Class Notes
’10s
Kelly Roberts M.P.P. ’18 married James Downie on Sept. 15 at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Roberts has a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and is a financial institution and policy analyst for the Federal Reserve Board.
Suzanne Johnson M.L.I.S. ’17 was named clerk of the Maryland Court of Appeals. She was sworn in by Gov. Larry Hogan on Dec. 13. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Baltimore.
Chris Lawrence ’17 joined Dallas’ WFAA/Channel 8’s news department and will become a co-anchor of the evening news in March. He has been an anchor-reporter at WRC since January 2014. He previously spent a decade at CNN, where he covered national security issues as a Pentagon correspondent.
Ryan Joyce ’15, M.S. ’17 married Melissa Butler on Sept. 22 in Doylestown, Pa., according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is an aerospace engineer at NASA Langley Research Center.
Candess Correll '16, a three-year cheerleader for the Washington Redskins, represented the team at the Pro Bowl on Jan. 27 in Orlando, Fla. She was a member of the Maryland Dance Team for 3.5 years at UMD while she earned her degree in computer science. She is a software engineer for a consulting firm providing technology solutions to our federal government.
Ozzie Fallick ’14 was the silver medalist in the Division II Men's Sabre event at the USA Fencing North American Cup held in Cincinnati on December 17. He competed in his UMD fencing uniform.
Devin Turk ’14 is a weekend news anchor at NBC2 in Ft. Meyers, Fla. He previously worked as a news reporter and anchor in Naples, Fla., Harrisonburg, Va., and Staunton, Va.
Sara Goodman-Stickler MPP ’12 was appointed executive director of WTS International, which works to achieve equity and access for women in the transportation industry. Goodman-Stickler earned an undergraduate degree from Xavier University and previously served as executive director of the Alliance for Consumer Education.
Mary-Elizabeth B. Murphy Ph.D. ’12 wrote "Jim Crow Capital: Women and Black Freedom Struggles in Washington, D.C.," published in November by the University of North Carolina Press. It tells the story of how African-American women in the city transformed civil rights politics in their freedom struggles between 1920 and 1945. She is an assistant professor of history at Eastern Michigan University.
Horng Tern EMBA ’12 was promoted to chief technology officer of Payrailz, a digital payments company. He previously served as senior architect at Payrailz. Tern holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from George Mason University.
Melanie Blair ’11 married Evan Thies on Nov. 10 at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, according to The New York Times. The bride is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at CUNY Graduates Center, Queens College. She works in Glen Oaks, N.Y., as a clinical research coordinator in the psychiatry research department of the Feinstein Institute of Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y. She received a master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University.
Benjamin Fuld ’11 married Rachel Baye on Nov. 17 at the Engineer’s Club, an events space in Baltimore, according to The New York Times. The groom is a law clerk in the Baltimore office of Hogan Lovells, a Washington-based law firm. In December, he became a corporate associate at the firm. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland law school.
Becky Silberman ’11, M.Ed. ’16 was named director of athletics and summer programs for the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md., where she has served in several capacities for over seven years.
Latham G. Saddler M.P.S. ’10 was appointed to the 2018-19 class of White House Fellows. Saddler is placed at the White House Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship. He is a lieutenant and Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Prior to his military service, Saddler worked for IBM Corporation in New York City. He earned a B.B.A. in economics at the University of Georgia and an M.S. in international affairs from Georgia Tech.
Kelly Lynn Seidl ’10 was promoted to chief technology officer of BillGO, a company that uses automation to advance payment systems. Before joining BillGO, Seidl worked at Google Payments.
’00s
Ademola Adewale-Sadik ’09 married Morenike Johnson on Nov. 17 at Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Cathedral in Lagos, Nigeria, according to The New York Times. On Nov. 15, the couple took part in a traditional Yoruba wedding ceremony at Harbour Point, an events space in Lagos. The groom works in London as the group corporate finance manager at the McArthurGlen Group, a luxury retail real estate developer. He earned a law degree from Yale and an MBA from Harvard.
Jason Albanese MBA ’09 was named the Leidos Health Group’s senior vice president of business development. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a master’s degree in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Joseph Flores ’09 joined Mizuho Americas in its U.S. Corporate and Investment Banking unit as vice president of the financial sponsors group. He is a graduate of the USC Marshall School of Business.
Sirisa Prachumyaat ’08, a diplomat working for Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in October to translate for the coach and 12 members of a youth soccer team who had been trapped in a Thai cave for 18 days.
Yashwanth Hemaraj M.S. ’07 was promoted to partner of venture capital firm Benhamou Global Ventures. Hemaraj had been an investor there for more than four years. He focuses on intelligent automation, robotics and customer-centric applications powered by technologies such as AI, ML, Blockchain and computer vision. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India.
Arlene Silva Ph.D. ’07 is the co-author of "Lessons from School Psychology: Practical Strategies and Evidence-Based Practice for Professionals and Parents." It is available on Amazon.
George Ashton MBA ’06 was named managing director of strategic investments for the Local Initiatives Support Corp., a national social enterprise that has invested $20 billion in underinvested American communities. Ashton recently served as co-founder and president of Sol System, a Washington, D.C.-based renewable energy investment firm.
Chris Askey ’06 and his wife, Melanie Askey, welcomed daughter Blayke Ella on Oct. 22. She is younger sister to Landon Chase and Brooks Lyam. Chris is senior enterprise solutions analyst at Neopost USA. The family lives in Bel Air, Md.
Aqil Chishty MBA ’06 was named chief operating officer of Woundtech, a provider of technology-enabled wound management services. He joined Woundtech as a consultant in 2017 and was previously CEO of MDIG, a radiology services company. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston.
Florent Groberg ’06 married Carsen Zarin on Nov. 17 at the Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C., according to The New York Times. The groom is the chief of staff at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle for the Boeing Co. He is a former Army captain serving with the Fourth Brigade, Fourth Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colo. He received the Medal of Honor in December 2015, awarded by President Barack Obama, for acts of valor during a suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan in August 2010, during which four members of his brigade were killed, and he suffered a lower left limb injury.
Charles Landherr ’06 was named one of the top 40 under 40 HVACR professionals by trade publication The News. He is a commercial sales manager for Mitsubishi Electric.
Adam Podlesh ’06 and his wife, Miranda Podlesh, are launching CoolRoom, a company in Jacksonville, Fla., that uses technology that freezes a patient’s fat cells in order to shed them permanently. Adam Podlesh is a private wealth adviser with Merrill Lynch and a former punter for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Liam Brown MBA ’05 will take on the role of president and managing director of Europe, a division within Marriott International that encompasses the United Kingdom, Ireland and Continental Europe. He was previously president, select brands and owner and franchise services, North America, for Marriott International. Brown has a degree from Trinity College.
