Class Notes

Leya Prezelski '23 joined the Minnesota Vikings as football operations associate.

Brandon Bennett Young ’22 (above) won the National Havoc Robot League’s August tournament and "Golden Dumpster" trophy in Norwalk, Conn., in the 30-pound category with his vertical spinner bot "Vorion.” This win qualified Young for the league’s championship in November. Young, who also competes in BattleBots, works as an aerospace engineer.

Jacob Farmer ’21, founder and CEO of Farmer Cleaning, a Black-owned cleaning business, was named to the National Small Business Association Leadership Council.

Caroline Drogin M.L.S. ’20 was named the islands engagement manager at The Trustees of Reservations for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. She most recently worked as a children’s librarian on Martha’s Vineyard.

Foster Russell ’19 joined the nonprofit Institute for Defense Analyses as programmer and analyst in the Systems Development and Implementation directorate.

Sean Scott ’15 was promoted to supervisor accountant at Lanigan Ryan, a financial accounting and consulting firm in the D.C. metro area.

Patrice Kingsley MBA ’15 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 list of Leading Women Under 40. She is manager of the CareFirst Engagement Center for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina Central University.

JJ Rivers M.Arch, MRED ’14 was named to the Washington Business Journal’s 2023 40 Under 40 list. Rivers is studio director and regional leader in mixed-use development in architecture and design firm Gensler’s Washington, D.C.’s office. He manages more than $3 billion of active construction projects.

Andre Monroe Jr. ’14, Maryland Football’s all-time sack leader, hung up his cleats to pursue a career as a professional MMA fighter.

John Devlin M.M. ’11, D.M.A. ’15 received a 2023 Georg Solti Career Assistance Award, given to 22 young conductors by the Solti Foundation U.S. His contract as music director of the Wheeling (Va.) Symphony has been renewed for four years, and he was recently announced as a music dIrector candidate for the Greenville Symphony.

In November, the University of Massachusetts Press will publish the new book by Dr. Scott Kamen’s M.A. ’11, “From Union Halls to the Suburbs: Americans for Democratic Action and the Transformation of Postwar Liberalism,” on the most prominent liberal organization in the United States for more than a quarter century.

Anisha Queen-Simmons ’11 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 list of Leading Women Under 40. She is a partner at law firm Brown, Goldstein and Levy. She earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Dr. Steffi Thomas ’11 joined the Methodist Medical Group-Rheumatology practice in the Memphis Medical District. She is a board-certified physician who completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Connecticut and earned a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Letam Duson ’10 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 list of Leading Women Under 40. Duson is senior assistant state prosecutor in Maryland’s Office of State Prosecutor. She is responsible for investigating and litigating political corruption and public official misconduct matters throughout the state. Duson earned a J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Marcus Hamlett ’10 served as a diplomatic security service liaison at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand over the summer.

Jamie Rosen ’10 joined the New York City law firm Meister Seelig & Fein as a partner. Her practice includes mental health law, guardianship, and trusts and estates, particularly estate litigation.

Alison H. Graham ’09, an attorney with Shulman Rogers in Potomac, Md., was named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2024, a recognition based on peer review that she has earned each year since 2021. She practices in the areas of commercial Litigation and real estate litigation.

Jennifer Covahey ’08 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 Leading Women Under 40 list. She is director of college success at the CollegeBound Foundation in Baltimore. Covahey earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling and school counseling from the Johns Hopkins University.

Former NFL star Vernon Davis ’08 released his debut rap album, “Showtime,” under the stage name “Vern.” The D.C. native filmed the music video for his single, “Bounce Like Dis,” at FedEx Field, one of the many stadiums where he played as a tight end. Davis also co-starred in the recent movie, “The Ritual Killer,” with Morgan Freeman.

Nikkee Porcaro ’07, founder of the educational consulting firm No Anxiety Prep, wrote the new book "Appliquirktion: How to Make Your College Application Step Up, Stand Out, and Shine." Drawing upon her experience in college admissions counseling, she presents insider tips on topics ranging from choosing extracurricular activities to crafting compelling essays.

Joe Palazzolo M.Jour. ’06 co-bylined multiple stories as part of The Wall Street Journal team that uncovered financial conflicts of interest among officials at 50 federal agencies, winning this year's Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting.

Aaron Szabo ’06, an authority on energy and environmental policy and regulatory issues, joined Faegre Drinker Consulting as senior director in the Washington, D.C. office. Szabo most recently served as a partner at a D.C.-based advocacy and strategic communications firm. Prior to that role, he was senior counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality. He earned his law degree from the George Washington University.

LieAnn Van-Tull ’06, an associate with Keller and Heckman’s food and drug packaging and tobacco and e-vapor practice groups, was sworn in as president of the Washington Bar Association. She was also honored as a National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP) Diversity Scholar for the 2023-24 class and will attend NCBP leadership trainings and conferences throughout the year.

“Creature, Wing, Heart, Machine,” the debut collection of alter-ego poems by L.S. McKee M.F.A. ’05, confronts the surveillance gaze of online desire. Her work has appeared in Narrative, The Massachusetts Review, Best New Poets, Cincinnati Review, The Georgia Review, Copper Nickel, and elsewhere. She has taught writing at several universities, and is now coordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum at the University of Georgia.

Ying Zhang M.Ed. ’05, M.A. ’10, Ph.D. ’11 was named vice president and chief research officer at the United Way of Central Maryland. A certified survey methodologist and instructional observer for informal science education, Zhang has collaborated extensively with federal and state government agencies.

Ethan Marchant ’04, M.Arch ’06 was promoted to principal in Quinn Evans’ Baltimore office. He has led sustainable renovation and adaptive use projects that serve as engines for community vitality, including the renewal of the abandoned 19th-century Lion Brothers embroidery factory into office space in Hollins Market; the conversion of a former textile factory into the Open makerspace in Station North; and the design of the Creativity Center for the Creative Alliance.

Catherine C. Morrison ’04 was awarded the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s highest honor, the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. She was recognized for her outstanding service to the council, the North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers, and NCARB’s Region 3.

Sean P. O’Connor ’04, a partner with Morgan, Brown & Joy in Boston, was recognized by Best Lawyers 2024. Based solely on an exhaustive peer-review survey, it highlights the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the United States. He practices employment law and earned his law degree at Northeastern University.

Keiva Rodriques ’04 was named chief operating officer for the Maryland Aviation Administration, which owns and operates BWI Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport. She previously served as the Deputy Chief Engineer for the agency.

Brett Zeitlin ’04, an attorney with Pennsylvania labor, employment and workers’ compensation law firm Willig, Williams & Davidson, was selected by peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, one of the legal profession’s oldest and most respected peer-review publications.

Sabastian Niles ’03 was named president and chief legal officer of Salesforce. He joined Salesforce from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, where he was a partner working with U.S. and overseas companies, focused on shareholder and stakeholder engagement, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, enterprise risk oversight and technology trends, sustainability, investments, and strategic transactions and partnerships. He earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Amit Singh M.S. ’03 was appointed chief financial officer of Despegar.com Corp, a Latin American online travel company. Singh most recently was CFO of Nasdaq-listed AgileThought, a global provider of digital transformation services and custom software development. Singh holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Shirley M. Steinbach ’03, an attorney with Shulman Rogers in Potomac, Md., was named to Best Lawyers 2024, a recognition based on peer review. She practices community association law.

