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Deaths
1923
Marjorie Pillsbury Ross, Feb. 20, 1999.
A member of The Bates Key, Marjorie Pillsbury Ross was active in the life of the College
and local community. She was an officer of The Bates Key, the local alumnae club, and
had served as 1923 class secretary and class agent at one time. She taught school at
Brandon (Vt.) High School until her marriage to Norman E. Ross '22 in 1924, was a
substitute teacher in the Auburn schools for several years, and also taught in the Auburn
adult evening school. As a member of the Lewiston United Baptist Church, she was a
deaconess, taught Sunday school classes in the high school department, was the first
president of the Women's Society, and also was past president of the Lewiston-Auburn
Council of Church Women. During her younger years she was active in the
Lewiston-Auburn YWCA, serving as president and treasurer. She helped to establish the
Twin Cities Community Chest (now the United Way) and served on its board of directors
as well as on the home service committee of the local Red Cross chapter. In her later years
she became active in the Women's Literary Union of Androscoggin County, serving twice
as its president and expanding its membership and its programs. Marjorie Ross served
terms in 1964 and 1965 as president of the Women's Legislative Council of Augusta. She
also had been a member of the Wednesday Morning Club, Stanton Bird Club,
Androscoggin Historical Society, Women's Auxiliary of the Salvation Army, and a life
member of the Central Maine Medical Women's Hospital Assn. She was a skilled pianist
and delighted in entertaining family and friends with her music. She especially enjoyed
being an accompanist for group singing as she could play all the old favorites. Equally
accomplished as a hostess, her luncheons and dinners were legendary and over the years
countless guests and visitors were welcomed at her home at 32 Frye St. where the door
was always open. Survivors include her husband of 74 years; eight nieces, among them
Muriel Gower David '32; and six nephews. John G. David '64 is a grand-nephew and
John R. David '98 is a great-nephew.
1925
Gladys Hasty Carroll, April 1, 1999.
An author from South Berwick who captured a fading way of life among Maine's rural
farm communities at the turn of the century, Gladys Hasty Carroll, Litt.D. '45, wrote 26
books of fiction and nonfiction, including short stories and children's books. She was best
known for her first novel, As the Earth Turns, which was a Book-of-the-Month selection,
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, and later a feature-length movie. For many summers, the
story was reenacted at the family farm in Dunnybrook, a tiny hamlet in South Berwick. The
Portland Press Herald noted that As the Earth Turns "is a highly regarded evocation of an
era that is rapidly fading from living memory. The book captured rural Maine life at a time
when the lure of cities was pulling young people away from farms and immigrants were
moving into the state. At the heart of the work lies a dignity and resilience in the face of
change that...she always defended as an accurate portrayal of a life she had seen and
lived." Mrs. Carroll spent her childhood and much of her adult life in the farmhouse her
grandfather built during the Civil War in Dunnybrook. Like many rural Mainers of her
generation, she left the farm to pursue an education and career. She was a 1921 graduate of
Berwick Academy and majored in English at Bates and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and
later to The Bates Key. The day after the 1925 Commencement, she married Herbert A.
Carroll '23 at the Bates Chapel. She earned her master's from the Univ. of New
Hampshire in 1943, was on the Breadloaf staff, and took courses at Harvard, Columbia,
and the Univ. of Chicago. She served on the Board of Overseers from 1950 to 1955 and as
class secretary for 16 years. In the 1950s, she was a board member of the York County
Society for Crippled Children and Adults and served on the Governor's Advisory
Committee on Education in Maine. Westbrook College honored her with the Deborah
Morton Award for Distinguished Maine Women in 1987 and UMaine-Orono presented her
with the 1995 Maryann Hartman Award, which "honors Maine women who have the
spirit, achievement, and zest for life that Hartman epitomizes." Also in that year, Mrs.
Carroll was guest of honor at the Century Project Symposium by the Maine Humanities
Council, which republished As the Earth Turns as its 1995 Book of the Year. Along with
her Bates honorary degree, she received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the
Univ. of Maine in 1939 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Nasson
College in 1975. In her later years, Mrs. Carroll founded the Dunnybrook Historical
Foundation of South Berwick. Surviving are daughter Sarah Carroll Watson '62 and son
Warren H. Carroll '53; granddaughter Caroline Jones and grandson James Watson; and
five great-grandchildren. Her husband, Herbert A. Carroll '23, whom she married in 1925,
died in 1983. Please also see the tribute to Gladys Hasty Carroll on page 15.
1926
Doris Hill Robinson, Aug. 13, 1998.
Doris Hill Robinson taught in Denmark High School after she graduated from Bates. She
then worked in Boston at Stone & Webster Inc. and was a secretary at Newton, Able Co.
She married John Robinson in 1934. They moved to Tacoma, Wash., where he was on the
faculty of the Univ. of Puget Sound. A homemaker, Mrs. Robinson was active in her
community, helping to start a preschool, PTA, a community park, and playground. A
founding member of Wayside United Church of Christ, she participated in the
Improvement and Garden clubs and was an officer in the Washington State Bates Club.
Along with her love of flowers at her home, she also worked on community beautification
projects. Among her survivors are son, Robert, and daughter, Roberta; four grandchildren;
and nieces Lois Stuber Spitzer '55 and Sylvia Stuber Heap '50 and her husband Walker R.
