Marriages, Births, and In Memoriam

Summer 2017

Marriages & Unions

(2017 unless otherwise noted)

Write to the Colgate Scene with your Colgate Love story at scene@colgate.edu. Tell us your Colgate love story in 400 words or less and send a current or past photo. If we're as enamored with your story as the two of you are with each other, we'll publish it in an upcoming issue.David Hyson ’05 and Natasha, Aug 27, 2016

Anne Langbein ’05 and Dan DeCore, April 30, 2016

Michele Gallo ’06 and Michael Madera, June 4, 2016

John Baclawski ’07 and Brittany Cohan, Sept 24, 2016

Cheryl Doyle ’07 and Brian Boland, May 3, 2014

Lisa Drake ’07 and Mark Wattenbarger, March 11

Kristin Healey ’07 and David Soto, April 29, 2016

Dane Hoyt ’07 and Brea Collier ’07, July 30, 2016

Colin Oberg ’07 and Kristina Creagh, Dec 10, 2016

Kerry Schlichting ’07 and Ryan Hoskin, May 6

Erica Leffler ’08 and Donald Castle ’09, Sept 3, 2016

Allison O’Leary ’08 and Seth Goldberg, Sept 4, 2016

Scott Herling ’09 and Caitlin, May 22, 2015

Carolyn Brodbeck ’10 and Matthew Lachman, Aug 27, 2016

Brendan Ewing ’12 and Kylie Bellis, June 11, 2016

Siyang Guo ’13 and Halley Goldman ’13, Sept 17, 2016


Births & Adoptions

(2017 unless otherwise noted)

To David and Merritt Dattel ’02 McGowan: Maura Elizabeth, Sept 21, 2016, joining Roselie Anne

To Przemek and Carissa (Dull) ’03 Swiatek: Elzbieta Rosa, joining Mara and Lena

To Pete McDonald ’03 and Stephanie Spleen: Taylor Mackenzie, Nov 15, 2016

To Kevin and Rosie Bancroft ’04 McMullin: Jake, March 22

To Tim and Lily Dupont ’04 Leedom: Caroline Alana, February 1

To Andrew Oladipo ’04 and Dana: Jackson John, Sept 1, 2016

To Brian and Rebecca Armstrong ’06 Babcock: Nora Grace, Dec 28, 2016

To Andrew Potter ’07 and Cliona Stack ’07: Neve McColgan Potter, February 11

To William Kindler ’08 and Danielle: William Richard, February 17


In Memoriam

The Scene runs deceased notices on all alumni, current and former faculty members, honorary degree recipients, and staff members and others who the editors determine would be well known to alumni.

Irving R Ryerson ’38, March 22, 2017. Beta Theta Pi, Maroon, student government, boxing, wrestling. Before retiring, he spent his career in marketing and sales for several companies, including serving as senior VP at May Hosiery. He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia, and a grandson. He is survived by 2 daughters and sons-in-law, 3 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and his brother and sister-in-law.

Lyman W Griswold Jr ’42, May 5, 2014. Delta Upsilon, football, lacrosse. US Air Force: WWII. He was a retired teacher, having taught at Northfield-Mt Herman School. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and a daughter.

Jack F Sinn ’43, December 8, 2016. Kappa Delta Rho, Maroon Key, ski club. US Army Air Corps: WWII. Cornell University: JD, 1948. He practiced law in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, until his retirement in 1998. He was predeceased by his first wife, Barbara, and a son. He is survived by his wife, Joan, a son, 4 stepsons, 11 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

Carl C Hauswald Jr ’44, February 12, 2017. Phi Kappa Psi, Konosioni, golf, hockey. US Navy: WWII. Having worked in the family bakery since the age of 12, he attended the American Institute of Baking after graduating from Colgate. In 1947, he joined the Hauswald Bakery, eventually becoming the business’s VP and general manager. In 1989, he and his family sold the bakery to the Schmidt Baking Co. He is survived by his wife, Norma, 2 children, a grandson, and 2 step-grandsons.

James L Hoagland ’44, January 27, 2017. Phi Kappa Psi, Konosioni, Maroon, Salmagundi, debate society, student government, indoor track; Maroon Citation (1984). US Navy: WWII. After his wartime service, he joined the Graybar Electric Co, where he was appointed president and CEO in 1980. He is survived by his wife, Eileen, 4 children, including Jim ’71 and John ’78, and 9 grandchildren.

