Obituaries

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.

DONALD J. WATT, a retired psychiatrist, died July 5, 2007. He was 76. After receiving his degree with honors, he received his medical degree from Columbia University. Among those who survive are his wife, Barbara Rhody Watt, two children, two brothers, and four grandchildren. (See further information in the Greensboro, N.C.,News Record, of 7/7/2007.)

ROBERT A. WAIT, a retired executive with General Foods who was the longest-serving food lobbyist in Washington, D.C., during his time, died March 29, 2007, at age 76. He was a member of Eclectic and was a US Army veteran. He is survived by his wife, Carol Wait; two daughters; his former wife, Patricia McCary Wait; two stepdaughters; and several grandchildren and step-grandchildren. Two daughters predeceased him.

JAMES E. WHITE, professor emeritus of English at Rhode Island College, died Mar. 26, 2012. He was 86. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces and then received his degree with honors. He received a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. from Boston University. A specialist in modern poetry and drama, and in American literature and Irish studies, he was associated with Rhode Island College for 32 years, and made major contributions to the governance of the college during his three decades there. Among those who survive are his wife, Marion Hobson White, five children, and 11 grandchildren.

WILLIAM H. WUBBENHORST JR., 83, an advertising and communications executive, died July 13, 2011. A member of Alpha Delta Phi, he received an MBA from Harvard University. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was senior vice president at McCann-Erickson, an executive with Iroquois Brands, and also worked as vice president at PR Data Systems, Inc. Survivors include his wife, Arvilla Kendall Wubbenhorst; three sons, including Jeffrey K. Wubbenhorst ’78; nine grandchildren; and a sister.

GEORGE R. WHITE, 82, a physicist who helped to design the laser gyroscope, died Jan. 14, 2012. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and received his degree with honors. He received his Ph.D. in physics from Iowa State University, after which he joined the Sperry Rand Corporation. He later was a vice president at Xerox Corporation and taught at Harvard Business School and the University of Pittsburgh. A major benefactor of the arts and education communities of Pittsburgh, his wife, Kathleen Hession White, his sister, and numerous nieces and nephews survive.

NORMAN H. WISSING, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, died May 20, 2003. He was 67. A member of Alpha Chi Rho, he retired from the air force as a lieutenant colonel after serving in Viet Nam and in the U.S.; he then became the commander of a Junior Air Force ROTC program. Survivors include his wife, Beverly, three children, two grandchildren, a sister, a niece, a nephew, and his former wife, Marilyn.

BRUCE R. WOLMER, the longtime editor and publisher of Art & Auctionmagazine, and an expert on the intricacies of the international art world, died Aug. 11, 2007, at age 59. He attended graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. Before joining Art & Auction, he was the executive editor of ARTnews magazine and an editor at Art & Antiques. He is survived by his wife, Colleen Babington, and his mother. (For more information, see the New York Times, August 16, 2007.)

DONALD D. WOLFF JR., 63, a chartered financial analyst, died Nov. 20, 2008. At Wesleyan, he was a member of Psi Upsilon and then earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He began his career in the financial services industry with the Mellon Bank, as an investment manager, and later became a founding partner of Guyasuta Investment Advisors (formerly Sheetz, Smith & Co.). He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Carolyn “Bunny” Davis Wolff, a daughter, a son, three grandchildren, and a sister.