CLASS NOTES
CLASS NOTES
winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine 65
64 winter 2014 | St. Lawrence University Magazine
In Memory
Compiled by Shayla Snyder Witherell ’11
1935
M’46
Albert W. Starkweather
Sr.
of Leonardsville, N.Y., died August 9, 2013,
three weeks before his 101st birthday. He gradu-
ated with a B.S. in mathematics and minored in
physics and chemistry. A member of Alpha Mu
Gamma, choir, band, Glee Club and orchestra, he
also wrestled and ran track. He spent most of his
career as a mathematics teacher and retired from
Alexandria Central School in 1977, where he was
also the publicity photographer and baseball
pitching coach. In 2006, his coffee table book, The
Chenango Valley Camera Club: A Pictorial History
of the Club and Its Members
, was published. He is
survived by his wife and two sons.
1941
Winifred “Winnie” Clark DuBois
of Ambler, Pa., died August 11, 2013. She was an
English major, a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma,
wrote for
The Hill News
, and was a member of
Mummers. She was predeceased by her father,
Albion M. Clark 1905, and her sister Florence
Clark Niedhardt ’37 and brother-in-law Walter
Neidhardt ’34. Survivors include a niece, Evelyn N.
Griffin ’66.
1943
Margaret “Peggy” McDonald
Smith
of Loveland, Colo., died May 17, 2013. She
pledged Kappa Delta and studied psychology at
St. Lawrence. After marrying shortly after gradu-
ation, she moved to Long Island, where she lived
until 1957, moving to Utah, then Colorado. Peggy
worked in Aspen, where she and her husband
owned and operated a guest ranch in Snowmass;
she also worked in real estate in Carbondale. After
retiring in 1978, they spent winters in Arizona and
moved to Loveland in 1995. She was predeceased
by her father, Lloyd R. McDonald, 1915.
1944
Elizabeth “Betty” Dietrich Acker-
ley
of Scotia, N.Y., died August 3, 2013. She had
devotedly served as the 1944 class reporter since
1958. While earning her bachelor’s degree in gov-
ernment, she made the Dean’s List, belonged to
the French Club and excelled at sports, especially
tennis, archery and varsity cheerleading. She was
president of her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and staffed
The Hill News
and the
Gridiron.
While working for
General Electric, she was reintroduced to Ron-
ald Ackerley ’44, whom she married in 1965. He
predeceased her in 1998. Betty was very involved
with the Scotia-Glenville Senior Center and the
Edison Country Club of Rexford.
1948
Eugene F. Gatens
of Fanwood, N.J.,
died September 20, 2013. He joined the Navy
duringWorldWar II, serving in the Pacific Theatre.
Returning to finish his economics degree, he was
a member of Beta Theta Pi, the L Club and the
football team. He spent his career at New York
Life Insurance, retiring as a pension vice president
in 1986. Active in his parish and community, he
is survived by his wife, their seven children, 13
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
1948
Alice Walsh Kennedy
died July 11,
2013, in Dublin, Pa. She had served as her class
reporter since 2006. She was a member of Alpha
Delta Pi and, after graduating with a B.A. in sociol-
ogy, became a professional ice skater. She toured
with world champion
skater Sonja Henie's
"Holiday on Ice" (pic-
tured) and appeared in
New York City's Center
Theater ice shows. Her
late brother John ’44
was Henie’s profession-
al skating partner. After
moving to New Hope,
Pa., in 1974, she became
known as“Queen of the
Proms” because she
owned and operated a
dress store, never selling two identical dresses for
the same prom. Her brother Gene ’60 remarked,
“At the Reunion parade, shewould lead themarch
of the Class of 1948 and, even in her 80s, do high
leg kicks, like she was still in a ‘Holiday on Ice’cho-
rus line, including her 60th reunion in 2008 – and
she could still do the kicks when she passed away.”
1950
John L. Alexander
of Bristol, R.I., died
April 20, 2013. He was at Omaha Beach during the
D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge during
World War II. At St. Lawrence, he pledged Sigma
Pi and earned his degree in mathematics. He
worked for Oneida Silversmiths and the Gorham
Company. He is survived by his wife, four children
and their families.
