Peter E. Rockaway ’58 died on January 20, 2019, in Plymouth, Indiana. 

(The following appeared online at johnson-danielson.com in January 2019:)

Lifetime [Plymouth] resident Peter L. Rockaway, 83, passed away peacefully in his home at 12:22 a.m. on Sunday, January 20, 2019, with family present to provide support and love.

Born in Plymouth, Indiana, on December 27, 1935, Peter was the son of Richard C. and Mary Ruth (Cole) Rockaway. While growing up, he spent most of his time either on the football field, the basketball court, or at the Candy Kitchen in downtown Plymouth, laughing with his many friends, relationships that endured his entire life. He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1954, and received his bachelor’s degree majoring in history from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. After graduating from Bowdoin, Peter first served in the United States Army, and then received his doctorate of law from Wayne State University in Detroit.

After receiving his law degree, Peter moved his young family back to Plymouth to begin a legal career that would span fifty years, first at Kizer & Neu, then, in 1978, at his own law firm, The Law Offices of Peter L. Rockaway, at 410 N. Plum Street. During his accomplished career, he also served multiple terms as the city court judge for the City of Plymouth.

Peter was a dedicated and very active member of the community. He was a long-time congregant, and member of the vestry, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 27, Moose Lodge, the Kiwanis Club, the Plymouth Public Library Board, and was a chairman of the Marshall County Democrats.

On November 6, 1982, Peter married Barbara Benedict (Moser). They experienced many great moments in their thirty-six years of marriage. Barbara survives Peter, as do his children Peter E. Rockaway of Green Bay, WI, Elizabeth A. (Paul) Boger of Carmel, IN, Brian Newell of Logansport, IN, John (Angie) Newell of England, Susan (Brandy) Wells of Spring Lake, MI, Sarah (Michael) Bero of Hinsdale, IL and Gene Benedict of Chicago, IL. Peter is also survived by 11 grandchildren, his brother, David (Alma) Rockaway of New York City, NY, and nephew Christopher (Maureen) Rockaway of Mendham, NJ.

An avid White Sox fan, Pete loved to sit on his screen porch in the summer, or in front of the fire in the winter, having long, late-night conversations with Barb, their children, their grandchildren, and their many, many friends. Peter also devoured mystery novels, a passion sparked in childhood by the Hardy Boys and their adventures. He was a beloved storyteller in his own right, especially scary stories of his own creation, and would delight his grandchildren with a library’s worth of silly rhymes and songs.

Known for his remarkable intellect, his commitment to family and friends, his strong work ethic, and his unforgettable sense of humor, Peter will be dearly missed.

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Peter D. Colburn ’54 died on February 3, 2019, in Hingham, Massachusetts. 

(The following was published in The Boston Globe on February 5, 2019:)

Peter Danforth Colburn, of Hingham, passed away on Sunday, February 3, 2019, at the age of 86.

Peter was born on November 20, 1932, in Natick. Husband of Louise Colburn, father of Peter D Colburn Jr., and Thomas H Colburn. Grandfather of Lindsay, Kelly, Emma and Matthew Colburn.

Peter grew up in Walpole, Mass. Currently living in Hingham, he previously lived in Brunswick and Harpswell, Maine, and Stoughton, Mass. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1954, and attended graduate school at Babson College. Employed by J.E. Gould of Portland, Maine, and Gilman Bros., Dorchester, Mass., as a credit manager.

Peter was a devoted husband, father, and family man. He particularly enjoyed spending time with his family and friends on Great Island in Harpswell, Maine, where he felt most at home. Peter spent many enjoyable years in retirement traveling through Europe and the Caribbean with Louise.

He enjoyed volunteering in the community, serving as a town meeting representative in Stoughton, Mass., the Harpswell Planning Board, and was especially proud of helping to lead the effort to build a new facility for the Mid-Coast Hunger Prevention Program in Brunswick. He served on the vestry at Trinity Episcopal Church in Stoughton and St. Paul Episcopal Church in Brunswick.

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Thomas P. Coffey ’65 died on February 26, 2019, in Hartford, Connecticut. 

(The following was published in The Hartford Courant on March 3, 2019:)

Thomas Peter Coffey, 75, a gentle and generous man, of Hartford, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at Hartford Hospital. Thomas was born in Manchester, CT, on March 27, 1943, son of the late Steven and Helena (Mozdzierz) Coffey. He grew up in South Windsor and was a graduate of Ellsworth High School with the Class of 1961. He went on to graduate from Bowdoin College with the Class of 1965 and obtained an MBA from Columbia University in 1967. Tom served our country during the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army from July of 1967 to July of 1969 as an Information Specialist. Upon returning home from the service he went to work for the State of Connecticut Department of Economic Development. He retired after many years of service. A kind, caring and devoted brother, uncle and friend he will be dearly missed. He leaves his sister and brother-in-law Elizabeth (Coffey) Gross and Michael Gross of East Haddam; his nephew, Matthew Gross and his wife Kanae Haneishi-Gross and their children, great nephew Koji and great nieces Niko and Sora all of Granby, MA; his aunt Ceil Wasik of Niantic, and many cousins. He also leaves special friends in his favorite vacation destination, Essaouira, Morocco. 

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Norman D. Block ’58 died onFebruary 20, 2019, in Carmel, California. 

