Obituaries | 1940-1949

RICHARD W. LEIGHTON, a retired business executive and an active community volunteer, died June 29, 2012, at age 91. He was the son of William E. Leighton of the class of 1909, and the nephew of Ralph W. Leighton of the class of 1905 and of Harold C. Martin of the class of 1925. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II and continued to serve for 27 years. During his service in the Navy, he earned an MBA at Stanford University. After retiring from the Navy, he worked at the Bath Iron Works and the Maine Hospital Association while volunteering in the Brunswick, Maine, area. He was a past president of the Mid-Coast Red Cross and a recipient of the Clara Barton Award, as well as a Paul Harris Rotary Fellow. His first wife, Christine Davis Leighton, predeceased him. Among those who survive are his wife, Eileen Fletcher, three sons, one grandson, his brother, and a large extended family.

WALLACE B. HUSSONG, who practiced psychoanalysis for 50 years, died Feb. 19, 2013. He was 93. A member of Eclectic, he received his degree with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After receiving his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, he joined the U.S. Navy. During medical school he continued his athletic pursuits, playing for the Camden (N.J.) Zuni Indians semi-pro football team and during World War II was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. After leaving the Navy, he practiced psychoanalysis in the Camden-Cherry Hill area and was active in many community and athletic endeavors. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Weber Hussong; his son, Wallace F. Hussong ’68; two daughters; and three granddaughters.

H. GERARD SIEK JR., M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, died Apr. 25, 2006. He was 81. A member of Psi Upsilon, he received his medical degree from Columbia University and was a U.S. Army veteran. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Michaelis Siek, and six children.

WILLIAM H. GIGER JR., 79, a retired advertising executive, died Nov. 23, 2004. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Survivors include his wife, Claire Verne Simone Giger.

DUNCAN H. FRASER, an author and newspaper publisher who also owned an advertising agency, died Feb. 17, 2008, at age 82. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had a lifelong interest in printing, publishing, and the communication arts, beginning at age 12 when he printed and published his own newspaper. In southeastern Connecticut and in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, he was known for his editorials and newspaper public service campaigns, which won several awards. He was also the author of a weekly humor column. Predeceased by his first wife, Elaine Hansen Fraser, he is survived by his wife, Eleanor Turnbull Fraser, a daughter, two grandchildren, and a brother.

RICHARD A. FOXALL, 86, who retired as a teacher in the Wethersfield, Conn., schools, died Nov. 20, 2009. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and later received a master’s from the University of Hartford. Among those who survive are his wife, Jane Tangarone Foxall; three children, including Michael R. Foxall ’77; and six grandchildren.

HARRY F. FORBES, a retired business executive, died Sept. 20, 2008. He was 83. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he was the brother of the late Duncan P. Forbes Jr. ’48 and of the late Daniel L. Taylor ’51. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was associated with the Gunite Foundry, founded in 1854 by his great–great–great–grandfather, for many years before moving to Michigan to join his son in business. An avid golfer, he held the low amateur course record of 63 at the Rockford Country Club, and more recently, he wrote a novel about his World War II experiences in the South Pacific. His wife, Audrey Harrison Forbes, predeceased him. Among those who survive are three sons, including Gregory H. Forbes ’71; several grandchildren; a brother, George R. Forbes ’49; and a nephew, George R. Forbes Jr. ’71.

CHARLES G. DIBBLE, a retired attorney, died Sept. 9, 2005, at age 80. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he was the son of Lavern C. Dibble ’21 and the brother of the late Vernon K. Dibble ’54. He received his degree with honors and received his law degree from Harvard. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. His law career included labor and management negotiating, and he served in numerous community capacities, including as mayor of Carpinteria, Calif. Survivors include his wife, Carol Meeker Dibble, five children, 12 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, several siblings, and a nephew, Timothy Dibble ’86.

JOHN D. COWAN, 86, who retired as an assistant vice president of Aetna Life and Casualty, died July 13, 2010. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, he received his degree with honors. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army Air Forces in Asia. Survivors include his wife, Elinor Chapin Cowan, three children, and eight grandchildren.