their light lives on
A longtime teacher in Jenkintown, Pa., Connie died Sept. 20, 2021.
An English literature major, she earned a master’s in elementary education from Temple University. Connie was a member of the Studio Art Group and College Dancers at Swarthmore and served as class secretary and vice president.
Janet, a retired elementary school teacher and mother of three, died Sept. 9, 2020.
Janet graduated with a psychology degree from Swarthmore, where she was a member of the Chorus, the Phoenix, and the synchronized swimming team. In 1968, she earned a certificate in elementary education from California State University Stanislaus in Turlock.
Joseph, a psychoanalyst and Navy veteran of World War II, died May 19, 2021.
Joseph earned a medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and had a private psychoanalytic practice for 55 years, during which he wrote numerous chapters, articles, and books, including Psychoanalysis and Motivation. He was clinical director of the Sheppard Pratt Psychiatric Hospital in Baltimore, where he also taught; he also created and served as editor-in-chief of the Psychoanalytic Inquiry journal, co-founded the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and taught at a number of higher education institutions.
Peter, a longtime sociologist at the University of New Hampshire in Durham who enjoyed participating in the Newburyport (Mass.) Choral Society, died Nov. 7, 2021.
An Army veteran, having served from 1945 to 1946, Peter graduated with high honors in history from Swarthmore, where he worked for the Phoenix and later served as class agent. After completing a Fulbright scholarship in Belgium, Peter earned a master’s and a Ph.D. in social sciences from Harvard University before joining the faculty of the University of New Hampshire, where he retired as an associate professor emeritus of sociology.
Arden, who opened her home to one and all, died Sept. 20, 2021.
A math major at Swarthmore, Arden later attended Stanford University and became a physical therapist, working for 20 years at El Camino Hospital and then for the Visiting Nurses Association. She ran a folk-dance campout with husband Hiram, was a member of the Palo Alto (Calif.) Friends Meeting, and was a donor and volunteer with Planned Parenthood.
A watercolorist with a sense of humor and impeccable style, Peg died Aug. 4, 2021.
Peg graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College, studying French and philosophy, and developing her artistry in watercolor painting. She worked at Lippincott Inc. as a typist and later opened Kennett Square, Pa.’s Brush & Pallet, a frame shop and art gallery.
Boyd, a father of seven and retired executive with his family’s tree business, died Jan. 14, 2021.
Boyd earned an engineering degree from Swarthmore and was a member of Alumni Council, Tau Beta Pi honor society, and the varsity football team. After receiving a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he worked for Asplundh Tree Expert Co., based in Willow Grove, Pa., retiring as senior vice president and secretary.
Renee, who was known for developing the “ball-stick-bird” reading method, died Jan. 2, 2019.
Born in Germany, Renee attended Swarthmore before ultimately graduating from Hunter College; she then earned a master’s from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from New York University. Renee was a research scientist before becoming chief of psychological services at the Rosewood Hospital Center in Owings Mills, Md. However, she was perhaps best known for authoring several books on methods to foster reading for those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, as well as for founding Ball-Stick-Bird Publications.
A retired psychiatrist and music enthusiast who played saxophone and bassoon and sang in many choruses, Bill died Sept. 22, 2021.
Bill earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at Swarthmore, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, the wrestling and tennis teams, the orchestra, the Phoenix, and the radio station. After receiving his medical degree from Cornell University, he practiced as a psychiatrist with the Veterans Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Joanne, a daughter and granddaughter of Swarthmore alumni, died Sept. 26, 2021.
Joanne attended Swarthmore and had a love of flowers and the arts, participating in watercolor and oil painting, ceramics, and flower arranging, and singing with the Worthington (Ohio) Songsters. She also loved watching old movies and playing bridge, solitaire, and crazy eights.
Anne, who was committed to children in difficult circumstances, died in October 2021.
Anne earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with honors from Swarthmore and a master’s in social work from Bryn Mawr College before becoming founder and CEO of the World of Golf, which she built into a successful business in New York City. After leaving the golf-retailing world, Anne moved to Stowe, Vt., where she was a social worker and a guardian ad litem for the family court, all of which she undertook as a volunteer.
George Anderson, a chemistry professor and research scientist, died Oct. 8, 2021. He was 87.
Brenda Foreman, a retired housekeeper, died Oct. 24, 2021. She was 72.
Lila Gleitman, who began her academic career as an assistant professor at the College, died Aug. 8, 2021. She was 92.