1950
William C. “Bill” Niesen
of Portland,
Ore., died July 31, 2012. He was a brother of Beta
Theta Pi and earned his B.A. in business admin-
istration from St. Lawrence, where he met his
wife of 53 years, Marion Watkins Niesen ’51, who
passed in 2004. They are survived by two sons.
1950
Donald E. Blanchard
of Whitesboro,
N.Y., died September 9, 2013. He served in the
Marine Corps duringWorldWar II. He was elected
social chairman of the Campus Social Committee,
representing Phi Sigma Kappa. After receiving his
B.S. in psychology, he was employed by Ecolab for
37 years. He enjoyed golfing, music and dancing.
1951
Robert M. Cackener
of Queensbury,
N.Y., died July 18, 2013. Bob served in the U.S.
Army Medical Corps on a hospital ship off North
Africa during World War II. He received his B.S. in
psychology and his master’s degree from SUNY
Oneonta. He taught fifth grade for 25 years in
Hudson Falls, N.Y., retiring in 1980. Survivors in-
clude his daughter, Deborah Lewis Poplasky ’74,
wife of Thomas T. Poplasky ’72.
1952
George C. Hubbard Jr.
of Weston,
Conn., died September 1, 2013. He was a mem-
ber of the football team, was a brother of ATO and
majored in economics. He was preceded in death
by his father, George C. Hubbard Sr. ’27n; survivors
include his daughter, Gail ’82n.
1953
Joan Needes Cooch
of Valencia, Pa.,
died March 23, 2013. She was a sister of Kappa
Delta and received her B.S. in biology, meriting
induction into Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor-
ary society. She attended Cornell University, earn-
ing her MS in 1955 and Ph.D. in 1958. She worked
at the University of Ottawa School of Medicine.
Survivors include her children Evan G. Cooch ’81
and Janice Cooch Mathis ’82.
1954n
Mary G. Haney
died January 31,
2013, at her home in Keeseville, N.Y. She trans-
ferred to SUNY Potsdam and, after graduating
with her bachelor’s andmaster’s degrees, became
a teacher.
1956
Beryl Everett Atkinson
of Frank-
town, Colo., died August 22, 2013. The daughter
of a U.S. diplomat, Beryl was born in Geneva, Swit-
zerland, and lived in France and Portugal before
leaving Europe duringWorldWar II, being among
the last Americans to leave Europe as the war es-
calated. She lived in Toronto during the war and
then returned to Switzerland and Ireland. She
moved to the U.S. permanently at age 17. At St.
Lawrence, she pledged Alpha Delta Pi and ma-
jored in geology. She met her late husband, Asher
’55, on a ski slope. She had a successful 40-year
real estate career in Las Vegas and Denver while
raising six children. She was an avid skier, hiker,
equestrienne and accomplished pianist, and en-
joyed playing bridge, golf, tennis and pickleball.
1956
Robert L. Ray
of Alexandria, Va., died
July 22, 2013. He pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon,
played basketball, andwas an ROTC distinguished
military cadet and regimental commander. After
graduating with a B.S. in psychology, he received
his MA in administration from George Washing-
ton University in 1965. He attended the U.S. Army
Command and General Staff College in 1966 and
the U.S. Army War College in 1973. Col. Ray was
a highly decorated career soldier who retired in
1986 after 30 years of military service, which in-
cluded command assignments in Vietnam, Tur-
key, Germany and Korea. He loved sports and
fishing and hiking with his wife, three children
and seven grandchildren.
1957
Donald E. Wilcox
of Theresa, N.Y.,
died October 13, 2013. He was a member of Beta
Theta Pi and ROTC at St. Lawrence, where he re-
ceived his B.A. in business administration. After
serving in the Army Reserves for more than 10
In Memory Policy
We will publish in “In Memory” detailed
memorial notices of the passing of Lauren-
tians if we receive the information from a
family member or friend in the form of a
previously published notice (typically from
a newspaper). Please send such notices to
Shayla Snyder Witherell ’11, Advancement
Services, St. Lawrence University, Canton,
NY 13617 or
We
will provide the name and, if available, date
of death of others of whose passing we learn,
and the complete list of recent deaths can be
found on the University’s website at alumni.
stlawu.edu.