Heap Jr. '50. She was predeceased by sisters Olive Hill Dunn '30, Helen Hill Stuber '25,
and brother-in-law Stanley Stuber '26.
Lucia Stoddard Cushman, Oct. 30, 1998.
Lucia Stoddard Cushman, having graduated from Bates at the age of 24, was 95 years old
at the time of her death. She taught in the high school of her home town, Washburn, and in
Presque Isle for several years after she graduated. In the 1970s she was a house director at
UMaine-Machias. Since 1980 she had lived in Prescott, Ariz., with her daughter, Dana,
and son-in-law. "She took great pride in being a graduate of Bates College, " Dana wrote.
Mrs. Cushman had been a member of Rebekahs and Philathea Club. She enjoyed her
family, friends, reading, and cooking. In addition to her daughter and son-in-law she
leaves three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two half-brothers.
1927
Kam Tok Chung, January 1999.
Kam Tok Chung worked in Shanghai, China, then moved to French Guiana, where he was
in the import-export business. A ranking tennis player from 1930 to 1967, he continued to
play throughout his life and the tennis trophy in his name is awarded annually to Bates'
outstanding tennis players. In 1987, he and his family returned to Bates for his 60th
Reunion. He married Lisette Dalphrose in 1930 and they were parents of Liliane, Monique,
Yolande, Sarah, and Andree.
1928
George C. Hatch Sr., Feb. 24, 1999.
A native of Plymouth, N.H., George C. Hatch returned to his hometown after he
graduated from Bates and was owner and operator of Hatch Dairy for more than 40 years.
He and his wife, Velna, lived in Citrus Springs, Fla., after they retired, and moved back to
Maine in 1991 to be near their family. He is survived by his wife of 54 years; daughter
Betty H. Markee and her husband, Lynn; son George Jr. and daughter-in-law Grace; four
grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
1929
Belva Carll Clapp, Jan. 19, 1999.
After graduating from Bates, where she was active in the Women's Athletic Assn., Belva
Carll Clapp taught at Charlton (Mass.) Junior High School for four years, later attending
business school in Boston and working as cashier at a Boston insurance agency for 22
years. In 1936 she married Kenneth Clapp and they lived in Boston until 1935 when they
moved to Pittsburgh. Then a full-time homemaker, she was especially interested in
gardening, bridge, arts, and crafts. The Clapps traveled extensively in North America and
Mexico. She is survived by sister Crete Carll Tracy '21 and the Tracy children, Gloria and
Carll. Her husband predeceased her.
Helen Goodwin Brown, Dec. 24, 1998.
An honors graduate in French, Helen Goodwin Brown taught French and Latin at Buxton
High School then had a similar job in Groton, Mass. Later, in the 1950s, she was French
and Latin teacher at Lawrence High School, Fairfield, and headed the foreign language
department at Marshfield (Mass.) High School, retiring in 1974. She earned an Ed.M. at
the Univ. of Maine in 1960 and also had studied at the Univ. of New Hampshire and the
Univ. of Rennes, France. Mrs. Brown was a member of Phi Sigma Iota, Eastern Star,
Rebekahs, United Church of Christ, and state and local professional organizations,
including the American Assn. of Teachers of French. She leaves her sister, Constance
Goodwin MacPherson '38; a niece, Dawn MacPherson Allen '68; a grandniece; and
nephews Daina and Tom.
Eleanor A. Wood, Jan. 30, 1999.
A member of The Bates Key, Eleanor Wood earned her M.A. in 1952 and Ph.D. in 1975,
both from the Univ. of Maine. For a year she taught at a one-room school in Lexington
Plantation, then began an 18-year career at Norway High School, teaching English
composition and public speaking. In 1947 she joined the faculty of Farmington State
Teachers College, now UMaine-Farmington, as an instructor in English and adviser to the
school newspaper and yearbook. From the beginning of her tenure at Farmington, she
actively supported all the sports teams, rarely missed a game, and later received a bronze
plaque with admission to all college events and the only reserved seat. In 1994 she was
elected to the UMaine-Farmington Athletes Hall of Fame as "superstar for loyal support
and contributions to UMF athletics." After she retired in 1975 as full professor, she
continued to teach courses in English composition and Shakespeare and was a volunteer in
the alumni office. Eleanor Wood received an honorary L.H.D. from the university in 1984,
cited as a "vital member of the college community, participating actively in cultural and
educational events, and reminding us that learning is a lifetime endeavor." Spending the
summers at the family homestead in the Kingfield area, where she delighted in gardening,
she was a member and hostess for the historical society and Stanley Museum. In
Farmington, she belonged to the historical society, was a member and sang in the choir of
Henderson Memorial Baptist Church, edited the 1810-1986 history of the church, and was
a former officer of the Oxford County Bates Club. During World War II she wrote
regularly to the local young people who were in the service. A member of many local and
national professional organizations, Eleanor Wood belonged to Delta Kappa Gamma, the
Art Institute of Western Maine, Business and Professional Women, the Nordica
Homestead Assn., and at one time was an officer in local Bates clubs. She is survived by
nieces, including Barbara Wood White '44, and nephews. Her brother was Everett Wood
'27.
