Obituaries | 1950-1959

Earl J. Forman ’53 passed away on Feb. 2, 2019. A full obituary can be found here.

David J. Larson ’59 passed away on Dec. 20, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

John T. Arnold ’58 passed away on Nov. 7, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

Benjamin A. Di Iorio Jr. ’55 passed away on Oct. 9, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

George A. Lewis ’53 passed away on Dec. 22, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

Duncan M. Nelson ’52 passed away on Dec. 20, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

Charles O. Culver ’51 passed away on Sept. 12, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

Harold M. “Hal” Treen Jr. ’50 passed away on Oct. 1, 2018. A full obituary can be found here.

William C. Gordon ’55 passed away on July 9, 2018. He was 85. Gordon was a devoted Wesleyan alumnus and member of Eclectic. At Wesleyan, he majored in economics and earned a master’s from Wesleyan. He went on to earn an MBA from UConn. He was an Army veteran who served in post-war Korea. His father, Carlton C. Gordon 1922; cousins Gary ’50, Alan ’56, and W. Clark Gordon ’45; uncles David W. Gordon 1916 and Donald Gordon 1919, father-in-law and former trustee, Frank Wenner Sr. 1918, and brothers-in-law Frank Wenner Jr. ’49 and Richard Wenner ’59, all attended Wesleyan. He interviewed for admission with his future father-in-law long before he had ever met his wife, Marilyn Sue Wenner. His grandsons, Stefan Skripak ’13 and Ryan Breen ’17, also attended Wesleyan. He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 60 years, Marilyn Sue (Wenner), son David (Pamela Skripak) two grandchildren, Hallie and Braden Skripak Gordon, sister Margaret Barber, many nieces and nephews, and a large extended family.

We thank Mr. Gordon’s daughter-in-law for this information.

Elliott DeGraff ’55 passed away on Oct. 24, 2017 at the age of 84. DeGraff majored in psychology at Wesleyan. After transferring, he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from New York University. He worked as an engineer for NASA’s unmanned spacecraft and satellite programs. A member of the United Flying Octogenarians, DeGraff was a flight instructor and a volunteer pilot for an animal rescue organization. He was also an accomplished musician who played the guitar, banjo, and mandolin. He is survived by his wife, Martha Jo, his brother, Chris, and wife Sandra, his brother, Eric, and wife Nancy, his daughter, Pamela Porter, and husband Hobart, his daughter Jill Thorpe, and five grandchildren.

We thank the family of Mr. DeGraff for this information.