Obituaries | 1950-1959

WILLIAM T. PRYCE, a Foreign Service officer who served as ambassador to Honduras and as senior director for Latin America at the National Security Council, died July 11, 2006 at age 73. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he received his degree with honors and with distinction in economics. He received a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, after which he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and then entered the Foreign Service. His posts included Mexico, the Soviet Union, and, Bolivia. In addition, he worked closely on developing and implementing U.S. policies toward Panama and Nicaragua. At the National Security Council, he was also involved in the resolution of the civil war in El Salvador. He retired in 1966 but continued to be involved in the North American Free Trade Agreement and other free-trade issues as vice president and head of Washington operations of the Council of the Americas. Among those who survive are his wife, Joan MacClurg Pryce; two sons, Jeffrey F. Pryce ’82 and Scott F. Pryce ’87; a daughter; five grandchildren; and a sister.

HECTOR F. PHELPS JR., an analyst and underwriter at The Hartford Insurance Group for 30 years, who was also an accomplished artist, singer, actor, director, and writer, died Nov. 18, 2010, at age 79. He received his degree with honors and with distinction in theater. A member of Gamma Psi, he served in the U.S. Army. He performed with the Simsbury (Conn.) Light Opera Company, was a soloist with the Hartford Choral Club, a member of the Mark Twain Masquers, and in 1971 helped to found the Trinity Episcopal Church theater group. He donated his extensive theater and film library to Wesleyan. Survivors include an aunt, several cousins, and many friends.

LEON S. OLSON, 70, a retired human resources executive, died June 29, 2003. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in the U.S. Marines. Survivors include his wife, Joan, three children, and two grandchildren.

KENNETH G. ORVIS, 74, an attorney, died June 9, 2005. He was a member of Sigma Nu and received a law degree from Cornell University. A member of the law firm of Orvis and Orvis in Albany, N.Y., he later became counsel for the Rensselaer County Department of Social Services and did pro bono representation of court-appointed clients. He is survived by his wife, Caroline Comly Orvis, three children, six grandchildren, and a large extended family.

ROBERT S. NICKOLOFF, an attorney and venture capitalist who was instrumental in starting several television stations in Minnesota, died June 22, 2007. He was 78. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he received his law degree from the University of Michigan and served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was involved in numerous organizations and companies throughout Minnesota. Survivors include his wife, Anne Nickerson Nickoloff, three children, nine grandchildren, and a sister. (For more information, see the Pioneer Press of June 23, 2007.)

JOHN M. NELSON ’53, the retired chairman of the board of the TJX Companies, Inc, and a former Wesleyan trustee, died Jan. 21, 2013. He was 81. The son of Martin H. Nelson of the class of 1926 and the nephew of John D. Nelson of the class of 1931, he was a member of Delta Tau Delta and received his degree with honors. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he received an MBA from Harvard University. He joined the Norton Company as a sales trainee and rose through the ranks, becoming Chairman and CEO in 1988. After the company was acquired by Saint Gobain, he joined the Wyman Gordon Company, the second largest manufacturing firm in Worcester, Mass. In 1995 he became chairman of the board of the TJX Companies, after which the company acquired the Marshalls stores and started its European expansion.

He volunteered extensively in the Worcester community, served on many boards, and won numerous awards for his service. The recipient of several honorary degrees, he was also a co-founder and chairman of Commonwealth National Bank. He was a trustee of the University from 1978 to 1981, and he had also been chairman of the Alumni Council. In 1988 he received Wesleyan’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. Among those who survive are his wife, Linda Nelson; his daughter, Murrey E. Nelson ’81; his son; two stepdaughters; and six grandchildren. retired statistician with Uniroyal, died Nov. 15, 2012, at age 91. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. After his retirement he became an active community volunteer. Predeceased by his wife, Betty McFarland Norton, five children, eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a sister survive.

PETER D. NIXON, a retired manufacturer’s representative, died Dec. 13, 2009. He was 76. A member of Chi Psi, he received his MBA degree from Northeastern University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was also an enthusiastic basketball player and coach. He is survived by one son; his friend and companion, Alyce Carella; his former wife; his brother, David L. Nixon ’53; and many nieces and nephews.