1930
Lilian Ross Wakefield, Feb. 1, 1999.
A language major at Bates, Lilian Ross Wakefield taught French and Latin at Windham and
Kennebunkport high schools. She was a homemaker while the family lived in Brooklyn
and Hicksville, N.Y., substituting in schools from 1955 to 1965. In 1976 the Wakefields
returned to Wells Branch. In New York she was active in churches there and later in the
South Congregational Church, Kennebunkport. Lilian Ross Wakefield enjoyed theater,
movies, music, art, reading, and the study of words, but she was especially devoted to her
family and friends. She and her husband also made two trips to Europe. Survivors include
daughters Catherine W. Smith '63 and Margaret W. Woodcock; five grandchildren; six
great-grandchildren; a brother, Norman E. Ross '22, and sister, Betty Gould. George
Wakefield, her husband of 63 years, died in October 1998. The late Robert Ross '18 was a
brother, and the late Marjorie Pillsbury Ross '23 was a sister-in-law.
1932
George McCarty, Feb. 19, 1999.
George McCarty was a graduate of Staunton Military Academy before entering Bates. He
served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1953, retiring as major. An engineer for the Maine
Department of Transportation until he retired, he also had worked at Armour Co. in Salem,
N.H. He was a member of St. Joseph's Parish in Lewiston, the State Employees Assn.,
and Maine Assn. of Retirees. Survivors include son Michael and daughter-in-law JoAnne,
and two grandsons. His wife, Cecilia, died in 1989.
Elmer L. Mitchell, Nov. 1, 1998.
A cum laude graduate, Elmer Mitchell worked his way through Bates. During his 37 years
with the Maine Vocational Rehabilitation Agency he was a counselor, supervisor, and
director. He earned an M.Ed. at Boston Univ. in 1962. Retiring in 1971, he was interim
director of the Maine Lung Assn. for a year. As an active citizen of Manchester, Elmer
Mitchell at various times had served on the planning board, the school board, and building
committees. In 1982 he received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Manchester
Grange. For 40 years he served the East Winthrop Baptist Church as deacon, moderator,
and choir member. Though he belonged to several professional organizations, his main
interests were his family and tending his vegetable gardens. "He was always a true
gentleman, serving his family, his community, and his state with dedication, work ethic
and humility that were part of his character." Surviving are his classmate and wife of 60
years, Vesta Brown Mitchell; daughters Lynne and Diane; a granddaughter and three
grandsons; four great-grandchildren; and half-sister Lola Mitchell Sigel '22.
1935
Elizabeth Durell Field, Nov. 13, 1998.
An English literature major, Elizabeth Durell Field then attended Miss Sacher's School of
Design, studying costume and interior design. Following her marriage to Fred Field '36 in
1938, she made her home in Brockton, Mass. She was on the boards of Brockton
Hospital, Fuller Museum, the historical society, and the Red Cross, for whom she chaired
the service groups in 1960, and she was an honorary member of the Wednesday
Fortnightly Club. At the Unitarian Universalist Church she was chairwoman of The
Artisans. Retiring in 1980 to Cotuit, where the family spent summers, "Betty" Durell Field
was a supporter of the library and the Santuit-Cotuit Historical Society. She leaves son
Fred IV and daughters Susan and Ruth; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Predeceased by her husband in 1991, she was the daughter of the late Charles P. Durell
1905.
Carroll B. Freeman, July 22, 1998.
A history and government major, Carroll Freeman was a toolmaker at Transition
Electronics Corp. and most recently lived in Melrose, Mass. A daughter, Carolyn Freeman
Johnson '69, survives.
S. Fred Robbins, Dec. 25, 1998.
A salesman in the mercantile industry, S. Fred Robbins trained in Toledo, Ohio, then was
credit manager at Lion Dry Goods Co. there. Later he worked at McAlpin Co. in Cincinnati
and at Diebel Co. in Saginaw, Mich. Following service in World War II, he returned to
Michigan where he was manager and buyer at Bay City Stores. He retired in 1976. Fred
Robbins refinished antiques, played golf, and went fishing and shelling during winters in
Naples, Fla., and summers in Manasquam until 1993, when he moved to Lakewood. He
was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Manasquam. Survivors include his wife
of 21 years, Katherine; a daughter, Janet; two granddaughters; and a brother, Stanley '35.
1936
William J. Greenwood, Oct. 7, 1998.
A member of Delta Sigma Rho, William Greenwood was an executive with General
Electric for 25 years. In 1963 he joined Chase Manhattan Bank, where he became vice
president in charge of management services in the bank operations department. In 1975 he
received a meritorious public service award from the Economic Development Council of
New York City, a council which he had chaired. At one time he was commissioned a
Kentucky Colonel by the governor of that state. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic
Church. He leaves a daughter, Regina; a son, Robert; five grandchildren; and a sister.
Priscilla Walker Webber, March 6, 1999.
Throughout her life, Priscilla "Happy" Webber was an active Bates alumna. She was a
member of The Bates Key, served as class secretary from 1951 to 1956, was the mother of
two Bates daughters and with her husband, the late Randall "Randy" E. Webber '36, the
longtime Bates alumni secretary, she traveled to alumni meetings across the country. She
was half of a real "team," representing the College with her gracious and friendly manner.