(The following was published in the Sun Journal on March 7, 2019:)

Norman David Block, formerly of South Paris, passed away peacefully in California, surrounded by loving family, on February 20, 2019.

Norman was born on June 29, 1936, and raised in South Paris, Maine. The oldest of four, Norman’s siblings teased him affectionately throughout his life for being the “only boy” in the family, and the oldest. He saved cards affectionately signed with love from his “younger” sister for all of his life.

From the time he was a young boy, Norman was ambitious and incredibly intelligent. In high school, Norman was active in plays, he was a sports manager, he served on the student council, and was editor of the school yearbook. He also won the National Science Fair Award. He graduated from South Paris High School in 1954 as valedictorian of his class. He said his dream was to become a foreign diplomat, and he received the triple titles of most dramatic, most literary, and most likely to succeed in his class.

Norman went to Bowdoin College, and he was deeply loyal to his alma mater (and to his home state of Maine) throughout his life. He was a Rhodes Scholar, he studied law at Harvard Law School, and he graduated at the top of his class.

Norman worked for CBS records for twenty-three years. Throughout his tenure at CBS, Norman served as managing director of CBS Records (which later became Sony Entertainment) in Paris and in Switzerland, and director of business affairs for CBS Records International. He loved music, and took great pleasure in sharing his love of music and performances with his family, treating them on occasion to special concerts and shows.

Norman was also an avid fly fisherman and tyer, and he had a favorite stream in Switzerland where he loved to fish. He also loved to golf, and he frequently played in the United States and Europe. He relished his annual trip to a golf course in Sicily.

Norman was a voracious reader, and he treasured his collection of books. He also had a deep appreciation for the law. He was a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, and he never tired of contemplating a new constitution for the United States—one that would reflect a modern reality the founders likely never anticipated. He dreamed of a universal health care system, based on the model in Switzerland where he lived for over two decades. He also longed for gun control background checks, and estate tax reform.

Norman was equally passionate about his beloved Yankees, whom he adored. He loved children, and he made his family laugh with the affectionate and funny nicknames he gave his nieces. He loved magic tricks, and developed a unique proficiency as a magician. He also had a notorious and insatiable sweet tooth. He was particularly fond of minty and chocolate candies. Junior Mints and Mentos were among his favorites.

Norman is survived by his loving sister, nieces, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

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L. Manlius Sargent Jr. G’56 died on February 22, 2019, in Bath, Maine. 

(The following was published in the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on March 3, 2019:)

Beloved Secondary School Teacher Lucius Manlius (“Manny”) Sargent, Jr. of Bathdied on Feb. 22, 2019. Manny Sargent was born in Boston, Mass., on Nov. 21, 1922, the son of Lucius Manlius Sargent and Elizabeth Williams Sargent of Weston, Mass. He attended the Meadowbrook School in Weston, Mass., and the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Mass., graduating in 1941. His Amherst College education was interrupted by service in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He returned to Amherst after the war and received his BA degree in 1948. Manny married Joan Comly Harvey in 1946 and had four children with her: Peter Sargent (San Francisco, Calif.), Pamela Sargent (Plymouth, Mass.), Lucius Manlius Sargent III (Walpole, Mass.), and Amy Sargent Swank (Port Chester, N.Y.). After college, Manny and Joan settled in Wellesley, Mass. Mr. Sargent spent three years as a purchasing agent for a small paint manufacturing company and then nine years in the sales department of American Can Company. He had always enjoyed sports, encouraging his own children to participate, and coached hockey and baseball for youth teams. By 1960, because of the great pleasure he found in working with young people, he realized that his true calling was to be found in teaching. Manny decided to pursue a career in secondary school mathematics. He taught at several independent schools between 1960 and his retirement in 1988, chiefly at The Governor’s Academy in Byfield, Mass., Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Mass., serving as head of the math department at each school. In 1968, Mr. Sargent took a year off from teaching to attend Bowdoin College, where he earned his MA degree in mathematics. Manny spent the 1984-85 academic year teaching mathematics at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass.. Manny’s teaching and coaching were renowned across the schools where he taught. In 1975, Mr. Sargent, by then divorced from Joan Harvey Sargent, married Mary Hallock Wells, a fellow educator and the joy of his life for all their days together. In doing so, Manny acquired four step-children: Matt Wells (Hailey, Idaho), Miriam Holley (Longmont, Colo.), Ann Hamilton (Littleton, Colo.), and Elizabeth Wells (Waldoboro). The Sargents lived in South Natick, Mass., until 1989, when they moved to Bath, drawn there by Mr. Sargent’s life-long love affair with the coast of Maine. Although the hearty cruises of his younger days gave way to increasingly timid excursions in later years, most of Manny’s summers were spent happily sailing Maine’s waters. During the summer of 1981, he and Mary served as co-directors of Hog Island Audubon Camp in Muscongus Bay, and for a number of summers his sloop was moored in the Hog Island narrows. After he moved to Bath, Manny continued teaching, tutoring, and coaching. He coached sailing at Bowdoin College for several seasons. He was a long time Bowdoin track official. Manny also became a fixture at the Bailey Evening School, were he volunteered to teach algebra and other mathematics courses. Every Wednesday, for more than a decade, he provided milk and groceries for the homeless at the Tedford Shelter in Brunswick. Over the years Manny developed strong friendships with many of his neighbors in Bath, ranging from age five to ninety-five. The extent of his area network was on display during a recent ninety-fifth birthday, which was attended by family and friends from near and far. Manny’s zest for life left its mark on many of his friends; he has been an inspiration to us all for how to live one’s life. Fully. Manny is survived by eight children and step children; eleven grandchildren and step grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren and step great grandchildren.

