Faculty and staff

Harold Sanders, a former senior research associate in the Enrico Fermi Institute and head of the University’s Electronics Development Group, died September 1 in Chicago. He was 94. Trained as an engineer at the City College of New York, at Columbia University, and in the US Army, Sanders began his career in high-energy physics at the Princeton-Pennsylvania Accelerator Laboratory. Joining the Electronics Development Group in 1977, he contributed to landmark discoveries related to the top quark and Higgs boson, among others, before retiring at age 77. Sanders enjoyed sailing and world travel. He is survived by his wife, Deloris; three children, including Karen Sanders, LAB’80, and Lisa Sensat, LAB’83; and three grandchildren.

Willard I. “Bill” Zangwill, professor emeritus of management science, of Bethesda, MD, died October 14. He was 87. A US Navy veteran, Zangwill completed graduate degrees in statistics and operations research at Stanford. Prior to joining the Chicago Booth faculty in 1978—where he stayed until his retirement—he held positions at the University of California, Berkeley; at the University of Illinois; and in the federal government. Zangwill published four books and more than 50 papers on the theory and application of operations research and management science. His research led him to create algorithms and processes to improve decision-making as well as software for decision-making that has been widely applied in business and for homeland security. He also consulted for General Electric, the RAND Corporation, IBM, and other companies. Survivors include his wife, Julia; two children; a brother; and four grandchildren.

1940s

Andrene P. (Granquist) Heathcote, PhB’47, died February 22, 2025, in Dowagiac, MI. She was 98. With her master’s degree in teaching from Michigan State University, Heathcote taught middle school math in Lakeshore Public Schools from 1964 to 1986. She traveled the world after retirement, settled into her home on Indian Lake, and was a member and volunteer at Silver Creek United Methodist Church in Dowagiac. Survivors include two sons, six grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

John H. “Jack” Bennett, PhB’48, MBA’55, died January 12, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was 96. Bennett joined the Dow Chemical Company in Chicago and later moved to Midland, MI, in 1962. During his six decades in Midland, he volunteered at the Midland Center for the Arts, Habitat for Humanity, and the local hospital. He and his wife were also active members of Trinity Lutheran Church. He is survived by a daughter, a grandchild, and two great-grandchildren.

Bruce Sagan, EX’49, died September 21 in Chicago. He was 96. The longtime owner and publisher of the Hyde Park Herald, Sagan was a force in Chicago journalism and civic life for more than seven decades. After buying the Herald in 1953 at age 24, Sagan turned the struggling neighborhood weekly into a platform for investigative reporting and built one of the country’s largest community newspaper groups. He also chaired the Illinois Housing Development Authority and cofounded the Hyde Park Federal Savings and Loan. In 2022 President Joe Biden awarded Sagan a National Medal of Arts—the highest award given by the federal government to artists and arts patrons—for his contributions to Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Printers Row Lit Fest, and many other cultural institutions. He is survived by his wife, Bette Cerf Hill; two sons, including Paul Sagan, LAB’77; three stepdaughters; 12 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Richard Harry “Dick” Allen, AB’49, AM’56, of Lincoln, NE, died June 22. He was 96. After graduating from the College and earning a master’s degree in German at UChicago, Allen completed a master’s in library science as well as a doctorate in German at the University of Michigan. He taught German at the University of Nebraska for seven years before becoming a public librarian in Beatrice, NE, and worked as a consultant for the Nebraska Library Commission from 1977 to 1994. Active in many civic and book discussion groups, Allen was instrumental in starting the Nebraska Center for the Book. He is survived by his wife, Mary Rabenberg; three sons; and his grandchildren.

Renata Vitzthum Shaw, AM’49, died August 10 in Washington, DC. She was 99. Born and raised in Finland, Shaw studied art history at UChicago, where she met her husband, Russell Ramon Baskin Shaw, EX’50, who died in 2002. After earning a master’s degree in library science in 1962, she joined the Library of Congress, where she worked for 28 years in the prints and photographs division and received a Meritorious Service Award in 1975. A polyglot and lifelong learner, Shaw took fine arts and language classes in retirement and enjoyed swimming well into her 90s. Survivors include two children, a brother, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

1950s

Eugene “Gene” Pollack, AB’51, of Castro Valley, CA, died August 8. He was 93. Pollack graduated from the College at age 19 and attended New York University School of Medicine. After serving as a medical officer in the US Air Force, he completed his surgical residency and moved to Southern California. Pollack treated patients at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center as a general surgeon from 1963 until his retirement in 1997 and lived his last years in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is survived by a daughter, a son, a stepdaughter, a stepson, and a grandchild.