A. Michelle West ’03 joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Washington, D.C., as counsel in the federal government contracts and the procurement and construction practice groups. West was most recently an attorney at a boutique government contracts and construction firm. She practices in state and federal courts throughout Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. She also regularly speaks to area youth regarding their legal rights and careers in the law, leads trial and deposition skills seminars, and judges national trial advocacy competitions. She earned her J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.

Nicholas Hoover Wilson ’03 wrote “Modernity’s Corruption: Empire and Morality in the Making of British India” (Columbia University Press), which explores how the modern idea of corruption—pursuing personal interest at the expense of one’s responsibilities, the law or common good—arose as the unintended consequence of conflicts among company officials in India who needed to justify themselves to the British back home. Wilson is an associate professor of sociology at Stony Brook University.

New York City radio personality Peter Rosenberg ’02 wed photographer Natalie Amrossi on July 8 in Manhattan. Their story of meeting via Twitter was featured in The New York Times.

Matt Clark ’01 was promoted to chief executive officer at Corcentric, a global provider of procurement and finance solutions. Clark has been at the company for nearly two decades, and was previously president and chief operating officer.

“Silenced,” a #metoo fairy tale and the second novel by Ann Claycomb ’01, was published by Titan Books. "Fans of feminist fairy tales will find plenty to enjoy,” according to Publishers Weekly. She is director of faculty recognition at Colorado State University’s College of Liberal Arts.

Jennifer Holz ’01, AARP Maryland’s associate state director for community outreach, received AARP’s 2023 Maureen McKoy Award for Excellence in Service. She has been with AARP since 2006.

Kayce Ataiyero ’00, chief external affairs officer for the Joyce Foundation, was named one of the top 50 women leaders of Illinois by Women We Admire.

Gunnery Sgt. Karen Johnston ’00, concertmaster of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, recently soloed with the United States Marine Band at the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. She performed the theme from “Schindler’s List” during the concert, which was conducted in part by composer John Williams.

Apprentice House (Loyola University Maryland) published the 12th book of fiction by Nathan Leslie M.F.A. ’00, the short story collection “A Fly in the Ointment.” It paints a portrait of 21st-century America in a steady state of decline. He won the 2019 Washington Writers' Publishing House prize for fiction. Since that year, Leslie has served as the series editor for Best Small Fictions, and he is the publisher and editor of Maryland Literary Review. He is also the founder and host of the monthly Reston Readings series and teaches in Northern Virginia.

Ingrid Bynum ’98 was named Mrs. Virginia in June and competed for Mrs. America in August. She is principal of Patrick Henry K-8 School in Alexandria, Va., and she entered the pageant to highlight student literacy. It was her first pageant since her days at UMD. “It was just a thought that popped in as to how I could contribute and make a bigger impact than what I’m doing right now as a principal,” she told News4 in Washington.

Alka Bhave ’96, M.S. ’98 was hired as president of Fearless Digital, Baltimore’s largest software development company and one of its largest minority-owned businesses. Prior to joining Fearless, Bhave was chief operations officer for the nonprofit Riverside Research; she has also held positions with large government contracting organizations. She serves as an advisory board member for the Northern Virginia Science Center and UMD’s Department of Material Sciences and Engineering’s Board of Visitors.

Nick Tressler ’96 was named chief financial officer at Addimmune/American Gene Technologies. He brings more than 20 years of experience as a strategic financial executive, enterprise leader and operational business partner in the life sciences, biopharmaceutical and technology industries. Tressler holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

Myriam Yarbrough ’96, M.A.T. ’99, Ph.D. ’13 was named superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools. She had been deputy superintendent since December 2021 after joining the system in 2020.

Ricardo Jackman ’95 was hired as a partner at the Washington, D.C., office of Morris, Manning & Martin, where he chairs the new sports and entertainment practice. Most recently, Jackman served as co-chair of Ballard Spahr’s sports and entertainment practice group. Prior to that role, he practiced at Shulman Rogers, founded his own firm and served as assistant general counsel in the D.C. Office of Personnel. He graduated from New England Law.

Len Kruger M.F.A. ’95 will release his debut novel, “Bad Questions,” through the Washington Writers’ Publishing House in October. It tells the story of a Maryland boy in 1971 who comes to terms with the recent death of his father, a Hebrew school principal who had a secret. He was a Library of Congress researcher for 37 years and is a storyteller who has performed at venues across the D.C. area.

Nedelka Phillips ’95, senior vice president of the United Way of Central Maryland, was named to the Washington Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business list for 2023. She recently helped secure a $20 million grant for the organization from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

Shana Cochrane Smith ’95 was appointed senior executive vice president and chief legal officer of ScanSource, a leading hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud. Smith most recently served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for NII Holdings, which provided wireless service in South and Central America under the Nextel brand. She has a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Raj Amin ’93 joined Avetta, a provider supply chain risk management software, as chief financial officer. He was most recently CFO at Granicus, leading the company’s finance, accounting, legal and business systems departments and previously served as vice president of FP&A for Plex Systems.

Laura Woods Ellsworth ’93 was promoted to assistant vice president for curriculum, programs, and regulation at Prince George's Community College. Ellsworth previously served as associate dean for its Professional Studies and Community Education Division, and chair of the Department of Public Safety and Law. Formerly a tenured full professor, she advised students and taught academic courses for over 17 years in criminal justice and forensic sciences. Ellswoth has worked at the college for over 21 years.

Stefan Zastawski ’93, M.Arch ’95 was promoted to associate in Quinn Evans’ Washington, D.C., office. Since joining the firm in 2019, he has contributed to innovative design solutions for projects including the McMillan Community Center and Park and DAR Constitution Hall. Zastawski is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Association for Preservation Technology and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

David Biespiel M.F.A. '91 will release his 13th book and first novel, “A Self -Portrait in the Year of the High Commission on Love” (SFA Press) in October. It follows a charmed 18-year-old growing up in Meyerland, Houston’s historic Jewish section, who finds a companion for drinking, drugs and living wildly in the Hispanic gay heir to his own father’s evangelical ministry. Biespiel has twice been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Balakian citation. He is poet-in-residence at Oregon State University and founder of the Attic Institute of Arts and Letters.

Aaron Ghais ’89, an attorney with Shulman Rogers in Potomac, Md., was named to Best Lawyers 2024, a recognition based on peer review that he also earned last year. He practices in the areas of corporate law and mergers and acquisitions law.

Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs ’89 was named executive director and CEO of the National School Boards Association. She is a former lieutenant colonel with the Prince George's County Department of Corrections and a county school board member and served as chair of the Council of Urban Boards of Education steering committee in 2015-16. She joined the NSBA in 2017 and is the first Black woman to lead it.

Mark Shmueli M.A. ’89 joined Jaskot Law in Baltimore as senior counsel. He is an immigration attorney who earned his J.D. at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Jeffrey W. Gluck Ph.D. ’88, an intellectual property attorney with Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel, was included in the 2023 IAM Patent 1000, a guide to the firms and attorneys deemed outstanding in the field of patent law. His engineering experience includes roles in industry, academia and government, and he has authored numerous technical papers.

Carissa Rodeheaver ’88 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 Banking and Financial Services Power List. She is president and CEO of the Oakland-based First United Bank and Trust. She directs the $1.8 billion publicly traded bank holding company with its 26 branch offices and a $1.4 billion wealth department.

