Obituaries

CAROLE J. MURPHY, 74, a published poet, a college professor, and the owner of Wild Mountain Thyme in Pennington Gap, Va., died Oct. 27, 2016. At Wesleyan she was an Etherington Scholar, a member of the first group of non-traditional students returning to college through the community college system. She received a master’s degree from Wesleyan in religious studies in 1981. Throughout her career, she worked and taught at Berea College, Middlesex Community College, Bangor Theological Seminary, and Mountain Empire Community College. She was honored as the MECC Adjunct Faculty of the Year in 2015. As a published poet, her poem “Annie’s Night Out” was selected as a Chapbook Award winner by Nightshade Press in Maine, followed by other publications, including a poem published in Anthology of Adrienne Rich. She also owned and operated a shop, Wild Mountain Thyme. Among those who survive are two daughters, one granddaughter, two great-grandchildren, and an extended family.

THOMAS C. TUCKER, 62, an insurance executive and a survivor of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City, died Aug. 31, 2017. He received a master’s degree and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and also attended the Wharton School of Business insurance executive program. During a career spanning almost 40 years, he held positions as the Chief Underwriting Officer for the Hartford Insurance Company’s Commercial Markets Division and Senior Vice President of the Specialty Commercial segment. Prior to joining The Hartford, he worked at AIG, where he served as Chief Underwriting Officer and Chief Risk Officer for its U.S. operations. He spent the first 20 years of his career at the Travelers Insurance Company. During the 9/11 terrorist attack he helped a number of strangers to safety. Survivors include his wife, Maureen Gorman; his parents, Floyd J. and Geraldine Tucker; three sisters; and several nieces and nephews.

ANDREW C. THOMAS, an attorney at Idaho Legal Aid Services for 42 years, died July 17, 2017. He was 67. A member of Kappa Nu Kappa, he received his law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1975. He devoted his entire professional career to providing free legal services to low-income people in cases involving housing, family, public benefits, and senior law. A leader in his community, he served in many community organizations and also served as president of the Third District Bar Association. He was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of statutes and obscure procedural rules. As well, his compassion for his clients was legendary, and it was known that he would sometimes give his eviction clients a month’s rent to help them when there was no legal argument to save them. A voracious reader and aficionado of popular culture, he had a wide circle of friends. Survivors include his brother, John Thomas, and a nephew. For the past year he was cared for by his good friend, Kathy Farber.

MICHAEL E. HUNTER, 67, an organist and choirmaster, as well as a countertenor, died May 30, 2017. He was a member of Kappa Nu Kappa and received a master’s degree from Wesleyan in 1973. Passionate about church music, he served churches in Connecticut and sang in the choirs at St. Thomas Church in New York City, and at Christ Church and St. Mary’s in New Haven, Conn. In 1999 he moved to Tampa, Fla., and became active at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, serving as director of music and organist until his retirement in 2016. He was a member of both the American Guild of Organists, for which he had been a regional councilor, and the Association of Anglican Musicians, for which he had chaired a national conference in 2015. He is survived by several cousins and many friends and colleagues.

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.