Faculty and staff

Martin E. Marty, PhD’56, the Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Modern Christianity, died February 25 in Minneapolis. He was 97. An influential theologian and religious historian, Marty shaped academic and public conversations about the role of religion in American society. Educated at Concordia Seminary, the Lutheran School of Theology, and the Divinity School, he served as a Lutheran pastor before joining the UChicago faculty in 1963. Marty authored or edited more than 50 books and thousands of articles, often advocating for pluralism and what he called “public theology,” a combination of cultural and religious conventions for the common good. In 1998 UChicago’s Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion was renamed in his honor; he later codirected the Fundamentalism Project of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a global study of conservative religious movements. He is survived by his wife, Harriet J. Meyer; four sons; a lifetime foster daughter; a lifetime foster son; a stepdaughter; nine grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. (See “A Light that Stays.”)

Brian Albert Gerrish, John Nuveen Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology, died April 14 in Mechanicsville, VA. He was 93. Gerrish taught at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago before joining the Divinity School in 1965. A scholar of Reformed theology, he focused on key figures such as John Calvin and Friedrich Schleiermacher. Retiring from UChicago in 1996, Gerrish served as a distinguished service professor at what is today the Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, until 2002. Gerrish published several books, including Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (2015), The Pilgrim Road: Sermons on Christian Life (2000), and Saving and Secular Faith: An Invitation to Systematic Theology (1999), and oversaw 47 dissertations. Survivors include his wife, Dawn DeVries, AB’83, AM’84, PhD’94; three children; and two grandchildren.

Robert Haselkorn, Fanny L. Pritzker Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and trustee emeritus of the Marine Biological Laboratory, died February 10 in Chicago. He was 90. Joining the UChicago faculty in 1961, Haselkorn conducted research on plant viral DNA and molecular genetics that helped shape his field and earned him numerous honors, including the Gregor Johann Mendel Honorary Medal for Merit in the Biological Sciences from the Czech Academy of Sciences and a Guggenheim Fellowship. A valued mentor to his students, Haselkorn twice received the Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. In 2003 he and his wife, Margot, established the Margot and Robert Haselkorn Visiting Lecture, which highlights research in molecular genetics and cell biology. He is survived by his wife; two children, Deborah Fine, LAB’77, and David Haselkorn, LAB’79, AB’83, JD’78; four grandchildren, including Katherine Markiewicz, AB’10; and four great-grandchildren.

Thomas “Tom” Mapp, of Chesterton, IN, died November 11. He was 88. Mapp worked at UChicago for 26 years, becoming director of Midway Studios in 1975 when it was part of the Department of Art History. Previously, he had served as director of undergraduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and earned a master of fine arts in painting from Yale. Mapp helped reshape UChicago’s MFA program to focus on intellectual rigor and artistic innovation; he oversaw its evolution into the Committee on Visual Arts, with its own faculty chair and budget, and laid the groundwork for what is now the Department of Visual Arts. As an artist Mapp explored painting, drawing, printmaking, performance, and—especially after retirement—photography. He is survived by his wife, Jane Cooperman, MFA’75; two children; and two grandchildren.

Roland Winston, SB’56, SM’57, PhD’63, died February 8 in Merced, CA. He was 88. Winston was a professor in UChicago’s physics department from 1965 to 2003 and a member of the Enrico Fermi Institute. A pioneer in solar energy, engineering, and physics, he is considered the founder of the field of non-imaging optics, the principles of which shape many technologies today. Winston published widely in scientific journals, cowrote several books, and held more than 50 patents. The concepts he developed and devices he invented—including the Winston cone, an innovative design to collect light more efficiently—formed the core of solar technology. In 2003 Winston helped establish the University of California, Merced, where he retired as distinguished professor emeritus. His son, Gregory Winston, LAB’88, died in 2005. His wife, Patricia L. Winston, AB’53, DB’57, died in 2019. Survivors include two sons; two half-brothers, including Eugene Loroch, AB’76; two grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Hans-Josef Klauck, Naomi Shenstone Donnelley Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christian Literature, died March 27 in Munich. He was 78. A member of the Franciscan order of the Catholic Church since 1966, Klauck was ordained a priest in 1972 before going on to receive a doctorate in theology in 1977. He then held several academic appointments in Germany before joining the Divinity School in 2001; he retired in 2016. He authored more than 30 books on early Christianity and the New Testament, including The Religious Context of Early Christianity: A Guide to Graeco-Roman Religions (2003) and his multivolume Studien zur Geschichte und Theologie der Kirche. Alongside his own work, Klauck mentored dozens of doctoral students in Chicago and in Germany, leaving a significant mark on the future of early Christian scholarship.