Scott Van Pelt ’88 joined the cast of ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown.” He will add this once-weekly assignment to his existing job as host of the 11 p.m. edition of "SportsCenter."

Barry Lowenthal ’87 was appointed president of Inuvo, provider of the first generative artificial intelligence solution made specifically for brands and agencies. He was previously CEO of Media Kitchen. He has an MBA in marketing from Baruch College.

Daniel Schrider ’87 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 Banking and Financial Services Power List. He is president and CEO of Sandy Spring Bank. He holds an MBA from Mount St. Mary’s University, and is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

Angela Keyser ’86 received the American Association of Physicists in Medicine’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She has worked for the organization since 1993 and has served as its executive director since 2004, overseeing its growth, relocation to Alexandria, Va., and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Todd D. Brown ’84, an attorney with Shulman Rogers in Potomac, Md., was named to Best Lawyers 2024, a recognition based on peer review that he has earned every year since 2019. He practices in the area of land use and zoning law.

Michael Medick ’83 joined architecture firm Lessard Design as principal of land planning, single family and townhomes. He is a registered architect and urban planner whose notable works include the planning and architecture for Uptown Memphis, the Gulch, a LEED-certified community in the heart of downtown Nashville, Liberty Park Town Center and master plan in Vestavia Hills, Ala., and the Silver District master plan in Loudoun County, Va.

Tina Kuhn ’81 was named to The Daily Record’s 2023 Cybersecurity Power List. Kuhn is president and chief executive officer of the Lanzar Group, a business consulting firm.

Ed Novak ’80 was appointed managing director, North America of Acclime, Asia-Pacific’s leading tech-enabled professional services provider. He has held significant roles in the technology and professional services sectors, including at IBM, PwC, Amdocs, Grant Thornton and Radius/Vistra.

Charlie DeSando ’78 was featured in the May issue of Milwaukee Magazine and on the local radio show “This Bites,” for his YouTube series, “Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders,” in which he welcomes community leaders to his home for an interview and to cook and eat a dish together. He says he’s “shining a light on people who are trying to make our city a better place.”

Douglas E. Rowe ’78, a partner with Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman on Long Island, N.Y., was named to the 2024 Best Lawyers list, a recognition based on peer review. He practices in the labor and employment group and is a seasoned litigator at the state and federal levels. He serves on the board of directors at Rock and Wrap it Up, an anti-poverty think tank based in New York. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School.

David M. Kochanski ’69, an attorney with Shulman Rogers in Potomac, Md., was named to Best Lawyers 2024, a recognition based on peer review that he has earned every year since 2007. He practices in the areas of real estate litigation and real estate law.

Peter Michael ’66 had his eighth book published, “First Explorer,” a biography of the Swiss humanitarian—and the author’s ancestor—Frantz Michel, who in 1704 was first to explore the Maryland colony beyond the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Three of his books have won national book prizes, and he has appeared on C-SPAN, National Public Radio, ABC News, America Untold, Home & Garden TV and High Noon Entertainment, and in numerous publications. Michael also earned degrees at Berkeley and Princeton and taught at universities in the United States, Japan, Thailand and Costa Rica.

Allen Lee Dawson ’07, M.S. ’10 of Mt. Airy, Md., died on June 9, 2023, at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center from injuries received nine days earlier. He was 47. Born in Westminster, he was the son of the late Marshall Ellsworth Dawson and Shirley Elaine Caple Dawson. He graduated from Francis Scott Key High School in 1993 and received degrees in natural resource management from UMD. He was employed at the Walmart in Mt. Airy. Dawson enjoyed going to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” movies, gaming and reading comic books. He is survived by brothers Terry K. Dawson and John Dutterer; nieces and nephews; and aunts, uncles and cousins.

Alicia Dyanne Dacey ’01, M.S. ’04 of Frederick, Md., died on May 24, 2023. She was 44. Dacey graduated from Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Md., and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from UMD. She was the founder and proprietor of the Frederick Center for Marriage and Family Therapy. She was also an award-winning gifted classical pianist who studied formally for 12 years, an award-winning photographer and a beach lover. She loved Duck, N.C., over the Caribbean Islands, Greece, the Amalfi Coast, and all other countries and states she and Philip Andrew Dacey ’01 visited. They were married from 2003 to 2022. She is survived by her two daughters, Kira and Harper; her parents, Gerald and Ellen Rutt; her brother, Benjamin Rutt; two nieces; her honorary parents, Staś and Helen Tarchalski and Alan and Linda Putterman; and godfather Ronald Murray. She is predeceased by her grandparents, Titus and Ruth Rutt, and grandmother, Ruth Kramer; her aunt, Maxine Ashway; and godmother Penny Murray.

Susan J. Loftus ’96 of Silver Spring, Md., died on Aug. 14, 2023. She was 59. Loftus was a physical education educator at Burning Tree Elementary School in Bethesda who spoke truth to power to change things for the better for children, schools and her community. Loftus had a sense of adventure and exploration in the culinary world, was a passionate fan of the Maryland Terrapins, the Washington Mystics and the New York Yankees, and enjoyed time in Higgins Beach, Maine and Cape Cod. She cherished her pets, Peanut, Hannah, Lucy, Bogey and Dash. She is survived by her wife, Terrie Young; father, Gerard Loftus, sister, Linda Brown; brother, Thomas Loftus; a niece and nephew; and countless friends. She was preceded in death by her stepmother, Barbara Loftus.

Former football player and pro wrestler Darren Drozdov ’94 died June 30 in Pomona, N.J. He was 54, according to The New York Times. Drozdov grew up in Mays Landing, N.J., and spent most of his adult life there. After graduating from UMD, he was signed as an undrafted rookie by the Denver Broncos. Drozdov also had stints with the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League before being accepted to a WWE training program. He then became a member of the Road Warriors, a popular tag team. The WWE said he was known for his “Droz’s World” vignettes. Drozdov’s wrestling career ended in October 1999 during a match where he was thrown to the mat and landed on his head, rendering him a quadriplegic. He enjoyed hunting in a customized wheelchair that allowed him to navigate wooded terrain, and cheering on his sister’s four children at their games. He is survived by his parents, Olaf and Cyndi Drozdov; a sister, Rommi Drozdov. A marriage in 1999 ended in divorce in 2001.

Cecelia “Gail” Coffin Ed.D. ’93 died on July 2, 2023, at age 80. Coffin was born in California, Pa., and graduated from Clinton Dale High School, Wayne State University, where she earned undergraduate and master’s degrees, and the University of Maryland. She taught for the U.S. Department of Defense in Berlin and Wiesbaden, Germany, then taught and was a professional development specialist and coach for Howard County Public Schools, and a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Business. She also taught coaching for Maryland University of Integrative Medicine. She was a parishioner and church leader at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Highland, Md. Coffin was a vibrant, intelligent, loving mother, grandmother and aunt and friend. Her passions included art history, symphony, ballet, theater and travel. She enjoyed playing bridge with her bridge group, cooking and participating in book groups. She loved to read and research, and she was a published author of a family book on genealogy. She is survived by Mark Coffin, her husband of 61 years; children Steven and April; three grandchildren; and a niece. She was predeceased by her sister, Linda Haywood.