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Ronald M. Pike, a visiting professor of chemistry from 1983-1984, died on February 26, 2019, in Mapleton, Utah. 

(The following appeared online at premierfuneral.com in February 2019:)

Ronald Marston Pike, 93, of Mapleton, Utah, husband of Marilyn Cecilia Waris Pike, died at home Tuesday, February 26, 2019. He was born August 16, 1925, in Calais, Maine, son of the late Roscoe M. and Eugenie (Adams) Pike. Ron was a long-time resident of Pelham, NH. He and his wife lived in Mapleton with their son and daughter-in-law for the past three and a half years.

Growing up in Maine, Ron graduated from Cony High School, class of 1943, in Augusta, Maine. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire, and earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Army in Europe and the Philippines.

After working at Union Carbide for several years, Ron became a chemistry professor at Lowell Technological Institute (Lowell, MA) and then Merrimack College (North Andover, MA), where he served as chairman of the chemistry department. He also taught as a visiting professor at Bowdoin College (Maine) and the United States Military Academy (West Point, NY). As part of his distinguished career teaching and consulting, Ron was a member of the American Chemical Society, and was instrumental in developing modern “microscale chemistry,” which has resulted in improved laboratory safety and a significant reduction in cost and waste.

Ron was always religious. Raised a Baptist, he was later a deacon in the Congregational Church in Pelham, NH. Ron, his wife, and children joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1965. As a Latter-day Saint, he served as a Bishop and in numerous other ward and stake callings. Ron and his wife Marilyn served a mission for the Church, 1995-1997, at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

In addition to his wife Marilyn, Ron is survived by his son, Dana M. Pike and his wife Jane Allis-Pike, of Mapleton, UT; his daughter Gretchen Pike Mourtgos and her husband John Mourtgos, of Londonderry, NH; seven grandchildren: Benjamin M. Pike, his wife Emilee, and sons Talus and Baden; Daniel A. Pike, and his children Nikole and Isaak; Allison Pike Merrell and her husband Michael Merrell, and their children Finley, Silas, and Maren; Erik J. Mourtgos and his wife Shelley; Shane W. Mourtgos, his wife Laura, and their children Joshua, Maia, Lillian, Kayla, and Hanna; Scott M. Mourtgos, his wife Brooke, and their children Katie, Lauren, and Cade; and Beth Mourtgos Taylor, her husband Ryan Taylor, and their children Nathan, James, and Ashleigh; a sister and brother-in-law, Pauline Pike Bender and her husband George Bender of Walnut Creek, OH; and a sister-in-law, Mary Clayton Pike of Granby, CT. Ron was preceded in death by his identical twin brother, Roscoe A. Pike (2004).

Among other things, Ron loved gardening, Maine, family history, and sports, especially baseball. He was devoted to his wife and family, his country, his church, and his God. May he rest in peace.

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Leon M. Braswell III, for assistant director of admissions from 1987-1991 and assistant dean of admissions from 1991-1992, died on March 7, 2019, in Woodstock, Maryland. 

(The following was published in the Baltimore Sun on March 12, 2019:)

Leon M. Braswell III, beloved son, brother, nephew, uncle, and friend, 57, of Woodstock, MD, passed away on March 7, 2019, after a courageous battle against cancer. Leon is survived by his mother and stepfather, Beatrice Elois Coles and Lester Coles of Woodstock, MD; stepmother, Ann Braswell; siblings, Jason Braswell of San Diego, CA, and Amber Fraga of Manchester, NH; step-siblings, Kim Valentine Washington of Cincinnati, OH, Nia Valentine Barnes of Owings Mill, MD, and Darren Bobbitt of Williamsburg, VA; and two nieces, Jazmine V. Fraga and Alexa J. Fraga, of Manchester, NH. He is preceded in death by his father, Leon M. Braswell, Jr. Leon also leaves behind an impressive array of close friends from around the globe who loved him and cherished his friendship. Leon was born on July 15, 1961, in Aberdeen, MD. He graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1983. Leon came from a family of educators and his desire to be educated and lead in the education of others guided his life. He found his calling in college admissions, where he recruited students to several colleges, including the University of Vermont, Bowdoin College, and Tufts University. While at Tufts, Leon embarked on a journey that nourished his childhood interest in travel. As a young boy, he told his mother that one day he would travel the world. In charge of the recruitment of international students for Tufts, he began the fulfillment of this childhood goal. He was traveling the world. At each institution, Leon’s support of students did not end after he admitted them to the college. Caring about their success, he served as a mentor and “big brother” to numerous students. The connection he established with his students followed them beyond the campus—he frequently reached out to check in on them, was present at weddings, and became “Uncle Leon” to their children. Similarly, Leon was an excellent colleague to his peers, many becoming lifelong friends. As a supervisor, he nurtured and supported the aspirations of those he supervised. As a co-worker, Leon could be depended on to share ideas, help without being asked, and provide astute guidance. His leadership in college admissions, both in his own office and the profession overall, was respected and valued. After years of encouraging students to pursue their goals, Leon left college admissions to enroll at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Leon earned a masters and certificate of advanced studies from Harvard and also pursued doctoral studies. He served as a teaching fellow for many courses at HGSE and the Harvard Kennedy School. While at Harvard, Leon’s exuberance and warmth, as well as his love of music, dance, and great food, earned him many life-long friendships with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Following his graduation from Harvard, Leon returned to admissions at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. No longer working with undergraduate students, he still served as an advocate for, and supporter of these young future journalists. It would take a dream opportunity to serve as director of admission of Northwestern University in Qatar to pull him away from the excitement of New York City. Leon relished his time in Qatar, enjoying the country, people, and culture. And, as the consummate foodie, he loved the diverse food options and knew how to negotiate the wonderful markets of Qatar. In 2016, Leon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Undeterred, he was determined to continue living his life to its fullest. He devoured the books and magazines he not previously had time to read. He traveled, visiting friends in nearby DC and as far as Switzerland and China. And, most importantly, he returned to the Outerbanks of North Carolina, a place he loved, to spend time with family. The family would like to thank the Cancer Institute of St. Agnes Hospital and Gilchrist for the compassion, care, and love they gave Leon on the last journey of his life.