John Reinitz, professor in the Departments of Statistics, Ecology and Evolution, and Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, of Chicago, died of cancer January 23. He was 66. Reinitz—who helped pioneer a data-driven approach to developmental biology that is widely used in the field today—made waves as a Yale PhD student by developing a mathematical model of viral gene regulation. In the 1990s and early 2000s, at Columbia and Stony Brook Universities, Reinitz continued exploring biological systems through a quantitative lens with collaborative research that showed how gene expression domains in embryos were dynamic rather than static. Joining the UChicago faculty in 2011, Reinitz integrated statistical modeling into research in evolutionary biology, stochastic gene regulation, and machine learning. Reinitz will be remembered for his razor-sharp wit, love of music (particularly the Grateful Dead and Phish), and references to science fiction and fantasy literature. He is survived by his wife, Ilene; and a daughter, Julia Reinitz, AB’15.

1940s

Minna Rodnon Buck, AB’48, EX’51, of Denver, died January 22. She was 96. Buck pursued her law degree at UChicago—where she was one of two women in her law school class—and earned her law degree at New York University. During her career she worked with local anti-poverty programs; directed the Legal Services of Onondaga County, NY; served as corporate counsel for Onondaga; and in 1982 was the first woman and first Democrat elected as a family court judge in the county. Her husband, Earle Buck, JD’50, whom she met and married during law school, died in 2001. Survivors include three children, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

1950s

Lawrence B. “Larry” Mohr, AB’51, died March 9 in Chicago. He was 93. Mohr was a professor emeritus of political science and public policy at the University of Michigan, where he served on the faculty from 1966 to 1999. A banjo player and singer, Mohr was previously part of a folk duo with singer Odetta. The two released an album, The Tin Angel, in 1954, but rather than pursue music professionally, Mohr went to work for the US Public Health Service and transitioned to academia. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Hawthorne, EX’66; two children; three stepchildren, including Arryn Hawthorne, AM’99; a sister; and four grandchildren.

Daniel G. Reese, JD’54, of Taylorville, IL, died March 1. He was 97. Reese practiced law in the central Illinois town of Taylorville for 70 years, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. With his son, Lindsey, he was a partner in Reese & Reese Law Offices; he also served as mayor of Taylorville from 1969 to 1985. Active in civic groups and the Republican Party, Reese was a US Army veteran, a Mason, and a Shriner. Survivors include two daughters, a son, and seven grandchildren.

Stanley Shechter, AB’55, AM’59, died January 15 in New York. He was 92. With his Harvard doctorate in classical philology, Shechter taught at Harvard, Yale, and Brown during more than four decades in academia. He spoke and read many languages and, at age 91, published Greek and Latin Poets from Antiquity: Innovative Perspectives on Ancient Aetiological Greek and Latin Poetry (2023). Shechter also was a marathon runner and a competitive swimmer who participated in races and events until his mid-80s, often finishing among the top five nationally ranked swimmers in his age group. Survivors include extended family.

Clifton R. Wharton Jr., AM’56, PhD’58, died November 16 in New York. He was 98. An Army Air Corps pilot with degrees from Harvard and Johns Hopkins Universities, Wharton was the first African American to earn an economics doctorate at UChicago. He also broke barriers as president of Michigan State University, head of the State University of New York system, and CEO of TIAA-CREF. In 1993 he became the first Black deputy secretary of state. Wharton received UChicago’s Alumni Medal in 1980. He is survived by his wife, Dolores, and a son.

Lee Shulman, AB’59, AM’60, PhD’63, died December 30 in Palo Alto, CA. He was 86. An educational psychologist, Shulman taught at Michigan State University before being named the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford in 1982. Shulman is best known for developing the concept of pedagogical content knowledge—an approach involving the integration of teachers’ knowledge of pedagogy and of subject matter to adapt content to students’ understanding. After retiring from Stanford in 1997, Shulman served as president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He is survived by three children, including Dina Shulman, AM’93; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

1960s

Floyd A. Fried, MD’61, of Chapel Hill, NC, died January 22. He was 88. A urologist, Fried spent 23 years as chief of the Department of Surgery’s Division of Urology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His clinical and research interests ranged from the treatment of prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers to the causes of and treatments for impotence. Fried retired in 2000 and continued to mentor UNC medical students and urology residents; he also enjoyed trout fishing and wrote poetry and prose. He is survived by a daughter; a son, Daniel Fried, AB’87; five grandchildren, including Sam Fried, AB’25; and two great-grandchildren.