Paul David Fox ’93 of San Diego died on May 9, 2023, from complications of hyperthermia while mountain biking in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 53. Paul was the youngest of six children growing up in Rockville, Md. After graduating from UMD with a degree in physical science, he began his career as a civilian computer network engineer for the Navy. In 2000, he founded Security Fox, a cybersecurity product company. Fox was recruited by the White House in 2003 as an IT computer security specialist and later worked 10 years for Microsoft. In 2018, he joined Twistlock, a cloud-based network security company (later acquired by Palo Alto Networks) as a solutions architect and product line manager. Fox enjoyed traveling, hiking, fishing and trips to airplane museums with his family, as well as making model replicas of military aircraft and ships in his workshop. Fox is survived by his wife of 24 years, Rita, and their three children, Catherine, Anna and Peter; his mother, Carole; his siblings, John, Bill, Dan, Mary and Lucy; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Fox.

Jo Elaine Tucker ’89 died on March 26, 2023, at her home in Naples, Fla., after a battle with cancer. She was 62. She grew up in Bel Air, Md., and earned a psychology degree at UMD. She was a massage therapist who had a passion for helping people to manage their health conditions and to enhance her clients’ wellness. She enjoyed cooking, reading, listening to music, yoga and gardening. In addition, she was kind, fun-loving, with a generous personality and had a passion for life. Tucker was a woman of faith and a loving sister, and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She is survived by her sister, Tracey Tucker, along with aunts, uncles and cousins. Tucker was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Betty Lou Tucker, and her sister, Lynn Tucker.

Jean Marie Bir ’84 of New Market, Md., died on July 5, 2023, at Frederick (Md.) Health Hospital. She was 62. Bir completed degrees in special education from UMD and Hood College and was employed as a special education teacher in Rockville for 40 years, working at Ivymount School for 25 years and the Frost School for the past 15. She was an active member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church of Libertytown, where she served as an usher and helped to sell gift cards. Known as "Lady Jean" to the church’s Knights of Columbus, she was central to its Box of Joy program, spending all year purchasing supplies to fill boxes that would be sent to children in developing countries at Christmas. She also sponsored a boy named David in Guatemala. Bir prevailed through two cancer diagnoses, surviving breast and colon cancer. She was a devoted mother, supporting her sons through their soccer years. She was a musician, playing the piano, guitar, mandolin, ukulele and flute. Bir and her husband, Mike, enjoyed traveling to Hawaii and Disney. She loved all animals, especially her dog, Kip, and cat Pumpkin. She is survived by her husband, Michael Bir, with whom she would have been married 40 years on July 9; her sons, Andrew Bir and Adam Bir; siblings, Teresa Poyner, Robert Blizard, Stephen Blizard and David Blizard; and cherished niece and nephews and great-nieces. She was predeceased by her siblings, Joe and Mary Blizard.

Elayne Nord Mangad Ph.D. ’84 died on May 19, 2023, in North Miami Beach, Fla., at the age of 88. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Mangad graduated from Peabody High School and earned a B.S. from Carnegie Tech. After graduation, she traveled to Israel, where she met and married her husband of 61 years, Dr. Moshe Mangad. They lived in Pittsburgh, Garden Grove, Calif., and Silver Spring/Rockville, Md., before retiring to Winston Towers in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. While raising her four children, Mangad taught home economics and child development for D.C. Public Schools and earned both an M.S. from Howard University and doctorate in education from UMD. “Grandma E" lived a full life, with her family and friends at the center, especially her six grandchildren. She loved sewing, fashion, traveling, exercising and socializing at the JCC in North Miami. She is survived by her four children, Harvey, Robert, Linda Stee and Tammy Norwitz; and six grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Moshe Mangad.

Dale Sloan Singer ’83, MHA ’92 of Gaithersburg, Md., died on June 28, 2022, at age 60 after a 12-month battle with lung cancer. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, where she graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School. At UMD, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in healthcare administration, and was active in her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, the Panhellenic Council and the Student Alumni Board. She met her husband, Andy Singer ’84, at Maryland, and they married in 1984 and settled in Gaithersburg. Singer began her career working for the National Kidney Foundation, then supported several advisory boards at the National Institutes of Health before moving to the Renal Physicians Association, where she served for over 27 years as executive director. Singer was president of the University of Maryland Young Alumni Club (1987-89), served on the executive committee of B’nai Israel Congregation in Rockville and was the board chair of the Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington. She was also active in the American Association of Medical Society Executives, where she was a fellow and served as board president. Singer also mentored young women seeking careers in the nonprofit space. She is survived by her husband and their two children, Michelle and Josh.

Thomas Edge Jacobs M.S. ’82 of West Lebanon, N.H., died on May 20, 2023, a day and time of his choice after living with metastatic colon cancer for five years. He was 76. Jacobs grew up in the Baltimore neighborhood of Govans and graduated at the top of his class at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He attended Brown University, then became a bicycle mechanic, crab-digger, geodesic dome builder, substitute teacher and other positions before choosing a career in library service. In 1974, he attended Columbia University School of Library Service, where he met his wife, Margaret. He spent seven years working for the Baltimore County Public Libraries and earning a computer science degree at UMD. The couple moved to West Lebanon in 1981 and Jacobs worked briefly for a small computer company and then the finance department of Dartmouth Hitchcock and eventually his own software company before becoming a full time stay at home dad. He is survived by Margaret, his wife of 48 years; his sons Tucker, Jake and Gregory; three granddaughters; his sister, Robin Morrill; many nieces and nephews; and his best friend of 65 years, Bob Meushaw. He was predeceased by his sister, Jan Jacobs Hyde.

Lynald “Sils” E. Silsbee Ph.D. ’81 of Wescosville, Pa., died on May 19, 2023, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. He was 80. He was born in 1942 in Williamsport, and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Bloomsburg University, and eventually his doctorate at the University of Maryland. He became the assistant headmaster of the Severn School in Severna Park, Md., and in 1981 moved to Allentown, Pa., where he served as headmaster of the Swain School for 25 years, retiring in 2006. Silsbee’s leadership style was fueled by kindness, and he fundamentally altered the trajectory of the school. He was a longtime member and former president of the Rotary Club of Allentown and the Lehigh Valley Hospital Board of Associates, and served as a member of both the Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest College Boards of Associates. He enjoyed golfing (though he struggled to find the fairway) and traveling, and he had an insatiable appetite for history. Silsbee is survived by his children, Brian Silsbee, Jeffrey Silsbee and Ryan McGough; siblings Lee Silsbee, Leta Grimes, Lura Lucier and Loanne Hughes; and four grandchildren. He was predeceased in 2020 by his wife, Danielle (Conner) Silsbee; and his sister, Linda Bennett.

Suzanne Margaret Peloquin Bready ’80 of Charles Town, W.V., died on June 7, 2023, from complications of Parkinson's disease. She was 70. The eldest of six children, Bready was born in Silver Spring, Md., and spent her formative years on Oliver Street in Washington, D.C. She completed a B.S. in education at UMD and furthered her education with a master's degree. Bready worked with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, where she was a mentor to new and seasoned teachers. She spent her last decades enjoying life at the beach in Ocean View, Del., with her husband, Michael Bready. She is survived by him and their four children, Shawn Wise, Molly Urban, Michael Bready Jr. and Caitlin Jones; and seven grandchildren. Bready also left behind her siblings, Bob Peloquin Jr., Charles Peloquin, John Peloquin and Christine Lightfoot.