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Alan C. Bugbee ’48 died on March 12, 2019, in West Simsbury, Connecticut. 

(The following was published in The Hartford Courant on March 17, 2019:)

Alan C. Bugbee passed away early March 12th at his home in West Simsbury after a slow decline due to congestive heart failure. He leaves behind his adoring family and a host of friends and admirers that he gathered during his nearly ninety-two years. He was the son of Percy and Wilhelmina Bugbee and was raised in Winchester, Massachusetts. He graduated from high school at age sixteen and attended Bowdoin College until he was old enough to join the Navy. He served as a gunner’s mate on the light cruiser USS Fargo in WWII. After the war, he resumed his education at Bowdoin and during a summer job in Atlantic City met Patricia Towle from Allentown, Penn., on a blind date. They married in 1949 and had a truly wonderful partnership. She died in 2000 and he missed her the rest of his life. Alan worked for Penton Publishing Company for forty-two years selling advertising space in Machine Design magazine. He chose Simsbury as a home base in 1954. He was respected as a man of brilliance, honesty and integrity not only by his customers, but by his competitors. He had many and varied interests and hobbies, often centered around woodworking. He designed and built a dream workshop in the woods behind his house and filled it with machinery he got from industrial auctions. He used it to craft everything from furniture, to kaleidoscopes, to intricately carved stamp holders. He collected over 4,000 samples of rare woods from all over the world. He was involved in many clubs and was so trustworthy he was often elected treasurer. He especially enjoyed the Ornamental Turners International, the New England Model Engineers Society, the International Wood Collectors Society and the Cruiser Sailor’s Association. He attended and worked at the Retired Men’s monthly luncheons. He was a voracious reader and absorbed several books a week. He had an astonishing breadth of knowledge. Alan’s generosity was legendary. He volunteered for Meals on Wheels for over twenty years. He was an Investor Angel at the Simsbury Public Library and used his woodworking skills to make carts for the annual book sale, the wooden blocks for the children’s library, and the base for the antique dollhouse cabinet. He donated money to myriad worthy causes, usually anonymously. In their younger years, he and Pat were founding members of the Hopmeadow Country Club and the Hopbrook Tennis Club. He was generous even after death, as he has donated his body to the UConn medical school to help train future doctors. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Pat and his brother Richard. He leaves his son Alan, Jr. (“Ace”) and wife Pam of Lewes, Delaware, his daughter Nancy of Simsbury, his son Peter of Glastonbury, his sister Margery of Plymouth, Mass., and several nieces and nephews. Alan was brilliant yet modest, successful yet generous, practical yet fair, a true gentleman and member of the “Greatest Generation.” He was an exceptional human being who will be sorely missed.

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Maynard S. Wallace Jr. ’56 died on January 26, 2019, in Jupiter, Florida. 

If the College receives more information, we will update this page.

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Clayton H. Shatney ’65 died on February 25, 2019. 

If the College receives more information, we will update this page.

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Ian P. LeClair ’02 died on March 10, 2019, in Austin, Texas. 

(The following was published in The Concord Monitor on March, 30, 2019:)

Ian LeClair died suddenly at his home in Austin Texas on Sunday, March 10.

Ian had a wide range of interests that included the theater, music, the arts, cooking, travel, reading, craft beer, and social gatherings with family and friends. When his friends talk about him, they use words such as kind, creative, wise, comforting, enthusiastic, caring, inspiring, great travel companion, beautiful, and above all, nice.

Ian was born in New London, NH. During his childhood he lived in Goshen and Lempster, NH. He took part in many community activities—Boy Scouts, the historical society, friends of the library, and international workcamps. He went to Sunapee High School, where he graduated as salutatorian. After high school, he studied for a year in France. On his return, he enrolled in Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine. There, he was very active in Bowdoin theater and belonged to the Masque and Gown Society. He graduated from Bowdoin with a bachelor’s degree in 2002.