LaRhonda Burley ’05 was named vice president of partnerships and marketing at the National Fitness Foundation, the official nonprofit of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. Burley joins the foundation with over 10 years of sports marketing experience.
Gregg Inocencio ’05 is the new clinical director and doctor of physical therapy at Tidewater Physical Therapy’s Seaford location. He received his doctor of physical therapy from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Sharon Strange Lewis MBA ’05 was appointed Howard University’s director of alumni relations in the office of development and alumni relations. Strange Lewis received her bachelor’s degree from Howard University.
Regina Carlow Ph.D. ’04 was named interim dean of the University of New Mexico’s College of Fine Arts. She is a professor in the Department of Music and was previously associate dean for student affairs in the College of Fine Arts.
Jacqueline Cullison ’04 joined Stertil-Koni, a Stevensville, Md.-headquartered provider of heavy-duty vehicle lifts, as operations specialist. Her responsibilities include ordering lifts, coordinating deliveries and securing transportation of the lifts to end-users across North America.
Halim Guneri Kucur M.A. ’04 joined One Technologies as chief product officer. He previously worked at Amazon, most recently as a general manager in Amazon Web Services. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Bogazici University in Istanbul and his MBA at the University of Chicago.
Cynthia Trevor ’04 was named national vice president of communications and development for STRIVE, the national leader in workforce development helping individuals in underserved communities. Trevor holds a master’s in public administration from Baruch College.
Randall Williams ’04 joined the College of Southern Maryland Foundation’s board of directors. He is also president of Meinhardt Properties in White Plains, Md.
Daniel Adams ’03 has been named partner at the law firm Brooks Pierce in North Carolina. Adams focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, representing clients facing pre- and post-indictment investigations by federal and state regulators. He earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Diana Alvear ’03 joined FOX 46 WJZY in Charlotte, N.C., in August as the main evening anchor. She's worked as an ABC and NBC News correspondent in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Mark Thompson MBA ’03 joined the Olney Theatre Center’s board of directors. He is the senior vice president of The Gold Group, specializing in the marketing and promotion of events and representation of brands and attractions. Thompson received his bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and his MBA from the University of Maryland.
Mary L. Hastler M.L.S. ’02 was a recipient of The Daily Record’s Icon Honors award, which recognizes Maryland business leaders over the age of 60. She has been CEO of Harford County Public Library since 2010. Previously, she worked in health care administration at Johns Hopkins University and for Baltimore County in mental health.
Hitendra "Hiten" Patel M.S. '02, former deputy chief of construction and design engineering with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, joined global design and engineering firm Stantec as a principal and program manager at the firm’s division office in Laurel, Md. His accomplishments include managing the development and implementation of a 20-year, $8 billion system infrastructure renewal of WMATA’s aging system. Patel holds a degree in financial business management from Bhavan’s University in Mumbai, India; and a bachelor of engineering in civil engineering from Saurastra University in Gujarat, India. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Maryland and a certified construction manager.
Paul Monteiro ’02 was appointed by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks to a seat on the county’s Board of Education. He served in the Obama administration as associate director of the Office of Public Engagement.
Jen Meyers Pickard M.A. ’01, Ph.D. ’11 joined leading executive search firm Witt/Kieffer as a consultant in its education practice. Prior to Witt/Kieffer, Pickard served as assistant vice president for divisional initiatives and planning at the University of Arizona. Pickard earned a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University.
Shehzad Syed Akhtar ’00 married Karyne Messina on Oct. 7 at the Evergreen Museum and Library in Baltimore, according to The New York Times. He is an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, working as a prosecutor in the felony major-crime section. He received a law degree from the George Washington University.
Benjamin Franklin Duchek ’00 married Elizabeth Frei on Dec. 31 at St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., according to The New York Times. Duchek is a captain in the Army Reserve, serving as a civil affairs officer at the Southern Command, in Doral, Fla. He was an artillery officer while on active duty and did two tours in Afghanistan. He is developing a consultancy specializing in technology in emerging markets. The bride is a special assistant to the assistant secretary for strategy, planning, analysis and risk at the Department of Homeland Security. Read the backstory to their union here.
Yazdan Emrani M.S. ’00 joined the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Emrani is San Fernando’s public works director and its city engineer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Syracuse University.
Daniel Ives MBA ’00 was appointed managing director of equity research in Wedbush Securities’ technology group. Prior to joining Wedbush, Ives served as chief strategy officer and head of technology research at GBH Insights and in an executive role at Synchronoss Technologies. Ives received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Penn State University.
Krista Bethune Melnar ’00 joined Freese & Nichols in Austin, Texas, as its new stormwater practice leader. She is an accomplished project manager experienced with large federal contracts as well as state and local resiliency projects. She recently spent three years as deputy director for a $600 million project involving FEMA’s Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning, Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance, and Technical Assistance and Research Contracts programs.
’90s
Quinetta M. Roberson Ph.D. ’99 was inducted into the Ph.D. Project Hall of Fame. The Ph.D. Project is a program to increase diversity in management. Roberson is the Fred J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership in the School of Business at Villanova University. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Ralph D’Amico ’98 joined Panhandle Oil and Gas as vice president for business development and investor relations in January. He has 20 years of experience in investment banking, the majority focused on the energy sector. He previously served as managing director at Seaport Global and prior to that held positions at Stifel Nicolaus, Jefferies, Friedman Billings Ramsey and Salomon Smith Barney. He earned an MBA from the George Washington University.
Eduardo Encina ’98 joined The Tampa Bay Times in October to cover the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He previously covered the Baltimore Orioles for The Baltimore Sun and won the Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2016. He previously worked at The Tampa Bay Times (then the St. Petersburg Times) covering high school sports, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Vivek Kundra ’98 joined Sprinklr, a customer experience management platform, as chief operating officer. He was formerly executive vice president of Salesforce and the first U.S. chief information officer under President Barack Obama.
Jon Schwartz '97 was named the NFL's senior vice president of communications and public affairs. He came from NASCAR, where he most recently served as managing director of integrated marketing communications. Schwartz is an adjunct professor at New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. As an advocate for disabled sports, he co-founded the NJ Dare Devils Special Hockey Team and currently serves on the board of the American Special Hockey Association.
Kristine M. (Ellison) Maher joined Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP as an of counsel attorney at the firm’s Cincinnati office. Her practice focuses on complex and specialized litigation, including claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, class actions and appeals. Maher graduated from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University
Rochelle Ford M.A. ’95 was inducted into the PRWeek Hall of Fame in December. Ford taught for 16 years in Howard University’s School of Communications, served as the dean of academic affairs in the Office of the Provost for six years and was the former director of the Preparing Future Journalism Faculty Program. Today, Ford serves as the dean of communications at Elon University. Ford earned her bachelor’s degree from Howard University and her doctorate from Southern Illinois at Carbondale.