Charlie Rosen, AM’51, of Dedham, MA, died July 10, 2024. He was 96. A US Army veteran, Rosen started Plywood Ranch, a New England home improvement supply store, in 1954. After growing the business to 30 stores, he sold it in 1985 to work in real estate development. For many years Rosen spent winters in Longboat Key, FL, and summers in Falmouth, MA, enjoying tennis and golf. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; two daughters; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Saul Mendlovitz, AM’51, JD’54, died March 29, 2024, in New York. He was 99. Mendlovitz was the Dag Hammerskjold Chair of Peace and World Order Studies at Rutgers Law School from 1956 to 2023, where he taught until age 98. As the founding director of the World Order Models Project and chair of the International Steering Committee of Global Action to Prevent War, Mendlovitz promoted the abolition of war and fostered the development of plans for world peace. He represented the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms at the United Nations and wrote and spoke extensively on international law and a just world order.

Donald Baker, JD’54, of Kenilworth, IL, died November 3. He was 96. In 1954 Baker joined his father and two brothers at Baker & McKenzie, a law firm his father had cofounded to serve clients internationally. Donald Baker helped open the firm’s first overseas office in Venezuela and went on to build the firm’s foreign trade and international tax practice. After he retired in 1994, he launched a start-up airline; invested in real estate, bioscience, and oil and gas exploration; and treasured summers at the family ranch in New Mexico. Survivors include his wife, Gisela; a daughter; two sons; and five grandchildren.

Barry Targan, AM’55, of Greenwich, NY, died November 12. He was 92. A writer, Targan taught at several universities and directed the creative writing program at Binghamton University, State University of New York. His published essays, novels, and short story collections include Harry Belten and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (1975), which won the Iowa School of Letters Award for Short Fiction. Targan was a prolific artist in ceramics, weaving, painting, and woodworking, building 17 wooden boats. Survivors include two sons, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Daniel P. Kunitz, AB’55, AB’56, AM’61, of Newton, MA, died March 31, 2025. He was 90. Kunitz was a passionate public school teacher for more than 50 years and was involved in several community charities. His wife, Joan (Molner) Kunitz, EX’57, died in 2018. He is survived by three children, including Laurel J. Simkovich, AB’79; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Dan M. Moose, AM’57, of Cleveland Heights, OH, died December 26, 2024. He was 95. A Purdue University graduate, Moose studied economics at UChicago. He served in the US Army Reserves from 1950 to 1962 and developed a lifelong love of trains from his time in the Army Transportation Corps. Working and raising a family in Cleveland Heights, Moose was active in Communion of Saints Parish and enjoyed ice-skating, hockey, sailing, and spending summers at the family cottage on the shores of Lake Erie. He is survived by his wife, Geraldine; six children; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

William “Bill” Stoddart, MBA’57, died December 5, 2024, in Burlington, Ontario. He was 93. Stoddart attended the University of Manitoba and worked in finance for Great West Life and Stelco in Canada. Pivoting to a second career in education, he taught classes and headed the business department at Mohawk College until his retirement in 1993. With his interest in woodworking and architecture, Stoddart helped design a modern cottage for his family on Pigeon Lake in central Ontario; he also enjoyed running, hiking, and crafting furniture. Survivors include his wife, Janet; four children; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

1960s

Jeremy E. Baptist, SB’60, PhD’66, of Overland Park, KS, died August 31. He was 85. Baptist completed medical school at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and became an allergist and immunologist. Over his 40-year career, he first practiced at Speer Clinic and later founded, owned, and served as medical director of Allergy Link in Overland Park. Following the dictum “Treat the cause, not just the symptom,” he helped patients with complex medical issues such as allergies, asthma, fibromyalgia, and autism spectrum disorder. Baptist was also active in his church. Survivors include three children, three stepchildren, four siblings, and 13 grandchildren.