Robinson Hollister Jr., the Joseph Wharton Professor Emeritus of Economics, who taught at Swarthmore for 44 years, died Sept. 14, 2021. He was 86.
Ruth Ann Moffett, a secretary at Swarthmore, died Aug. 8, 2021. She was 79.
Edward Picciotti, a longtime Public Safety shuttle driver, died Oct. 21, 2021. He was 71.
Susan Stern, an instructor of modern dance, died Oct. 18, 2021. She was 97.
Arthur, an emeritus professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an avid gardener at the Fenway Victory Gardens in Boston, died Oct. 8, 2021.
Specializing in algebraic geometry, Arthur earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University before joining the MIT faculty in 1958; he retired in 2010. He was the author of the textbook Introduction to Analysis and a talented musician and master of languages.
Joe, a scholar, athlete, musician, pilot, and founder of Mount Nittany Vineyard and Winery in Pennsylvania, died Nov. 4, 2021.
After earning his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, Joe received a master’s and doctorate from Indiana University Bloomington and became an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University; he worked at the Pennsylvania Transportation and Traffic Safety Center before returning to teaching, retiring as a professor emeritus in 1992. A civic-minded man, Joe was a soccer coach, school board member, township supervisor, and community activist, in addition to being a Navy veteran of the Korean War.
Gail, who lived in Austria, Italy, and Italy, died Sept. 17, 2021.
Gail earned a bachelor’s in history with high honors and Phi Beta Kappa, and was a member of the College Choir and Orchestra. A homemaker, Gail had six children and was married to Christoph Cornaro, a retired Austrian ambassador and former special student at Swarthmore.
Rosalind, a biology major and devoted mother of three, died Feb. 12, 2021.
A lifelong resident of Forest Hills, N.Y., Rosalind also served as president of Forest Hills Gardens Corp. Her loved ones note that she was a “beautiful woman inside and out, who showed kindness and compassion to everyone she met.”
Thomas, a lifelong student of literature, music, art, religion, food, and wine, died Aug. 13, 2021.
Thomas attended the University of Chicago and Swarthmore before entering the Navy in 1952, after which he went to medical school. In 1970, Thomas joined the faculty of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, retiring in 1999 after a career of research, teaching students, and working with patients and fellow physicians.
Robert, a Navy veteran and 20-year military reservist, died Jan. 29, 2021.
After Swarthmore, Robert earned a master’s in mechanical engineering and an MBA, both from the University of Southern California, and he used his engineering skills at Honeywell Inc. and for Alliant Tech’s Marine Systems Division in San Diego. An enthusiast of bridge, crossword puzzles, and golf, Robert also enjoyed many trips to Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes, Calif., with his family.
Bill, a pathologist and varsity swimmer at the College, died Oct. 18, 2021.
With a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Bill had a distinguished career in the field of pathology, where he published breakthrough research in the treatment of hemophilia. Bill also had a passion for life, with interests in classical music, antiques, shells, tennis, coins, reading, and traveling.
Nancy, a music lover who performed as well as managed her church’s concert series, died Sept. 16, 2020.
A mathematics major at Swarthmore, Nancy worked at General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y., before eventually marrying, moving to Niskayuna, N.Y., and raising a family. In 1983, she completed an MBA at Union College, after which she held a few jobs, including as a tax preparer specializing in retired clergy, before she herself retired.
Robert, who performed 8,000 surgeries and was one of two neurosurgeons who treated the fatally shot President John F. Kennedy, died Oct. 7, 2021.
After completing his education and residency, Robert began a medical career from which he never retired, with positions that included professor of neurological surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, founder and director of the Neurological Institute at Houston Methodist Hospital, and founder of the North American Clinical Trials Network for spinal cord injury. Robert also was chair of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons, president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons, and recipient of many honors, including the Cushing Medal and the Albert and Ellen Grass Foundation Prize and Medal.
Lucy, an economics pioneer whose worked focused on economic justice for women, died Aug. 9, 2021.
Lucy earned an economics Ph.D. from Northwestern University and worked at the Commission on Railroad Retirement, the Brookings Institution, and the Social Security Administration. She later became interested in using computers in education and earned a master’s in computer science at age 53.
Art, a psychologist, avid photographer, musician, and composer who took great pleasure in telling jokes and stories, died Oct. 15, 2021.
After receiving a biology degree from Swarthmore, Art earned a Ph.D. in psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and, with wife Miriam, moved to Palo Alto, Calif., in 1965; he was a clinical psychologist at the Mental Research Institute and had a practice in couples and family systems/therapy until he retired in 2015. In addition, Art taught, conducted research, published widely, and held positions of leadership in various professional organizations, while also helping to found the California School of Professional Psychology.