After graduating from college he moved to Austin, Texas, with his best friend, Marshall Escamilla. While Ian moved to Austin to seek his fortune, he instead found a lot of really good friends. With his friends he wrote, directed, and acted in theater as part of Loaded Gun Theory. He played keyboards, sang, and wore a bear suit with his band, the Unbearables, and made countless meals and incredible memories. He worked for Cissi’s Market, Ecstatic Cuisine, Central Market, and Stitch Fix, where he was beloved by coworkers and indispensable to his bosses.

Ian is survived by his father and stepmother, Edward and Susan LeClair. He has three step siblings, Brennan Holmes and his wife Barbara, Megan Holmes and her partner Eva Lang, and Nathan Holmes. He also had five nephews and nieces, Olle, Oggy, Tillie, Lucia, and Susan. He was predeceased by his mother Ruth Nelson LeClair. He also leaves behind a large circle of friends who miss him very much, including his roommate and platonic partner in crime, Erin Harrelson.

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Robert W. Crowe ’60 died on March 15, 2019, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. 

(The following appeared online at mccreryandharra.com in March 2019:)

Robert Watkins “Bob” Crowe passed away peacefully at Kendal-Crosslands Retirement Community in Kennett Square, PA, on Friday, March 15, 2019.

A proud third generation Delaware native, Bob was born March 6, 1939 in Wilmington, DE, to Walter Watkins and Pauline White Crowe. He grew up in the neighborhood of West Haven where he and his younger brother Ron spent summers playing in the neighborhood and working in the family’s seafood and produce businesses. Bob attended Wilmington Friends School where he excelled in both the classroom and on the athletic fields, as president of the student association and as a hard-hitting slick-fielding first baseman for the school’s baseball team. Upon his graduation in 1956, Bob headed to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he served as president of Zeta Psi fraternity, spent two years in ROTC, and graduated with a bachelor of arts in May of 1960.

After spending time in the Army Reserves where he taught English at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Bob enrolled in Dickinson Law School in Carlisle, PA. Not only did he excel academically but he was also a contributor to the law review board and the moot court board. It was during this time in Carlisle that Bob would meet the love of his life, the beautiful Nancy Barton. He graduated in spring of 1965 and the couple married in October—a marriage that lasted over five decades.

Bob was admitted to the Delaware Bar in December of 1965 and went on to a fifty-year career in trusts and estates law for Cooch & Taylor in Wilmington, DE, until his retirement in 2015. It was a distinguished career that included membership and a bar fellowship in the American College of Trusts and Estates Council as well as being named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” (Harvard Law School 1983). Over the years he served thousands of Delawareans with their estate planning needs—his colleagues in the legal community and others have defined him as a legend. To know Bob was to know that he was so much more than a lawyer to his clients—he was a comfort and a confidante.

Bob loved his community and cared about giving back. He joined the Wilmington Rotary Club in 1968 at the young age of 29, and served as president in 1984-85. He also served on the board of the Delaware Association for the Blind. Over the years, Bob and Nancy supported dozens of other Delaware-based charitable organizations.

One of Bob’s passions in life was baseball; it began as a young boy with Ted Williams as his role model and continued through the Phillies’ World Series Championships in 1980 and 2008. He took every opportunity to regale listeners about attending Wilmington Blue Rocks games in the late ’40s and early ’50s in Wilmington Park as well as Phillies games in Connie Mack Stadium. This love of baseball was passed to his son, Rob—their semi-annual baseball trips to everywhere from Wrigley Field in Chicago to Hadlock Field in Portland became material for many cherished memories. His other love was singing. Whether in choirs or singing groups in high school and college, the living rooms of friends and family, or even the retirement community where he lived, Bob needed little nudging to join those around him in song. He truly had a talent for harmony. Bluegrass music, barbershop quartet, acapella, Irish barroom ballads—Bob loved them all. He sang songs so frequently while his children were growing up that his daughter Allison still remembers every word, which pleased him to no end. While Bob was so many things— scholar, athlete, brilliant lawyer, singer, baseball fan, military history buff, storyteller extraordinaire, wanna-be biplane pilot, outstanding member of the community —he was above all else a family man. He rarely missed a sporting event, concert, or play whether for his two children or his triplet grandsons of whom he was immensely proud. He taught his children kindness, compassion, humility, generosity, and the importance of laughter; he had an infectious “hall of fame” laugh. His passing leaves a hole that will be impossible to fill, but the memories of this great man will live on eternally for all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of over fifty-three years, Nancy Crowe, his daughter Allison Crowe Stautberg and son-in-law Andy of Chadds Ford, PA, his son Robert Crowe Jr. and daughter-in-law Jane of Rehoboth Beach, DE, and his grandsons Adam, Brendan and Jeffrey Stautberg.

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Caswell Rico-Silver ’94 died on March 16, 2019, in Crestone, Colorado. 

We will post more information here when it becomes available.

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Robert H. Binswanger H’90 died on March 16, 2019, in Hanover, New Hampshire. 