For a year after graduation she taught English, French, and Latin at Brooklyn, N.Y., then
was an English teacher at Haverhill (Mass.) High School. Following her marriage in 1938,
she was active in the Melrose, Mass., community, serving on the local Community
Council, Red Cross, United Fund, YMCA, and PTA boards. A Girl Scout leader, she also
was active in the First Congregational Church. In 1964 the Webbers received the
Distinguished Service Citation from the College and in 1987 were honored with the Alumni
Distinguished Service Award. When the Webbers moved to Lewiston in 1968 after
Randy's appointment as alumni secretary, she served on the YWCA board of directors,
was a volunteer swimming instructor at the "Y" pool, belonged to the Art and Literature
Club, and attended the Unitarian-Universalist Church. She and Randy were faithful
volunteers at Central Maine Medical Center, he in his capacity of patient representative, she
in the nursery giving extra attention to newborns in need of rocking and hugging because
their mothers couldn't be with them. It was a role she particularly cherished. She spent
many hours there and became everyone's favorite grandmother. At their Wicklow Place
home, the Webbers' door was always open for family, friends, and traveling alumni. In
her earlier years she enjoyed tennis, swimming, bridge, and ballroom dancing, and she
was a skilled seamstress. Since moving to Schooner Estates, Happy was a good friend to
other residents, bringing cheer and a warm welcome to newcomers. Her survivors include
daughter Lyn Webber Nelson '62, son-in-law Gus Nelson, daughter Meredith Webber
Stockwell '65, son-in-law Dan Stockwell '64; and grandchildren Carolyn, Pamela, Daniel,
Michael, and Christopher. She was predeceased by her husband of 61 years in 1997 and a
granddaughter in 1968.
1937
Marjorie L. Buck, Jan. 29, 1999.
Marjorie Buck was elected to The Bates Key and was secretary-treasurer in the 1960s. She
served as class secretary for 20 years, was class president from 1960 to 1966, and an
officer in the Boston Alumnae Club. Following graduation she was secretary to the editor
of the Lewiston Daily Sun until 1940. She was then head of circulation at the Bates library
for eight years, also earning her B.S.L.S. from Simmons College in 1944. Moving to
Boston, she was research librarian at the Curtis Publishing Co. advertising office and
subsequently was office manager. She was librarian and assistant vice president at First
National Bank of Boston from 1967 to 1980, when she retired. While living in Lewiston,
Marjorie Buck was a member of the United Baptist Church and president of
Lewiston-Auburn College Club. A member of several professional organizations, she was
president of the national publishing division of the Special Libraries Assn., member of
American Marketing and Management associations and of the Bank Administrative Institute
and the Bank Marketing Assn. She enjoyed hobbies of music, photography, needlepoint,
travel, and volunteering. A brother, Clifton, and a niece and nephew, Nancy and Stephen,
survive.
Frederick J. Martin, Jan 29, 1999.
A member of Phi Beta Kappa and College Club, Frederick Martin received his Ph.D. from
MIT in 1940. During World War II he worked on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos and
later was research chemist for the Bureau of Mines. He spent some time as a chemist for a
research foundation at Ohio State Univ., with M.W. Kellogg Co., and in 1954 joined
General Electric in Schenectady. There he was liaison scientist and physical chemist at the
research and development center. When he retired in 1985 he had been manager of the
combustion technical unit for 10 years. Fred Martin served two terms as president of the
Hudson-Mohawk Bates Club. After moving to West Falmouth, Mass., he delighted in
clamming with his grandchildren. He enjoyed golf, tennis, and he continued to ski until
several years ago. Among his survivors are daughters Diana and Jean '66 and son Donald;
four grandchildren, sister Ruth Martin Keans '50 and a brother. He was predeceased in
1993 by his wife, Dorothy. His father was Frederick H. Martin '10.
1939
Ruth Brown Balmuth, Jan 4., 1999.
A faithful and dedicated alumna, Ruth Brown Balmuth was class secretary from 1949 to
1958 and again in 1974. She also had been a member of the Alumni Association executive
committee. Following a year as an apprentice teacher in Jamaica Plain, Mass., she taught
English and social studies at Oak Grove Seminary in Vassalboro, in Wrentham and
Amherst, Mass., and in Ithaca, N.Y. For many years after her marriage in 1952, while
raising their two daughters, she taught part time, substituted, and tutored a reading program
for children of migrant workers. As a faculty wife at Colgate, Ruth Balmuth participated in
college professional duties including an appointment to Colgate as a supervisor for M.A.T.
candidates in English, and she was president of the Colgate Women's Club. In the local
Hamilton community, she was president and senior delegate to the League of Women
Voters, founder of an ecumenical interfaith Sunday school, a volunteer for local charities,
and a supporter of school board candidates. Because of her years of travel in Japan, she
was uniquely qualified to work on a program for Japanese visitors to Hamilton. In
the1980s she still substituted in area schools and worked in the Chenango County Office of
Aging, helping produce a senior newsletter. She had a lifelong love of writing. During the
Amherst years, she studied and developed acquaintances with local poets and wrote
travelogues from her experiences. She leaves her husband, Jerome; daughters Deborah and
Beth and son Andrew; two grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law, Barbara Buker
Brown '39; and niece Joyce Brown Stewart '70.