Cynthia Whitsell, AM’61, died August 20 in San Francisco. She was 91. Whitsell studied theater at Northwestern University and literature at UChicago. She performed at Chicago’s Happy Medium nightclub and in summer stock productions before being hired, in 1983, to teach in and run the drama program at Katherine Delmar Burke School for girls in San Francisco. During her 29 years in that role, Whitsell often adapted or created plays to give more students opportunities to be on stage. She enjoyed swimming and time with extended family living in Mexico, Texas, and Virginia. Survivors include her husband, Charles; two daughters; a stepdaughter; a sister; two grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Donald H. Sanborn Jr., AB’61, AM’64, died May 16, 2025, in Elgin, IL. He was 87. Sanborn studied humanities and philosophy at UChicago and taught those subjects for 32 years at the City Colleges of Chicago—first at Wilbur Wright College and later at Harold Washington College. Sanborn also served on system-wide planning and curriculum committees and was a founding member and past president of the Association for Development of Philosophy Teaching. Survivors include a son and two grandchildren.

Earl Burdette “Burt” Olson Jr., SB’61, of Madison, WI, died September 12. He was 85. With his doctorate in biochemistry, Olson joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s medical school pediatrics faculty, moving later to the population health sciences department. His research focused on lung development and how the brain controls breathing. Olson also taught students in environmental toxicology and public health, retiring in 2008 but teaching until 2018. He was an active member of Bethel Lutheran Church for more than 55 years, serving on the church council, leading Bible studies, volunteering for service trips, and more. He is survived by three daughters, including Jill de Jong, AB’90, associate professor of pediatrics; a son; five siblings; six grandchildren, including Derek de Jong, LAB’19, Jacob de Jong, LAB’23, and Liam de Jong, LAB’23; and three step-grandchildren.

Judith MacBain Alter, AB’61, died July 13, 2024, in Fort Worth, TX. She was 85. The author of more than 100 books, Alter earned a master’s degree in education from Truman State University and a PhD in English from Texas Christian University (TCU), concentrating on literature of the American West. She wrote award-winning fiction and nonfiction titles for young adult and adult readers, often dealing with Texas history, stories, and people. From 1982 to 2009 Alter served as editor and then director of TCU Press, and she continued publishing books in retirement. She is survived by four children and seven grandchildren.

Jan Grayson, SB’62, MBA’65, of Louisville, KY, died October 19. He was 84. Grayson, a US Army veteran and former Chicago Public Schools math teacher, worked at the consulting firms now known as Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers before governor-elect Jim Edgar tapped him in 1990 to lead what is today the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Grayson later established his own consultancy and served on numerous nonprofit boards, including those of what is now the Chicago Architecture Center, which he chaired, and Court Theatre as well as the Actors Theatre of Louisville after his move there in 2014. He is survived by a brother.

Han-Kyo Kim, AM’57, PhD’62, of Cincinnati, died October 17. He was 96. Born in what is today Daegu, South Korea, Kim studied at Seoul National University and worked as a translator and journalist during the Korean War. Sponsored by an American benefactor, Kim left Korea to earn an undergraduate degree at Swarthmore College prior to his graduate studies. As a longtime professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati, Kim focused his teaching and scholarship on Korean politics and history and mentored many graduate students. Survivors include two daughters and five grandchildren.

Richard J. “Dick” Shaker, SB’62, SM’63, PhD’68, of Annapolis, MD, died September 14. He was 83. With three degrees in mathematics, Shaker spent 26 years at the National Security Agency, where he was chief mathematician. He won two Mathematics Society Awards for his technical papers and later received the NSA’s Cryptologic Literature Award and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service. Founding Shaker Financial Services in 1995, he pioneered the quantitative strategy of discount capture using closed-end funds. Shaker achieved Bronze Life Master status as a bridge player and invested in two successful Broadway musicals. He is survived by his wife, Roberta; a daughter; two sons, including Richard J. Shaker Jr., SB’86; and five grandchildren.

Carole Ann Hughes, AB’63 (Class of 1964), AM’65, JD’67, of San Francisco, died July 26. She was 83. With an MA from what was then the School of Social Service Administration, Hughes enrolled in the Law School. A member of the State Bar of California since 1969, Hughes worked at Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the US Postal Service. In the mid-1970s she represented two former flight attendants in a sex discrimination lawsuit against United Airlines in the District Court for the Northern District of California, one of many such cases that led to the eventual reversal of the airline industry policy prohibiting married women from working as flight attendants.