John A Warner ’44, December 6, 2016. Phi Kappa Psi, Konosioni, Maroon, Salmagundi, student government, indoor track. US Marine Corps: WWII. He started his own general insurance agency, John A Warner Insurance, in 1955, and managed it until his retirement in 1987. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jane. He is survived by his wife, Betsy, 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Robert F Skidmore ’46, November 5, 2015. Delta Upsilon, WRCU, indoor track, cross country. A resident of Moorpark, CA, he worked in sales for the Tenneco Oil Co. He is survived by his wife, Joan.

Allen Short ’47, December 31, 2016. Phi Kappa Psi, student government, football, hockey, golf, soccer. US Marine Corps. He moved to Jamestown, NY, in 1947 to work in sales for Laco Roofing and Applicators. After 5 years, he became a life insurance agent with Northwestern Mutual, where he remained for 62 years until his retirement in 2014. He is survived by his wife, Elaine, 3 children, 2 stepchildren, 12 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

John J O’Hara ’48, February 9, 2017. Commons Club. US Navy: WWII. He worked in marketing for a number of New York City organizations, including the Gillette Razor Co and Universal Food Corps. In 1974, he became VP of the marketing agency McCollum & Spielman Co. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, 2 children, 6 grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

Robert D Rathbun ’48, February 3, 2017. Delta Upsilon, Maroon, hockey. US Marines. He had a 40+-year career with AT&T, beginning with the New York Telephone Company and morphing into Nynex and Verizon as the Bell System was reconfigured. He retired in 1990 as an associate VP for finance. He was predeceased by his wife, Nancy, and is survived by their 2 children, 5 grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Robert J A Irwin III ’49, January 9, 2017. Beta Theta Pi, Outing Club, ski club, crew. A resident of Buffalo, NY, for much of his life, he served in finance management positions at Marine Midland Bank, the Niagara Share Corp, and ASA Limited. He was predeceased by his wife, Donna, and his father, Robert ’26. He is survived by 6 children, including son Derrick ’93; 11 grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; brother Bill ’52; and cousin Byron Shimp ’17.

H Jack Hemenway ’50, March 3, 2016. Alpha Tau Omega, indoor track, wrestling. US Army. Yale Divinity School: BD, 1956. Following his military service, he served as a pastor at the Congregational Church in Meriden, NH. In 1979, after a move to Stonington, ME, he worked part time as a deacon at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, devoting his other time to blacksmithing at the Green Head Forge. He was predeceased by his wife, Harriet.

Alexander S MacNabb ’50, November 25, 2016. Theta Chi, Masque and Triangle, International Relations Council, Outing Club, lacrosse, football. US Navy: Korean War. Washington and Lee University: LLB, 1959. After law school, he devoted his life to working with and for Native Americans and Pacific Islanders, serving in the US Office of Economic Opportunity, at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and as the first director of the Department of Labor in Indian Employment and Training Programs. He continued to serve indigenous populations in private practice as a member of the Reagan Presidential Transition Committee and as a legal counsel to the 1983 Samoan Constitutional Convention. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, 7 children, and 11 grandchildren.

William R McDonald ’50, December 2, 2016. Phi Gamma Delta, football. US Army: Korea. His career in human resources spanned nearly 4 decades, taking him from a position as personnel manager at Chicago’s Pullman Car Co in 1955 to senior VP of human resources at the Hilton Hotel Corp in Beverly Hills. He retired in 1993. He was predeceased by his first wife, Joyce. He is survived by his wife, Linda, 2 daughters, and 4 grandchildren.

Barclay W Webber ’50, January 26, 2017. Delta Phi Alpha, Phi Kappa Tau. US Air Force. Yale University: LLB, 1960. He retired in 1990 from his position as an attorney for the US Department of Transportation. He is survived by his wife, Kate, 4 children, and his sister.

Nelson HS MacCallum ’51, February 1, 2017. Phi Delta Theta, Konosioni, student government, baseball, basketball; Colgate Scene class editor, Maroon Citation Award (1991), Maroon Key, Athletics Hall of Honor. US Army: Korean War, 3 Bronze Stars. After graduation, he signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers, but his baseball career was short lived because he was drafted to serve in Korea as a sergeant first class. After the war, he entered the insurance industry, working first in New York City then in Rochester, NY. He is survived by his wife, Audrey, a daughter, 5 grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Ellis M Saums ’51, January 16, 2017. International Relations Council, Washington, DC, Study Group, ROTC, university chorus. US Air Force: Korean War. He worked as an industrial engineer for a number of companies, including Remington Rand, Procter and Gamble, and General Foods. Through his work, he put into use the first computerized inventory system for worldwide food distribution and aided in the creation of the UPC code. After moving to Pinehurst, NC, he started a management consultancy practice for engineering and operation management, and served as a professor in leadership for the Warrant Officer Program at Fort Bragg. He was predeceased by his twin brother. He is survived by 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