Robert G. MacBride, Jan. 1, 1999.
During his five decades as a physician, Robert G. MacBride became a beloved Down East
country doctor, poet, and pioneer in rural medical care. After graduating from Boston
Univ. Medical School, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as chief of obstetrics
and gynecology at Gorges Hospital, Canal Zone, until 1948 when he began private practice
in his hometown, Lubec. He delivered 5,500 babies, occasionally under unusual
circumstances, including one instance when an expectant father rowed a dory over the bay
from Campobello Island to Lubec in a snowstorm and then rowed Dr. MacBride, his wife,
and a nurse back to the island with supplies for the delivery of twins. He provided
ambulance service when there was none and handled emergencies peculiar to fishing,
boating, and woods work. At Lubec Regional Medical Center, he was founder and director
for 18 years; he also was medical director of nursing homes in Lubec and Campobello, and
founder, chief of staff, and incorporator at Downeast Community Hospital in Machias.
With other physicians he initiated the Medex degree program in Maine's physician assistant
program. "Dr. Bob" received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Catholic
Diocesan Board of Maine in 1979 and was selected Practitioner of the Year by the National
Rural Health Assn., which in his acceptance speech he said was "wicked good." And on
Dr. Robert G. MacBride Day in 1984 the Lubec school gym was crowded with local folks
there to honor him. He was a deacon of the Congregational Church, served on the Lubec
School Board for 15 years, was a member of AF&AM, Eastern Star, Shrine, Physicians
for Social Responsibility, and state and national professional organizations. Throughout his
life, Robert MacBride wrote poetry and published four volumes over the years: Lonely
Journey, Nor Daisies, I Dream a Lot, and Christmas. He was a member of College Club
and "dearly loved Bates," wrote Leona, his wife of 55 years. She survives, as do son
Robert MacBride '68 and daughter-in-law Robin; three grandchildren; one
great-grandchild; sisters Agnes and Margaret MacBride Donaghy '32; and niece Patricia
Donaghy Schott '65. A son, Chester, predeceased him in 1986.
Lois McCleary Schiorring, Oct. 9, 1998.
Following a year at Bates, Lois McCleary Schiorring was hostess at the Seilers 1775 and
1812 Houses. During World War II she served in the Coast Guard as seaman first class. In
the 1950s she and her husband owned the West Pine Cottages on Cape Cod. She had been
a professional chef and pastry cook in many Cape restaurants and was an active member of
the Chamber of Commerce. She leaves her husband of 57 years, Harold; a daughter, Carol;
and five grandchildren.
1941
Gerard L. Morin, Feb. 13,1999.
Gerard Morin earned his M.D. cum laude at Laval Univ. in Quebec. He interned at Central
Maine General Hospital and was a resident at Christ Hospital in Jersey City. From 1949 to
1953 he was a missionary obstetrician and gynecologist at Sharon Heights Hospital in
Kentucky and at Laird Memorial Hospital and Clinic in Montgomery, W.V. He received a
master's in general surgery from New York Univ. School of Medicine and completed
surgical residency at Albert Einstein Hospital. From 1956 until he retired in 1988 Dr.
Morin was on the surgical staff of St. Mary's Regional Medical Center and was a courtesy
staff member at CMMC. At St. Mary's, he was chief of surgery and president of the staff,
and past president of both the County Medical Society and the Maine Chapter of American
College of Surgeons. A life fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, he was a regent of the International College of Surgery, a member of New
England Cancer Society. He belonged to Holy Cross parish and was known for "his
untiring service to caring for the sick." He also volunteered with AARP, Horizon 55, and
Androscoggin Home Health. Among his survivors are his wife of 45 years, Betty
(Comparoni); sons Gregory and Scott and daughters Cheryl, Michele, and Kimberly; nine
grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his first wife, Genevieve
D'Elia Morin.
1942
James R. McMurray, Oct. 6, 1998.
A professor of economics at Burdett College for 25 years, James McMurray earned an
M.Ed. from Fitchburg State College in 1952 and took courses also at Columbia, Clark, and
New York universities. Following work as paymaster at General Motors in New York City
and as a cost accountant with Grace Steamship Lines, he began at Burdett in 1947 as an
instructor and later chaired the department. Retiring as professor emeritus in 1972, he then
worked for 10 years at Standard Fin-Pipe Co. in Clinton, Mass., where he and his wife
made their home. There he was a director of the savings bank, clerk and vestry member of
Church of the Good Shepherd, and belonged to Turn Verein. In 1995 the McMurrays
moved to Kissimmee, Fla., where he was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Lois Stone McMurray; daughter Barbara; four
grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and brother Harry F. McMurray '48 and two
sisters.
1943
Ernest H. Bishop III, Sept. 23, 1998.
