Tag: 1966

GUNTIS V. LEMESIS, 69, a corporate executive who specialized in employee compensation and benefits, died Jan. 13, 2013. He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi. After working for New York State Electric and Gas, Honeywell, and United Airlines, he rose to the rank of vice president at GTE, and then retired from Scientific-Atlanta. After retirement he worked as a consultant, mainly for nonprofits. During his career he taught courses and published articles in his field. He is survived by his wife, Susan Durden Lemesis, one daughter, two grandchildren, his brother and sister, and several nieces and nephews.

ROBERT L. CASEY, an energy service representative at Northeast Utilities, died Jan. 13, 2013, at age 69. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1970. Active in his Turners Falls, Mass., community, he served on the school committee. Survivors include his wife, Jo-Ann Sojka Casey, two children, four grandchildren, and his sister.

WILLIAM A. LEONE, a partner in his family’s three-generation law firm in East Hartford, Conn., died Feb. 25, 2012, at age 68.  He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and received his law degree from the University of Connecticut. After his admission to the Connecticut Bar he joined and later became a partner in Leone, Throwe, Teller and Nagle, which was founded by his father, and where he practiced law with his brother and law partner, Frank Leone ’71, and with his daughter. He was active in community projects, particularly in the Rotary Club. Survivors include his wife, Beverly Sogaro Leone, his mother, three daughters, five grandchildren, two brothers, including Frank Leone ’71, and a large extended family.

DOUGLAS S. KENDALL ’66, who retired as a chemist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, died July 23, 2012. He was 68. The son of David N. Kendall of the class of 1938, he was a member of Beta Theta Pi. He received his degree with honors from the College of Letters and was elected to both Phi Beta Kappa and to Sigma Xi, after which he received a PhD in chemistry from Harvard University.

A chemist at the EPA’s National Enforcement Investigation Center for 30 years, he received numerous awards, including the highest scientific honor given by the EPA, the Level 1 Scientific Technology Achievement Award. He was also an ardent supporter of environmental causes. Among those who survive are his wife, Barbara Brunoff Kendall, his son, a granddaughter, and two siblings.

WILLIAM H. GUSTAFSON, 62, William Howard Gustafson of Lubbock, Texas, a mathematician with an international reputation, died July 16, 2007 of cardiovascular disease in Lubbock. He was 62. He leaves two sisters, Judith Ann Gustafson Currier of North Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Nancy Gustafson Radoff of Old Saybrook, Connecticut. He also leaves a niece, Torie Kristina Radoff of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.Dr. Gustafson was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the son of the late Priscilla W. Gustafson and the late Howard I. Gustafson of Middletown, Connecticut. Dr. Gustafson attended public schools in Middletown, Connecticut and began his collegiate education at Wesleyan University in Middletown, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1966. He earned a masters degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1967 and a doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1970. He was a teaching fellow at the University of Illinois from 1966-1970. Dr. Gustafson was an assistant professor at Indiana University from 1970-1976, and a visiting assistant professor at Brandeis University from 1972-1973. He then joined the faculty of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University as an assistant professor in 1976. In 1980 he was promoted to associate professor and, in 1986, Dr. Gustafson was promoted to the rank of professor. He remained on the faculty until his retirement in 2003. Dr. Gustafson’s expertise was in ring theory and algebra, and he was knowledgeable about most of modern mathematics, according to his late colleague, Dr. Paul R. Halmos. Dr. Gustafson was one of many modern mathematicians who appeared in a collection of photographs compiled from Dr. Halmos’ private collection of snapshots and published in I Have a Photographic Memory, (American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island, 1987). He was invited by Dr. Halmos to contribute a chapter entitled, “On Products of Involutions” in Paul Halmos: Celebrating 50 Years of Mathematics, (Springer-Verlag, New York, in 1991). In addition, Dr. Gustafson was the author or co-author of over 40 published papers and he presented numerous invited addresses and colloquia throughout the country and in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Canada. He organized the department’s colloquium series for many years. In 1977, Dr. Gustafson was among the recipients of the Lester R. Ford Award, given annually by the Mathematical Association of America at the Summer Meeting of the association. The Lester R. Ford Awards were established in 1964 to recognize authors of articles of expository excellence published in The American Mathematical Monthly or Mathematics Magazine. Up to five of these awards are given annually. William P. Ziemer, William H. Wheeler, S.H. Moolgavkar, Paul R. Halmos, John H. Ewing and Dr. Gustafson were honored for “American mathematics from 1940 to the day before yesterday,” (American Mathematical Monthly 83 [1976], 503-516). In addition to his interest in mathematics, Dr. Gustafson enjoyed music, classical, jazz, and blues, and he played guitar from a young age. Dr. Gustafson became interested in amateur radio while visiting his brother-in-law, Richard E. Currier, an amateur radio operator (AA1FB). He studied for his license, eventually achieving the “Extra” license level. He had become interested in radio as a child when he and his father engaged in “SWL” (short wave listening). He often participated in field day with his father (KA1PPN), also an amateur radio operator, in Connecticut. He was a member of the Lubbock Amateur Radio Club for almost 20 years. He was considered to be one of the best CW (Morse code) operators in West Texas. Dr. Gustafson also served as a VE (volunteer examiner) certified to administer the test for new radio amateur operators. For many years, Dr. Gustafson traveled regularly all over the Southwest to amateur radio gatherings, swap-fests, and to meet and visit with his many radio friends. His key is now silent, KG5OV. Services will be held at a future date in North Falmouth, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Dr. Gustafson’s name may be made to the Lubbock Amateur Radio Club (3801-68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79413) to support its emergency mobile communications van or to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, (Box 41042, Lubbock, TX 79409-1042) at Texas Tech University.

JOHN W. EVERITT II, 65, president of David Jeffrey Associates, a financial consulting firm he founded, died July 4, 2009. The son of Theodore T. Everitt ’21, he was a member of Psi Upsilon and received his MBA from Columbia University. Before founding his company he worked for Morgan Guaranty Trust. Just prior to his death he had been elected to the Bellport (N.Y.) village board. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Ashcraft Everitt, and two sons.

WILLIAM P. CONNER, 67, the owner of C&C Machining in New Hampshire, died Nov. 29, 2011. A member of Chi Psi, he served in the U.S. Air Force. He received his master’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Among those who survive are his wife, Eleanor Yoder Conner, two sons, his mother, six grandchildren, and several siblings.

ROBERT B. BUSSEY, owner of Bridgham & Cook, Ltd., and the former headmaster of Miss Hall’s School, died Aug. 19, 2012. He was 68. A member of Psi Upsilon, he received a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. After teaching at The Pomfret School and The American School in Switzerland, he was appointed as headmaster at Miss Hall’s, the youngest boarding school headmaster in the country at that time. He left Miss Hall’s after eight years, and he and his brother opened Bridgham & Cook, Ltd., a purveyor of British goods, in Freeport, Maine. Survivors include his wife of 23 years, Anne Norment Bussey, two children from his previous marriages to Karen Back Bussey and Lisa S. Bussey, three grandchildren, three brothers and sisters, and a large extended family.