Stanley Luis Vodraska, AM’63, died October 15 in Lancaster, NH. He was 90. A US Navy veteran, Vodraska graduated from St. John’s University through the GI Bill. He continued his education as a Fulbright Scholar in Belgium and as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at UChicago. For 40 years Vodraska taught philosophy at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, specializing in the philosophy of the family. During that time he also completed his PhD in philosophy at the Warburg Institute, University of London. Survivors include two daughters; a son, Adam Vodraska, AB’85; and five grandchildren.

Jerry McBeath, AB’63, AM’64, of Fairbanks, AK, died November 18, 2024. He was 82. Earning his PhD in political science at the University of California, Berkeley, McBeath taught at the University of Alaska Fairbanks from 1976 to 2014. A pioneer in the study of Alaskan and circumpolar Northern politics, he published on topics including environmental governance and East Asian politics. McBeath was active in local and state politics and served as a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar, a visiting professor at several Chinese universities, and a board member of the American Association for Chinese Studies. He is survived by his wife, Jenifer; two children; a brother; and two grandchildren.

L. Keith Brown, AM’61, PhD’64, died July 24 in Honolulu. He was 92. An Iowa State University graduate and US Marine Corps veteran, Brown studied anthropology at UChicago. During his 40 years on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh, Brown served as anthropology department chair and director of Asian studies; he was also awarded Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure for his contributions to Japanese studies. He is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Troy Lee Armstrong, AB’65, of Sacramento, CA, died February 25, 2025. He was 82. With his doctorate from Boston University, Armstrong became a professor of anthropology at California State University, Sacramento. He dedicated his professional life to the field of criminal anthropology—teaching, consulting, and publishing books on the topic while advocating for youth in the criminal justice system. Outside of academia, Armstrong was a devoted home winemaker and Chicago sports fan. He is survived by his wife, Judy; two children; and a grandchild.

Mary Jo Pugh, AB’66, died February 9, 2025, in Roseville, CA. She was 80. Pugh discovered her life’s work as an archivist at the University of Michigan, where she earned master’s degrees in history and library science. In California Pugh became a consulting archivist with the Smithsonian Institution, Eugene O’Neill Foundation, and Bank of America. She taught archival administration at three universities, published Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts (2005)—still used in the field today—and edited The American Archivist journal. She also loved the outdoors, especially hiking in the Mission Mountains of Montana. Survivors include two children, four siblings, and a grandchild.

Orlando T. Coryell, MBA’67, of La Grange, IL, died May 30, 2025. He was 93. Coryell took night classes at three universities while he worked for an insurance company, earning enough credits to obtain his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. He enrolled at Chicago Booth, continuing his day job and also teaching at a local technical institute once a week. Coryell moved to La Grange in 1972 and was active in the local community. Survivors include his partner, Cynthia; a daughter; and two grandchildren.

James N. “Jim” Williams Jr., JD’67, of Jeffersonville, IN, died December 7, 2024. He was 81. Williams was a lawyer for 45 years who practiced with two Louisville, KY, firms: Wyatt, Grafton & Sloss and later Middleton & Reutlinger. In 2001 he was appointed to the Indiana State Ethics Commission. He also served on many church and community boards, such as the Louisville Orchestra and the Clark County Youth Shelter. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; two sons; and four grandchildren.

F. Carlene Bryant, AB’67, of Sebastopol, CA, died September 7, 2024. She was 79. Bryant studied anthropology in the College and at Cornell University, where she received her PhD. She dedicated most of her career to helping build a company that provided consulting and development services in the power and energy field. Bryant brought an anthropologist’s eye to her daily life, and enjoyed sharing her insights about American culture with family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Harry; two sons; and three grandchildren.

Jerry Alan Yarbrough, MBA’67, of Fort Smith, AR, died January 27, 2025. He was 86. Trained as a chemical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yarbrough worked first at Sinclair Research Laboratories and later at Crane Company in Chicago while pursuing his MBA in financial analysis. Moving back to Fort Smith—his hometown—Yarbrough held various positions at Arkansas Best Corporation (now ArcBest) from 1968 to 2004, including director of economic analysis and senior vice president of operations. He is survived by his wife, Mary Suffudy; a daughter, Margaret “Greta” Yarbrough, AB’86; a son; a sister; and a grandchild.