John R McLaughlin ’52, January 6, 2017. Beta Theta Pi, Konosioni, Maroon, ROTC, basketball. Following graduation, he moved to Charlotte, NC, where he worked in the packaging industry with DuPont and Package Products. He is survived by his wife, Bobbie, 4 sons, and 7 grandchildren.

Arnold Henson ’53, December 18, 2016. Lambda Chi Alpha, sailing club. US Navy. University of Michigan Law School. He had a career in corporate law and was CFO of American Brands Inc. He was predeceased by his wife, Cynthia; his brother, Truman ’50; and his sister. He is survived by 3 children, including his son Philip “Chip” ’81, and 5 grandchildren.

James M Laing M’53, January 28, 2017. US Navy, WWII. In addition to teaching English at the University School of Milwaukee for 45 years, he also coached the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams, leading both to multiple state championships. Outside of education, he served as co-director of the Bachman-Laing Tennis Camp for more than 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Pat, 8 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

John A Pfaff Jr ’53, February 26, 2017. Theta Chi, Masque and Triangle, student government. US Army: WWII, Korean War; Bronze Star, Purple Heart. Upon graduation, he was employed by the US Life Insurance Company. He recently retired from the Group Administration Agency of Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Joanne, 3 children, and 2 grandsons.

Marenes R Tripp ’53, January 25, 2017. Phi Kappa Tau. University of Rochester: MS, 1956; Rutgers University: PhD, 1958; Harvard School of Public Health. A professor of microbiology at the University of Delaware for 35 years, he also served the university as director of the School of Life and Health Sciences. He retired in 1995. He is survived by his wife, Jane, 3 sons, and 6 grandchildren.

Richard J Higgins ’54, February 12, 2017. Phi Delta Theta, golf. US Marine Corps. He settled in Battle Creek, MI, where he began a 40-year career at the Bill Knapp’s restaurant chain. Starting as a restaurant manager, he advanced to become chairman of the board in the 1970s. He served as CEO of the organization for 4 years before his retirement in 1996. He was predeceased by his wife, Anne, and is survived by 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

Paul E Hunter III ’55, December 24, 2016. Delta Kappa Epsilon, ROTC, Outing Club, track. US Air Force. After working in sales roles at various companies, in 1984 he became president of his search consultancy, Hunter and Hunter. He is survived by his wife, Angela, 2 children, 7 grandchildren, 2 brothers, and a sister.

Robert C Schupp ’56, December 30, 2016. Delta Upsilon, football. He operated his family’s business, Schupp’s Auto Body, in Albany for his entire career. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude, 4 children, 10 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and brother William ’54.

George S Yuda ’56, December 24, 2016. Phi Beta Kappa, Commons Club. An attorney with his own law firm, he later retired as a per diem judge for the Hawaii State District Courts and Family Courts of the Hawaii Bar Association. He is survived by his wife, Kayleen, 3 children, 2 grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Alan W Mercill ’57, January 8, 2015. Theta Chi, WRCU, Outing Club, baseball. American University: JD, 1967. Working in Washington, DC, for much of his life, he began his career as an investigator for the Department of Public Welfare in 1963. In 1969, he became a legislative representative for the Proprietary Association, moving up to VP in 1983. He is survived by his wife, Judy, 4 children, 6 grandchildren, and 2 great-granddaughters.

Edwin S Myers Jr ’57, March 1, 2017. Phi Gamma Delta, ROTC, Salmagundi, soccer, lacrosse, religious groups. US Air Force. His career on Wall Street spanned more than 4 decades; he worked at various firms, including RW Pressprich, Spencer Trask, Loeb, Rhoades & Co, and Dillon Read. He served as managing director of both Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney before finishing his career at Cowen & Co. He was predeceased by a daughter, a brother, and a sister. He is survived by his wife, Amanda, a daughter, 2 sons, 2 grandchildren, a great-grandson, a niece, and 3 cousins.

Ira A Rosen ’57, March 8, 2017. Tau Kappa Epsilon, student government, tennis, chorus, religious groups. University of Chicago, MD. He practiced psychiatry both in the United States and abroad. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and other family.