Solveig Mason Kjeseth, AM’62, of Lynchburg, VA, died March 3. She was 86. With her undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College and master’s in social work, Kjeseth became an activist. In the 1970s she helped build an anti-apartheid advocacy group in the Midwest that grew into National Namibia Concerns, and she served as its executive director until 1990. Later she and her husband, Peter L. Kjeseth, PhD’66, who died in 2022, owned and operated a guesthouse in South Africa for 16 years before relocating to Lynchburg. Survivors include two daughters; three sons; a brother; and seven grandchildren.

Mary Anne Krupsak, JD’62, died December 28 in Geneva, NY. She was 92. Krupsak studied music at the University of Rochester and communications at Boston University before going on to law school to prepare for government service. A lifelong Democrat, she served in the New York State Assembly and the state senate and then defied party leadership in 1974 to become the first woman elected lieutenant governor in the state’s history. Following unsuccessful runs for governor in 1978 and Congress in 1980, Krupsak cofounded a law firm and an economic development consulting firm; she also owned a restaurant in Waterloo, NY.

Barry D. Bayer, AB’64, of Wilmette, IL, died in January. He was 81. As a lawyer with an active practice in suburban Chicago, in 1979 Bayer began writing a column, Law Office Technology Review, in which he reviewed legal tech products. Syndicated widely in legal publications, the column became a resource for solo and small-firm lawyers. Bayer was also an active member of the South Suburban Jewish community and taught Sunday School, sang in the temple choir, and held positions on multiple synagogue and community boards. He served as a class correspondent for this magazine from 2014 until 2024. He is survived by his wife, Susan P. Bayer, AB’63, AM’67; three children, including Jonathan Bayer, AB’96; four siblings, including Naomi Bayer, AB’80, AM’81; and five grandchildren.

James A. “Jim” Moreland, JD’64, died February 10 in Winter Park, FL. He was 84. A graduate of Brown University, Moreland received his LLM at Boston University and then practiced law in Orlando and Winter Park before joining the Florida Department of Transportation and the Orange County Attorney’s Office as an eminent domain attorney. He served as a municipal judge and on the Winter Park planning and zoning commission, among other civic roles, and volunteered with Junior Achievement and Seniors Against Crime. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; three daughters; a sister; and four grandchildren.

Harold S. Russell, LAB’50, JD’62, MCL’64, died June 13, 2024, in Chicago. He was 89. A Yale graduate and US Navy veteran, Russell practiced international and business law. Working in private law firms and as a legal adviser at the US Department of State, he helped negotiate security and trade agreements in Europe in the 1970s. Russell joined the Chicago office of FMC Corporation in 1976 and retired in 2000. He volunteered with many nonprofit organizations and was active in the local community in Lakeside, MI, where he was a seasonal resident. Survivors include his wife, Margo; a daughter; two sons; and six grandchildren.

Steven Schildcrout, SB’64, of Youngstown, OH, died December 26. He was 81. Schild-crout studied chemistry in the College and earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from Northwestern University. As professor and, later, professor emeritus at Youngstown State University, he taught from 1969 to 2010, published scientific research on mass spectrometry, and received a YSU Distinguished Professor Award for his scholarship. Schildcrout was a proud member of the American Chemical Society, a swimmer and cyclist, and a member of Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom. He is survived by his wife, Toni; two sons; two sisters, including Carol Hindin, MST’69; and three grandchildren.

Marvin A. “Marv” Bauer, JD’65, of Ventura, CA, died February 19. He was 84. Bauer founded his own law firm in Santa Barbara, CA, and specialized in medical and hospital malpractice during his four decades as an attorney. He was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, among other honors. Outside the courtroom, Bauer was passionate about family, music, art, and travel—with his wife, Gray, he traveled to 128 countries, seeing most of them by motorcycle. Survivors include five children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

John Edgar Wanner, AM’65, died December 18 in Valparaiso, IN. He was 83. With his master’s degree in social work, Wanner spent the majority of his career in mental health, supporting children and adolescents at Riveredge Hospital in Forest Park, IL. During his retirement in Beverly Shores, IN, and Edgewater, MD, he was active in book and church groups. He is survived by his spouse, Jean; a child; two siblings; and three grandchildren.