L. Jorn Dakin, JD’64, MBA’66, EX’68, died September 24 in Pittsburgh. He was 84. A lifelong scholar, Dakin graduated from the University of Michigan, earned two professional degrees and studied economics at UChicago, and completed an LLM at George Mason University in his retirement. He taught at the University of Kansas and the University of North Florida before settling into a career as an attorney with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, DC, where he also volunteered with the Universalist National Memorial Church. Survivors include two children, a sister, and two grandchildren.

David Kwok-Wing Lo, PhD’68, of Ellicott City, MD, died November 10. He was 85. With chemistry and physics degrees from the University of Hong Kong, Lo came to UChicago on scholarship, where he received his doctorate in organic chemistry and met his wife through the Chinese Student Association. As an analytical chemist at Westvaco Corporation—a Maryland paper company—Lo developed three patents, worked on the US Postal Service’s first self-adhesive souvenir stamp sheet, and designed processes for paper recycling. He was also a stamp collector, writer, and translator. He is survived by his wife, Tzee-Nan Kuo Lo, SM’64, PhD’66; three children; a sister; and five grandchildren.

Naomi (Maizel) Berne, PhD’68, died March 26, 2025, in New York. She was 83. Berne, a Brooklyn College graduate, earned her doctorate in clinical psychology and received postdoctoral training at New York University. She worked as a clinician in private practice and at the Abbott House, Alcott School, Pleasantville Cottage School, and Pathways Children’s School, all in the state of New York. Berne was recognized with the 2005 Friend of the Child Award from Pathways and the Robert Maslow Excellence in Practice Award from the Jewish Child Care Association. Survivors include her husband, Bruce Berne, PhD’64; two sons; and two siblings.

J. Christian Kennedy, AB’69, of Fairfax, VA, died February 17, 2025. He was 77. After studying Romance languages and literatures in the College, Kennedy spent a decade in Colombia teaching English and running a binational center in the city of Bucaramanga. Joining the foreign service in 1980, he served in Mexico, Guyana, Poland, and Washington, DC, and was appointed US ambassador and special envoy for post-Holocaust issues in 2006. In retirement Kennedy and his wife lived in Colombia and the Washington, DC, area, and he volunteered with the Defiant Requiem Foundation and other organizations promoting tolerance and education. He is survived by his wife, Luz-Marina; two daughters; a son; and two grandchildren.

John Wasserstrass, SB’69, died July 10, 2024, in Beloit, WI. He was 76. Wasserstrass studied mathematics in the College before serving in the US Army in Vietnam; he later obtained master’s degrees in math education and engineering. For 26 years he worked as a software engineer at Beloit Corporation, retiring in 1999. He also taught high school and college math in Wisconsin, Illinois, and South Carolina. Outside of work, Wasserstrass enjoyed playing and coaching volleyball and playing the violin. He is survived by two daughters, two siblings, and three grandchildren.

1970s

Guy J. Bacci II, MBA’70, of Vero Beach, FL, died December 9, 2024. He was 98. Bacci served in the US Navy during World War II and graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in industrial engineering. At International Harvester, he became manager for manufacturing engineering and later retired from the company to launch Amacon, an engineering consulting firm. Bacci was a lifelong golfer and a member of the Vero Beach Elks Lodge. He is survived by his wife, Angeline; a son; a brother; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Michael Abbott Grossman, EX’70, of Massachusetts, died on July 15. He was 81. Grossman, who served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Vietnam, studied applied and theoretical mathematics at UChicago and Stony Brook University, State University of New York. After teaching at Babson College and Boston University, Grossman became owner and president of Strategic Advantage, a company supporting the design, analysis, and interpretation of clinical studies for medical device and pharmaceutical clients. He was a member of Temple Emanuel in Newton, MA, and Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA. Survivors include his wife, Louise, and a daughter.

Gordon Lee Kipling, AM’66, PhD’71, died July 24 in Minneapolis. He was 82. With his doctorate in English literature, Kipling joined the UCLA faculty in 1969 and remained there—except for research trips abroad—for more than four decades. A specialist in medieval and Tudor drama, Kipling received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Fulbright scholarship, as well as the David Bevington Award for his book Enter the King: Theatre, Liturgy, and Ritual in the Medieval Civic Triumph (1998). After retiring in 2011, Kipling relocated to Minneapolis with his wife, Janet, to be closer to family and the Guthrie Theater. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, and six grandchildren.