William J Wier ’57, January 15, 2017. Kappa Delta Rho, Konosioni, marching band, pep band, student government. Yale: LLB, 1960. Starting as a law clerk to the US District Court in Wilmington, DE, he became district attorney in 1963 and then turned to private practice in 1967. He is survived by his wife, Betty.

Michael G McKoane ’58, December 24, 2016. Sigma Chi, Colgate Thirteen, student government, tennis. He enjoyed a long career as president of his commercial real estate development company in Chicago and Oakbrook, IL. He is survived by 3 children, 10 grandchildren, and nephew Ted Meeks ’11.

David S Perham ’58, February 17, 2017. Phi Gamma Delta, Pi Delta Epsilon, Maroon, baseball, basketball, student government. Montclair State University: MA. He was assistant director of admission at both St Lawrence and Princeton universities before joining Colgate in 1971 as dean of admission, a position he held for 15 years. Since his retirement in 1987, he owned and operated a flower farm with his wife, Andrea. He is survived by his wife, Andrea; his former wife, Cornelia; 4 sons; and 6 grandchildren.

Charles W Matches Jr ’59, January 24, 2017. Tau Kappa Epsilon, Newman Community, Outing Club, sailing club. US Navy. He was the owner and operator of Matchless Carpet Care for 35 years. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, a son, and a granddaughter.

Gary Reitzas ’59, December 16, 2016. Phi Gamma Delta, WRCU, wrestling, lacrosse. A lifetime employee of Fall River Knitting Mills, he most recently served on the company’s board of directors after his retirement from its presidency. He is survived by his wife, Lois, 4 children, and 11 grandchildren.

Paul E Wish III ’59, January 19, 2017. Theta Chi, Delta Phi Alpha. He was a businessman, working with companies including JC Penney, Western Electric, and Atlantic Insurance. He most recently served as senior VP and director at the AM Best Company. He was predeceased by his wife, Sandra, and his father, Edward ’29. He is survived by 2 children and his sister.

Harold B Rollins ’60, January 9, 2017. Delta Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Kappa. University of Wisconsin: MA, 1963. Columbia University: PhD, 1967. He spent many years as an associate professor of geology at the University of Pittsburgh. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and a son.

John B Da Grosa ’61, November 5, 2016. Phi Delta Theta, football, student government, track. US Marine Corps. Starting his career in sales for Memorex Corp in 1969, he ascended to the position of VP at the Bank of Palm Beach in 1974. In 1981, he formed the John Da Grosa Corp, staying on as president for many years. He is survived by 5 children.

David C Holloman ’61, January 9, 2017. Phi Kappa Tau, Outing Club, baseball. US Navy. After a long career in real estate management with Coldwell Banker in California, he retired to Eugene, OR, in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, 2 sons, 3 grandchildren, and his sister.

William J Romanos Jr ’61, December 30, 2016. Delta Upsilon, golf. Tufts University: MD, 1965. He was a private practice physician in Jupiter, FL, for more than 40 years, while subsequently serving as medical director of several local area hospitals. He is survived by his wife, Geraldine, 3 children, 3 grandchildren, a stepdaughter, 2 step-grandchildren, and his sister.

John E Doyle ’62, January 10, 2017. Delta Upsilon, Konosioni, basketball, baseball. US Navy. In 1966, he joined his father in business at Doyle Chrysler Plymouth. He later established Doyle Chevrolet in 1975 and acted as president of the Rochester Auto Dealers Association. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, 6 children, 20 grandchildren, sisters, and nieces and nephews.

Robert M Hamje ’64, March 28, 2017. Lambda Chi Alpha. US Marine Corps. Columbia University: MBA. He worked in Connecticut, New York, and California as an investment manager before settling in Chagrin Falls, OH, where he worked with TRW for 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Loanne; their 2 children, including Elizabeth Rogers ’93; 2 sisters; and 2 grandsons.

Glenn C West MA’66, January 1, 2017. Maroon, ROTC. US Army Air Corps: WWII. UC Hastings: LLB, 1949; JD, 1968. In 1967, he was awarded a Fulbright grant, enabling him to teach in Uganda for 2 years. Upon his return, he started estate planning at NY Life Insurance, spending the rest of his career in business. He is survived by his wife, LouAnn, 4 daughters, 9 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, his sister, his sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews.