Peter J. Messitte, JD’66, died January 11 in Chevy Chase, MD. He was 83. An Amherst College graduate, Messitte served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1966 to 1968. Returning to Montgomery County, MD, where he grew up, Messitte opened a private law practice, became a circuit court judge, and was appointed US District Judge for the District of Maryland by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Messitte advised Portuguese-speaking nations on issues of global jurisprudence; in 2016, he received Brazil’s Order of the Southern Cross for his contributions. Survivors include his wife, Susan; a daughter; and a son.

Dorothy Chin Brandt, AB’67, died January 27 in New York. She was 78. After majoring in political science in the College, Chin Brandt graduated from Brooklyn Law School and Harvard Law School before working as a lawyer in private practice. With her election to the New York State Civil Court in 1987, she became the first descendant of a Chinese immigrant to win elective office in the state and the state’s first female jurist of Asian heritage. Chin Brandt also served as an acting state Supreme Court justice before retiring from the bench in 2016. She is survived by her partner, Jack Macco.

Alphonse Hill, MBA’67, died October 17 in Washington, DC. He was 85. Hill enrolled in UChicago’s Graduate School of Business in 1965 as part of its Careers for Negroes in Management program. After working as a CPA in his own Chicago firm, Hill moved to Washington to serve as controller and later deputy mayor for finance under Mayor Marion Barry. Hill received a PhD from Union Graduate School and taught accounting at Howard University, his undergraduate alma mater. He is survived by his wife, Jewel Fuller Hill, MAT’72; a daughter; a son; and three grandchildren.

Sam C. Masarachia, SB’67, of Jenkintown, PA, died February 19. He was 79. Having enlisted in the US Naval Reserve in high school, Masarachia earned his undergraduate degree in zoology and his master’s degree in marine sciences. He did active duty in the Navy as an engineering officer on the USS Boxer and eventually retired, with the rank of commander, from the Naval Reserve. He taught high school science for five years and, after graduating from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, practiced family medicine in Fort Washington, PA, for 23 years. A voracious reader of military and political history, Masarachia was also a longtime volunteer with the Stagecrafters Theater. Survivors include his wife, Patricia Masarachia, SB’68; a daughter; and two grandchildren.

David W. McAlpin, AB’67, of Cragsmoor, NY, died December 23, 2023. He was 78. McAlpin earned a PhD in linguistics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught for several years. He later served as an assistant vice president for Citicorp and worked as a systems architect for pharmacy benefits management companies. In retirement McAlpin returned to historical linguistics, publishing scholarly papers on Brahui (a language spoken primarily in Pakistan) and Elamite (a major language of the ancient Near East). He is survived by his wife, Mary Kroul McAlpin, and a son.

Enner Polsky, AM’67, of Baltimore, died March 11. She was 94. Born in Camaguey, Cuba, Polsky became a teacher at age 20, establishing a one-room schoolhouse to serve rural children on the island. She received a PhD in pedagogy from the University of Havana and moved to the United States after meeting her future husband on a trip to Miami in 1958. Polsky studied Spanish literature at UChicago while raising three sons; later, she earned a master’s degree in bilingual education in Arizona and taught elementary school for two decades before retiring to Baltimore. All her life, she loved to dance. Survivors include three sons and eight grandchildren.

Eric Van Young, AB’67, of San Diego, died December 20. He was 78. Van Young was a scholar of colonial and 19th-century Latin American history who specialized in Mexican history and culture. After completing his doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, he spent most of his career at the University of California, San Diego, retiring as distinguished professor emeritus of history in 2015. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a corresponding member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences, Van Young published prolifically in English and Spanish. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; two children; and four grandchildren.

Paul A. Abels, PhD’68, died March 1 in Los Angeles. He was 96. Abels was a professor emeritus of social work at California State University, Long Beach, and previously, professor and associate dean at Case Western Reserve University. His publications and practice focused on alternative helping approaches and narrative therapy for social work. With his wife, Sonia Leib Abels, he started schools of social work in Iran and Lithuania. A Korean War veteran and self-taught musician, in retirement he helped veterans and people with disabilities through music therapy. Survivors include three children; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Martin “Marty” Campbell, SB’68, of Silver City, NM, died January 1. He was 78. Campbell studied math and science and played basketball in the College; later, as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, he worked for two years in an Indiana research facility. Moving to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, Campbell wrote and performed poetry and taught math at a local college. He earned graduate degrees in teaching and creative writing and loved to spend time outdoors, travel, and commune with friends and family around the country. He is survived by a brother.

