi received an MBA from Columbia University and remained a staunch advocate for Swarthmore. He donated to the Japanese Summer Language Fellowship that enabled students to accelerate their language studies and also have the opportunity to live with a Japanese host family and experience life in a Japanese community.

Carolyn Parker Castore ’75

A dedicated supporter of progressive politics, Carolyn died Sept. 10, 2020.

A graduate of Swarthmore and the University of Texas at Austin, she dedicated her life to progressive politics and strengthening a participatory democracy. She worked for the Government Accounting Office and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, started a company with her brother, and then went into the nonprofit sector.

Garth Trinkl ’75

An economist with a passion for classical music and the performing arts, Garth died Aug. 30, 2020.

Garth did graduate work in economics and had a long career as an economist at Robert R. Nathan Associates, Brimmer & Co., and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. He also traveled widely, particularly in Central Europe, where he met his wife.

Closeup of smiling Leah Zallman, outside in the sun with water behind her
Leah Zallman ’01

Leah, a doctor and medical researcher with a passion for social justice and immigrant health, died Nov. 5, 2020.

Leah devoted herself ceaselessly to her work, as a primary-care physician in East Cambridge, Mass., as an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and as director of research for the Institute for Community Health. She co-led programming on improving care for diverse populations; pushed for improved access to food, housing, and other determinants of health; and was on the brink of fulfilling her dream of founding a Center for Immigrant Health Research, which was to be announced in the fall.

Ann Roberts ’87

Ann, a loving wife and devoted mother whose career focused on community psychology, died Aug. 23, 2020.

Following graduation from Swarthmore, Ann taught math to children in Kenya via World Teach, followed by work for the Vera Institute of Justice as an advocate for alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. Later, Ann was admitted to New York University’s community psychology Ph.D. program, where she was awarded a prestigious MacCracken Fellowship and co-authored an article published in The Journal of Early Adolescence.

Paul Sidelko ’89

Paul, a dedicated history professor and advocate for study-abroad programs, died Oct. 14, 2020.

Paul studied medieval history at Swarthmore and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. A professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Paul “was never afraid to express himself, especially when it came to defending the academic enterprise and opportunities for students,” his loved ones wrote.

Rebecca Hill Leising ’95

Rebecca, a landscape architect and devoted mother, died Oct. 7, 2020.

A biology major at Swarthmore, Rebecca earned a master’s in landscape architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. In May 2019, she announced she’d been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, leading her to stop working in January 2020.

Colin Kong ’96

A dentist and an affiliate of the clinical pediatric dentistry faculty at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, Colin died Sept. 3, 2020.

Colin received a doctor of dental medicine and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and completed two years of specialty training in pediatric dentistry. He held diplomat status with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, was a member of the American Academy and Connecticut Society of Pediatric Dentists, and volunteered with the Special Olympics, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Diabetes Association.

Submit an obituary

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.

Newspaper obituaries may also be mailed to Swarthmore College Bulletin, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081.