(The following was published in The Boston Globe on April 1, 2019:)

Dr. Robert Barnett Binswanger, 88, a teacher, educational advocate, and civic steward for over six decades, passed away March 16th in Hanover, New Hampshire, in the company of his family. Robert Binswanger was a builder of educational institutions, an engineer of systems change, and a social entrepreneur before there was a label for such practitioners. Robert believed everyone should have an opportunity to succeed, and that meant a high quality education for all. He was an advocate for equality and civil rights to the most disadvantaged Americans because he saw it as an act of patriotism and an extension of his civic duty. Upon learning of Robert’s passing, former President Bill Clinton said, “Bob Binswanger was a pioneer who proved that students can succeed against challenging odds in schools with a rigorous curriculum and great teachers and principals who believe in them and their ability to learn. He was a national treasure and an inspiration to me.” A graduate of Deerfield Academy and Dartmouth College, Robert began his career in the Philadelphia real estate business founded by his father, but quickly realized his path lay elsewhere. Under the guidance of his mentor Frank Boyden, longtime headmaster of Deerfield Academy, Robert began his teaching and coaching career at Deerfield and was encouraged by Boyden to earn master’s and doctorate degrees at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Robert was a teacher to students in many venues between 1955 and 2015, including Deerfield, the Peace Corps (where he was one of the first training officers), Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, the University of Maine, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Boston Latin Academy, Hampton University, and Dartmouth College. His students enjoyed his teaching and regularly sought his mentorship, career advice, and coaching. He maintained relationships with former students for years and encouraged many to enter and become leaders in the field of education. In addition to his teaching positions, Robert played a role in shaping education policy, beginning with his role as the Executive Director of PACE, a local citizens’ group that worked to help improve the quality of education and race relations in the Greater Cleveland area schools. Later, he worked as the head of the Experimental Schools Program at the U.S. Department of Education during the Nixon and Ford administrations. Robert also helped reshape curriculum and academic policies as Vice Chancellor of the University of Maine and strengthened the teaching and academic curriculum as Headmaster of Boston Latin Academy, a public exam school serving mainly low-income students from communities of color. During the course of his career, Robert was consulted on a wide array of educational programs. He was a proud Jew who helped build – and taught in – two synagogue communities. Robert also recommended reforms to academic standards at parochial schools run by the Archdiocese of New York and served on a Department of Defense Commission recommending improvements to the education provided to children living on U.S. military bases around the world. “Bob devoted himself to public service and improving the minds and the lives of young people in Maine and throughout the country. His passion for teaching and his commitment to high standards has left a lasting impression on his community and on the students and colleagues whose lives he touched,” said former Maine Senator and Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Robert also served on the Boards of Deerfield Academy (where he also received the Heritage Award), Macalester College, Hampton University, and the Jackson Laboratory. He received his first honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from Bowdoin College, and gave several high school and college commencement addresses over the years. During the course of his life, Robert was a participant in many civic activities, ranging from organizing social gatherings at Psi U. and Casque & Gauntlet while at Dartmouth, to marching in the annual Philadelphia Mummers’ parade, to serving as a background actor in productions by the Cleveland Opera, to joining weekly luncheons at the Rotary Club in Hanover, New Hampshire. Robert began his adult life as a Wendell Willkie Republican and migrated to the Rockefeller wing of the party before becoming a strong supporter of President Clinton. In the fall of 2004 Robert moved to Columbus, Ohio, to volunteer for the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry, and in 2008, at the age of 78, Robert moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to volunteer for the presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama. Throughout his life, Robert marched to the beat of his own drum and kept marching even when it meant risking his own career ambitions. He also firmly believed in service to country, community and family. He was extremely proud to be a U.S. Army veteran. Robert was a world traveler who met with Popes and Prime Ministers, and was close friends with business leaders and entrepreneurs. His favorite place was Rockport, Maine, but he also delighted in finding the most authentic, out of the way, and often uncomfortable places to visit. His energy, enthusiasm and sense of humor were infectious both at work and at play. He took a personal, lifelong interest in the lives of his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and the friends of his children, all of whom were targets of both his love and his elaborate practical jokes. Robert and his beloved wife Penny were married for over fifty years. Robert deeply enjoyed Penny’s company, her wry humor, and her efforts to check his more exuberant impulses, until her passing in 2017. He is survived by his three sons, Ben, Josh and Morgan; daughters-in-law Karen and Kim; grandchildren Lucy, Colin, Sally, Samantha and Sam; and his brothers Frank and John.

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Peter Mundy ’53 died on March 18, 2019, in West Boothbay Harbor, Maine. 

(The following appeared online at hallfuneralhomes.com in March 2019:)

 
Pete Mundy, 88, died March 18 at his home in West Boothbay Harbor, Maine. A Memorial Service to celebrate Pete’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on May 11 at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor,125 Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor.

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Roger B. Selbert ’73 died on March 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. 

(The following was published in The Los Angeles Times, April 13 to April 20, 2019:)

Roger Bernard Selbert was born on June 1, 1951, to Harold and Paula Selbert of Teaneck, NJ. He met Kim Glaser, the love of his life, in 1971. They were married for forty-five wonderful years. Roger was a writer, researcher, futurist, and public speaker. He earned a Ph.D. in international relations from USC and a BA in history from Bowdoin College. Roger enjoyed discussing politics, education, and controversial topics. He loved playing golf and soccer. Roger cared deeply for his family. He leaves behind his wife, Kim, daughter, Adrienne (Brent) Johnson, grandchildren, Sidney and Riot, sisters, Arlene Arnold and Rochelle Mayer, and his brother, Mark Selbert. Roger died on March 22, 2019. Services were held on April 2, 2019 at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village.

