Obituaries | 1950-1959

GERALD EAGER, 77, professor emeritus of art at Bucknell University, died Feb. 14, 2012. A member of Delta Tau Delta, he received a master’s degree from Columbia University and a PhD from the University of Minnesota. He liked to demonstrate that art is a living subject that reflects both the world we live in and our view of it, and he taught that art is for everyone, not just the scholar. He was also involved in the Lewisburg community. Predeceased by his wife, Patricia Anne Bell, he is survived by two sons, one grandson, two sisters, and a close friend, Dorris Keen.

JOHN C. HOY, 79, the dean of admissions at Wesleyan in the 1960s who oversaw a radically new commitment to expanding racial, religious and economic diversity on campus, died July 9, 2013. Hoy, who also held an MALS degree from Wesleyan in 1961 and was the parent of two alumni from the classes of 2003 and 2005, was deeply involved with Wesleyan for nearly his entire adult life. As an undergraduate, he majored in history, competed on the swim team, and was a member of the Eclectic Society fraternity. He returned to his alma mater a year after graduating, as assistant director of admissions, a post he held until 1959. In 1960, he was appointed director of admissions at Lake Forest College in Illinois, and in 1962, he became dean of admissions at Swarthmore College. Hoy returned again to Wesleyan in 1964, serving as dean of admissions and freshmen, assistant to the president, and dean for special academic affairs. In the latter position, he was responsible for implementing new approaches to teacher education, international education, urban education, Upward Bound, and the development of new doctoral programs. In 1966, he traveled to several countries in Africa under the auspices of the African Scholarship Program of American Universities (ASPAU) to interview promising students, who would be given scholarships and placed in American schools. Above all, Hoy was committed to enhancing diversity on campus, and his efforts reverberated throughout the Northeast and nationally as other colleges followed Wesleyan’s lead. Writing in The Wesleyan University Alumnus in May 1965, he noted that though Wesleyan’s student body had included black students for generations, the number of minority and economically disadvantaged students applying to the school each year remained in the single digits. “We discovered that we had falsely expected these students to seek entrance to Wesleyan, although they probably had never had occasion to hear of the college and if they did would most certainly conclude they could never afford to come,” he wrote. The decision to recruit more minority and low-income students “meant we would have to visit schools never before solicited by Wesleyan representatives. It meant increased alumni awareness and participation in cities like New York, Detroit, and Chicago.”

“One of the greatest strengths of this college has always been and remains the extraordinary breadth of backgrounds represented on the campus: religious, racial, geographic, social, economic, and just plain diversity of opinion,” Hoy wrote. “Wesleyan is a stronger college for having maintained this tradition of excellence and diversity.” “Jack Hoy had a historic role in the story of modern Wesleyan,” said Steven Pfeiffer ’69, a student when Hoy oversaw admission and later chair of the Board at Wesleyan. “Jack set Wesleyan on a course of leadership in equal access and racial diversity in American higher education, from which it has not departed over the past almost half century. Under Jack’s leadership, Wesleyan was the first of the top tier colleges and universities to give African American students of talent and potential a fair shot at what private institutions of higher education like Wesleyan had to offer young Americans.” In 1969, Hoy left Wesleyan to serve as vice-chancellor of student affairs, and later as vice-chancellor of university and student affairs, at the University of California, Irvine. In 1987, he was appointed executive director of the New England Board of Higher Education, a position he held until 2001.

Hoy remained involved with Wesleyan, serving as a member of the Boston President’s Council from 1998-99, and as an Alumni Elected Trustee from 1998 to 2001.

He authored several books, including Choosing a College (1967); The Effective President (1976); and New England’s Vital Resource: The Labor Force (1982, co-authored with Melvin Bernstein).

In 1985, Wesleyan honored Hoy with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also was awarded honorary degrees from North Adams State College, Franklin Pierce College, Notre Dame College and Bryant College.

He is survived by his wife, Marie, as well as seven children, including Elizabeth Hoy ’03 and Peter Hoy ’05, and seven grandchildren.

JOHN E.P. BORDEN, who retired as vice president of operations at Gorton’s, a division of General Mills, died Apr. 16, 2013. He was 79. A member of Alpha Delta Phi, he received his degree with distinction in economics. After serving in the U.S. Army intelligence service, he received an MBA from Harvard University and joined General Mills. He served both as the selectman and as town moderator of Topsfield, Mass. Predeceased by his wife, Margaret Leith Borden, he is survived by two sons, including John E.P. Borden Jr. ’80; and grandchildren, including Adele Borden ’12.