Denise Tanczyn Arnett ’78 died on July 2, 2023, at Brightview Senior Living-Westminster (Md.). She was 67. The Baltimore native earned a bachelor's degree in special education and later a bachelor's degree in physical therapy at UMD, then completed all coursework for her Ph.D. She devoted her career to working with children with special needs. In her personal life, she was a DIY-er, regularly renovating and repairing the family home, and making her children's costumes for Halloween and dance recitals. She was an avid gardener, a lover of animals and holidays, and an unofficial "trainer" and assistant coach for her children's sports teams. Arnett is survived by her husband of 42 years, James Stuart; sisters Mary, Dorothy and Margie; and brother Michael.

Ursula H.K. McAuley M.A. ’78 of Odenton, Md., died on June 17, 2022, from congestive heart failure. She was 95 and had lived independently until April 2022, when she broke her kneecap in a fall. Born in Sprendlingen, Germany, Ursula Neubecker grew up during World War II. After the war, she became an interpreter and librarian for the U.S. Army in Frankfurt, where she met Lt. Edward McAuley. They were married in 1948 and were transferred to Fort Jackson, S.C. She became a U.S. citizen in 1950, which she described as one of her proudest moments. Over the course of her husband’s 29-year Army career, the growing family moved nine times. McAuley was an active volunteer with the Red Cross at Army clinics and hospitals, as well as an usher at Maryland Hall in Annapolis for over 40 years once the family settled in Odenton. While earning a master's degree in German, she taught classes part-time at the American International School of New Delhi, India, the Fort Meade Education Center and the Goethe Institute in Tehran, Iran. She was in her 50s when she became a professor of German at Anne Arundel Community College, and taught there for 20 years. She was an avid gardener and had an active social life with fellow retired military wives and neighbors, German-American friends, the Bowie Singles group, the Fort Meade Garden Club, the Odenton Senior Center, and various hiking and other groups. She is survived by her three sons, Patrick, Clyde ("Ted") and Michael; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; her brother, Hermann Neubecker; and nieces and nephews in Germany and Ireland.

Former NFL player Joseph Campbell ’77 died on July 9, 2023, after going on a hike in Florida. He was 68. Campbell athletic prowess was evident from his days as a Salesianum graduate in Wilmington, Del., and he was later inducted into the Delaware Hall of Fame. At Maryland, he played in four bowl games, was named All-American and was selected seventh overall in the first round of the 1977 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. After playing just over three seasons for the Saints, he was traded to the Oakland Raiders and earned a Super Bowl ring during the 1980 season. Campbell’s faith was a guiding force, and he was a devoted father. He is survived by daughters Daryn Garnant and Micah Mirigian; a brother, Patrick; and three grandchildren.

William John Palk ’75 died on Aug. 16, 2023, in Annapolis, Md., at age 77. He attended Georgia Military Academy, Georgia State University and the University of Maryland. Palk worked for the U.S. Marshals Service. He proudly served in the Army Security Agency.

James Boyle ’74 of Levittown, Pa., died on May 17, 2023, at Abington Memorial Hospital at age 71. Boyle was raised in Levittown and played football at Bishop Egan, helping the Eagles earn two City League and Catholic League championships, and earning recognition as a Pennsylvania All-Star by the Associated Press and UPI, and MVP of the Philadelphia Catholic League. Boyle was also selected to the All-Delaware Valley, All-Catholic and All-Bucks County teams. He was later inducted twice into Conwell-Egan’s Sports Hall of Fame: individually in 2013 and again in 2023 as a member of the 1969 championship team. Boyle went on to play college football at UMD but was sidelined by an injury. He enjoyed a long career at Systems and Computer Technology, where he started out managing Temple University’s software systems and rose to become a top executive. Despite the demands of his career, Boyle supported his kids in sports, either as a coach or fan. Boyle is survived by his wife, Francine; children Kelly Boyle, James Boyle, Daniel Boyle and Frances Cotellese; brother Michael; sisters Maureen and Nan; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandson; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Penelope “Penny” Ball Gourse ’73 of Highland, Md., died on May 20, 2023, at age 75. She was born in Baltimore to Donald and Isabel (nee Bittinger) Ball. She earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland, a Juris Doctor degree from the D.C. School of Law, and an M.A. in world politics from the Catholic University. She was a member of the District of Columbia Bar for over 20 years. In previous years, Gourse was an avid and competitive tennis player. She met her husband of 38 years, Stan, on the tennis court. From a very early age, she cared for pets, rarely going more than a few months without a canine companion, most recently a golden retriever, Goldie. She is survived by her husband, Stanley Gourse, and her sister, Patricia Vreeland Gourse. She was predeceased by her twin sister, Eleanor Friend, and her sister, Jean Millen.

Stephanie Damadio ’72 died on May 12, 2023, at age 74. She was born in Albuquerque, N.M., and earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology from UMD, a master’s in forensic sciences from the George Washington University and a doctorate in biological anthropology from the University of Florence, Italy. She spent 15 years at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History, assisting scholars in their scientific research as well as conducting her own. Additionally, she performed work on forensic skeletal material for numerous government and law enforcement offices worldwide as one of the few women in the field at the time. Conducting field work abroad, Damadio learned Italian, Spanish, French and Arabic (including the more colorful phrases), and she worked as an editor, translator and interpreter in Italy. For the next 30 years, she was the national curator at an agency of the U.S. Department of Interior, creating policies and providing technical and funding assistance to over 500 non-governmental museums holding millions of federal artifacts. She was admired for creating landscapes outside and beautifully welcoming interiors and loved books and learning. She is survived by her husband, Bob Laidlaw.

Stephen Arthur Pettit ’72 of Crofton, Md., died on July 30, 2023, at age 78. He went to Duke University for his bachelor’s degree, and earned his master’s and doctoral at the University of Maryland. Pettit was a computer scientist and, in the early 1970s, worked on the Apollo Mission Project. In the 1980s, he owned his own company, managing over 100 people. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth A. Brown-Pettit; a sister, Anne Cockrell; and is predeceased by a brother, Robert Pettit.

Joan Marie Rinehart-Green Ph.D. ’72, of Shillington, Pa., died on May 15, 2023, at the age of 88. Rinehart-Green earned nursing degrees at the University of Virginia and Catholic University before earning a doctorate in education at UMD. She taught at Reading Hospital School of Nursing, Catholic University, West Virginia University, Penn State, Widener University and Gwynedd Mercy College. Rinehart-Green also edited and published “The Carriage Drivers,” by her late husband, Warren L. Green. She was active in the Berks County chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America. She is survived by her stepsons, Warren R. Green and Larry W. Green; six step-grandchildren; and four great-grandsons. Rinehart-Green was preceded in death by her husband; a sister, Clara Rinehart; and brothers George and Michael Rinehart.

James T. Brannon III ’71 died on May 17, 2023, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center at age 74, He was a graduate of LaSalle High School in Cumberland, Md., and earned a football scholarship to UMD, where he earned a degree in journalism. Brannon’s career in sales/marketing included stints with Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and Whittle Communications/Channel One News Network. He enjoyed friendships made during his career stops in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tampa, Denver and Knoxville. Brannon loved his family well and embraced every opportunity to design pass plays in the backyard, fire up the grill and celebrate a holiday. He enjoyed playing golf with friends at Willow Creek Golf Club and was active in the Smithfield Homeowners Association, was a faithful member at Farragut Presbyterian Church, and along with his wife, Jane, delivered meals to homebound seniors with Mobile Meals. Brannon is survived by Jane; a son, Drew; three grandchildren; a sister, Fran Brannon Jones; and nieces and a nephew. He was predeceased by his sister, Christine Brannon Regan.