Erica Parks ’94 was promoted to tax partner at the certified public accounting and business consulting firm Hancock & Dana. She has been with Hancock & Dana since 2009.
Tom Jarboe ’94 was presented with the Heritage Award for Leadership by Leadership Southern Maryland. The award is the organization’s highest honor; Jarboe, a St. Mary’s County commissioner, received it for his track record of collaborative and inclusive leadership.
James R. Benjamin Jr. ’94 joined Gordon Feinblatt’s litigation, business law and EMERGE team. Benjamin has litigated complex environmental and administrative matters and regularly counsels clients on regulatory issues involving real property. He also has significant experience representing and advising minority-owned and women-owned businesses on certification and procurement matters as well as structuring and creating joint ventures and teaming arrangements.
Marc Greenberg ’93 was hired as head of finance for Blend, a Silicon Valley technology company working in the consumer lending industry. Greenberg joins Blend from Pixar Animation Studios, where he was vice president of finance and strategy.
Donna Joan Harrington M.F.A.'93 died suddenly on April 21 of complications resulting from surgery following a year of chronic health conditions. Harrington taught for over 30 years on the college level in the Washington, D.C., area, including at Prince George’s Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, Capital College, University Maryland University College and Howard University. Her marriages to Peter Kenny and David Walton ended in divorce. She is survived by her husband, Stefan Petejack; daughter Chelsea Rose Harrington; Walton; mother Joan Harrington; brothers Ken and Richard and sister Nancy. Her family has created a GoFundMe page to raise money to have the nonprofit Eternal Reefs place Harrington's ashes in the waters near Ocean City, Md., and to allow her daughter, who is pursuing a certification as a medical assistant, to attend the dedication ceremony scheduled for May 2019.
Herbert Leusch MBA ’93 received the 2018 Fire Chief of the Year award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Leusch, one of two award recipients, is the volunteer fire chief of Glen Echo Fire Department in Bethesda, Md. Leusch has volunteered for over 25 years, and currently oversees a department of 70 personnel.
Kimberly Rupert ’92 was named to the Washington Business Journal’s 2018 Women Who Mean Business list. Rupert is the senior vice president and chief risk officer of SAIC in Reston, Va.
Karen Olmstead Ph.D. ’91 was appointed Salisbury University’s provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. She had served as SU’s interim provost since July 2017, and was dean of the university’s Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology prior to that. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delaware.
William Meury ’90 was named to the board of directors of Syndax Pharmaceuticals. Meury serves as the chief commercial officer of Allergan, a global, publicly traded pharmaceutical company. Prior to that, Meury served as executive vice president, sales and marketing at Forest Laboratories prior to its acquisition by Allergan, then known as Actavis. He is on the board of directors of several organizations, including the Jed Foundation and International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation.
Scott Ralls M.A. ’90, Ph.D. ’97 was named president of Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, N.C. He was most recently president of Northern Virginia Community College and, before then, of the North Carolina Community College System and Craven Community College. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
’80s
Georgette Kiser ’89 was named to the Washington Business Journal’s 2018 Women Who Mean Business list. Kiser is the managing director and chief information officer at the Carlyle Group.
Katherine Potter ’88 was promoted to president and CEO of Five Star Senior Living. She has been with the company since 2012 and served as executive vice president and general counsel. Prior to joining Five Star, Potter practiced law at Sullivan & Worcester LLP and Burns & Levinson LLP. She holds a law degree from Syracuse University and a master’s of law in banking and financial law from Boston University.
Helen Boudreau ’87 was named chief operating officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute. She has more than 30 years of experience as a finance, strategy and operational leader, including 20 years at biotech and global pharmaceutical companies. Previously, she served as chief financial officer at Proteostasis Therapeutics, and has also served as chief financial officer at FORMA Therapeutics and Novartis US. She holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Brenda Freeman ’87, MBA ’91 was elected to the board of directors of Avnet, a global technology solutions provider. Freeman is the chief marketing officer at Magic Leap, a private company focused on virtual retinal displays. Prior to Magic Leap, Freeman served in the same role for National Geographic Channel and National Geographic WILD. Freeman also serves as an independent board director for Caleres and Herman Miller.
Coast Guard Capt. Claudia Gelzer '87 stepped down as the commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston, which she had overseen since 2015. She retired after 27 years of service.
Chris Sotudeh '86 was appointed vice President of global services and customer success at Vbrick, a provider of enterprise video platform solutions. He most recently served as enterprise solutions, sales, services & client success partner at Microstrategy. He holds a M.S. from Johns Hopkins University and is a certified project management professional.
Reynaldo Quintana ’86 joined Kedalion Therapeutics as vice president of engineering. Quintana is an inventor or co-inventor on 18 patents related to medical devices and drug delivery systems. He received a second bachelor’s degree, in physics, from Frostburg State University and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Catholic University of America.
Lawrence Carin ’85, Ph.D. ’89 was re-appointed to a five-year term as vice provost for research at Duke University. Carin joined Duke as an associate professor of electrical engineering in 1995 and became professor in 2001. Before being named vice provost in 2014, he served as chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering since 2011.
Jon Franke M.S. ’85 is vice president of safety and health for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). He joined PG&E in January 2017. Franke has more than 30 years of nuclear and energy industry experience while working for the U.S. Navy and at Carolina Power and Light, Progress Energy, Duke Energy, PPL Corp. and Talen Energy. As a Navy officer, Franke served in several nuclear power and fleet assignments and retired with the rank of lieutenant commander. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He also holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and has completed a utility management program at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.
Teresa Halleck ’85 was honored with a Bronze Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year in the 15th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, produced by the creators of the American Business Awards and the International Business Awards. She is president and CEO of the San Diego County Credit Union.
Martin “Rich” Valenstein MBA ’85 was named group vice president for revenue management and product profitability for Toyota Motor North America. Previously, Valenstein served as vice president of finance for TMNA. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Carolyn Gerin ’84 is a co-author of “Road Map for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Activism and Advocacy for All,” published by Ten Speed Press. It is a guidebook for engaging in day-to-day activism and advocacy. Gerin is the creator/art director of the “Anti-Bride” series from Chronicle Books, and she leads Cannawise.co, a strategic branding firm for companies in the B2B and B2C cannabis industry.
Dr. Suzan Chuang-Lowry ’83 was appointed health officer for Charles County, Md. She is a pediatrician who most recently worked at the U.S. Marine Corps Quantico Health Clinic. She earned a medical degree from Howard University School of Medicine and a master’s degree in applied sciences health informatics from Johns Hopkins University.