Jeffrey R Merrill ’67, December 30, 2016. Sigma Nu, Colgate Thirteen, Outing Club, wrestling. Syracuse University: JD, 1971. From 1984 to 2014, he held the position of Syracuse City Court judge. Prior, he had served as a deputy sheriff in Ontario, Seneca, and Onondaga counties, and as Onondaga County’s senior assistant district attorney. He is survived by his wife, Genevieve, 3 children, 2 grandchildren, his mother, his sister, 2 nephews, and a niece.

John E Zales ’67, October 20, 2016. Tau Kappa Epsilon. Syracuse University, JD. He was an associate attorney for Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn and a premium sales director with Putnam Berkley Books (New York City). He owned his own publishing business and authored 101 Reasons for a Dead Cube, among other children’s books. He is survived by a brother, a sister, 2 nephews, and a niece.

Richard S Wheeler ’68, February 8, 2017. Albany Law School of Union University: JD. An attorney, he alternated between private practice in law firms such as Holland & Knight and serving as the in-house legal counsel for corporations like Home Shopping Network, Inc. Since 1993, he conducted his own practice in Orlando, FL. He was predeceased by his father, Everett ’26. He is survived by 2 sons, 2 brothers, 2 sisters, 22 nieces and nephews including Mark Thompson ’79, and 38 grandnieces and grandnephews including Mark ’08 and Andrew Pettit ’11.

Bennett L Blitzer ’69, January 19, 2017. Yale University: MD, 1973. He served as a physician in the Cincinnati area for more than 40 years. He is survived by his wife, Helene, 2 sons, and 2 grandchildren.

Richard E Schaefer ’70, March 27, 2014. Basketball, football. He was predeceased by his first wife, Diane. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and 4 children, including William ’02.

Elias N Zelkha ’72, January 8, 2017. Stanford University: MBA. An entrepreneur, he founded several companies including Kandahar Designs, Euro-Profile & iProfile, and Palo Alto Ventures. His other executive positions included VP for strategy and new ventures at Compaq Computer and VP for corporate development at Tandem Computers. In addition, he was an adjunct professor in the Institute of International Studies at Middlebury College from 2004 until his passing. He is survived by his wife, Alice, 2 sons, a daughter, 2 sisters, his brother and sister-in-law Joyce Phillips ’76, and 2 grandchildren.

Blaise A Corcoran ’75, January 7, 2017. Theta Chi, WRCU. SUNY-ESF: MS, 1984. Originally a software technical writer for Wang Laboratories, Inc in Lowell, MA, in 1990 he became a principal writer for Digital Equipment Corp in Littleton, MA. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, and 4 children.

Ellen M Athas ’76, February 15, 2017. American University: JD, 1983. She most recently served as senior counsel for the Office of Federal Activities of the Environmental Protection Agency. She began her career at the Department of Justice, working in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. Developing expertise in water and ocean policy, during her first tenure at the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), she started as the deputy general counsel and then served as a policy adviser on oceans. During that time, she played a major role in the development of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Later, with The Ocean Conservancy, she focused on both clean water and ecosystem production. Returning to CEQ in 2010, she worked closely with the Land and Water Team and provided legal support on a number of important issues, including the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. As senior counsel to the CEQ during the Obama Administration, she made significant contributions to environmental policies. She is survived by her husband, Al Ferlo ’76, 2 sons, and brother-in-law Roger Ferlo ’73.

Margaret S Bieter Cleary ’77, February 27, 2017. Phi Beta Kappa. University of Minnesota, MHA; St Thomas College, MBA. She held several executive positions in hospital administration, beginning at Fairview Southdale Hospital (Minneapolis, MN). Additionally, she served as the executive director of The Children’s Cabinet (Reno, NV) from 2006–2009. She is survived by her husband, Paul Angrick, 5 children, 2 grandchildren, her mother, a sister, and a niece.

Sheldon T Parrish ’81, December 30, 2016. Football; Alumni of Color. Upon graduation, he returned to his hometown of Roosevelt, NY, where he was a substitute teacher, was a coach, and worked in the Business Department in the Roosevelt School District. Keenly interested in civic affairs, he published 3 books on Roosevelt’s history. He is survived by his son, a grandson, 2 brothers, 2 sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and other family.

Darryl R Ferguson ’82, March 26, 2016. In 1989, he started Ferguson Fuels and Services, Inc alongside his brother and parents, continuing to run the business until his death. He is survived by his wife, Jamie, a daughter, 3 siblings, and nieces and nephews.