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William W. Hale Jr. ’56 died on February 26, 1982, in Boston, Massachusetts. 

(The following was published in The Bowdoin Alumnus, Spring 1982:)

William W. Hale Jr. ’56 died unexpectedly on February 26, 1982, in Boston, Mass. Born on June 8, 1934, in the Maine town of Easton, he prepared for college at Stearns High School in Millinocket, Maine, and following his graduation from Bowdoin served in the Army’s Counterintelligence branch in Berlin, Germany, for two years, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He entered Boston University School of Law in 1958 and received a doctor of jurisprudence degree cum laude in 1961. He was an associate in the New York firm of Bree, Abbot & Morgan until 1969, when he became a partner in the Boston firm of Casplar & Bok. During 1976-77 he was on sabbatical leave to act as special counsel to the attorney general of Botswana in Africa.

Mr. Hale was a member of the International Business Center, a trustee of the Park Street Church in Boston, and a member of the executive board of the Evangelical Assn. of New England. A former member the Wellesley (Mass.) Tow Meeting and that city’s permanent building committee, he was Special Gifts Chairman for the Boston Area in Bowdoin’s 175^th Anniversary Campaign from 1973-1975. He was a member of the New York Bar Assn., the Massachusetts, Bar Assn., and the Boston Committee on Foreign Relations and was secretary of the Berg & Co. Inc., beginning in 1970. He is survived by his wife, Joan McLean Hale, whom he married on Sept. 15, 1962, in Millinocket; two sons, William W. Halle III and James A. Hale, both of Wellesley; two brothers, Richard Hale of East Millinocket and Alan Hale of Houlton, Maine; and three sisters, Dr. Nita Barbour of Catonsville, Md., Mrs. Marian Fowler of Millinocket, and Mrs. Barbara Powers of Auburn, Maine. His fraternity was Alpha Delta Phi.

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Francis L. Valente Jr ’53 died on March 23, 2019, in Grantham, New Hampshire. 

(The following was published in The New York Times on April 14, 2019:)

Francis L. Jr. (Frank) was born in New York City on March 16, 1932, and passed away peacefully March 23, 2019, at his home in New Hampshire, after a long battle with colon cancer. His parents were Francis L. Valente, a former Justice of the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, and Aurelia Cella Valente. He was married to Shirley Morrison from 1959 until her death in September 2010. He is survived by his wife Constance Richards Michelsen; children, Francis L. Valente, III and Barbara Ann Valente; and brother, Peter C. Valente. Frank attended Friends Seminary School for grade school and high school, after which he graduated from Bowdoin College in 1953. He served in the US Army, as a first lieutenant, from 1954-1956. He was stationed in Labrador and was an investigating officer and defense counsel in court martials. Frank received his law degree from New York Law School in 1958. His first position after law school was with Harry D. Breslau, from 1959 to 1963. Thereafter, he served as law secretary to New York County Supreme Court Justice Joseph A. Sarafite from 1963 to 1970. In 1974, Frank became a partner at the firm of London Buttenwieser Bonem & Valente. In 1977, Frank joined Townsend, Rabinowitz, Pantaleoni, & Valente, PC, which regrouped in 1989 as Townsend & Valente, LLP. Frank remained a partner and was active until his death. From 1978 through 1986, Frank was a member of the mayor’s committee on the judiciary. From 1978 through 2018, he was referee, New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Over the years, he was involved with various associations and committees and received many judicial appointments. He was always available to assist whenever called on in probate and accounting matters in the Surrogate’s Court and guardianship, custody and related proceedings in the Supreme and Family Courts. Frank was an exemplar and proud of his service to the Judiciary.

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Christopher N. Chandler ’59 died on March 25, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. 

(The following was submitted by the family, April 2019:)

Christopher Norris Chandler died on the morning of Tuesday, March 26, in his home in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago due to complications from prostate cancer. He was eighty years old. Chandler was born in Cambridge, Mass., to Ruth Doggett Chandler and the Rev. Dr. Edgar H.S. Chandler on July 12, 1938. He grew up in Boston, in New Jersey, and in Geneva, Switzerland, where he attended the International School of Geneva during his father’s ministry as Director of the Refugee Resettlement Service of the World Council of Churches. He earned a BA in 1959 from Bowdoin College, Maine.

Chandler served in the United States Army from 1960 to 1963, as a photo interpreter for the intelligence service, primarily in West Germany, where he earned a US Army Commendation Medal, presented in 1964.

He began his journalism career at the venerable City News Bureau in 1963. He moved to the Chicago Sun-Times in 1965, where he covered education, civil rights, and politics. While at the Sun-Times, Chandler was recognized with the Chicago Urban League’s Civil Rights Award and Washington University in St. Louis’s Humanism Award for his reporting on education and civil rights. Historian Theodore White, in his account of that election, The Making of a President, 1968, said Chandler’s reporting “provided the best background of events at Chicago that I have read.”

Chandler left the Sun-Times in 1969, and was instrumental in founding, writing, and editing a string of local newspapers, beginning with the Chicago Journalism Review—where Chandler’s work in the first issues were instrumental in exposing the police cover-up of the murder of local Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. He later co-founded the Chicago Free Press and the Daily Planet.