A World War II Army veteran, Ernest Bishop served as a technician fourth grade with the
910th ordnance heavy maintenance company in Northern France, the Rhineland, the
Ardennes, and Central Europe. Among his awards were Victory and Good Conduct medals
and campaign ribbons for European, African, Middle Eastern, and American theaters. A
longtime resident of Quincy, Mass., he worked 10 years for General Dynamics, then for
New England Insulation as a contract estimator. He retired in 1986 and moved to
Sandwich, Mass. He was an elder in the Quincy Presbyterian Church USA, belonged to
Masons, AF&AM, American Legion, Cape Cod Power Squadron, and Model Railroad
Club. He was Royal Deputy Chief, Order of Scottish Clans, member of Scotch Charitable
Society of Boston, Clan McIntosh of North America, and Highland Light Society of Cape
Cod. He is survived by son Ian; a grandson; and cousin Donald Russell '51. He was
predeceased by his wife, Margaret, in 1988 and cousin George Russell '40 in 1994.
Murray Levine, Nov. 16, 1998.
Following two years at Bates, Murray Levine joined the U.S. Army and served in the
North African campaign and saw action in Algiers and Italy as a member of the 10th
Mountain Division. After the war, in Pittsfield, Mass., he was co-owner of Jim's
Department Store until 1967 when he and his brother opened Jim's House of Shoes. At
one time he was in the laundry business. He retired in 1983. A lifelong member of
Congregation Knesset Israel, he belonged to Jewish-American War Veterans and served as
commander during the 1950s. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge and
member of American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 448, and the Adellan Lodge
326 of B'nai B'rith. He enjoyed gardening and attending the theater and local cultural
events. Murray Levine is survived by his wife of 50 years, Cecily (Lenhoff); daughters
Joyce and Amy; and two grandsons.
1946
Ruth Asker Wilbur, Nov. 16, 1998.
Ruth Asker Wilbur was a member of The Bates Key. After her marriage to Keith Wilbur in
June 1946 they were on the summer staff of the state YMCA camp in Winthrop, where he
was director and she was in charge of the music program. While he finished at Bates after
World War II service, she taught physical education at Lewiston High School and worked
on Liberty ships at the South Portland Shipyard; she also sang to help sell war bonds and
entertain the workers. The Wilburs lived in Northampton, Mass., where they enjoyed a
lifelong interest in area history, a medical antiques business, and numerous civic
organizations. While their children were young, Ruth Wilbur was a Cub Scout Den
mother, Brownie and Girl Scout assistant, PTA officer, and board member of League of
Women Voters. In the Edwards Church she chaired the music committee and was choir
member and soloist; she was also deaconess and had headed the church's board of
education. The Wilburs co-authored a history of Edwards Church, Bid Us God Speed. In
medical circles she served as president of the Medical Wives' Club and belonged to the
Hospital County Medical Auxiliary, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital Auxiliary. Since 1969,
Ruth Wilbur had been actively involved in the Northampton Historical Society, serving as
executive director for 20 years. During that time she obtained grants, developed educational
programs and exhibitions, computerized an inventory of objects, and established the
town's Historical Commission. In 1980 the society received a national award for costume
care and for a workshop on identification and conservation techniques. She was a director
of the Bay State Historical League, a member of the American Assn. for State and Local
History, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the New England and American
museum associations. In addition to her husband of 52 years, she leaves sons David and
Bruce and daughters Jody and Carol Wilbur Menke '71 and son-in-law William Menke
'69; six grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Her aunt and uncle were the late Harold
and Dorothy Wheet Burdon '23.
Fern Farquhar Varnerin, Feb. 8, 1999.
Graduating from Bates with a major in psychology and sociology, Fern Farquhar Varnerin
worked as division head of the ready-to-wear department of Sears in Lewiston. After her
marriage in 1947 she was a homemaker for 32 years, until her children were grown. In
1979 she worked as an axial threader at Sprague Electric Co. in Sanford, retiring in 1983.
A member of Springvale Baptist Church, American Baptist Women, and the church's Blue
Triangle Club, she was active in Grange, Federated Women's Club, Extension service, and
with hobbies of knitting, handcrafts, gardening, and refinishing furniture. She is survived
by daughter Deborah and son Jeffrey; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Her
husband, C. David, predeceased her in 1991.
1950
David E. Chase, Nov. 7, 1998.
A native of Auburn, David Chase joined the U.S. Navy during World War II, serving until
1946 when he entered Bates. After graduation, he worked in a local savings and loan
company and as a part-time reporter for the Lewiston Daily Sun. Moving to New York
City, he was with Wall Street firms of Thomson & MacKinon and Abbott, Proctor and
Payne. While there he took courses and achieved junior navigator status in the U.S. Power
Squadron. Following his love of the sea, he and his wife bought a Columbia sloop and
sailed to Palm Beach, Fla., on the Inland Waterway. In the spring they sailed back north to
Edgartown, Mass., where he became boatyard manager at the Harborside Hotel for the
next 21 years. After he retired in 1990, he was free to devote full time to tennis, playing
summer and winter. A friend said, "David was a kind and thoughtful person and a loyal
friend. He had a keen wit and was a gentleman of the old school." His wife, Phyllis
(Hayward '51), survives as do sisters Margaret and Mary Chase Conover '38; cousin
Roger; and several nieces and nephews.
1952
Jane Hutchison More, Dec. 4, 1998.
An English major, Jane Hutchison More was the wife of Fred More '51, whom she
married in 1952. He survives, as do sons Daniel, Andrew, and James '75 and daughter
Stephanie More Vary '79.
1953
Raymond T. Zelch, Jan. 22, 1999.