Anne, a social worker focused on children, died Sept. 10, 2021.
Anne earned a master’s degree in social work from Bryn Mawr College in 1971 and became a preschool-teaching director and trainer for the Head Start program in Chattanooga, Tenn.; she later worked as a home-based child welfare caseworker and then as a child abuse and neglect outreach program team member at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. An active participant of community activities, Anne also served on the board of the Perry County (Pa.) Literacy Council.
Scott, an engineer, Army veteran, and award-winning photographer who encouraged his children to question everything, died July 31, 2021.
Scott’s degree in mechanical engineering from Swarthmore led to a career in the plastics industry; he was an executive with several major manufacturers, including Mearl Corp. of Peekskill, N.Y., from which he retired as vice president. Scott loved photography and received many awards for his art, including a grand prize in Gourmet magazine’s annual photography contest.
Rhea, a psychologist who worked on the Phoenix while at Swarthmore, died Oct. 31, 2021.
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore, Rhea earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, and then worked as an experimental psychologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and several Boston hospitals. She was an avid gardener, reader, and tennis player and an excellent and adventurous cook who enjoyed hosting celebrations at her home in Lexington, Mass.
Steve, a professor emeritus at Temple University, died Sept. 18, 2021.
Steve earned a biology degree at the College and a medical degree from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia before joining the anatomy faculty at Temple. Among other activities at Swarthmore, Steve was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, the varsity cross-country team, and the College Chorus/Garnet Singers, and he was one-half of a Quaker matchbox marriage to Elizabeth Harlow Phillips ’53, who died in 2018.
A role model and mentor for younger women in financial services and a devoted single mother to two sons, Sheila died Sept. 8, 2021.
After earning her bachelor’s degree, Sheila worked at Merrill Lynch before joining Enhance Financial Services Group Inc. as head of investor relations; she retired in 1998 as a senior vice president. A lifelong learner, Sheila returned to graduate school and earned a master’s in geography in 2002 from Hunter College in New York, taking classes offered by Swarthmore in the years that followed.
Bob, who devoted more than 30 years of his professional life to the College, retiring as dean emeritus of admissions, died Oct. 7, 2021.
Bob joined Swarthmore after graduation as assistant dean of admissions, serving until 1962, when he was appointed dean of men. After brief stops at Chatham College and Dickinson College, he returned to Swarthmore, retiring in 1996. At Alumni Weekend 2021, Bob received the Joseph B. Shane ’25 Alumni Service Award, recognizing his support of the Chester Children’s Chorus, the Scott Arboretum, and the Swarthmore Fund, and his numerous volunteer contributions.
Barbara, a journalist who broke glass ceilings and was known as “a Wonder Woman Watch Dog” of public policy, died Sept. 30, 2021.
Barbara graduated with honors from Swarthmore and earned a master’s in journalism from Columbia University before starting her a career at The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. Later, she was Swarthmore’s associate vice president of external affairs and head of the Alumni Office.
Bruce, a native of upstate New York who became a devoted fan of the Boston Celtics and Red Sox, died Aug. 2, 2021.
After earning an engineering degree at Swarthmore, Bruce and wife Clem lived in Washington, D.C.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Weisbaden, Germany; Melbourne, Fla.; and Champaign, Ill., before finally moving in 1967 to Acton, Mass., where he joined Polaroid as a design engineer. An avid reader and traveler, Bruce also taught his family to sail and enjoyed hosting friends at his beloved home in Waquoit, Mass., on Cape Cod.
Linda, who once served as Hamden (Conn.) Community Ambassador in Poland and who had a love for learning and travel, died Aug. 3, 2021.
Settling in Lake Forest, Ill., after graduation and marriage, Linda dedicated herself to raising three children and volunteering with organizations such as the Chicago Botanic Garden, where she eventually became a full-time volunteer coordinator. Linda earned an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 1985, retiring from the garden in 2002 after a stroke.
A leading researcher and professor of analytical chemistry who increased opportunities for women in science, Janet died Sept. 21, 2021.
After Swarthmore, Janet earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and served on the faculties of Colorado State University, the University at Buffalo, and North Carolina State University. In 1994, she was named director of the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, from which she retired in 2001. The next year, Janet and her then-partner, subsequently wife (the late Chris Cobb) established the Comis Foundation.
Ellen, a neuroscientist who loved the Maine coast and had a passion for philosophy, literature, and art, died Oct. 15, 2021.