From 1976 to 1980, Chandler worked as a writer and producer for Bill Kurtis’ Focus Unit at WBBM-TV Channel 2, where he won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence for “1968: 10 Years Later” about that year’s Democratic National Convention and its associated demonstrations and police riots.

In 1982, Chandler joined the campaign to elect Harold Washington mayor of Chicago, including contributing to Washington’s announcement speech. He worked throughout the campaign and then for the Mayor’s office as a Deputy Press Secretary, working with Grayson Mitchell through the political battles known as Council Wars. He later was appointed as head of Public Relations for the Chicago Public Library. Chandler wrote about his experiences with the campaign, and the legacy of Washington’s run as mayor, in his second book, Harold Washington and the Civil Rights Legacy, (Woodbury Press, 2014).

He was a science and technology writer at the Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering news office from 1988 to 1996. He then served as press secretary for US Congressman Bobby Rush of Chicago, from 1996 to 1997, and as the director of media relations for the Government Accountability Project in Washington, DC, from 1997-2001.

In January 2008, Chandler co-founded the United Taxi Drivers Community Council (UTCC) organizing for the group, strategizing and writing their newsletter. The group fought for concessions from the city over regulation of new ride-sharing services. He was a tireless critic of Mayor Emanuel and the City’s uneven regulatory approach towards ride-sharing services like Uber.

Chandler was the author or co-author of two books. His first, co-authored with flight attendant Paula Kane, was Sex Objects in the Sky, (Follet Publishing Co., 1974) an expose on the sexual harassment of flight attendants that was far ahead of its time, and also included original reporting that exposed the hazards of radiation faced by airline crews.

The second, Harold Washington and the Civil Rights Legacy (Woodbury Press, 2014 and 2017), is a personal account of the long-shot mayoral campaign and the early years of the administration of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African-American mayor. As Prof. Dick Simpson of the U. of Ill., Chicago, said, the book is “A gripping account by Chris Chandler of Washington’s historic campaign, his tumultuous time as mayor, and the transformation which followed…. He provides us with a front-row seat from which to see from the inside this pivotal time in our history.”

Chandler is survived by his children and their spouses, Christopher Michael Chandler and Clara Sturak, of Santa Monica CA; Bob Chandler and Kathy Lange Chandler, of Chicago; Travis Chandler and Elizabeth Rowan Chandler, of Chicago; Lara Blumstein and Joe Compean, of Chicago; Andrew Diamond and Lauren Bishop, of Chicago; and Jonathan Chandler and Rosalyn Westerfield, of Chicago. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Dashiell Chandler of Santa Monica, CA; and Anna Kate Chandler, Simone Compean and Amira Compean of Chicago.

He is survived by his siblings Hugh Chandler of Urbana, IL; Marjorie Chandler of Oxford, UK; and David Chandler of Ashfield, Mass., and by his three ex-wives, Marthe Atwater Chandler, Denise DeClue, and, Janet Bremer Chandler.

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Julian S. Ansell ’44 died on April 2, 2019, in Seattle, Washington. 

(The following was published in The Seattle Times from April 5 to April 7, 2019:)

Dr. Julian Samuel Ansell, born in Portland, Maine, on June 30, 1922 to Jacob M. and Anna Gertrude Ansell, passed away at age 96 on April 2, 2019.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Eva R. Ansell, their five children: Steven Ansell (Mary), Jody Ansell (Matthew McKinnon), Carol Grant (Robert), Ellen Ansell (Rick Rogow) and Peter Ansell, eight grandchildren and his sister, Shirley Brown.

Julian’s love of family, curiosity about and enjoyment of people and the world, as well as his determination to excel and Jewish faith led to a life rich with professional accomplishment, familial love, friendships, music, art, and travel.

Julian led a life of service, the needs of his patients surpassed only by those of his family. His experiences during the Great Depression and WWIIshaped his outlook. As a child, he helped his Grandmother with her small store and while in college, supported his sister’s education. Having lost his father when he was seven and seeing his mother struggle, Julian paid attention to the impact of policy on the lives of all members of the community, espousing mutual responsibility and supporting social safety networks.

Julian enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and served in communications until the end of WWII. Via the Corps, he received his Baccalaureate from Bowdoin College in 1946.

Julian and Eva met in 1949. They married in 1951. Julian also received his Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University in 1951. The couple moved to Minneapolis, MN, where Julian completed his internship in surgery and residency in urology, and received his PhD in 1959, all at the University of Minnesota.

In 1959, Julian was appointed head of the Division of Urology at the University of Washington, In 1965 Julian became the first chair of the Department of Urology. He continued service as chair until 1987. He practiced and taught at the University until 1992. He also treated patients at Harbor View and Children’s hospitals, and Ft. Lewis.

Julian did seminal work in closure of neonatal extrophy of the bladder. His research included renal sparing surgery; smoking and bladder cancer; wound healing in infected and irradiated tissues; reflux and renal failure as well as other areas of interest.

Julian and Eva were enthusiastic mountain climbers. They especially loved the North Cascades and Julian was involved in several first ascents, including a new route up the south side of Mt. Johannesburg. Julian was blessed to be able to hike and enjoy the outdoors into his ninth decade.

Along with his professional and athletic accomplishments, Julian will be remembered for his wit and sense of humor, his love of puns and crossword puzzles, his skill as a raconteur and his loyalty to family.

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