A member of College Club, Raymond Zelch was president of the Michigan Bates Club in
the 1980s. He served in the U.S. Army after graduation then joined the Chrysler Corp. He
was manager of compensation benefits and personnel administrative manager of the
company's financial corporation. Later he was executive compensation manager. Ray Zelch
was a member of Federal Civic Assn., American Management Assn., Citizens' Advisory
Committee of Livonia, Lions, and PTA, and served as a volunteer in his community. His
wife, Norma, survives as do daughters Linda and Wendy and son James and their spouses;
six grandchldren; and a brother.
1954
Colin A. Carter, Sept. 9, 1998.
Colin Carter graduated from Trinity College in 1954 after attending Bates. He had worked
for Crown Zellerbach in West Linn, Ore. He enjoyed travel, golf, and tennis. Survivors
include daughters Didra and Pam and son Trevor; five grandchildren; and a sister. His wife
of 32 years, Kaye, predeceased him.
1958
Marian Wilson Workman, Jan. 16, 1999.
After attending Bates for two years, Marian Wilson Workman earned her R.N. at Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in New York City. During her professional career
she had also worked at Visiting Nurse Assn., Daniel Freeman Memorial, and Little
Company of Mary hospitals. She actively supported the Westchester Mental Health Guild,
PTA, and other local organizations where she was needed. Her two years at Bates held
"many happy memories." She leaves husband James of 37 years; daughter Nancy
Workman Miller and husband Jonathan; sons William, Paul, Thomas and his wife
Kimberly; five grandchildren; and a sister.
1960
Daniel M. Young, Nov. 8, 1998.
A clergyman and psychotherapist, Daniel Young was associate minister of the Norwood
(Mass.) United Church and coached hockey at the local high school while studying at
Andover Newton Theological School. He earned his B.D. in 1964, an S.T.M. in 1965,
then attended Union Theological Seminary, where he was a Noyes Foundation Fellow for
two years. He was Protestant chaplain at the Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., the
Rusk Institute, and Rikers Island Prison in New York City. Mr. Young attended the C.G.
Jung Institute where he received a diploma as an analyst. He opened a private practice in
analytical psychology and psychotherapy, taught at the Jung Institute, and also was director
of studies at the Jung Training Center. In the early 1960s Daniel Young was president of
the New York Bates Club for two years and also was a class agent. He leaves his wife,
Mary Monroe; daughters Jennifer and Susan and stepsons Michael and Andrew; and five
grandchildren.
1966
Robert Fischer III, Dec. 20, 1998.
In 1969 Robert Fischer III earned his J.D. from Rutgers Univ. and was editor of the Law
Review and president of Phi Delta Phi, the international legal fraternity. He was a senior
partner at Riker, Danzig, Scharrer, Hyland & Paretti in Morristown, N.J., working in the
corporate and financial institute practice groups. A member of the firm's management
executive and library committees, he headed the recruiting committee. Following law
school he had been a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit Judge Philip
Forman. He was a member of the New Jersey and American bar associations. Among his
survivors are his wife Joan; daughter Kelly; and cousin Marilyn Shaylor Mullen '52.
1967
Bruce D. Wilson, Jan. 13, 1999.
A member of the Bates faculty from 1981 to 1982, Bruce Wilson was an adjunct professor
of geology. An honors graduate and member of Phi Beta Kappa his senior year at Bates, he
served as a captain in the Air Force Strategic Air Command from 1969 to 1973. Earning his
M.S. from the Univ. of Wyoming in 1975, he then was a doctoral candidate at
UTexas-Austin on an HEW Fellowship doing wilderness mapping research for the U.S.
Geological Survey. During his professional career he was field geologist for the Water
Resources Institute in Wyoming, and an environmental geologist for West Virginia
Geological Survey, mapping landslides. Moving to Vermont, he was technical manager for
the state's Low Level Radioactive Waste Authority. Earlier he also had taught at Lyndon
State, Keene State, and Franklin Pierce colleges in New Hampshire. An enthusiastic
outdoorsman, Bruce Wilson loved animals and horseback riding, as well as gourmet
cooking. He was a member of the board of directors of the Southern Vermont Audubon
Society, Vermont Geological Society, and Brattleboro's photography society, Offshoot.
He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Margaret Kluge '73; his mother; and a sister.
1968
Gary Frank Higgins, Dec. 31, 1998.
A member of College Club, Gary Higgins was captain of the track team and held several
sports records while he was at Bates. He was first a claims representative for Connecticut
General Insurance Co. in Syracuse, N.Y., then began worldwide travel for the company
selling group insurance to large corporations. In 1973 he worked for McCollum Motors in
Hartford, Conn. In recent years he formed the East O'Lake Building and Design Corp. in
Casco, and enjoyed boating and golf. He leaves a daughter, Gena; his mother; and two
brothers and a sister.
David A. Rinderer, Jan. 9, 1999.
