Tag: 1941

Benson Buffham ’41 passed away on April 24, 2019. A full obituary can be found here.

J. ALDEN NICHOLS, 95, a retired professor of European history at the University of Illinois who had taught at Wesleyan, died June 28, 2014. A member of the John Wesley Club, he received his degree with high honors and with high distinction in history. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. During World War II he served as a conscientious objector. After receiving his master’s and PhD degrees from Columbia University, he taught at Wesleyan and at Skidmore College before returning to Wesleyan where he taught and was the managing editor of Daedalus, the journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which was then published by Wesleyan. In 1961 he joined the faculty of the University of Illinois. An authority on German history, he also created a new course at the University of Illinois that incorporated the music, art and literature of the Romantic period. An avid amateur musician, he was an active participant in local groups. His wife, Barbara Tuttle Nichols, and one son predeceased him. He is survived by a daughter-in-law with whom he lived, two daughters, five grandchildren, several step-grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

NORMAN M. THORNTON, 94, the retired business manager and chief financial officer of St. Andrews School in Middletown, Del., died Aug. 19, 2013. The brother of Robert D. Thornton of the class of 1939, he was a member of Chi Psi and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He received an MBA from Harvard University and, as an active community volunteer, offered his financial expertise to local organizations. His wife, Ruth Henderson Thornton, predeceased him. Survivors include a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren.

HARRY S. EDWARDS, a retired chemist and computer scientist, died July 11, 2013. He was 94. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he received his degree with honors and with distinction in chemistry. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi. In 1943 he received a master’s from Wesleyan and in 1950 he received a PhD in physical chemistry from Northwestern University. His career focused on nuclear technology, including his employment at General Electric, where he worked on a project to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft. He then worked at Argonne National Laboratory from 1968 until his retirement in 1984. Predeceased by his brother, Austin M. Edwards ’37, he is survived by a niece and nephew, as well as their children and grandchildren.

HARRY S. EDWARDS, a retired chemist and computer scientist, died July 11, 2013. He was 94. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he received his degree with honors and with distinction in chemistry. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi. In 1943 he received a master’s from Wesleyan and in 1950 he received a PhD in physical chemistry from Northwestern University. His career focused on nuclear technology, including his employment at General Electric, where he worked on a project to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft. He then worked at Argonne National Laboratory from 1968 until his retirement in 1984. Predeceased by his brother, Austin M. Edwards ’37, he is survived by a niece and nephew, as well as their children and grandchildren.

ROBERT C. BIRDSEY, a farmer and retired materials engineer for the State of Connecticut, died Nov. 27, 2013, at age 94. He lived his whole life in Middlefield, Conn., in the same house built by his grandfather on the farm that had been in the family for many generations. An avid musician, he was also well known for his collection of peonies, which numbered more than 200 varieties, and which have been the subject of feature articles over the years. He is survived by four children, eight grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.