James J Shaughnessy ’82, December 30, 2016. Phi Kappa Tau, Colgate Thirteen, University Chorus, Newman Community, orchestra, football. SUNY Buffalo: MD, 1986; Harvard University: MPA, 1998. He worked in adult and child psychiatry in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Australia. He is survived by 4 siblings and 10 nieces and nephews.

Mari D Byron ’83, February 20, 2017. She opened the Waverly Deli in 1999, owning and operating the establishment until her death. She is survived by her husband, William, 3 children, her brother and sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews.

Christine E Murphy ’86, December 22, 2016. University Theater. St Louis Law School, JD. She was a paralegal in Atlanta and St Louis before earning her law degree and practicing law. She is survived by her mother, brother and sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and cousins.

Pasquale Amodeo ’90, January 25, 2017. Alpha Tau Omega, Phi Beta Kappa, Newman Community. Georgetown University: JD, 1996. New York University: LLM, 2003. An attorney, he was named to the Hartford Business Journal’s 2005 Forty Under Forty list for his work as a partner at his Hartford, CT, law firm, Amodeo and Associates. He was predeceased by his father. He is survived by his wife, Anne ’92, 3 children, his mother, 2 sisters and brothers-in-law, and nieces and nephews.

Joseph R Panetta ’90, January 7, 2017. University Chorus, Konosioni, Venice Study Group, crew. Beginning as a senior analyst in compensation with the American Stock Exchange, he went on to a position with the Guardian Royal Exchange Insurance Group as VP of compensation and human resources information system. During his 17-year run with the PR agency Ogilvy & Mather, he became a senior partner and director of global human resources at the North American Human Resources Unit. He is survived by his husband, Ron; his mother; his sisters and brothers-in-law; cousins; and many nieces and nephews.

Evan P Weinstein ’94, April 5, 2017. Medical College of Ohio, 1999. SOMAC-EMT volunteer. He worked with Cape & Islands Emergency Medical Services System (Falmouth, MA) and was a medical director at both Falmouth Hospital and Barnstable County Public Safety Answering Point. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Todd ’96, their 3 children, his parents, and a sister.

Andrew H McWilliams ’02, February 4, 2017. Delta Upsilon, football. He began his career in financial services with Chapdelaine before moving to Creditex. At the time of his death, he was a bond broker for Tullett Prebon in New York City. He is survived by his wife, Kelley; 3 children; father and mother; stepmother; brothers; and nieces and nephews.

John Paslaqua ’14, March 19, 2017. Phi Eta Sigma, Colgate Mock Trial, Colgate Speaking Union. He is survived by his parents, a brother, and other family.


Lasting Impressions

Shimon Malin, Professor of physics emeritus
July 21, 1937–March 17, 2017

Photo of Shimon Malin, courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives

Photo of Shimon Malin, courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives

A theoretical physicist who was fascinated with the interplay between science and philosophy, Shimon Malin has died at age 79.

Born in Tel Aviv and educated in Israel through his childhood years, Malin went on to complete his graduate studies at the University of Tokyo in 1965 and earn his PhD at the University of Colorado–Boulder in 1968.

Afterward, he arrived at Colgate, where he taught physics for four decades. Throughout his career, he taught the fundamental principles of physics with a strong interest in general relativity and quantum mechanics. He also had an urge to explore how science fits into the holistic philosophy of life. This desire to have a greater understanding of humanity led to a teaching partnership with philosophy professor Anne Ashbaugh. The first of these interdisciplinary courses was Soul, Self, and Emptiness, with Ashbaugh teaching “soul” from the perspective of the ancient Greeks and Malin teaching “emptiness” as defined by Tibetan Buddhism. The two also teamed up to teach courses in cosmology, mythology, and causality.

Malin was a teacher who was more interested in hearing what students had to say than in hearing himself talk, remembers longtime friend and colleague Charles H. Holbrow, a Colgate professor of physics emeritus. “He taught me to tolerate silence in a classroom,” Holbrow said. “He showed me that if you can wait 30 seconds or longer [after asking a question], students will break down and begin discussion.

“Shimon had a powerful effect on students who were ready to discover that they could take charge of their own learning,” Holbrow added. “He also elevated his colleagues’ understanding of physics.”

Malin, who retired from Colgate in 2008, authored four books and more than 50 academic papers. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Tova, who was a lecturer in Hebrew at Colgate from 1975–84; his children, Nadav, Yonatan, and Daniella; and five grandchildren.