Michael Evans ’83 was named chief financial officer of McGraw-Hill, a learning science company. Previously, he served as chief operating officer and CFO at Renaissance, which specializes in pre-K–12 learning analytics, and as chief financial officer at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a provider of higher education enrollment solutions. He also held roles at Pearson, BigChalk, the Food Network and Primedia.
Stephen Finney MBA ’83 was appointed chief financial officer of Incipio Group in December. Finney brings over 30 years of experience and an extensive background in financial planning, retail operations, management and global strategy. Most recently, he served as CFO for KCD Brands, the division of Sears Holdings Corp, that is responsible for product design, development and distribution of consumer products for Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands. He previously held positions at Quiksilver and the Walt Disney Company. He has an economics degree from the Catholic University of America.
Dr. Gail Cunningham ’82 was named one of The Baltimore Sun’s 25 Women to Watch in 2018. She is senior vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.
Robert Milkovich '82 was named CEO of Rand Construction, a general contractor based in Alexandria, Va., specializing in tenant interiors, building renovations, retail, restaurant and design-build construction services. He was most recently CEO of First Potomac Realty Trust.
Charles “Don” Sadler ’82 was inducted into the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame in October. He played professional indoor lacrosse for the Washington Wave and coached at the recreation and high school levels.
Donnie Morgan '82 was named executive editor of the Maryland Independent in White Plains and of the Enquirer-Gazette in Upper Marlboro. He was already executive editor of APG Media's other newspaper holdings in Southern Maryland, The Enterprise in St. Mary's County and The Calvert Recorder in Prince Frederick. Morgan, who earned his bachelor's degree in journalism, was at one time a sports staffer for The Diamondback. He has spent his entire 36-year newspaper career in his native Southern Maryland, previously as a staff writer and photographer, sports editor and managing editor.
Paul Sekhri '81 is the new president and chief executive officer of biotechnology company eGenesis. He joins eGenesis with decades of experience leading life sciences companies, and most recently comes from Lycera Corp., where he served as president and CEO.
Scott Shaw M.S. ’81, Ph.D. ’84 received the Andrew Vanvig Lifetime Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award from the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The award honors a senior faculty member with at least 15 years of service in the college. Shaw joined UW in 1989 and is the Insect Museum curator in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. He has discovered and named more than 190 insect species from 29 different countries.
Thomas Bradley ’80 was appointed to the board of directors of Argo Group, an international underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance. Bradley retired from Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG in 2017. During his five years there, he served as chief financial officer and executive vice president. Bradley earned an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. He is also a CPA.
Gail Rubin '80 was recognized as one of the 2019 Women of Influence by the Albuquerque Business First, a business news outlet. She was the only honoree who is a death educator and certified thanatologist. Through her company, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, she helps people plan ahead for end-of-life issues using humor, funny film clips and outside-the-box activities.
Roxanne Taylor ’80 was appointed an independent director to the board of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. Taylor was formerly chief marketing and communications officer at Accenture. She’s also held roles at Reuters, Citicorp, Credit Suisse and the Deak-Perera Group.
James Lederer Ed.D. '79 joined Patient Access Solutions, a provider of technology and management solutions for the healthcare industry, as director of behavioral health, based at the Plainview, N.Y. Integrated Health facility. He completed his undergraduate studies at Rutgers University, master's degrees in school psychology and business administration from Loyola University and a doctorate from the University of Hartford in counseling psychology.
’70s
William MacDonald ’79 was named CEO of Mill Creek Residential, a multifamily investor, builder and operator specializing in apartment communities nationwide. MacDonald has been president since 2016 and is a founding shareholder of the company. He earned an MBA from the Columbia Graduate School of Business.
Steve Orndorff ’79 was named CEO of Canalis Pharmaceuticals, a new subsidiary of Teewinot Life Sciences Corp., global leader in the production of cannabinoid molecules.
Sharon Akers '78 was promoted to executive director of special projects with St. John Properties. She joined St. John Properties in 2007 and was also recently promoted to President of the Edward St. John Foundation, where she is responsible for overseeing the direction and long-term vision of the foundation. Akers is a member on the University of Maryland College Park Foundation's Board of Trustees.
Patrick DiChiro ’78 is chief marketing officer of Retail Solutions, which provides technology solutions to consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers. Di Chiro has worked for companies including Marketo, E-Trade, AT&T Mobility, Engagio and Google/Wildfire. Earlier in his career, Di Chiro founded Thunder Factory, a digital marketing and branding firm. He also served as a global partner at Ketchum Worldwide, and vice president of worldwide marketing for Visa International.
Gareth Frank ’77 will release his debut novel, “The Moment Between,” in February. The novel is a psychological thriller set in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Frank is retired from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.
Howard Labow '77 received the Voluntary Benefits Adviser of the Year Award from Employee Benefit Adviser Magazine. Labow was also recently inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame for being two-time All-American fencer and member of the Israel Olympic Team.
Pattie Yu ’77, M.A. ’82 was inducted into the National Capital Public Relations Hall of Fame in October at the annual Thoth Awards at the National Press Club. Yu is principal of The Yu Crew, where she created a virtual agency.
Dr. Lawrence Weiss ’76 was promoted to chief scientific officer of NeoGenomics, a provider of cancer-focused genetic testing services. He had served as medical director and laboratory director for NeoGenomics since joining in 2015. He holds an M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Wanda Draper ’73 was named one of The Baltimore Sun’s 25 Women to Watch in 2018. Draper is retiring in February as executive director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.
Kenneth L. Thompson ’73 was a winner of the Daily Record’s Icon Honors award, which recognizes Maryland business leaders over the age of 60. Thompson is a trial attorney and was chosen by the U.S. Department of Justice to be lead monitor for the Baltimore Police Department Monitoring team. He holds a law degree from the University of Maryland.
Eric Newhouse M.A. ’71 has released a new book, “Faces of Recovery,” published by Issues Press, that examines how soldiers recover from the moral choices made during war. Newhouse won a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for his reporting on alcoholism. He is also the author of “Faces of Combat, PTSD & TBI: One Journalist’s Crusade to Improve Treatment for Our Veterans.”
’60s
Harold W. Mills Jr. ’65 released his book, “The Confederate Secret Service,” a scholarly book on the significance of intelligence work. Mills is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and Vietnam veteran.
Edward St. John ’61 received the national Developer of the Year award from NAIOP, the commercial real estate development association. He is the chairman of St. John Properties, which has overseen development of 19 million square feet of office, retail and warehouse space. He is also a philanthropist who donated $10 million to UMD to help build the Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center.