Ellen earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, established her own laboratory researching neuroanatomy and memory, and was affiliated with the Boston University School of Medicine, Tufts University, and the Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center. She was active in Boston’s musical community, singing in the King’s Chapel Choir, and playing the viola and serving as Orchestra Committee Chair of the Harvard Musical Association.
Thomas, an investment banker and one-half of a Quaker matchbox marriage to the now-late Barbara Diebold Wick ’64, died Nov. 12, 2021.
An economics major at Swarthmore, Thomas went on to receive an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago. A father of three, Thomas “loved Swarthmore, his time there, playing on the tennis team, studying mathematics and then economics, and meeting my mother there — in Saturday morning German class,” daughter Cynthia Wick ’88 wrote in a tribute.
Gil, a professor emeritus of philosophy at Princeton University, died Nov. 13, 2021.
After earning a Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard University, Gil joined the faculty of Princeton, where he was well-known across a range of areas, including moral philosophy, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and epistemology. His first book, Thought, is widely cited, with selections frequently reprinted.
Sam, a longtime youth football coach who once mentored NFL player and Los Angeles Rams assistant coach Tory Woodbury, died Aug. 11, 2021.
A member of the Swarthmore Gospel Choir, Sam was a former sportswriter for the Winston-Salem Journal and a former sports editor of The Chronicle in North Carolina. Sam also published a weekly online newspaper that highlighted area youth and high school sports.
Andy, a 12th-generation doctor and a farmer who loved the outdoors, the ocean, and sailing, died Sept. 29, 2021.
A history major, Andy earned a medical degree from Yale University and a master’s in education from Harvard University, followed by residencies in psychiatry. He worked in mental health centers, hospitals, and private practice in Maine before becoming medical director of Maine’s Children’s Behavioral Health, retiring in 2009; in 2021, he was recognized by the Maine Medical Association for 50 years of service. He and wife Jaki also owned a cattle farm on Woodward Point in Brunswick, Maine, and later passed it on to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
Larry, the “Johnny Appleseed” of shape-note singing who helped to start a food co-op and cannery, died Nov. 9, 2021.
At Swarthmore, Larry was active in Students for a Democratic Society; he later joined the New Hamburger Commune in Plainfield, Vt., and formed the Word of Mouth Chorus, which toured the South and recorded an album. Larry was a high school music teacher, and in 1988, after taking a group of students to a sacred harp convention, he created Village Harmony and its summer camps, which were held all over the world.
Steve, the Neil R. Grabois ’57 Professor Emeritus in the Natural Sciences and Engineering, who served on Swarthmore’s faculty for 38 years, died Aug. 25, 2021.
Andy, a biology major at Swarthmore who was a member of Sigma Xi, played football, and captained the tennis team, died Oct. 3, 2021.
Andy earned a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, completed a pediatric allergy fellowship, and trained in family therapy. Certified by multiple medical and professional boards, Andy had a 35-year career as a practicing allergist with Asthma & Allergy Care of Delaware; he also wrote 30 articles, was president of the Pennsylvania Allergy Association, and was a member of numerous professional associations, enjoying free time sailing on his boat, Melinda Lu.
Joyce, a rabbi for Congregation Ahavas Achim in Westfield, Mass., died Nov. 14, 2021.
Joyce earned a German degree at Swarthmore and a master’s in education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, before deciding to pursue the rabbinate and attending the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pa. A committed advocate for justice, Joyce worked with Interns for Peace in Jerusalem, took on a leading role in Jews Against Genocide in Bosnia, helped to found T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and worked with the Physicians for Social Responsibility campaign for nuclear disarmament, “Back from the Brink.”
Dave, an official announcer in boxing rings and at swim meets, died Sept. 12, 2021.
A member of the Players Club in Swarthmore, Dave started his career in legal publishing sales at Real Estate Data Inc. before joining publishers Matthew Bender and West Group; he later changed careers to business security sales and worked with ADT and Stanley Black & Decker. Affectionately known as “Big Dave” because of his larger-than-life personality, he played high school and collegiate football and basketball and ran track, while as an adult he was a referee for youth football and basketball programs in South Jersey.
Robert, a teacher and artist, died Aug. 28, 2021.
After Swarthmore, Robert completed graduate study in art history at Harvard University, then lived and worked in Paris and Amsterdam, teaching visual and media studies at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. Known for his directness and the quality of his attention, Robert exhibited photography and wrote on subjects ranging from Cézanne to Staffordshire bull terriers.
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.