Glenn Grant ’71 of Blackwood, N.J., died on May 18, 2023, at age 74. Grant took pride in being an educator, spending the entirety of his career as a history teacher at Williamstown High School. He enjoyed the beach, basketball and tending to his lawn. Above all, Grant was devoted to serving God, especially through his local church, as the lay leader, a Sunday school teacher and on mission trips. He is survived by his wife, Ginger Grant (nee Kidd); children Allison Sarracino and Matthew Grant; two grandchildren; and two brothers, William and Gary Grant.

Marc Leonard Bass ’70 died following a stroke on July 6, 2023, at age 76. Born and raised in Baltimore, Bass moved to Santa Cruz, Calif., in 1969 after graduating from UMD, and lived there for 48 years. He was a lifelong lover and student of Motown, soul, and rhythm and blues music, including maintaining a photographic memory of R&B groups, songs and record labels, and an extensive collection of classic soul vinyl 45s. He had a sharp wit and lilting voice, and earned a living as an accomplished harmonica player and lead singer in the band the Mighty Penguins until deteriorating health forced his retirement and eventual return to Baltimore in 2018. He is survived by his brother, Jay Bass; two nephews; and a niece.

James A. Dickerson ’70, Ph.D. ’75 died on Aug. 9, 2023, at Hutchinson (Kansas) Regional Medical Center. He was 77. Dickerson majored in history and psychology at UMD, then earned a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Iowa and a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling psychology from UMD. He also earned a Diplomate of Pharmacology from the Psychologist Register. Dickerson worked for 30 years in Veterans Administration hospitals in numerous states, then in 2013 came to Hutchinson to work in private practice with his longtime friend, Dr. Mark Goodman, at Hutchinson Psychological Services. Dickerson traveled all over the country and world with his wife and son, Matt. He was an avid reader, and visited the library nearly daily. Dickerson loved playing baseball and football and was a passionate NFL fan. He was predeceased by his wife of 36 years, Kristy Elfe. He is survived by his wife of two years, Lois; his sons, Matthew and Joseph; a brother, Don Dickerson; Lois' children, Paul Porter and Jennifer Ekberg; two step-grandchildren; and numerous cousins.

Mark Reid Miller ’70 died at his Aiken, S.C., home, on Aug. 13, 2023, after a battle with melanoma that spanned nearly 25 years. He was 76. Miller was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the family lived near a variety of army bases in Detroit, Baltimore and Japan. At UMD, he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, where he made lifelong friends. In 1971, Miller began his 27-year career with the Montgomery County Police Department, where he served as a sergeant and friend to many of his fellow officers. He and his wife Pat lived in Boyds, Md., for decades, raising their daughter Stacy, there. Miller loved gardening as well as ice hockey, running, and being with his extended family. Upon retirement, he continued to work as a part-time bailiff and painter, and began tackling a long bucket list of international destinations, including Ireland, Scotland, Belize, Italy, and France. He enjoyed learning about history and read many nonfiction books. Mark's favorite activities included playing golf with friends, watching the Terrapins play on TV, and oil painting. He and his second wife, Frere French, who he wed during the COVID epidemic in 2020, enjoyed outdoor activities like golf, kayaking, biking, and hiking, and traveled extensively. He was predeceased by his wife of 35 years, Patricia (Hoskins) in 2014. He is survived by his wife, Frere French;, a sister, Beverly Reather; a daughter, Stacy Miller; two grandsons, Fionn and Wilbur Donahue; two stepsons Lee and Marshall French; and many nieces and nephews.

George J. Lavery M.A. ’70 died on July 18, 2023, at his home in Shrewsbury, Pa. He was 79. Lavery was a graduate of Geneseo (N.Y.) Central School and the State University of New York Geneseo. He went on to earn a master's degree from the University of Maryland. Lavery spent his career as an educator and career development counselor, mostly at Catonsville Community College in Maryland. Lavery also supported local organizations focused on personal and community advancement, notably the Rotary Club of Southern York County, in which he served in numerous leadership positions, and the Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, for which he served as board president for more than 12 years. He also advocated for the annual funding needs of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, New Freedom. A warmhearted man who was proud of his Irish heritage, Lavery enjoyed his family, telling stories, horse racing history, farming and Virginia Tech. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sue; his children, Will Lavery, Tressa Lavery and Cynthia Lavery; seven grandchildren who referred to him as “Chief;” a brother, Michael Lavery; a sister, Peggy Prinzi; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Edward.

Cheryl Patricia Hiller ’68, M.A. ’88, a former counselor and teacher at the University of Maryland, died at her Marana, Ariz., home on July 16, 2023. Hiller spent most of her life and career in the Washington, D.C., area. She enjoyed sailing the waters of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay. In more recent years, she had relocated to Marana, where she loved the desert climate and beautiful scenery. She took pleasure in horseback riding with friends and family and pursued a wide variety of creative endeavors. Survivors include her son, Anthony Hiller; siblings Kevin, John and Jan; and three grandchildren.

Albert James Klavon ’68, M.S. ’73, Ph.D. ’75 of Silver Spring, Md., died on May 26, 2023, at age 87. He earned three degrees at UMD in agriculture and agricultural and extension education, then worked there for 38 years, including 23 as an assistant dean in the College of Life Sciences. Over his tenure at the university, Klavon mentored, taught and advised thousands of students. Klavon is survived by his wife, Sharon O'Brien; a son, Philip; a daughter, Rye Klavon; two grandchildren; siblings Virginia Grims and Thomas Klavon; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Peggy S. Ratcheson M.A. ’68 died on May 6, 2023, at her Hamilton, Mont., home after a 20-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 80. She was born in St. Louis and attended Miami University in Ohio, the University of California Berkeley and Washington University in St. Louis before graduating from Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1965. In Baltimore, she taught English at Dundalk High School and earned her master's degree in English at UMD. During a year in Sweden, she dedicated herself to an intensive study of the Swedish language, and when the family moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1981 she taught Swedish and English at Lakeland Community College. In 1986 she was awarded a doctorate in cultural anthropology from Washington University. From 1995–2003 she worked as an associate curator of anthropology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and conducted field work in Burkina Faso, Timbuktu, Mali and Mexico. Ratcheson also worked with the native tribes of Owens Valley, culminating in the publication of the book “Weaving a Legacy: Indian Baskets and the People of Owens Valley, California.” From 2004–08 she worked as the director of education and community outreach at the Cleveland Artists Foundation. In 2008, Ratcheson moved to Hamilton and immersed herself in conservation activities. In 2010 she joined the board of the Bitterroot Land Trust, where she was president from 2021–22. She was an avid fly fisher and rafter. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Robert A. Ratcheson; her son, Alexey Ratcheson; daughter, Abigail Ratcheson; brother, Jerome Steiner Jr.; two cousins; and a golden retriever, Sophie.

Susanne (Popluder) Mosler ’67 died on Aug. 22, 2023, in University Park, Fla., at age 78. She graduated from Forest Park High School in Baltimore, where she played badminton and was a member of Phi Delta sorority. At UMD, she majored in elementary education and was a member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority. Mosler was an elementary school teacher, dating counselor and real estate agent, as well as an excellent tennis player and Life Master duplicate bridge player. Mosler is survived by her husband of 57 years, Henry A. Mosler; her children, Alisa Mosler, Randi Carlson and Jeffrey Mosler; five grandchildren; and her brother, Mark Popluder. She was preceded in death by her sister, Toba Rae Popluder.

