JOHN F. DODGE, a retired executive with the Boy Scouts of America, died Dec. 8, 2013. He was 84. A member of Sigma Chi, he was the son of Arthur C. Dodge of the class of 1923. He began his career with the Boy Scouts of America in 1952, which was an extension of his early scouting years. His wife, Joanne Abbott Dodge, predeceased him. Survivors include three children, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and his sister.
Thorne Griscom, he of the memorable mellifluous voice as a Jiber, retired after 49 years of service at Boston Children’s Hospital. In his honor, the hospital has established an endowed chair in children’s radiology, to be known as the “Thorne Griscom Chair.” Congratulations, Thorne!
Bill Morrill’s fabulously interesting book, A Journey Through Governance—A Public Servant’s Experience Under Six Presidents, has just been published and is available on Amazon. Bill served 25 years with the U.S. government in various capacities during administrations from Eisenhower to Carter. In this book, he relates his experiences inside the White House, the Capitol, and with presidents, senators, generals, and cabinet secretaries as they wrestled with one critical national issue after another. George Shultz, former Secretary of Labor, the Treasury, and State, says about the book, “Morrill brings vast and diverse experience to his views about a subject of critical importance: how we govern ourselves. . . . Everyone, whether in government or not, can learn from this book.”
Kim Zachos read Bill Morrill’s book and wrote, “Today’s level of political talent is a disappointment to all who trained under Shattschneider, Bailey, Schorske, and Mangone—creates all the more need for the likes of Bill Morrill. Hopefully, Bill’s book will help fill the need for talented and committed public servants. Thanks [to Bill] for putting his history into print for those of us who stayed on the edge.”
Our class president and first lady, Susie and Bill Wasch, hosted a great Wes reunion in San Francisco. Their daughter, Dr. Heidi Wasch ’84, and her husband, Dr. Bob Leversee ’84, came down from Seattle to meet them after they arrived from a cruise through the Panama Canal on the Queen Elizabeth. Bill arranged a reunion at the Marine Officers Club on Sutter St. with all three of Heidi’s senior year housemates, Veronica Masterson ’85, Maria Mead ’84, and Sophie Ziegler ’85. A photo of the jovial group, their spouses and children can be found in the online 1952 class notes: classnotes.blogs.wesleyan.edu/.
The Class of 1952 is about to make another significant contribution to Wesleyan. This time it is by way of Ken Taylor’s daughter-in-law, Victoria Pitts-Taylor, Ph.D, who will join Wesleyan in the fall of 2014 as Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of Feminist, Sexuality and Gender Studies. Another contribution of Ken’s is his daughter, Janet Taylor McCracken ’80, who is adding glow to Wesleyan’s crown as former Deputy Food Editor of Bon Appétit Magazine and now Test Kitchen Director at EveryDay. Ken is retired and living (with JoAnne) at Seabury Retirement Community in Bloomfield, Conn., after a 31-year career of serving the United Church of Christ (Congregational), most recently as Associate Minister of the CT Conference of the UCC.
Joe Proud has just surfaced after decades of flying under the class radar. Most of us remember Joe as a stellar distance runner on the track and cross-country teams, including the 1950 Little Three cross-country championship team. We also remember how, as president of DU, he led the move to break racial barriers by pledging the late Ed Beckham ’58, who later became Dean of the College at Wesleyan before moving on to a top position with the Ford Foundation.
Now comes the following new information (to us anyway) from sources other than Joe. After Wesleyan, Joe got a master’s and Ph.D in physics at Brown. He first joined Sandia Corp. and became responsible for the planning and conduct of experiments on full-scale nuclear explosions at the Nevada Test Site and in the South Pacific. He next cofounded Ikor, Inc. and earned international recognition for his work on high field breakdown in gases on a sub-nanosecond time scale. Although this work was originally motivated by a need to define limits on high power radar propagation in the upper atmosphere, the results provided physical insights and a data base needed in the development of high power gas lasers a decade later. (Yes, your scribe’s eyes have already glazed over in writing this!)