Richard Earl “Dick” Wayman, MBA’71, died February 14, 2023, in San Diego. He was 88. Trained in accounting, Wayman held positions at Arthur Andersen, TransUnion, the Chicago Tribune, and Amway Corporation during his business career. Living in Illinois, Michigan, and California, he was active in local churches, state and local library organizations, and the American Library Association. A longtime library volunteer, Wayman helped raise funds to build the Ramona Library in San Diego County, where the technology center bears his name. Survivors include his wife, Joan; two sons; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Stanley Thomas Fischer, JD’72, of Anchorage, AK, died September 20. He was 82. Fischer was a first-generation college student and US Army Intelligence Corps veteran. Early in his legal career, he helped establish the consumer protection section of the Alaska attorney general’s office. Fischer opened a private law practice in Kodiak, AK, in 1978. He later headed the Anchorage attorney general’s office. In retirement he earned a master’s degree in teaching and taught English in Alaska and China; he also ran marathons and loved camping, fishing, hiking, and biking. Survivors include his wife, Jeanne.

Christopher P. Knight, AB’73, of Saratoga Springs, NY, died September 9. He was 73. Following his undergraduate studies, Knight spent several years on archaeological digs in England, and the remainder of his career working in banking technology in New York City.

David Robert Stevenson, AB’74, died December 6, 2024, in Portland, OR. He was 72. Stevenson studied mathematics at Stanford and moved in 1991 to Springfield, OR, where he and his wife established a commercial blueberry farm. The couple enjoyed the company of their six dogs and loved music and travel. A long-distance runner, Stevenson completed more than 100 marathons and eight 100-mile races. Survivors include his wife, Lynnor.

Roy Klein, MBA’74, of Schaumburg, IL, died June 27, 2024. He was 84. With his electrical engineering degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his Chicago Booth MBA, Klein had a long career in electronic engineering management at various Chicago-area companies. As a young engineer at General Time Corp. in Rolling Meadows, IL, from 1963 to 1965, he led the team that designed the central timing equipment for the Apollo 11 moon landing. He is survived by his wife, Kay; three sons; and five grandchildren.

Deborah J. “Deb” Bodeau, SM’76, died December 6, 2024, in Bedford, MA. She was 71. With her mathematics training, Bodeau spent her career at MITRE, a company that operates federally funded research and development centers. A specialist in computer security, privacy, and resiliency, Bodeau became senior principal cybersecurity engineer for the company and continued working on projects after her retirement in 2016. She taught adult education courses and served on the board of the First Parish Church in Bedford; she also did beadwork and collected Tarot card decks. She is survived by her husband, Doug Muder, SB’79, PhD’84, and a sister.

Christine “Chris” Tanz, LAB’61, AM’70, PhD’76, died October 11 in Tucson, AZ. She was 81. Born in Poland during the Second World War, Tanz moved to the United States with her family and attended Harvard before pursuing graduate work in psychology. She taught psychology at the University of Arizona for several years and published two books—one on children’s language acquisition and the other a children’s picture book. Shifting her focus to art, Tanz designed nearly a dozen site-specific public art projects in Tucson and throughout Arizona. She is survived by a son; a brother, Mark Tanz, LAB’65, AB’69; and two grandchildren.

Martin J. “Marty” Findling, MBA’79, of Carol Stream, IL, died December 4, 2024. He was 88. Findling studied electrical engineering at Valparaiso University and served in the US Navy Reserve from 1953 to 1968. After working at International Telephone and Telegraph, Motorola, and the Natural Gas Pipeline Company, he became a certified energy manager and a registered professional engineer in Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Findling was deeply involved in his church, and he was active in the Lions Club as well as International Partners in Mission for more than 50 years. He is survived by his wife, Carol; three children; and seven grandchildren.

Peter Coe, PhD’79, of St. Charles, IL, died May 16, 2025. He was 83. After attending Syracuse University on wrestling and lacrosse scholarships, Coe was drafted into the US Army and later volunteered to serve in Vietnam. With his doctorate in clinical psychology, he treated patients—among them veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other service-related issues—for more than 35 years. Active in the Unitarian Universalist Church in Geneva, IL, Coe devoted himself to supporting veterans, mental health initiatives, and a local homeless shelter. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; a son; two stepchildren; and three step-grandchildren.