Robert Joseph Werrlein M.S. ’67. Ph.D. ’74 died at his home in Bel Air, Md., on May 29, 2023, at age 85. Born in Essex, N.J., he graduated from Hobart University, where he was captain of the men’s lacrosse team, and earned graduate degrees in microbiology at UMD. Werrlein worked as a cell biologist at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C., then as a lecturer and research fellow at the University of Bristol Medical School in England for eight years. In 1983, the family returned to the U.S. and settled in Harford County, where he was principal investigator at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In addition to his wife and family, Werrlein’s greatest love was the outdoors. He served as president of the Harford Bird Club, was a volunteer of the bird banding crew at Eden Mill, and fed the hundreds of local and migrating birds that visited his backyard feeders on a daily basis. He traveled around the world, including to the Amazon, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands. Werrlein was an active parishioner at St. Ignatius Catholic Church and held leadership positions with the local Knights of Columbus chapter. Werrlein enjoyed golf locally and on annual trips to Myrtle Beach. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Anne. He is survived by a son, Stephen; twin daughters, Susan Farley and Elizabeth Ketterman; and eight grandchildren.

The Rev. George M. “Nick” Jaeger ’66, of Paducah, Ky., died on May 13, 2023, following a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. He was 82. Jaeger was born in Washington, D.C. Family legend says that he received the nickname "Nick" because his due date was Christmas. While earning his undergraduate degree in sociology at UMD, he served in the army (1963–65) and was stationed in San Francisco. In 1968, he received his master of divinity degree from the Philadelphia Divinity School and was ordained an Episcopal priest later that year. Jaeger, known as “Father Nick,” began his vocation as a curate/assistant at St. Paul's in Chatham, N.J. He became rector of Trinity Church in Matawan, N.J., then dean of the Cathedral Church of Christ the King in Kalamazoo, Mich. In Paducah, Jaeger served as rector of Grace Episcopal Church for 17 years. There, he served on numerous local and diocesan committees, most often those that combated food/housing insecurity, domestic violence and racism. Jaeger was also instrumental in bringing the Seaman's Church Institute to Paducah, where he additionally served as chaplain. He oversaw the design and installation of a memorial garden on the church grounds, a site for the interment of ashes. As an avid woodworker, he constructed all the urns in which people were interred. Upon his retirement, the congregation honored him by naming it the Jaeger Memorial Garden. Following his 2023 retirement, he became a priest associate at St. Peter's of the Lakes in Gilbertsville. Jaeger is survived by his wife of 54 years, Julie; daughters Anne Jaeger and Emily Williams; sons Matthew, Philip and Timothy; eight grandchildren; and a niece. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Steven Jaeger.

Robert Scherr ’66, M.A. ’70, Ph.D. ’83 of Salisbury, Md., died on May 16, 2023, from cancer. He graduated from Baltimore City College before earning three degrees at UMD. He became a speech therapist in 1970 at the Educational Service Center in Salisbury, accomplishing his lifelong goal of moving to the Eastern Shore. Scherr, known as “Dr. Bob,” worked for the Laurel (Del.) School District from 1970–95, and was a contractual employee for several school districts in Delaware, private schools in Maryland and Head Start. He provided assessments for the state of Maryland Disability Determination Services for 24 years and conducted in-service programs and workshops for several institutions. His passion over his 42-year career was to improve communication skills for children and adults of all ages; his specialty was pediatric disorders. Scherr was a member of the American Speech and Hearing, Delaware Speech and Hearing, and Maryland Speech and Hearing Associations, and International Association of Orofacial Myology. He has received 11 awards for continuing education from the American Speech and Hearing Association. He was a past board member of Beth Israel Congregation. He loved reading, crossword puzzles, traveling, musical theater, "I Love Lucy," walking and meeting new people. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Judith Scherr; nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. He was predeceased by his parents, Benjamin Jacob and Sadie, and his sister, Judith Mintz.

Anthony Amatucci ’65 of Olney, Md., died on Aug. 12, 2023, after a brief illness. He was 81. He was born in San Potito Ultra, in Italy, and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1949. After graduating from Wheaton High School, then UMD, he was immediately drafted into the U.S. Army and served at Fort Dix, N.J. He then began a life-long career as a civil servant at the National Institutes of Health. Amatucci was an avid sports fan, still golfing and playing tennis at age 81 He loved football and watching the Washington Commanders. An animal lover, Amatucci always had a dog, cat, or both in the house. Amatucci is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joyce; sons Mark and Stephen; two grandchildren; a goddaughter, Chenise Miller; a brother, Samuel; two sisters, Elodia D'Onofrio and Maria Petruccelli, a cousin, Carmine Amatucci; and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Guy.

Jack Lee Holcomb ’62 died on July 18, 2023, at his home in Melbourne, Fla. He was 87. He was born in Monroe County, Tenn., where he was raised until age 13. He then lived with his family on naval bases in California, Hawaii and Maryland. He graduated from Great Mills High School, attended St. Mary's College, and graduated from UMD with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He was also a talented athlete who played collegiate basketball and was a fixture in the St. Mary's Softball League, which eventually awarded him a spot in its Hall of Fame. Holcomb spent his professional career at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, completing the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School’s engineering program and working at Flight Test Directorate, ASW and Force Warfare. In 2016, he, his wife, and his mother moved to Melbourne. He was preceded in death by his wife, Karen Holcomb; and his parents, Smokey and Nellie Holcomb. Holcomb is survived by his sons, Steve and Chris Holcomb; one grandson; three step-grandchildren; and his first wife, Marjory Holcomb.

Paul Alfred Clarke M.Ed. ’58, Ed.D. ’61 died on May 22, 2023, at Edenton Retirement Center in Frederick, Md., where he had resided since 2016. Born in Baltimore, Clarke grew up in Thurmont, Md., with seven brothers and five sisters, helping with the family business, Mountain Jerry's Place. He was senior class president at Thurmont High School, and earned a bachelor's degree from Mount Saint Mary's College and graduate degrees in human growth and development at UMD. Clarke spent his career at Cortland State College in New York, Clarion State College in Pennsylvania and Fairmont State College in West Virginia. He played baseball and basketball growing up through his days at Mount Saint Mary's College and during his enlistment in the Air Force. In 2002, Clarke was inducted into the Mount Saint Mary's University Sports (Baseball) Hall of Fame. Upon his retirement, Clarke returned to Thurmont, where he founded the Catoctin Youth Council, which eventually became the Catoctin Youth Association. Clarke eventually retired again, from the U.S. Postal Service, and began volunteering as a docent at the St. Elizabeth Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg. He published several textbooks and loved writing about his life and family. During his later years, Clarke enjoyed reading, playing cards, yard work and taking daily walks. He enjoyed spending time with all his children and grandchildren. He is predeceased by two spouses: Delores Anne Clarke, who died in 1970, and Carolyn Anne Clarke, who died in 2016; four sisters; seven brothers; and three nephews. Clarke is survived by three sons, Kevin, Mark and Tim; a daughter, Jennifer Wolfe; a sibling, Rose Goff; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cyril Elmo Fowble III ’61, 87, of Solon, Ohio, died on Aug. 12, 2023. He was born in Baltimore, graduated from UMD and served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He had a successful career in the automotive industry working for Chrysler and PPG as a paint application specialist. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking, home improvement projects, hunting, sports and the arts, and most of all, spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ingrid Fowble; his son, Cyril Fowble IV; his daughter, Victoria Krum; three grandchildren; and a sister, Eleanor McSherry Fowble.

