Obituaries

SPENCER L. PLEHATY, a senior systems engineer with Norden, a division of United Aircraft Corp., and a consultant, died Aug. 4, 2017. He was 92. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which he joined the Naval Reserve and retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1970. He was an applied physicist with the U.S. Naval Ordnance Lab and then joined Norden. He was active in the Darien, Conn., town meeting for many years. His brother, Carl W. Plehaty Jr. ’41, predeceased him. A nephew, a sister-in-law, and several cousins survive.

ROBERT P. FOSTER JR., 93, a retired senior consultant at Prudential Insurance, and adviser to the president on special projects, died Oct. 12, 2017. He was the grandson of Addison B. Poland of the class of 1872, the son of Robert P. Foster of the class of 1921, and the nephew of John S. Foster of the class of 1922. A member of Eclectic, he entered Wesleyan with the class of 1945 but interrupted his college career to join the U.S. Army, where he served in the inspector general’s office at American headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. He returned to Wesleyan and received his degree in mathematics in 1947. Starting as an analyst at Prudential in 1947, he rose through the ranks, retiring in 1985. He particularly enjoyed his involvement in the transition through the 1960s and 1970s from hand-managed to computer-processed insurance operations. Among those who survive are his wife, Sally Ann Bianchi Foster, three children, seven grandchildren, and a cousin, John S. Foster Jr. ’58.

BURTON H. MULLER ’45, a retired professor of physics at the University of Wyoming, died July 9, 2017, at age 93. He received his degree with high honors and was elected to both Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he received a master’s degree from Yale University and a PhD from the University of Illinois. He joined the University of Wyoming faculty in 1953. An advocate for faculty retirement benefits, he was also the author of papers on theoretical physics. Survivors include his wife, Jacqueline Russell Muller, and two daughters.

ROBERT S. COHEN, Professor of Philosophy and Physics, Emeritus, at Boston University and co-founder of the Boston University Center for Philosophy and History of Science, died June 19, 2017. He was 94. A member of the John Wesley Club, he received his degree with high honors and was elected both to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi. He received master’s and PhD degrees from Yale University. From 1949 to 1957 he was an assistant professor of physics and philosophy at Wesleyan, after which he moved to Boston University, first as an associate professor of physics, and then as a professor of both philosophy and physics from 1959 until his retirement in 1993. During his time at Boston University, he served as chair of both the philosophy and physics departments, and also as acting dean of the college. He helped recruit many scholars to BU, was a visiting fellow at several European academies of science, and held visiting appointments at MIT; Brandeis; the University of California, San Diego; and Yale. He was also a research fellow in the history of science at Harvard University. A trustee emeritus of Wesleyan, he received an honorary degree in 1986. He was active politically and spoke out on behalf of the principles of justice and fairness that defined his fundamental political convictions. Two of his greatest achievements were the founding of the Boston University Center for Philosophy and History of Science, and the launch of the book series Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, both of which have had a transformative and lasting impact on the field. The Boston Colloquium for Philosophy of Science, sponsored by the Center, brings together dozens of top scholars from around the world every year to discuss the history, conceptual foundations, and methodologies of the sciences. At the time of his passing, more than 325 volumes, over 50 of which he co-edited, had been published in the Book Series. As well, he helped to establish the field of philosophy of science around the world by organizing these volumes in other countries. His first wife, Robin Hirshhorn Cohen, predeceased him, as did his brother-in-law, Gordon L. Hirshhorn ’59. Among those who survive are his second wife, Karin von Trotha-Cohen, three children, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

THEODORE NELSON JR., the founder of Reddington Counters, Inc., died May 30, 2017, at age 99. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta and served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific during World War II. He was the 1940 class agent for many years, maintaining updates about his classmates. The founder and CEO of Reddington Counters, he was instrumental in the design and sales of mechanical and digital numerical counters found world-wide, especially on gasoline pumps. An avid tennis player, he won many gold medals in senior competition. He was also involved in the protection and preservation of a beach in Rhode Island, and in 1983 received the Henry M. Morris Memorial Trophy for outstanding citizenship, leadership and service to the Weekapaug community. His wife, Mary Smith Nelson, to whom he had been married for 75 years, died in 2017. Survivors include four children; seven grandchildren, including Jaime Nelson El Helw ’98; and 13 great-grandchildren.

ASHLEY A. SANFORD, a musician and writer, died Mar. 8, 2017. She was 33 and had been in ill health for more than 10 years. A talented musician and writer, she was working on a memoir at the time of her death, hoping to help other Type I diabetics and organ transplant recipients. Her parents, Bruce and Marilou Sanford survive, as do her sister and brother, and a nephew and niece.

ANDREW F. WILLIAMSON, a high school English teacher and camp director, died May 5, 2017, at age 40. After receiving a master’s degree from Brown University in secondary English education, he taught high school English, most recently at Rolling Hills Preparatory School in San Pedro, Calif. A gifted athlete and lover of the outdoors, for many summers he shared this spirit with children as a staff member and director of Shire Village Camp. He is survived by his wife of two months, Erin Lanahan; his mother; his father; his brother; and a close friend, Abby Levine.

OBIDIMMA O. OKOBI, an educator who was a school principal in addition to being a mentor, motivational speaker, and outreach coordinator, died Apr. 3, 2017. She was 40. After receiving her degree in art with an interest in architectural history, she received a master’s degree in urban studies from Southern Connecticut State University, certification in elementary education from John Hopkins University, and a master’s degree in school leadership from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She was the principal of City Neighbors Hamilton School, in the Baltimore City public schools, and had also worked in various capacities in schools in the Baltimore area and in Connecticut. She personified the love of learning, commitment to students, and dedication to the principles of equity and justice that are the hallmark of a great educator. An active member of many organizations and communities, she focused on arts and culture, children, civil rights and social action, education, health, human rights, poverty alleviation, and social services. She served as mentor, motivational speaker, outreach coordinator, and girl’s lacrosse coach. An avid runner, she also captained lacrosse at Wesleyan. Among those who survive are her mother, Elsie Halliday Okobi, Ph.D., three brothers, her sister, and a large extended family and group of friends and colleagues.

JENNIFER F. LINK, an artist and poet, died Mar. 10, 2017, at age 54. After receiving her degree cum laude, she moved to San Francisco, where she worked for the Jewish Community Relations Council for almost 10 years while also pursuing her training in fine arts. She received an MFA degree from the University of San Francisco. Her work has been exhibited in numerous shows and online journals across the county, and she was a master of printmaking and collage. She taught art to children and collaborated on poetry and photography projects. She was also an avid genealogist. Survivors include her mother, Deborah S. Link, M.D., two sisters, six nieces and nephews, her aunt, and three cousins.