The last 20 years of Joe’s career were spent with GTE Laboratories, where his principal research focused on new light source technology involving electrode-less excitation of plasmas. Joe was responsible for more than 50 patents in this area. As you can imagine, Joe’s expertise resulted in his being the chair of numerous high level conferences over the years, including several gaseous electronics conferences. In 1983, he served as scientific director of a NATO Advanced Study Institute. In 1990, as a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), he became a founding member of the Plasma Science Committee. He subsequently served on the NAS board on physics and astronomy. Would Professors Eaton and Van Dyke be ecstatic or what?!
But Joe is not “all work and no play.” Over time, he has honed natural and acquired skills in woodworking, painting, and antique car restoration. One specialty is reproduction period furniture and clocks, crafted from cherry and walnut hardwoods. Another is acrylic and oil painting, in which he is self-taught, his preferred subjects being landscapes and Florida birds. His restoration projects have consisted of at least four vintage MG T cars from the frame up, including metal work, sand blasting, painting, wiring, engine rebuilding, and upholstery.
Meanwhile, Joe has somehow found time before and after retiring to serve on several town boards in Sudbury, Mass., where he resides. He has been a widower since 1998, has an adult son and daughter, and four grandchildren. Without question, Joe qualifies as a Renaissance man!
More sad news. Don Friedman died Aug. 11, 2013. A lifelong resident of Denver, Don served seven terms as a Republican Colorado state representative, had a radio talk show, was a successful real estate developer and was active in many organizations. A complete obituary was published in the Denver Post on Aug. 13, 2013.
Mel Roboff died April 14, 2014 A long-time resident of Needham, Mass., Mel had a distinguished career as a marketing consultant for firms like Underwood Deviled Ham and Converse sneakers. Affectionately known as “Uncle Mel” by family members of some Alpha Delt classmates, Mel is survived by two daughters, Katherine and Julia.
DONALD T. SANDERS | dtsanders1@sbcglobal.net
33 Sunny Hill Drive, Madison, CT 06443
JOSEPH H. McCABE, who retired as international credit manager at the Stanley Works after a 40-year career there, died Aug. 8, 2013, at age 83. The brother of James E. McCabe of the class of 1939, he was a member of Eclectic. He played first base for Wesleyan’s varsity baseball team. Survivors include his three children, three grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews, as well as the mother of his children, Roberta King McCabe. One daughter predeceased him.
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.
DWIGHT VAN de VATE JR. ’52, a retired professor of philosophy at the University of Tennessee, died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 84. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he enrolled at Wesleyan, where he was a member of Gamma Psi, received his degree with honors, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received both an MA and a PhD from Yale University. His career began at Florida State University; he then taught at the University of Mississippi and Memphis State University before he joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee, where he spent 33 years.
The author of numerous books and articles, he was also active in civic affairs and was an accomplished painter. He is survived by his wife, Anita Van de Vate, three children, two stepchildren, six grandchildren, his brother, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Walter Pories, M.D., was recently honored by the Harris County (Texas) Medical Society and Houston Academy of Medicine as a “renowned surgeon, educator, and international leader in research” with the prestigious John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award. This award recognizes “a multi-accomplished physician who exemplifies the Oslerian ideals of medical excellence, humane and ethical care, commitment to medical humanities and writing, research, and harmony between the academician and medical practitioner.” Congratulations, Walter!
Once again, we report with sadness the death of another of our classmates, Joe McCabe, on Aug. 8, 2013. You can find an obituary online at hartfordcourant.com, as well a notice in the magazine, with an obituary in the online magazine (Go to wesleyan.edu and follow the links to the magazine). We extend our very sincere sympathy to Joe’s family
Hal Buckingham reports that he had lunch in Worcester, Mass., with Don Kipp ’52 and ’56 whom he hadn’t seen since 1950 when he left Wesleyan for the service. “We picked right up where we left off 65 years ago!” Hal says, and adds, “Don told me a very interesting story that is well worth passing along: One of his roommates and fellow Psi U brothers sophomore year was the late Paul Kerr. Paul had a brand new blue Pontiac convertible. That in itself was unbelievable for a Wesleyan student in those days! But Paul was unbelievable, too!