John Newton ’61 died in Parkersburg, Va., on May 16, 2023, at age 84. Newton earned a bachelor's degree from UMD and a master's degree from Lehigh University, and retired from Dupont after 36 years as a chemical engineer. He was an avid sports fan, especially the Terps. Newton was involved in youth soccer for more than 30 years, eventually becoming a youth coach and high school referee; he volunteered on WVSA and Region 1 committees and received the Administrator of the Year award in 2015 from WV Region 1 and U.S. Youth Soccer. In 2019, he was inducted into the WVSA Hall of Fame. Newton was also an active member of the Actors Guild of Parkersburg for over 50 years, serving as president multiple terms and on the board of trustees. The Ohio River Valley Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters awarded Newton and his wife with the Community Advocate of the Arts Four Decades of Devotion award for their work with the Actors Guild. Newton is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jean; five children, James, Jeffrey and Jeremy Newton, Jennifer Dynda and Joyanna Jobes; siblings Eleanor Westfall and Richard Newton; nine grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

Herbert LeRoy Strawsburg Jr. ’56 died on June 5, 2023, at Frederick (Md.) Health Hospital at age 89. He graduated from Frederick High School and earned an accounting degree at UMD. He served as vice president of Farmers and Mechanics National Bank until 1973, then opened Brunswick Hardware and Sporting Goods, operating it until his retirement in 2019 at the age of 85. Strawsburg, known as LeRoy, was a member and past president of the Frederick chapter of the Izaak Walton League, Terrapin Club, Frederick Kiwanis, Brunswick Bassmasters, the Independent Hose Co. and in his later years, the Jefferson Ruritan Club. He was a longtime member of All Saints Episcopal Church, where as a young boy, he served as an acolyte. Strawsburg loved fishing from his boat or canoe on the Potomac, Monocacy, Shenandoah and Susquehanna Rivers with his family and friends; he shared his love and respect of the outdoors with his daughters and grandchildren. In 2018, he was honored with the Distinguished Citizen Award in Brunswick. He is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Peggy Strawsburg; daughters Abbie Ricketts, Pamela McCarthy, Denise Zigler and Margie Janner; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a grandson, Elias Janner, in 2002.

Lary Lyn Acker ’57 of Chester, Md., died on May 2, 2023. He was 87 years old. At UMD, he majored in history and was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He began his business, Acker and Sons. Plumbing and Heating, in 1961. Acker was involved with the Associated Builders and Contractors for many years, as the president of the local chapter and as an officer for the national chapter. He also served on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Washington YMCA and was named volunteer of the year. He also served on the local board of YMCA Camp Letts in Edgewater, Md., and was a business donor for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA. Acker loved his family, boating, his John Deere tractor and his home on the water. He is survived by his wife, Lynne Acker; his children, Holly Acker Godaire, Bradley Lyn Acker, Kimberley Acker Yates and Rodney Lyn Acker; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; a sister, Gloria Acker Shifren; and a brother, Darryl K. Acker.

Katherine Layne McCoy ’53 died on July 20, 2023 at the Terraces in Bonita Springs, Fla., where she resided since 2014. She was 93. McCoy graduated from Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Md., Centenary Junior College in New Jersey, and UMD, where she majored in education. McCoy was a proud member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She taught home economics before meeting her husband Edward B. Layne, Jr. on a blind date. They married in 1955; he preceded her in death in 1981. In 1998, she married Robert McCoy, once again meeting him on a blind date. He preceded her in death in 2002. Since the 1990s, McCoy split her time between Bonita Springs and Ocean City, Md. She was a school room mother, Sunday School teacher, team coach, Girl Scout leader, Lawyer's Wives Club member and hostess. In the late 1970s as her children grew up, she ventured back to work at Garfinckel's department store, where she was named Employee of the Year. McCoy played bridge many times per week with friends, family and neighbors, and rarely missed watching a Washington Nationals game. McCoy is survived by daughters Jeannette Flickinger, Martha Vexter and Diane Schumacher; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and a longtime companion caregiver Arelis Usech. She was predeceased by her sister, Marion Applegate.

Robert Haas Jr. ’52, a longtime Beltsville, Md., resident, died on May 20, 2023, at age 100. Haas was a Pennsylvania native who served as a chief warrant officer in the army during WWII. Through the GI Bill, he received an accounting degree from UMD, then spent most of his career in fleet management working for a private firm and the U.S. Postal Service. He was a member and treasurer of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers, a member and chapter president of NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees) and a member of the VFW and American Legion. Haas was active in the church, serving as an elder and treasurer. He is remembered for his many years of service to the community visiting patients at the Laurel Children's Home, delivering Meals on Wheels and serving on its board, and taking doughnuts to the Old Soldiers’ Home when he was in his 90s. Haas was an avid antique car buff and enjoyed traveling, reading history and gardening. He is predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Nellie Haas; and a great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Bourgeault. He is survived by his children: Karen Mayer, Janet Glanville, Robert Haas and Carl Haas; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Charles F. Smyser Jr. ’50 of Amherst, Mass., died on July 20, 2023, at age 98. Smyser attended high school at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, followed by the University of Maryland and graduate school at the University of Connecticut. After graduation, he came to the University of Massachusetts as an associate professor of microbiology in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. There he was principally responsible for the state testing program for avian diseases. After retirement in 1987 he continued part-time in the same role for another 15 years. In 1955, he married Jean Elizabeth Pruyne. Over the years, Smyser had many interests, including making furniture, maple sugaring, and long walks to town and around the neighborhood. He was active in Boy Scouts and volunteered for the North Congregational Church in Amherst. He drove for a time with his son's business, Dave's Taxi Service. He was a loyal fan of Baltimore sports teams, and a reliable presence in his yellow "game day" socks at his granddaughters’ field hockey and basketball games. He is survived by three children, Jonathan, Robert and Cheryl Roberts; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, David.

Mae Benham Hutchinson Kinsman ’46 died July 9, 2023, in Norfolk, Va., at age 100. She graduated from Westfield High School in New Jersey, Green Mountain College in Virginia and UMD, where she majored in home economics and met her future husband, James "Jim" Kinsman. Her activities at Maryland included membership in Alpha Xi Delta sorority and playing the glockenspiel in the marching band. She began her career as a home economics teacher, then worked with the YMCA in Wilmington, Del., and Miami, real estate in Atlanta, retail in Atlanta and Miami, as a Bonnie Prudden exercise instructor in Miami, and as an administrative assistant at Barry University in Miami, from which she later graduated with a bachelor's degree in religious studies. Kinsman was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Business and Professional Women's Foundation, PEO Philanthropic Educational Organization, the Colonial Dames of America, First Families of Ohio and First Families of Hamilton County. Kinsman cherished spending time with her family and friends, researching and sharing her family’s genealogy, planning reunions, attending Bible study, and playing bridge and canasta. She had a passion for art, travel and animals. Kinsman is survived by her children, Susan M. Keith, James H. Kinsman, Sarah E. Whittemore, Robert C. Kinsman and Christopher B. Kinsman; eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.