Francine Tyler, AM’69, of New York, died February 3. She was 91. An artist and specialist in the art and social history of the Great Depression, Tyler was a researcher in the Brooklyn Museum’s department of prints and drawings. She completed her doctorate at New York University and taught in its School of Professional Studies for more than 30 years. At the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art, Tyler conducted oral histories of artists; she also worked as an archivist for the New York Public Library and the Museum of Modern Art. Survivors include a daughter, a son, and two grandchildren.

1970s

F. Paul Esposito, PhD’71, died December 1 in Cincinnati. He was 80. After studying theoretical physics with Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar at UChicago, Esposito joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati. Over his five-decade career as a physicist, Esposito’s interests shifted from general relativity to solid state theory, quantum computing, and string theory. Before and after his retirement in 2022, he taught himself new topics in physics and mathematics. He was also passionate about literature, history, and music—including Argentine tango. He is survived by his wife, Mary Henkener; three children; and a brother.

Robert D. Denham, AM’64, PhD’72, died December 14 in Bellingham, WA. He was 86. A Davidson College graduate, Denham earned a master’s degree from the Divinity School and a doctorate in English. He taught at Emory & Henry University for over two decades and at Roanoke College for 15 years, focusing much of his scholarship on the Canadian literary theorist and critic Northrop Frye. He is survived by his children, including Scott Denham, AB’84; grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

Klaus A. Miczek, PhD’72, died in the summer of 2024. He was 79. Miczek was the Moses Hunt Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Tufts University and also held appointments in psychiatry, neuroscience, and pharmacology during his more than 45 years there. A prolific researcher, Miczek sought to understand the pharmacological and brain mechanisms underlying aggression, social stress, and drug and alcohol abuse. He served as co–managing editor of the journal Psychopharmacology for decades and received numerous federal research grants and awards for distinguished contributions to the field. Survivors include his wife, Christiane; and a son, Nikolai Miczek, MBA’00.

Harry Lee Wilson, MD’73, of El Paso, TX, died March 2. He was 80. Wilson’s 50-year career in pediatric pathology and community service began in Denver, where he was a staff pathologist at Children’s Hospital, taught at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and cofounded Sky High Hope Camp, a summer camp for children with cancer. Relocating to El Paso, Wilson worked at the Hospitals of Providence–Memorial Campus and later joined Texas Tech’s Paul L. Foster School of Medicine as chief pediatric pathologist. He is survived by his wife, Inés M. Anchondo; four children; his sisters; and three grandchildren.

Thomas M. Walsh Sr., MBA’74, of Palos Park, IL, died January 10. He was 96. Walsh was a US Army veteran who worked at IBM and other technology companies. He also taught at DeVry University. He is survived by his wife, Carol; four children, including Kate Walsh, MST’81; three stepchildren; six grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

Robert L. Lawton, MD’75, of River Forest, IL, died March 2. He was 76. Lawton practiced psychiatry for more than 40 years, serving patients in the Veterans Affairs Chicago Healthcare System and also at Ingalls Hospital in Harvey, IL; the Robert Young Mental Health Center in Moline, IL; the nonprofit Development Centers in Detroit; and in private practice. From a young age, Lawton was passionate about music and built or played several stringed instruments, including the mandolin. Survivors include three children, two sisters, and two grandchildren.

Francis R. LeBrun III, MBA’77, of Brookfield, IL, died March 2. He was 72. A graduate of the University of Illinois and Chicago Booth, LeBrun was a financial analyst who worked at Baxter Healthcare, MCI Telecommunications, and North American Packaging, among other companies. In addition, LeBrun was a self-taught guitarist, collector of prehistoric fossils, Chicago sports fan, and lover of fast cars. Survivors include a child, two siblings, and a grandchild.

Julie Woestehoff, AM’77, died February 25 in Fort Myers, FL. She was 72. As a comparative literature student, Woestehoff studied the Valkyries, warrior maidens of Norse mythology. Several years later, as a public education advocate, Woestehoff volunteered for and served as executive director of the Chicago nonprofit Parents United for Responsible Education, which pushed for citizen involvement in the city’s schools and equitable use of standardized testing. In 2010 she cofounded Parents Across America, a national group connecting public school parents. She is survived by her husband, Larry Turpin, DMin’02; two sons; a sister; a brother; and two grandchildren.