David Rinderer earned his M.B.A. from the Univ. of Massachusetts. He was on active
duty in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971. A consultant, instructor, and assistant treasurer
with the architectural firm of PSMJ Resources for 20 years, he assisted the firm's CEOs in
achieving professional satisfaction and profitability. He was a contributing editor to the
company's Principal Strategies and Project Delivery newsletters and wrote for other
publications. He was a past president of the Boston Alumni Club, past president of Milton
Academy Parents Assn., and served on the board of Polytech Engineers, Planners, in
Cleveland. In Taunton, Mass., he was a 30-year member of AF&AM and master counselor
of the local chapter of Demolay. A student of history and politics and an avid traveler and
loyal friend, his first priority was his family. He leaves wife Christine; daughter Caitlin;
and his mother, Doris Gerace. David's service was conducted at St. Michael's Episcopal
Church, Milton, by his devoted friend, the Rev. Samuel S. Rodman '81.
1976
Clyde Lungelow, Dec. 21, 1998.
Clyde Lungelow was a business sales representative at Liberty Mutual in Glastonbury,
Conn., for several years until he was disabled with M.S. While he was at Bates he was
active in athletics and captained the varsity track team. He was instrumental in organizing
Triad parties, which helped raise the quality of life on campus and bridge the gaps between
groups of students with differing backgrounds. He went out of his way to help people get
acquainted through all-campus parties. Clyde is especially remembered by friends John
Jenkins '74 and Dan Downey '77, with whom he continued to exercise and play racquet
ball at the Hartford YMCA for some time after they left Bates. He is survived by daughter
Danielle; eight brothers and sisters; and many nieces and nephews.
Friend
Beatrice Garoutte Zerby, March 16, 1999.
Beatrice G. Zerby was an active member of the Bates community for many years as a
faculty wife and surrogate mother to students. She served the wider community as well as a
volunteer and community leader. In 1930 she came to Bates with her husband, Rayborn L.
Zerby, professor of philosophy and religion, later dean of the faculty. Their home was a
welcoming place for students as well as distinguished visitors and lecturers, all of whom
participated in lively discussions around the dinner table and fireplace. She and Dr. Zerby
were active in the Bates Christian Assn. and the New England Student Christian
Movement. The so-called Zerby Tour of Europe, an optional cultural course for credit with
a reading assignment and exam, was a memorable and valuable experience for many
students. A founding member of the local chapter of League of Women Voters, Mrs. Zerby
served on the YWCA Board, was superintendent of the United Baptist Church Sunday
School, and volunteered in other local organizations such as the Grey Ladies of Central
Maine General Hospital. Prior to her marriage in 1926, she studied voice and opera in
Chicago, was a soprano soloist on the Illinois Central's Railroad Hour program in the early
days of radio. She also was a key punch operator at Illinois Central Railroad and the
Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. A woman of varied interests, Beatrice Zerby's hobbies
included music, needlework, golf, and cribbage. She was an enthusiastic Red Sox and
Boston Celtics fan and, with her husband, attended many golf open championships after he
retired. She was most of all interested in her family: daughter Eleanor, son-in-law John
Blankenbaker, and children John, Anne, and David; son Charles, daughter-in-law Jane,
and children Karen and Christopher Zerby, and nieces and nephews, including Nadine
Garoutte Sturgis '40, all of whom survive.
Jean Pratt Moody, Feb. 25, 1999.
A friend of Bates and wife of Trustee Chairman James L. Moody Jr. '53, Jean Pratt
Moody graduated from Colby College in 1956 and earned a master's from Univ. of
Southern Maine in 1986, concentrating in substance abuse and rehabilitation counseling. A
member of Colby's board of directors and the Colby College Museum of Art board of
governors, she belonged to the First Congregational Church of South Portland. She and
her husband were co-donors of Moody House in the Residential Village at Bates, built in
1993. She is survived by her husband; daughter Alison and sons Eric and Jeffrey; and six
grandchildren.
The following deaths have recently become known to the College:
1914 Alice Wandke Cobb, February 1999.
1922 Frances Minot Tillson, March 16, 1999.
1924 Deborah A. Young, Jan. 15, 1999.
1929 Jacob J. Immonen, April 18, 1999.
1930 Reid S. Appleby, Dec. 21, 1998.
Aurie Balch Hudson, Feb. 2, 1999.
Gertrude Trecartin Widerkrantz, April 2,1999.
1933 Franklin S. Berkover, Dec. 30, 1998.
Constance Conant Hanson, Feb. 24, 1999.
1934 Beulah Worthley Hoepner '34, April 9, 1999.
1936 Amelia Breitmozer Sanders, March 20, 1999.
1938 William J. Luukko, Feb. 9, 1999.
Frederick J. Thornton, March 29, 1999
William G. Torrey, April 2, 1999.
1940 Eleanor Cook Bradgon, March 3, 1999.
Alfred Osher, March 21, 1999.
1941 Joanne Lowther Tuller, March 31, 1999.
1943 Nahum Huston, Oct. 29, 1996.
1946 Myrtle Holden Birdsell, 1999.
1949 Robert J. Dignam, Feb. 13, 1999.
1950 Marjorie Wilkinson MacArthur, June 17,1998.
1951 Robert W. Dean, Jan. 8, 1999.
1955 Mary Ellen Plumb, Jan. 20, 1999.
1988 Patrick J. Collins, April 6, 1999.
Bates values a diverse College community. Moreover, Bates does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital or
parental status, age, or disability in the recruitment and admission of its students, in the
administration of its educational policies and programs, or in the recruitment and
employment of its faculty and staff.
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