BRUCE M. WHITTLES, a sales executive and video producer, died June 26, 2013, at age 80. The son of Lee J. Whittles of the class of 1919, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Fluent in Spanish, he worked for Colt Firearms and Heublein in international sales. He also started a video production business. Among those who survive are his twin brother, Douglas P. Whittles ’54, three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

HARRISON T. STEEGE, M.D., 79, a retired specialist in internal medicine, died Nov. 30, 2011. A member of Chi Psi, he was the son of Edgar H. Steege of the class of 1930. He received his medical degree from Temple University, served in the U.S. Air Force for four years, and then practiced medicine in Paoli, Penna., for 33 years. He was an avid participant in choruses, as well as a birder and a sailor. Predeceased by his first wife, Delite Fox Steege, survivors include his wife, Christine Dittmer Oates Steege; four children; two stepchildren; three grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; his brother; and a cousin, the Honorable Peter O. Steege ’55.

EDWIN R. KEYES, a former U.S. Marine Corps pilot and insurance executive, died June 17, 2012, at age 80. He was a member of Sigma Chi. While in the Marines, he served for 12 years as a fighter jet and helicopter pilot. After retiring from the Marines he received his CLU designation and worked with John Hancock Life Insurance, both in North Carolina and in California. When he retired from John Hancock he opened a sporting goods store, which he ran until 1991. His wife, Elizabeth Henderson Keyes, predeceased him. Among those who survive are five children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

JOHN W. GOULD, 83, a retired real estate banker, died Mar. 10, 2013. He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and served in the military, after which he began a long career in banking. In 2000, he moved to Essex, Conn., where he was involved with the community. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Betham Gould; his son; two daughters; a granddaughter; his sister; his brother-in-law, George A. Lewis ’53; and several nieces and nephews, including Peter W. Lewis ’78.

JOHN C. WILLIAMS, an attorney who specialized in trusts and estates, died Nov. 30, 2012. He was 82. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he received his degree with honors. After receiving his law degree from Yale University, he joined the Chicago law firm of Sidley & Austin, from which he retired as partner. He served many years on the Village Board of Northbrook, Ill., including a four-year term as president. Predeceased by his first wife, Helen Gilbert Williams, his wife, the Honorable Virginia Blankenbaker survives, as do his three daughters, five stepchildren, 15 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a large extended family.

WILLIAM I. SCHAPIRO, 82, a retired attorney, died Mar. 1, 2013. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he received his degree with high honors and with distinction in government. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his law degree from Harvard University. His wife, Susan R. Schapiro, and a son predeceased him. Survivors include three children, five grandchildren, his brother, and a niece, Amy Schapiro ’85.

JOHN FREDERICK WOODHOUSE, of Houston, died October 29, 2012. He was 81. A member of Sigma Chi, he received his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan with high distinction in economics and earned his master’s degree from Harvard Business School. Beginning his career with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Toronto, he later joined Ford Motor Co and served as the treasurer of Cooper Industries.  His affiliation with Sysco Corporation began in 1969, as a founding director and CFO; he ultimately became chairman and CEO. Sysco thrived under his leadership, growing to become a multibillion-dollar food service distributor.
While he additionally served as a director of a few other large corporations, recently Woodhouse had turned his attention to nonprofits and educational institutions, with Wesleyan a great benefactor of his knowledge, expertise, and attention. As President Roth wrote in tribute to Woodhouse, in a blog entry titled, “Thinking of the Extended Wesleyan Family,” on Nov. 2, “John served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1976 through 1979 and again from 1980 through 1992. After retiring from the Board, John chaired the Wesleyan Campaign from 1997 through 2005, meeting with countless alumni all over the world to seek support for Wesleyan. Following the Wesleyan Campaign, John was an active member of the Development Committee (2005-2008) and, most recently, the current Campaign Council (2008-present). In recognition of his loyal service to Wesleyan, John was honored with the Baldwin Medal in 2005. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1993 during his 40th Reunion and he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Wesleyan in 1997.  He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, and all of us fortunate enough to have worked with him.” Woodhouse is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn (Lyn) Morrow Woodhouse; son John C. Woodhouse, II ’79 and his wife Deborah Pearson Woodhouse ’79; daughter Marjorie Ann Woodhouse-Purdy and her husband R. Scott Purdy; as well as three grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Robert W. Woodhouse and his wife Barbara of Blue Hill, Maine.