’50s
J. Robert Giffen ’55 recently published a book about his second career as a real estate investor. The title is “House for Rent” and it is available on Amazon.
Passings
Marcie Hatch Bradley ’99 died on Sept. 29 after a battle with Glioblastoma brain cancer, reports the Sierra Sun. Born on Dec. 3, 1976, in North Andover, Mass. She lived in Los Angeles and San Francisco after earning her journalism degree. She married Devin Bradley, and they had a daughter, Ellery. Bradley worked in management roles at Sun Microsystems, Oracle and most recently Vail Resorts. She was an integral part of the Truckee, Calif., community for 10 years through her service and contributions at NorthStar California, EpicPromise, Girls on the Run and FWDD Coalition. She is survived by her husband, Devin Bradley; daughter, Ellery; parents, Steve and Monique Hatch; and brother, Marc Hatch.
Donna Kay Adams Rittenhouse Ed.D. ’92 of Bridgewater, Va., died on Oct. 25 at age 79 after a recurrence of mantle cell lymphoma. Born June 13, 1939, in Harrisonburg, Va., Rittenhouse was the third of David and Vesta Landes Adams’ seven children. On Nov. 19, 1960, she married Wilbur Rittenhouse. She was a graduate of Bridgewater College, where her area of concentration was elementary education. She later earned a doctorate of education from the University of Maryland. During her teaching career, she taught preschoolers and elementary students in Maryland and college students in Missouri, as an adjunct professor of education at Webster University. Rittenhouse was an active member of the Church of the Brethren, serving on various committees, singing in the choir and serving as youth advisor. When they were first married, she and Wilbur put their college education on hold for two years, so they could serve in Brethren Volunteer Service. When she moved to Missouri, Kay became active with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She served as a state and national trainer for Family-to-Family Teachers and Support Group Facilitators. She also served as a staff member of NAMI St. Louis and as president of NAMI Missouri. Rittenhouse is survived by her husband, Wilbur Rittenhouse. Surviving siblings are James Adams, Mary Adams, John Adams, Lowell Adams and Karen Wyrick, and numerous nieces and nephews. Rittenhouse was preceded in death by a daughter, Teresa Rittenhouse, and a sister, June Gibble.
Former Terps basketball star Ben Coleman ’85, who went on to spend 12 years in the NBA, died Jan. 6 at age 57, according to the Minnesota Star-Tribune. The 6 foot, 9 inch center began his college career with the Minnesota Gophers in 1979, and in 1980-81, averaged 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench. He then transferred to Maryland, where he was a two-time All-ACC selection, averaging more than 15 points and eight rebounds as a two-year starter to finish his college career in 1984, when the Terrapins went to the Sweet 16. The Chicago Bulls drafted him in the second round (No. 37 overall) of the 1984 NBA draft. He played in 227 career NBA games, mostly with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets. He still ranks No. 2 on the Terps’ list of all-time best field goal percentage (.589).
Richard “Dick” Modzelewski died Oct. 19 at his home in Eastlake, Ohio. He was 87. Modzelewski was born on Feb. 16, 1931, in West Natrona, Pa. He was named to the Pennsylvania All-State team as a lineman in 1948 before joining his brother at the University of Maryland. While he was at Maryland, the Terapins were one of the nation’s most successful programs, going 22 games without a loss at one point and a No. 3 ranking in the country in 1951. Modzelewski was the 1952 Outland Trophy winner, awarded to the nation’s top lineman. He was a second-round draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 1953 and was traded to the Steelers in 1955, before being sent to Detroit a year later. In 1956, he was traded to the New York Giants and became part of the original “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line that included Roosevelt Grier, Jim Katcavage and Andy Robustelli. On Dec. 28, 1958, Modzelewski was part of what has been called the NFL’s “Greatest Game,” the title matchup with the Baltimore Colts at Yankee Stadium, witnessed by an estimated 45 million people. Modzelewski retired after three more NFL title game appearances with the Giants and two more with the Browns in 1964-65. He then embarked on a 23-year career as an NFL assistant, including being on Forrest Gregg’s staff during Cincinnati’s 1981 Super Bowl run. Modzelewski is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Jane, and four children.
John K. Lea Ph.D. ’75, former owner of Columbia’s revered J.K.’s Pub, died of natural causes at his home in Vantage House in Columbia, Md., on Dec. 11, according to The Baltimore Sun. He was 85. Lea was born in Bucyrus, Ohio, to Arch and Alice Lea and was one of three boys. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Miami University of Ohio. In 1960, he moved to California, where he met Claire Crompton and married her that year. They had their son, Tim, in 1963 and soon after, they moved back to Ohio, where Lea received his master’s degree in British theater and history from Miami University. After having their second son, Doug, in 1965 during a short stint in Florida, they moved to Maryland, where Lea finished a doctorate degree at UMD while teaching in the speech and drama department. Lea would teach at the university for 15 years. In Lea’s spare time, he played racquetball and golf, but his true passions were theater and acting. Lea was also a known traveler who drove cross-country multiple times, visited all 50 states and traveled around the world to places like New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. An avid sailor, he loved exploring the Chesapeake Bay. He spent time sailing the British Virgin Islands and once made a round trip on a 30-foot sailboat to Bermuda. In 1978, the Leas opened J.K.’s Pub, an establishment that became an unforgettable fixture in Columbia. The Leas sold the bar in 1994, when running it became too demanding. It closed in July 2000. In addition to his wife of 58 years, Lea is survived by his sons, Tim Lea and Doug Lea, both of Columbia; his brother, Bill Lea of Louisville, Ky.; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and four nieces.
Dennis Richard Vaira ’76, M.A. ’80, a longtime La Plata, Md., resident, died Oct. 7 at age 64, according to Southern Maryland News. Vaira was born in Washington, Pa., and grew up in Bryans Road, Md., where he graduated from Henry E. Lackey High School. He received both of his UMD degrees in government and politics. Vaira worked for many years in Waldorf, Md., at the Barley Mortgage Co. and later became a real estate developer and president of the Barley Vaira Co. He was an avid golfer and sports fan, and he enjoyed learning about bourbon and the American Civil War. He and his wife enjoyed traveling, especially to their vacation home in Ocean City. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Patricia Coleman Vaira; his children Michael Vaira, Megan Mattingly and Molly Kelly; and five grandchildren. He is also survived by mother Mercedes Vaira, brother David Vaira and sister Terri Vaira-James. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Vaira.