Douglas F. Reed, MBA’79, died July 13, 2024, in Libertyville, IL. He was 75. With his chemistry degree from Purdue University, Reed worked for General Electric and Baxter Healthcare’s Fenwal Division. Settling in suburban Chicago, he worked as a project manager for Abbott and then Hospira Pharmaceutical (now Pfizer). In retirement Reed enjoyed cycling, live music, sailing, and craft beers. He is survived by two sons; a sister; and his partner, Jane.

1980s

Harry Spiegelberg, MBA’80, of Appleton, WI, died July 13, 2024. He was 88. Spiegelberg began his career with Kimberly-Clark Corporation in 1959 and retired in 1996 as the company’s vice president, acquiring numerous patents along the way. He was honored as a distinguished alumnus of his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and held a doctorate from the Institute of Paper Chemistry. In 1992 Spiegelberg cofounded the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame—which inducted him in 2024—and belonged to the First Congregational United Church of Christ and the Rotary Club of Appleton. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; four children; two sisters; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Maria Lynn Rafa, EX’80, died October 18 in Chicago of cancer. She was 67. A Chicago native, Rafa studied geography at UChicago before graduating from DePaul University, where she studied computer science. She pursued a long career with JPMorganChase, where she rose to vice president, consumer banking product manager and deposits subject matter expert. She enjoyed traveling, especially to New York and Paris. An animal lover, she raised miniature dachshunds and worked with neighbors in Pilsen to foster feral cat litters. Survivors include extended family.

Craig Gordon Savage, EX’81, died December 6 in Chicago. He was 71. With his bachelor of fine arts in metalsmithing from Arizona State University, Savage moved to New York City to work in a studio designing and creating jewelry for stores such as Tiffany and Co. and Neiman Marcus. After his art studies at UChicago, Savage embarked on a 25-year career as a flight attendant—for Midway, Northwest, and Delta Airlines—fulfilling his goal to see much of the world, especially East Asia. Survivors include his husband, Dusan “Dusko” Stefoski, and three siblings.

Marilyn Janice Grow-Maienza, MST’74, PhD’81, of Palm Desert, CA, died December 4, 2024. She was 91. While raising a family in River Forest, IL, Grow-Maienza earned graduate degrees in education. She later taught and conducted research on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota as well as in Indonesia and South Korea. As an education professor at Truman State University, she focused her research on adapting the Korean mathematics teaching model for elementary school students in a Western curriculum. She is survived by her husband, Charles Chamberlain Frost; three sons; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Frank S. Plimpton, MBA’80, JD’81, died April 13, 2025, in Naples, FL. He was 71. A Harvard graduate, Plimpton applied his business and law education to roles as a litigation and bankruptcy lawyer at Milbank Tweed, an investment banker at Paine Webber and Salomon Brothers, and a partner at the private equity firm MatlinPatterson. Plimpton cherished time at his house and farm in Maine’s Muscongus Bay. He was a photographer and long-distance cyclist who also enjoyed skiing, bird-watching, and cultivating berries to make homemade jelly. He is survived by his wife, Kathy; three children; and six grandchildren.

Robert Joseph “Bob” Mislevy, PhD’81, died May 22, 2025, in Severna Park, MD. He was 74. After studying mathematics at Northern Illinois University, Mislevy received his doctorate in behavioral sciences. During his nearly 30 years at the Educational Testing Service, where he held the Frederic M. Lord Chair in Measurement and Statistics, Mislevy became a leading figure in educational measurement and assessment design. He taught at the University of Maryland and served as president of the Psychometric Society. Among other honors, he earned awards from the American Educational Research Association as well as the National Council on Measurement in Education. He is survived by two children, a brother, and three grandchildren.

Clyde A. Shuman, AB’82, died July 16, 2024, in Alpena, MI, after an extended illness. He was 63. Shuman studied biology in the College and attended medical school in Belgium before obtaining a law degree from St. John’s University. As an intellectual property litigation partner at Pearl Cohen in New York City for nearly 20 years, he gained extensive experience in patent, trademark, and copyright litigation. Survivors include a daughter.