“It seems that Paul spotted the photographic portrait of a Joan Appleton on the Dec. 12, 1949, cover of Life Magazine. Paul was smitten. He learned that this young woman was a student at Wellesley, so he gassed up his Pontiac and took off for Wellesley determined to meet her.
“Arriving at Wellesley, he sweet-talked himself past the housemother of Joan’s dorm and soon down the stairs came ‘the’ Joan Appleton. The only thing known to have transpired during that encounter was Paul’s invitation to Joan be his date at the next House Party Weekend at Wesleyan. And Joan accepted, as fate would have it!
“The term ‘bird dogging’ was prevalent back then. It was used to describe the actions of a fellow student/fraternity brother without a date who would ‘take over’ someone else’s date.
“Whether Chip Stone ’49 was guilty of bird dogging or not, and he claims no memory of even having been at that House Party, he met Joan for the first time on that occasion when she was Paul’s date. The rest is history, as the saying goes. Miss Appleton soon became Mrs. Charles B. Stone, Jr. and has remained that to this day, all thanks to a Life Magazine cover photo, a blue Pontiac convertible, and an assertive Paul Kerr.”
Hal adds: “Interestingly, his street number is 52 as shown in the photo. (He started with us, but is listed with his graduating class of ’56, I think.)”
DONALD T. SANDERS
33 Sunny Hill Drive, Madison, CT 06443
dtsanders1@sbcglobal.net
G. Vance Smith Jr., an advertising, public relations, and marketing executive, died Feb. 22, 2009. He was 78. At Wesleyan, he was a member of Chi Psi. After beginning his career with Central Advertising Agency, he also served as a vice president of Standard Life Insurance Company of Indiana and retired from the Indianapolis Star in 1998. He was an Eagle Scout and served on numerous local and civic boards. His wife of 49 years, Virginia Reavis Smith, survives him. Also surviving are a daughter, a son, a sister, and three grandchildren.
GEORGE E. SLYE, 81, the co-founder of Spaulding & Slye Corporation, a national real estate company, died July 13, 2012. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and received his degree from Babson Institute. A U.S. Navy veteran, he began his career in 1958 at Texaco, Incorporated, where he worked in sales promotion and real estate—specifically, developing and executing plans to leverage the federal highway program started by the Eisenhower administration. A career in real estate planning, development, construction, and management began at Dwight Building Company of New Haven and continued at American Urban Corporation of Meriden, Conn., where he served as Executive Vice President and Secretary and oversaw numerous mixed-use and industrial park developments. Having met his future business partner, Charles Hank Spaulding, at an Urban Land Conference in 1965, George co-founded Spaulding & Slye Company in 1966 and grew the business from a local urban and suburban development concern into a nationally recognized full-service real estate platform with an active presence throughout the Boston-Washington corridor, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Birmingham among other locations. Following a planned transition of leadership at Spaulding & Slye between 1981 and 1987, he founded GESCOM, a diversified investment platform, through which he joined numerous Boards and started several new business ventures. He pursued business interests in communications, banking, and real estate. He purchased Hayden Tolzmann & Associates, which was subsequently sold to Boston Mortgage. He served as a director on two real estate investment trusts for Travelers Insurance Company, as advisor to RealEnergy and Brentwood Capital Partners, and was a trustee at Babson College, where he started the Babson Center for Real Estate and was also awarded the Babson Medal for Distinguished Accomplishment and Service. He served on the Wesleyan University Hill Committee, as well as on many other boards of educational and community institutions. Among his hobbies was modeling (railroads and buildings), and his work was seen in National Geographic as well as on public television. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Goodwin Slye; four children, including Paul E. Slye ’84; a stepson; his brother; 12 grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren. His first wife and the mother of his children, Susan M. Mayer, predeceased him.