James H. Bauer, AB’78, AM’80, of Great Falls, MT, died February 10. He was 69. Bauer studied creative writing in the College and focused his graduate studies on the philosophy of science. Under the pen name W. C. Leadbeater he wrote The Mind-Warp Era (2003), a semi-autobiographical novel. He also penned many science fiction stories. He is survived by five brothers, including John Bauer, SB’81; Jerome Bauer, AB’81, AM’82; and Daniel Bauer, AB’84.

Eric Buether, AB’78, JD’81, of Dallas, died October 10. He was 68. Buether specialized in intellectual property and commercial litigation, working at several corporate law firms in Texas before cofounding his own firm in 2010. Outside of his legal career, Buether was an amateur photographer and a fan of Formula One racing. Survivors include a son.

Christine “Christina” Tweet, AM’78, of West Monroe, LA, died October 23. She was 70. A graduate of St. Olaf College and UChicago’s Divinity School, Tweet volunteered around the country and worked in bookstores and as a pastor and chaplain. She completed a master’s in divinity at Luther Seminary in 1989 and relocated several times with her family. Settling in Louisiana, Tweet lived a life of service to others: working at a senior center, volunteering as a tutor and Bible study leader, supporting the Autism Society of America, and singing in her church choir. Survivors include her husband, John Carr; a son; and two sisters.

1980s

Russell L. Adams, MBA’80, of Tewksbury, MA, died January 8. He was 75. A Dartmouth College graduate, Adams worked as a civil engineer. He was involved in the design and management of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Illinois and Massachusetts and also worked in New Orleans as a contractor with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, aiding recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina. Adams lived in Tewksbury for more than four decades, and he was active in the Congregational Church there. Survivors include two sons, a brother, and three grandchildren.

John B. Berringer, JD’80, of Brooklyn, NY, died March 5. He was 71. After graduating from Williams College, Berringer spent a Watson Fellowship year working at a settlement house in London. Throughout his 45-year legal career, he excelled as a litigator and insurance recovery specialist, working at the former Stroock law firm before becoming a partner at Anderson Kill and finishing at Reed Smith. Berringer was an active member of Grace Church in New York City, where he volunteered as a tutor with a project supporting public school students. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Recca; two children; and a grandchild.

Mark G. Toulouse, PhD’84, died March 2 in Dallas. He was 73. At UChicago Toulouse studied the history of Christianity under his mentor, Martin E. Marty, PhD’56, centering his scholarly work on religion and public life. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Toulouse taught at Texas Christian University and, later, at the University of Toronto, where he served as principal of Emmanuel College. He played poker professionally. Retiring in 2017, Toulouse cared for his wife following her diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by his wife, Jeffica; three children; two siblings; and six grandchildren.

Susan M. Smoley, MBA’89, of Arlington Heights, IL, died November 12. She was 69. Smoley was an honors graduate of Kal-amazoo College and attended Essex University in the United Kingdom as a Rotary International scholar. She worked as an economist and project manager for the US Army Corps of Engineers for 24 years, attending Chicago Booth during that time. Smoley was deeply involved in the Orthodox Christian community, participating in Bible studies, choir, charity organizations, pilgrimages, conferences, and board service with the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess. She is survived by her husband, Peter Delgado, and a son.

1990s

Margaret Louise “Margie” Palmer-Steinmetz, MLA’97, of Grand Haven, MI, died January 25. She was 80. Educated in the liberal arts, Steinmetz taught thousands of elementary school, high school, and college students over her 42-year career, mainly in Michigan and Illinois. Her first teaching job was in an Upper Peninsula mining town; later, she was the first woman non-Jewish teacher at an Orthodox boys’ yeshiva. At a maximum-security prison in Delaware, Steinmetz helped incarcerated men pursue their GEDs and won recognition as the state’s Adult Educator of the Year in 2010. She is survived by her husband, John; four daughters; a son; and six grandchildren.

2000s

José Angel Hernández, PhD’08, of Houston, died December 2. He was 55. Hernández earned a master’s degree in history at the University of Houston and joined its faculty in 2014 as an associate professor of history and affiliate of the Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies. His award-winning books on colonization and the experiences of Mexican American migrants include Colonizing Ourselves: Tejano Back-to-Mexico Movements and the Making of a Settler Colonial Nation (2024). A three-time Fulbright US Scholar, he was also a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador and mentor to students.

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.