Patrick Bogan '74, former CEO of Friends Research Institute, died Dec. 20, according to The (Easton) (Md.) Star-Democrat. He was 76. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Bogan joined the U.S. military following high school and became a Navy/Marine corpsman. After the military, he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from UMD and a master’s degree in business. He joined Friends Research Institute in Baltimore as a counselor in 1968, and in 1972 became director of the firm’s Epoch House. He later rose to the position of president and CEO of Friends in 1989. After retiring from that position, he began a 10-year career in real estate, where he earned his GRI designation. He was a member of the National Association of Realtors and a member of the Executive Committee of the Mid-Shore Board of Realtors. He also was past commodore of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club. Bogan was a volunteer for numerous organizations in Talbot County, including the Historical Society, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Waterfowl Festival. He was a former board member of Pickering Creek Environmental Center, a master gardener and an avid hunter. He is survived by his daughter, Heather McKinney; stepson, Ryan Ellison; three grandchildren; one step-granddaughter; brothers Tod, James, Lawrence and Terry; and multiple nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anastasia (Coleman) and Tod Bogan; and his brother, Jerry.
The Rev. David R. Mayer Ph.D. ’73, a missionary in Japan for 45 years and professor of American literature there, died Dec. 6 in Techny, Ill. He was 80, according to The (Missouri) Columbian. Mayer was born Oct. 25, 1938, in Columbia. The son of Dennis T. and Virginia L. (nee Miller), he earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s Seminary in Techny, Ill., a master’s in English from Georgetown University and a doctorate in English from UMD. Ordained in 1966, Mayer taught at Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa, until 1968. He began teaching at Nanzan University in 1974. There, he also served as head of the English department; head of the graduate school, English section; a member of the Board of Councilors, Nanzan School Corporation; and researcher at the Nanzan Center of American Studies. A prolific writer, he penned academic works, essays and book reviews including "Reading Japanese American Literature: The Legacy of Three Generations," "Drooping Sun, Coy Moon: Essays on Flannery O'Connor," "The American Neighborhood Novel" and "Door Stoops and Windowsills: Perspectives on the American Neighborhood Novel." In 2009, he published "Komagane Poems," a series of short essays and haiku-like verses with drawings about nature. Surviving are his brother, Michaeli; a niece and grandniece.
Bernice Sandler Ph.D. ’69, widely considered the godmother of Title IX, died Jan. 5 at her home in Washington. She was 90. The cause was cancer, according to The Washington Post. Bernice Resnick—she went by Bunny—was born in New York City on March 3, 1928. Her parents ran a women’s clothing store in New Jersey. She received a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in 1948 and a master’s degree from the City College of New York in 1950, both in psychology, and a doctorate in counseling from UMD. Sandler devoted decades of her life to documenting, analyzing and stopping the forms of discrimination — subtle and overt — that held women back academically and professionally in educational settings. She investigated and found that there was no federal law prohibiting discrimination against women in educational fields. There was, however, an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson that prohibited sex discrimination by organizations with federal contracts. Sandler joined the Women’s Equity Action League and, as the one-member Federal Action Contract Compliance Committee, challenged 250 educational institutions for alleged sex discrimination. According to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, where Sandler was inducted in 2013, her efforts led to the first federal investigation of sex discrimination on campuses. She worked for a House subcommittee with oversight of the matter and for the Health, Education and Welfare Department as momentum grew, culminating with passage of Title IX, known as the guarantor of equal access to collegiate athletics. Sandler spent two decades as the director of the Project on the Status and Education of Women at the Association of American Colleges, until 1991. She later held associations with institutions including the Center for Women Policy Studies in Washington and was a sought-after witness in discrimination and sexual harassment cases. As an activist, she also highlighted the danger of rape on campuses. Sandler’s marriage to Jerrold Sandler ended in divorce. Survivors include two daughters, Deborah Sandler and Emily Sanders; and three grandchildren.
Morris E. Lay M.Ed. ’67 of Smithsburg, Md., died Oct. 17 at his home. He was 86. Born in a log cabin in Pine Knot, Ky., the second of three children born to E. Manuel Lay and Kizzie Kathren (King) Lay, Lay was a graduate of Clay County High School. He earned a B.S. in industrial arts from West Virginia University Institute of Technology and a master of education degree in industrial education from UMD. He served in the Maryland National Guard as chief warrant officer W2 and two years in the U.S. Army in the Korean War. Lay taught industrial arts for 30 years in Washington County public high schools. He was a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Greencastle Baptist Church, where he also cooked and fixed things. He was a life member of Dixon-Troxell American Legion Post 211 and a past president of the Williamsport Country Club. He was named Tall Cedar of the Year in 1987 by Supreme Tall Cedar, Lemoine V. Dickinson. Lay enjoyed playing golf, cooking and hunting. He was a charter member of the Hickory Ridge Hunt Club and a life member of the South Mountain Rod and Gun Club. He was past master of Medairy Lodge 140 and was inducted into the Legion of Honor in the Chapel of the 4 Chaplains in Temple University in Philadelphia. He is survived by his wife, Sally Lay; three children, Barry K. Lay, Bradford M. Lay and Barbara Copley; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a half brother, Ronald Lay; and a half-sister, Caroline Ryder. He was preceded in death by older sister Doris Oswald and younger brother M.C. Lay.
James J. Mooney Ed.D. '67, a professor emeritus of industrial arts at Buffalo State College, died Jan. 9 according to The Amherst (N.Y.) Bee. He was 88.
Mooney was born on Aug. 1, 1930 in Millbank, S.D., to Cornelius and Christine Mooney, and he was raised in Delano, Minn. After serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Knox, he attended Colorado State University, earning a master’s degree in education. While teaching at Mankato State University in Minnesota, he met Beverly Lauer, whom he married on Dec. 26, 1960. They were married for 45 years, until her death in 2005. Together, they ventured to Maryland, where he earned a doctorate in education at UMD. A position as a professor at Buffalo State College brought his family to Amherst. Along with teaching there for 25 years, Mooney held numerous positions of leadership and merit. He enjoyed camping, traveling, skiing, golf and fixing things. He was the past president of the Buffalo Ski Club and the Central Amherst Little League as well as a volunteer in his parish, Christ the King Church. Mooney is survived by three children, Michael, Thomas and Patrick Mooney; seven grandchildren; and one sibling, Alice Lindahl.
Gary K. Gold ’60 died Aug. 22, 2018. He was born in Baltimore on Feb. 5, 1938, to Samuel Gold and Clara Pumpian. He attended Baltimore City College High School and then attended UMD and the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (now the University of Maryland School of Dentistry). He and his wife, then Susan Golaner, met as undergraduates and married in 1962. Gold served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1966 at the Great Lakes (Ill.) Naval Training Center and Cherry Point (N.C.) Marine Corps Air Station. During his time in the service, Gold learned to pilot airplanes, eventually becoming a flight instructor. He collaborated with fellow dentist Alan Hart on the invention of a battery-powered tooth-cleaning device in the 1970s. They patented the device, which used a small rubber cup to scrub stains from teeth, in 1977. It was released to the public as the Concept Tooth Polisher in 1980. Gold is survived by his wife; his brother; his children, Jonathan Gold and Lissa Beth Holtzner; and four grandchildren. Another brother, Daniel Gold, of Aspen, Colo., preceded him in death.
