Obituaries | 1960-1969

PETER M. MARGOLIUS, an attorney and Catskill, N.Y., town justice, died Oct. 12, 2017. He was 71. A member of Kappa Alpha, he joined the U.S. Army after graduation and served in a military intelligence battalion; he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal. After graduating from Albany Law School in 1975 he became an officer with the U.S. Navy’s Judge Advocate General and served for several years in Japan, doing criminal trial work and assisting military personnel with a variety of legal and personal problems. In 1979 he entered private practice. He served as a prison prosecutor, assistant district attorney, assistant public defender, as well as town attorney. He was elected town justice and held that position for 17 years, until he retired in 2014. He was also a volunteer firefighter and a talented marksman. His first wife, Barbara Davis Margolius, predeceased him. Survivors include two sons, two grandchildren, and his wife, Janice Protano.

JAMES G. SNYDER, an assistant professor at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., died Sept. 22, 2017, at age 76. He was the son of George C. Snyder of the class of 1936. A member of Eclectic, he received his degree with distinction in history. During his teaching career he created new courses on World War II and the Vietnam War. He also attended graduate school at the University of Rochester. Among those who survive are his wife, Judy Peer, three children, one granddaughter, his sister, and several nieces and nephews.

ROBERT E. SLOAT, a teacher, administrator, and former chair of the arts faculty at the Pomfret School, died Aug. 9, 2017, at age 76. He was the son of Frederick P. Sloat of the class of 1927. A member of Gamma Psi, he received a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut. He was active in the performing arts in northeastern Connecticut. He directed and conducted performances at the Bradley Playhouse and served as a board member and technical director for P/Arts (formerly Opera New England of Northeast Connecticut). He also directed productions for Marianapolis Prep. His wife, Caroline Fuller Sloat, survives, as do two children, three grandchildren, his brother, Frederick P. Sloat Jr. ’51, and a large extended family.

JOHN N. HARVEY, 75, a marketing executive, died Aug. 3, 2017. A member of Delta Tau Delta, he served in the U.S. Navy and received an MBA in marketing from Clark University. His work was focused on state-of-the-art industries, such as solar energy. A military war buff and a big-game hunter, he also sang classical and folk music with choirs. He walked more than 80 percent of the Appalachian Trail with the Over-the-Hill Gang, and had numerous hobbies. He is survived by three daughters, five grandchildren, his brother, and several nieces and nephews.

PHILIP G. PUTNAM, 76, a financial executive for more than 40 years, died June 25, 2017. A member of Psi Upsilon, he received his degree with honors and with distinction in English literature. He received an MBA from Harvard University, after which he joined Smith Barney & Co. in New York City. He subsequently held a variety of positions, including as executive vice president of Brean Murray and managing director of Flagstone Securities. For many years he was on the Board of the Middleby Corporation. He served as class agent and fundraiser for many years, for which he received the Wesleyan University Service Award. A classroom in the career center was also named in his honor. Active in his local Essex, Conn., community, he was a volunteer for a variety of local organizations. Survivors include his partner Jeanne, two daughters, his granddaughter, and his sister. His wife, Thea C. Putnam, predeceased him.

MICHAEL H. BLAKE, a corporate executive, died Oct. 3, 2017, at age 81. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and was a U.S. Naval Reserve veteran. He started his career with the Budd Company in Philadelphia, then moved to Boston with the former Bache & Co. After executive roles at Lowden Tree & Landscape and Dalton Electric, he completed his career with Harvest Capital Management. He was an avid athlete. Predeceased by his second wife, Penelope Stowell, he is survived by his former wife, Susan Livingston; four children; two grandchildren; his sister; and several nieces and nephews.

NICKOLAUS E. LEGGETT, a proponent of the low-power FM movement in the U.S., died Apr. 26, 2017. He was 72. A member of Kappa Alpha, he was an electronics technician, analyst, technical writer, and inventor who held multiple U.S. patents and may be best known as one of the original petitioners for microstation radio broadcasting, which grew into the low-power FM movement (LPFM). He also lobbied for reform to amateur radio antenna rules, as well as petitioning the FCC to look into very low-power localized radio signals, which could be helpful in case of emergencies when electric power is unavailable. He suggested that the agency use AM radio to enable inner-city neighborhoods to provide local neighborhood broadcasts. This would help minority groups organize and utilize the talents of local residents. His wife, Judith Fielder Leggett, survives.

STEPHEN P. HORVAT JR., a corporate attorney, died May 19, 2017, at age 70. A baseball player at Wesleyan, he served as team co-captain in his senior year and won the Walter MacNaughten Award. After four years in the U.S. Army he attended the Northwestern University School of Law, graduating with honors in 1973. He began his law career at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., where he was vice president and general counsel until 1985, when he joined the Franklin Life Insurance Co., and served in several administrative capacities. After a short time in private practice he joined the Sammons Financial Group as senior vice president (legal) for Midland National and the North American Co. for Life and Health Insurance, where he remained until his retirement. He was the chairman, secretary, and former president of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel, and also served as a board member of numerous insurance and bar associations. In addition to his legal practice, he served on the boards of several local businesses and school board committees. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Meehan Horvat, two children, two grandchildren, and was awaiting the birth of his third grandchild.

JOHN J. HARTER, a career Citibank employee, died Aug. 29, 2016. He was 72. A member of the Commons Club, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He spent his entire career in a variety of roles with Citibank. Among those who survive are his wife, Lynda Harter, four children, eight grandchildren, and a brother.