1990s

Paula Kleine-Kracht, PhD’90, died October 31 in Louisville, KY. She was 79. Kleine-Kracht entered the Ursuline Sisters religious order in 1965. With her doctorate in education, Sister Paula—as she was known—made her mark on Catholic education. In Louisville, after teaching and serving as principal at Angela Merici High School and Sacred Heart Academy, she cofounded and directed Nativity Academy at St. Boniface, an urban Catholic middle school. Her many honors include recognition by the Archdiocese of Louisville and by Bellarmine University, her undergraduate alma mater. She is survived by extended family.

Bryan William Lockett, AB’96, of San Marcos, TX, died September 3. He was 51. He had lived with multiple sclerosis for a number of years. Following his studies in the College and at UCLA, he was an educator for 12 years. Survivors include his mother and brother.

Bernard Jacob “BJ” Schwartz, AB’97 (Class of 1995), of Los Angeles, died September 25. He was 52. A history major and student marshal in the College, Schwartz later graduated from Stanford Law School and worked at law firms in California and New York. Drawn to storytelling, he earned a master’s in film studies at the University of Southern California in 2007 and cofounded a virtual reality production company and a firm that developed technologies to enhance internet privacy and security. Schwartz returned to practicing law in 2022 as an independent legal consultant. He is survived by family and friends.

Nikki Walter, MPP’97, died September 4 in New Brunswick, NJ, of pancreatic cancer. She was 58. Walter worked as a legislative aide in Montana and as an English teacher in France before studying public policy with a specialization in finance. Moving to the East Coast, she worked for more than two decades with Deloitte, first as a strategy and operations consultant and later as a managing director for global initiatives, based mostly in New York City. She lived with her family in Metuchen, New Jersey, and became a deacon at the town’s First Presbyterian Church. She is survived by her husband, David Fenner; two children; and three sisters.

Johnathan Barnes, SB’98, of Hendersonville, TN, died October 27 as the result of a car accident. He was 49. As a mathematics student in the College and research assistant in the Enrico Fermi Institute, he helped collect data samples from NASA’s Mars Pathfinder mission—the first in situ analysis of rock from another planet. A programmer and analyst, Barnes was employed most recently as a senior enterprise architect for Humana. He was also an active member of the Masons and held many leadership positions in the fraternity. Survivors include two daughters and a sister.

2000s

Lea Faye Schweitz, AM’00, PhD’08, died September 24 in Oak Park, IL, of lung cancer. She was 50. A graduate of Luther College, Schweitz pursued studies in divinity, philosophy, and theology at UChicago. For a decade she taught at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and directed its Zygon Center for Religion and Science. Schweitz’s next chapter included grant writing and contract work, teaching theology to incarcerated people, and helping individuals navigate end-of-life planning through her podcast, monthly meetings, and Substack Playdates with Death. She is survived by two children, her mother, and a sister.

2010s

Ryan Kirk, JD’10, of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, died December 1, 2024, of cancer. He was 43. Kirk graduated from the University of South Carolina and later became an associate attorney at Garfunkel Wild and Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where he provided legal counsel to health care entities and represented clients in corporate matters. He volunteered as a legal advocate for refugees in Tanzania, taught English at a middle school in China, and taught social studies from 2016 to 2021 at Scarsdale and Mount Vernon High Schools. He is survived by his wife, Jessica Paige Conn; two daughters; his mother; his stepmother; and two brothers.

James Coleman Howes, MPP’15, of Bowling Green, OH, died May 7, 2025. He was 36. Howes grew up in Bowling Green but made frequent childhood visits to Salz-burg, Austria, where his/their father directed a study-abroad program. After graduating from Bowling Green State University, Howes worked in Ohio as a political and community organizer and then earned a master’s degree in public policy at UChicago. A project manager for tech start-ups in the Midwest and California, Howes also painted and wrote poetry and was a talented drummer and vocalist with various bands. Survivors include his/their parents.

To request an obituary for a faculty member, staff member, or former student, please send a previously published obituary or a note that includes their accomplishments, surviving family members, and significant facts care of the Alumni News Editor, The University of Chicago Magazine, 5235 South Harper Court, Chicago, IL 60615, or by email: uchicago-magazine@uchicago.edu.