Obituaries

FREDRIC W. FROST III, a consultant and retired director of corporate facilities management, died June 10, 2013, at age 79. A member of Psi Upsilon, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps for ten years. He was the grandson of Fredric W. Frost of the class of 1894, the son of Fredric W. Frost Jr. of the class of 1923, and the cousin of Bradford R. Frost of the class of 1935. Survivors include his wife, Birgitta Frost; four children; and his cousins, Vincent W. Jones Jr. ’45, David P. Jones Sr. ’51, John F. Frost ’70, and David P. Jones Jr. ’83.

JOHN J. MILLER III, 79, professor emeritus of pediatrics at Stanford University and a noted leader in the study and treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, died Dec. 11, 2013. He was a member of Gamma Psi and received his medical degree from the University of Rochester. After completing a residency in pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco, he traveled to Australia as a National Institutes of Health post-doctoral fellow to pursue a PhD in immunology at the University of Melbourne. Upon completion of his PhD, he returned to California to fulfill military duties at the National Radiological Defense Laboratory and then began a 35-year career at Stanford Children’s Hospital and Stanford Medical School. During his tenure at Stanford, he conducted extensive research on childhood autoimmune diseases and the health care delivery and psychosocial outcomes for children with them. In 1967, he developed the Northern California Center for Children with Arthritis and Related Diseases at the Children’s Hospital at Stanford, which became an important West Coast center for study and treatment, and a valuable resource for patients and their families. After retiring from Stanford in 1997, he spent time mentoring young pediatricians and served as a consultant and visiting professor in London and in Mexico City. He was an avid outdoorsman and devoted theatergoer. Survivors include four sons; three grandchildren; his longtime companion, Mayo Marsh; his former wife, Anne Miller; two siblings; and a large extended family.

CHISOLM D. MCAVOY, an adventurer and taxi driver, died Sept. 25, 2013, at age 81. He received his bachelor’s degree from George Washington University. His sister, Mary B. Johnstone, survives.

JONATHAN F. ABEL, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps for 27 years, died Dec. 15, 2013. He was 81. An actor and film producer, he also served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. During his 27 years of service, he was a public affairs officer, infantry officer, and training and audiovisual support officer, and he received numerous medals. He was also a singer and a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Survivors include his wife, Sandra Pirie Abel, three children, three grandchildren, and his brother.

WILLIAM DON FRIEDMAN, a seven-term Colorado state legislator and a talk radio host, died Aug. 11, 2013, at age 83. A member of the John Wesley Club, he received a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. A successful real estate developer, as a politician he was know for his fiscal conservatism. He was a moderate on social issues, sponsoring the first clean air legislation in the nation, and was a constant advocate for a woman’s right to choose. He lost a race for elected office only once: a run for Congress against Pat Schroeder in 1976, by a narrow margin. After the legislature, he served on the Denver Water Board and consulted for the EPA and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. He was also an active community leader. Among those who survive are his wife, Jeanne Bahne Friedman, three children, seven grandchildren, and a nephew, Gary S. Davis ’75. He was previously married to Audrey Friedman Marcus.

JOHN F. DODGE, a retired executive with the Boy Scouts of America, died Dec. 8, 2013. He was 84. A member of Sigma Chi, he was the son of Arthur C. Dodge of the class of 1923. He began his career with the Boy Scouts of America in 1952, which was an extension of his early scouting years. His wife, Joanne Abbott Dodge, predeceased him. Survivors include three children, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and his sister.

W. FRASER KEITH, a retired systems manager, died Dec. 4, 2013, at age 83. He was a member of Sigma Nu and received his degree from the University of Minnesota. Among those who survive are his wife, Bevelyn Gervais Keith, four daughters, two stepdaughters, 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and his sister.

THOMAS D. GIVEN, a retired science teacher in the Duxbury, Mass., schools, died Apr. 7, 2014. He was 84. The son of Philip L. Given of the class of 1909, he was a member of the John Wesley Club and received a master’s degree from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Survivors include his wife, Donna Zizek Given, and two children, David A. Given ’85, and Mary E. Given ’93.

LOUIS D’AMANDA, 84, a retired attorney, died Jan. 21, 2014. A U.S. Army veteran, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and received his law degree from Cornell University. He also attended Harvard Business School. After he passed the New York State bar exam he joined his father’s firm of Chamberlain & D’Amanda, where he practiced trial law for 40 years. In 1987 he was elected a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was an active athlete and a dedicated conservationist. Survivors include his wife, June Allis Van Voorhis D’Amanda, four children, 19 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

DAVID J. BATDORF, 86, a retired attorney, and a community and political leader, died Dec. 15, 2013. The son of Jonathan P. Batdorf of the class of 1921, he was a member of Sigma Chi and received his law degree from the University of Tennessee. He was a U.S. Army veteran. A practicing attorney for 50 years, he was the Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1973 to 1976. In addition to his work in the law community, he was involved in many election campaigns and in his church, where he served on national boards. A Berks County planning commissioner for nine years, he also served on the Kutztown University Board of Trustees. Among his many awards for community service, he received the Wesleyan University Service Award. He is survived by his wife, Carol Spangenburg Batdorf, three children, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; and three sisters.