John “Jack” Zane ’60 died Sept. 18 at age 87. He was sports information director at the University of Maryland from 1960 to 1988, and was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. Zane joined the Navy after high school and enrolled at UMD in 1953. He covered Maryland athletics for The Diamondback and was named the newspaper’s first executive sports editor. He is survived by his wife, Judy; sister Nan Vermillion; and many nieces and nephews.
Stanley Bobb ’57 died Jan. 4. Bobb attended Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, D.C., before attending the University of Maryland, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team. He owned HOF Laundry Systems. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; children Jodi Macklin, Tammy Mendelson and Daryle Bobb; sister Anita Ratain; and 12 grandchildren.
L. Newby Day ’57 of Charlottesville, Va., died Oct. 9 at home after a long illness. She was 84. Newby was born on Oct. 16, 1933, in Washington, D.C., to Robert Eugene Newby, an FBI agent, and his wife, Virginia Morgan Newby. She attended Woodrow Wilson High School and UMD, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After graduating with a degree in zoology, Newby married Dr. John Ronald Day Jr. at the National Cathedral in Washington. Newby worked in the alumnae office of the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Md., for many years and volunteered for causes dear to her heart. In 1979, she moved to Charlottesville, where she worked at Ash Lawn, running a tearoom for visitors. After that, she held various jobs in gift shops, employment agencies and in the Ivy post office. She is survived by her daughters, Marcella Day and Lisa (Gregory) Hopper; two grandchildren; three nieces and a nephew; and many friends, including Wolfgang Daw, who lived with the family, and Michael Swift, her devoted caregiver. She was preceded in death by her husband and by her sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Leonard Williams.
Thomas R. Cripps M.A. ’57, a historian of African-American cinema and a retired Morgan State University professor, died of Alzheimer’s disease complications on his 86th birthday, Sept. 17, at Symphony Manor. Born in Baltimore, he was the son of Benjamin F. Cripps, a Baltimore Gas and Electric employee, and his wife, Marian F. Leach. He was a 1950 graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and obtained a bachelor’s degree at Towson University, and a master’s degree and doctorate at UMD. He became a teacher at the University of North Carolina’s Pembroke campus. He was also active in the civil rights movement and participated in a voter-registration project of the Southern Christian Leadership Council in Atlanta in 1966. After joining the faculty of Morgan State University, Cripps became interested in the history of African-Americans in film. In 1962, his paper on the 1915 film “Birth of a Nation”was awarded the George Hammond history prize. He later served as a consultant to Turner Classic Movies. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Delaware, Stanford and Harvard universities, and an adjunct professor at UMD and Johns Hopkins University. At his death he was writing a memoir that included his observations of racial change in Baltimore. In addition to his wife of 23 years, Lynn Traut, survivors include three sons: Benjamin Cripps, Brian Ransdell and Jason Ransdell; and four granddaughters. His first wife, Alma Taliaferro, died in 1994. Another son, Paul R. Cripps, and a daughter, Alma Richardson Cripps, both died in 1997.
Former NFL player and coach Ron Waller ’57, age 85, of Blades, Del., died at home on Dec. 17 at age 85. At Laurel High School in Delaware, Waller scored 213 points in just 8 games in his senior season and was named the state’s player of the year. The halfback was a two-time All-American at Maryland, where he was part of the Terps’ national championship-winning game in 1953. He went on to play in the NFL as a running back for the Los Angeles Rams for three years and for the Los Angeles Chargers. He was interim head coach for San Diego in 1973 and then was the head coach with the Philadelphia Bell of the USFL and Chicago Blitz. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 1977 and the National High School Hall of Fame. Later in life he became a successful harness horse racing owner, along with his trainer, Les Givens. Waller is survived by his wife, Marcia Waller; sons Post Steven Dye and Ronald T. Dye; a daughter, Wendy Waller; and three grandchildren.
David Eigenbrode ’55, M.S. ’63 died on Oct. 28, 2018, at age 85. He was born on Sept. 27, 1933, to Russell and Anna Eigenbrode. He graduated from Boonsboro High School and served in the Army at Leavenworth, Kan. He went on to attend the University of Maryland. Eigenbrode was a Frederick County 4-H agent and a former president and director of the Frederick County 4-H Camp Center Board. He served as 4-H supervisor, regional extension director and acting state 4-H leader, all for the University of Maryland Extension Office. David managed the ABC Beef Calf Sale, then started and managed the ABC Jackpot Show for nine years. He was appointed by the Governor to serve on Frederick County’s Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board for two terms. He was an avid grower of chrysanthemums, a National Chrysanthemum Society Master Judge, and considered one of the nation’s top growers. He is survived by a daughter, Karen Moeller (Jim); son, David K. Eigenbrode; granddaughter, Jordan Moeller; sister, Mary Lou Boyer; and brother, Ray Lee Eigenbrode. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Nancy Eigenbrode.
Lloyd S. Bowling Sr. ’54, Ph.D. ’64 died at his home, Westwood Manor, on Dec. 4. Bowling was born on March 29, 1930, in Newport, Md. He was trained as a clinical audiologist and worked each week at the Veterans Administration before his retirement in 1996. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 to 1959 and was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. He was professor emeritus at the George Washington University, where he taught from 1967 until 1996. After retirement, Bowling, fluent in German and Portuguese, traveled extensively and served as a host for various cruise lines. His travels took him to every continent in the world, the Arctic Circle and more than 75 countries. Bowling had an extensive interest in community theater and was active in the Port Tobacco Players, Hexagon and the British Players. He acted in, directed and supported dozens of productions in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Bowling served on the Charles County Historical Society and Charles County Heritage Committee, and was serving on the Charles County Conservancy Board until his death. He was an active gardener and painter, and enjoyed living on his farm where he was born. Bowling was a lifelong member of the La Plata United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the choir for over 50 years and served on numerous boards. Bowling is survived by two sons, Spence and Scott, and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 30 years, Josephine.