DAVID L. MOORE, who retired after a 37-year career with Moog, Inc., died Dec. 31, 2011. He was 81. He was a member of Eclectic and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. The son of Raymond L. Moore of the class of 1912 and the nephew of Alfred D. Moore of the class of 1910, he was also the brother of the late John N. Moore of the class of ’41. Among those who survive are his wife, Anne Ingalls Moore, three children, six grandchildren, and his sister.

CLYDE D. MCKEE JR., a professor of political science at Trinity College for 44 years, died May 24, 2011. He was 81. A member of Beta Theta Pi, and a stepson of William E. Bray of the class of 1919, he served in the U.S. Air Force. He received an MAT from Wesleyan, and a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. An authority on local government in America, he published numerous articles and contributed to various publications. For more than 30 years he served on the faculty of the New England Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy. He was also involved in various civic and political activities in Old Saybrook, Conn. Among those who survive are his wife, Mary Gwudz McKee, six children, 11 grandchildren, two siblings, and a niece, Kathryn Flynn ’77.

ROBERT R. MAYNARD, 83, an attorney who served the Bristol, Conn., community both civically and politically, and a retired judge of probate, died Dec. 23, 2008. A member of Delta Tau Delta, he received his law degree from the University of Virginia. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army, where he received numerous awards for personal and professional distinction in the French theater of operations. He was appointed as honorary diplomatic consul for the French Government from 1989 to 1995. Among those who survive are his wife, Margaret Dwyer Maynard, four children, eight grandchildren, and six nephews.

His eldest son, Chris Maynard, sends this remembrance:

“Dad, known as ‘Duke’ from his war years, was one of the old guys at Delta Tau Delta. He and his roommate Hank McDonald shared some fun years together. Dad could have gone to another equally great school. But after the war he chose to come back to where his roots are here in Connecticut, and to Wesleyan.

“Dad always spoke very fondly of his time at Wesleyan?where he happened to meet Mom on a pre-arranged blind date when she came up one weekend from St. Raphael?s School of Nursing in New Haven. And many years later during the summer of 2007 they celebrated 55 years of happy marriage together.

“In between Dad created a great life dedicated to Mom and us four kids whom he loved very much, and to his career as a practicing lawyer and Probate Judge in Bristol. During those years he was very committed to his community of Bristol, civically, spiritually, and politically. He served as City of Bristol: Corporation Counsel, Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, Chairman of the Board; Bristol Hospital, Chairman of the Board; Tunxis Community College, and as Trustee of St. Ann Roman Catholic Church where after years of service he was made a Papal Knight of Saint Gregory the Great in November 1972. There are many other volunteer roles too numerous to mention here.

“For many men, at age 65, retirement might have been a logical choice. Not for Dad. Dad was proud of his French heritage, and from 1989–1995 Dad was appointed an Agence Consulaire for the Government of France here in Connecticut. After his years as Agence Consulaire, his years of service to French foreign nationals living in Connecticut, and having spilled his blood just days after D-Day into the soil of France, by decree of the President of France, Jacques Chirac, Dad was made a Knight of the French National Order of Merit in April 1997.

“Most recently, in September 2008, to bring ?full circle? to his life he was given a Public Service Award by the State of Connecticut in honor of his patriotism and sacrifice to this country for his years of service during World War II when he was wounded and awarded many medals for bravery including the Purple Heart.

“What a life. Dad could have lived his life and practiced law anywhere. But he came back to the State of Connecticut, his home, to build the foundation of his new life? at Wesleyan. And he lived long enough to see his beloved Red Sox win the World Series not once, but twice.

“In closing, you should know that though he accomplished all the things I listed in this note, and more, his greatness as a man really came through in his love, kindness, generosity and gentleness that he shared with all of us? his family, his close friends, and the many other people whose lives he touched. Not only will we miss him, but Wesleyan too is losing a truly noble son of its own university family as well. ”