Obituaries

HARRY F. FORBES, a retired business executive, died Sept. 20, 2008. He was 83. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he was the brother of the late Duncan P. Forbes Jr. ’48 and of the late Daniel L. Taylor ’51. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He was associated with the Gunite Foundry, founded in 1854 by his great–great–great–grandfather, for many years before moving to Michigan to join his son in business. An avid golfer, he held the low amateur course record of 63 at the Rockford Country Club, and more recently, he wrote a novel about his World War II experiences in the South Pacific. His wife, Audrey Harrison Forbes, predeceased him. Among those who survive are three sons, including Gregory H. Forbes ’71; several grandchildren; a brother, George R. Forbes ’49; and a nephew, George R. Forbes Jr. ’71.

CHARLES G. DIBBLE, a retired attorney, died Sept. 9, 2005, at age 80. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he was the son of Lavern C. Dibble ’21 and the brother of the late Vernon K. Dibble ’54. He received his degree with honors and received his law degree from Harvard. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army. His law career included labor and management negotiating, and he served in numerous community capacities, including as mayor of Carpinteria, Calif. Survivors include his wife, Carol Meeker Dibble, five children, 12 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, several siblings, and a nephew, Timothy Dibble ’86.

JOHN D. COWAN, 86, who retired as an assistant vice president of Aetna Life and Casualty, died July 13, 2010. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, he received his degree with honors. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army Air Forces in Asia. Survivors include his wife, Elinor Chapin Cowan, three children, and eight grandchildren.

EDWARD J. COSGROVE, a public relations and personnel executive with the Southern New England Telephone Company for 33 years, died Sept. 2, 2006. He was 82. He was a member of Eclectic and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut. During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He was elected to three terms as a town selectman in Guilford, Conn., and served on community and political boards. Among those who survive are his wife, Constance Landry Cosgrove; five sons, including Sean E. Cosgrove ’79 and his wife, Georgia M. Cosgrove ’78; a daughter; seven grandchildren; and a brother and sister.

ARNOLD W. CAWLEY, 81, a retired teacher and a business owner, died Oct. 16, 2006. The son of Frank B. Cawley ’14, he was a member of Psi Upsilon and graduated with honors. He served in the US Army during World War II. He earned his MAT from Harvard and, in 1959, an MA from Wesleyan and taught high school English, primarily in the Middletown and West Hartford districts, until his retirement in 1979. Additionally, he and his wife had owned and operated the Cawley Christmas Tree Farm for many years. His survivors include his wife, Sarah Leland Cawley, four sons, a daughter, 13 grandchildren, his stepmother and his brother-in-law of Roger B. Leland ’51.

ROLLIN B. “Jim” BURTON JR., a retired salesman with Archer Daniels Midland/Union Bag & Paper Company, died May 7, 2012. He was 90. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he was the brother-in-law of Jackson K. Burton of the class of 1936. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. An outstanding athlete and a member of Wesleyan’s Athletics Hall of Fame, in 1948 he was the 69th player picked in the NFL draft. Survivors include his wife, Joanne “Fifi” Burton; five children; six grandchildren; and a large extended family, including cousins Lex Burton ’73 and Steven Burton ’74.

CARROLL H. BURNS JR., who retired as a vice president of Johnson & Higgins, died Apr. 21, 2005. He was 81. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and received a Bronze Star. Predeceased by his first wife, Jane Raynor Burns, he is survived by his wife, Marguerite Boylan Burns, two daughters, five grandchildren, and two brothers.

DENMAN H. BOYD, 80, a retired corporate executive, died July 5, 2007. He was a member of Eclectic and was the son of Darrell S. Boyd of the class of 1910, a Wesleyan trustee for many years. He attended Princeton University, served in the US Navy, and then received his degree from Wesleyan. His wife, Constance Holinger Boyd, predeceased him. Among those who survive are three children, four grandchildren, his twin brother, and a sister.

FRANK W. BORA JR., M.D., 82, an orthopedic surgeon, died Feb. 23, 2011. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he received his medical degree from New York Medical College and served in the U.S. Air Force. He is survived by his wife, Ann Gallagher Bora, five children, and seven grandchildren.

WARREN E. BELTRAMINI, 82, the retired owner of Plaza Paint and Wallpaper in New Jersey, died June 19, 2006. He was a member of Eclectic. Survivors include his wife, N. Beryl Clarihew Beltramini, three sons, a daughter, and seven grandchildren.