Dr. Robert J. Mahon ’54 died Nov. 20, 2018, at age 90, according to the Baltimore Sun. He graduated from Sparrows Point High School in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy. After he was honorably discharged in 1947, he attended the University of Maryland on the G.I. Bill and was an All-American lacrosse player. He wore the number 41 in honor of his father, who had died in 1942 of meningitis when he was 41 years old. In 1952, Mahon married Ann Gibson, to whom he was married for 66 years. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and opened a private practice in 1960 in Towson as an internal medicine physician. He had admitting privileges at Mercy and St. Joseph hospitals, becoming the chief of staff at Mercy Medical Center and the chief doctor at St. Joseph Medical Center. He became the vice president of medical affairs at St. Joseph Hospital in 1982 and then its chief operating officer in 1990. He is survived by his wife and their four sons: Robert J. Jr.; Kevin P.; William F.; and Michael J. Mahon, all of whom live in the Baltimore area; his brother, Charles D. Mahon of Ellicott City; and nine grandchildren.
Harold Albert “Al” Sherline '52 of Mattoon, Ill., died Jan. 9 at age 93 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, surrounded by his family. The youngest of three children born to the late Herman M. Sherline and Margaret Bisset, he grew up in Bethesda, Md., playing sports and helping his mother garden. Sherline excelled in basketball and baseball at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943 to serve in WWII. He served as a corporal in the South Pacific until 1946. While pursuing his degree in physical education at UMD, he met his future wife, Aileen Mitchell. He spent his career as a coach, teacher and administrator, first at Eastern Junior High School in Silver Spring, Md., then at Williamsville and Taylorville high schools. He also attended the University of Illinois and received his master's degree in education in 1959. Sherline was head basketball coach from 1962-1967, at Elgin Larkin High School, where he also coached a cross-country team to the state finals. He dedicated the next 31 years to the Mattoon Area Adult Education Center, leading a team of teachers that provided vocational skill training and GED equivalent degrees to students. He received numerous education awards including Adult Educator of the Year in 1973 and was appointed to the State Advisory Council Adult, Vocational and Technology Education. The State of Illinois declared “Al Sherline Day” when he retired in 1998. He was a member of the Retired Teachers Association of Coles County. He also attended the First Baptist Church of Mattoon. Sherline was predeceased by his wife of 60 years. He is survived by his daughters, Dixie McQuality and Lori Coady; son Chuck Sherline; six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Louis B. Weckesser '52, M.S. '56, a retired Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory engineer and food bank volunteer, died Jan. 1 from complications of dementia at Harmony Hall Assisted Living in Columbia, according to The Baltimore Sun. The Ellicott City resident was 90. He grew up in South Baltimore, the son of Louis B. Weckesser, a salesman for the Emerson Drug Co., manufacturers of Bromo-Seltzer, and Edna Weckesser, a Rheb’s Candy Co. worker. Weckesser was a 1946 graduate of Polytechnic Institute. After serving two years in the Coast Guard, he earned two engineering degrees at UMD. Weckesser worked for 40 years at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel until retiring in 1992. A member of College Park United Methodist Church, Weckesser was also an active member of Bethany United Methodist Church, where he volunteered with the Maryland Food Bank and along with other church members delivered turkey dinners to the needy at Thanksgiving. A world traveler, he also enjoyed camping and golfing. Weckesser is survived by his wife of 69 years, the former Alphia Ball; three daughters, Beth Varney, Carol Messerly and Linda Hooten; three granddaughters; and two great-grandchildren.
Betsy Ross Peters M.A. ’50 died at the Hospice of Laramie House in Wyoming on Nov. 21, just 20 days after the death of her husband, Dr. Oliver Leon Peters. They were married for 68 years. Ross was born in Pine Bluff, Ark., in 1928 to Jimmie Sidney Nall Ross and Eric Mansfield Ross. They lived in Pine Bluff, where her father was the district attorney, until Ross was 12, when they bought a farm and moved to Dumas, Ark. Her college years were spent at Baylor University, where she met Oliver. They graduated in 1949 and she went on to complete a master’s degree at UMD. In 1950, they were married on her family’s farm. Ross worked for years for the Social Security Administration as a claims representative. When the family moved to Laramie in 1964, Ross returned to academia as a lecturer in the history department at the University of Wyoming. She later completed a Ph.D. in history. While raising her family, Ross took on several administration jobs, including Wyoming director of the 1980 Census and Wyoming chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. She was instrumental in helping to create UW’s Outreach School for distance learning and adult education. She traveled with various music, theater, library and art programs designed to bring benefits of the university to small towns across Wyoming. At the age of 55, she attained her lifelong dream of becoming a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State, working in embassies and consulates around the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Ross was active in the Wyoming State and Albany County Democratic Party, volunteering thousands of hours of her time. Ross is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth Peters Bierer and Sidney Peters; her son, Robert Mitchell Peters; and five grandchildren.
Dr. Alvin A. Stambler ’50, a recently retired Baltimore pediatrician, died Sept. 26 at Gilchrist Center in Towson of complications from a fall. The longtime Lutherville resident was 91, according to The Baltimore Sun. The son of Joseph Stambler and Minnie Resnick, he graduated in 1944 from Baltimore City College and joined the U.S. Merchant Marine, during which time he worked as a pharmacist’s mate. He later served in the Army and was discharged in 1947. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and the University of Maryland Medical School. Stambler established a pediatrics practice in Pikesville in 1955 after completing his internship at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City and his pediatric residency at the old Baltimore City Hospital, now Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. At Hopkins, he worked with his mentor, Dr. Harold E. Harrison, in the renal-metabolic endocrinology clinic from 1952 to 1975. In 1970, Stambler was appointed assistant professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins. He was also an attending physician at Sinai Hospital, University of Maryland Medical Center, Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center. He was chief of pediatrics at the former Lutheran Hospital from 1960 to 1970, and held a similar position at the former Church Home and Hospital from 1962 to 1980. Stambler was 90 when he retired in 2017. He read widely about history, politics, art and culture. He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed sailing his 30-foot sloop, Odyssey, in the Chesapeake Bay. He was a member of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Stambler is survived by his wife of 61 years, Deborah Belle Babitt; a daughter, Wendy Ludlum.; a son, Kirk Stambler; and two grandchildren.
Kenneth Wilcox ’50 died on Sept. 15 at age 91. He was born in Eden, N.Y., to Wilson Wilcox and Eleanor Hines. Wilcox graduated from UMD with a degree in accounting and earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He practiced law in Elkton, Md., and was mayor of Elkton from 1967 to 1971. He served as Cecil County assistant state’s attorney from 1971 to 1972, and was appointed as a district court judge in 1973. He served as the district court administrative judge and circuit court juvenile court judge until his retirement in 1988. He was active in the Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, YMCA, Rotary Club, Cecil County Library, Elkton Chamber of Commerce and more organizations. Wilcox was preceded in death by his wife of almost 70 years, Ann Frazer Wilcox, and his daughter, Julie Wilcox. He is survived by two daughters, Lisbeth Reidy and Lisa Wilcox; and two granddaughters.
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