Obituaries | 1990-1999

REBECCA A. SWENDER, 36, a doctoral candidate in the film studies program of the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also earned a master’s degree, died June 14, 2008. A published author, she was twice an invited scholar at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival in Italy and had received many academic awards and honors. Survivors include her parents, two sisters, her maternal grandmother, a large extended family, and her boyfriend, Alexander P. André.

ROXANNA ROSE MENNELLA, who had worked as an analyst at CIBC World Financial Center, died Jan. 19, 2005, of a brain tumor. She was 31. At Wesleyan, she was an avid equestrienne, played on the women’s Rugby team, performed theater, and wrote poetry. She was an Italian Studies major and had spent her junior year abroad in Italy. Among those who survive is her sister, Jennifer M. Cain.

ROBERT L. WILLIAMS, 38, a mediator at RESOLVE and The Meridian Institute in Oregon, whose long battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, led him to become a spokesperson for the disease, died Oct. 26, 2009. He received his degree with honors from the College of Social Studies and later received an MS from Oregon State University. He was an active member and leader in the Association for Conflict Resolution, Environment and Public Policy Section. Despite his AS, he competed in triathlons and became a ranked amateur, ultimately qualifying three times for the national team and representing the U.S. in 2008 on Team USA, competing in the long course world championship in the Netherlands. In addition to raising funds for AS, he spoke at medical schools in order to make physicians more aware of the symptoms of the disease. His sister predeceased him. Among those who survive are his parents, five aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins, in addition to many supportive co-workers, teammates, and friends.

LEONARDO O. SMITH, a math and science tutor, and a dance performer, died June 5, 2006. He was 33. At Wesleyan he majored in physics. Among those who survive are his parents.

MATTHEW SHANE, a mathematics major at Wesleyan who received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Boston University, died Dec. 11, 2006. He was 34. Predeceased by his father, he is survived by his mother, stepfather, and three brothers.

LUCAS PORTILLA, who was a psychology and sociology major, died June 20, 2003. He was 32. At the time of his death he worked in market research in Madrid, Spain. He is survived by his mother, his father, a brother, and his grandmother.

DOUGLAS FEENEY-GALLAGHER, a professor at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, Conn., died of cancer Nov. 4, 2003. He was 32. A history major at Wesleyan, he received a Ph.D. from SUNY-Binghamton. Among those who survive are his wife, Colleen M. Ryan-Feeney; a daughter; his father and stepmother; his mother and stepfather; his paternal grandmother; and a brother and sister.

DONALD LACOSS, 46, died Jan. 31, 2011. A history major at Wesleyan, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2001. Among those who survive are his son; his partner, Susan Crutchfield; his parents; a brother; and a large extended family.

ANGELA HAILEY-GREGORY, 39, a professor of literature, most recently at SUNY Morrisville, died Aug. 14, 2009. After graduating from Wesleyan she toured nationally as an actor. She received her master’s degree in English Literature from SUNY Cortland, and was studying for her PhD at Binghamton University. Granddaughter of the late novelist Arthur Hailey, she shared his talent for writing. Survivors include her husband, James Gregory ’90; two daughters; her mother and stepfather; her father; her grandmother; her sister; her in-laws, including her father-in-law, Peter B. Gregory ’57; and a large extended family.