*The designation “n” with class numerals
indicates that the individual did not gradu-
ate from St. Lawrence.
* The designation “M” with class numer-
als indicates that the individual earned a
master’s degree from St. Lawrence in the
year given.
years, he opened his own insurance agency in
1973 and, after purchasing several local agencies,
formed North Jefferson Agencies. He sold the
company and retired in 1994, remaining actively
involved with his church, fire department and
Rotary Club in Theresa. Survivors include his son
Brian D.Wilcox ’85, P’14 and granddaughter Madi-
son J. Wilcox ’14.
1959
Nicholas Karas
of Orient, N.Y., died
August 11, 2013. He was an ichthyologist and au-
thor, having penned a dozen books, two novels
and hundreds of major magazine pieces. After
serving in the U.S. Navy and attending Johns Hop-
kins University, Nick graduated from St. Lawrence
with a B.S. in biology. He was the photography
editor for
The Hill News
and co-editor of the
Grid-
iron
. He earned an M.A. in journalism in 1961 from
Syracuse University. He wrote for various maga-
zines and as a freelance writer before spending
most of his career as the outdoors columnist for
Newsday
of Long Island and New York. He is sur-
vived by his wife of 58 years, three sons and five
granddaughters.
1959
Barbara Cornell McGill
died Au-
gust 4, 2013. Barbara lived in Colorado and then
Nebraska before retiring with her husband to
Panama City Beach, Fla. She studied sociology
and was a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Those
remembering her are her daughter and son and
their families.
1960
James “Jim” Niland
died July 27,
2013, in Las Vegas, where he retired in 2000 after a
38-year career with Trustco Bank in Schenectady,
N.Y. At St. Lawrence, he majored in psychology,
played football, and was a member of Alpha Tau
Omega and the L Club. In the U.S. Army, he earned
medals for good conduct and as a sharpshooter.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Geor-
gia Bowers Niland ’61.
1968
John T. “Jock” Menzies III
died Au-
gust 16, 2013, after an accident at his home in
Arnold, Md. He was the chairman of the Terminal
Corp. and founder, chairman and president of
American Logistics Aid Network, a supply chain
network that became a leader in mobilizing di-
saster relief under Jock’s leadership. Jock formed
the network in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
in 2005. In 2009, the University of Maryland Sup-
ply Chain Management Society elected Jock its
Person of the Year, and DC
Velocity
, a publication
for those working in the transportation industry,
recognized him as a "Rainmaker" in the logistics
industry. He had also served as president of the
Baltimore-Washington Round Table for the Na-
tional Council of Physical Distribution Manage-
ment, and was an honorary board member of
the Maryland Chapter of the American Red Cross.
At St. Lawrence, Jock was active in Thelmo, SAE
and Interfraternity Council. He was also on the la-
crosse, football and wrestling teams and received
his degree in economics. Those remembering
him include his brother Scott S. Menzies ’73; sis-
ter, Priscilla Menzies Keller ’76, P’14; and nephew,
Matthew C. Keller ’14.
1973
Paul W. Mathias
of Tonawanda, N.Y.,
died September 12, 2013. He played football and
freshman hockey and lacrosse and was a writer
for
The Hill News
and treasurer of Sigma Pi. He re-
ceived a degree in government and was inducted
into ODK. After earning his law degree from the
University at Buffalo Law School in 1977, he was
admitted to the New York State Bar in1980. He
was also a dedicated youth hockey coach. Survi-
vors include his brother, Daniel J. Mathias Jr. ’72.
1980
Sheila M. Toohey Considine
died
August 17, 2013, at her home in Jamesville, N.Y.
She was a member of Delta Delta Delta and Thel-
mo and earned her B.S. in psychology. She also
studied in Kenya. After receiving her master’s de-
gree from the University of Vermont, she worked
as a school psychologist. Those remembering her
include her daughter, Emily Blanchard ’11.
1987
Thomas F. Tafuto
died February 26,
2013, in Philadelphia, Pa. He donated his body to
science. While at St. Lawrence, he participated on
the London and Kenya programs and majored in
English. He is survived by his three children.
1990
Douglas G. “Doug” Murray
died
September 3, 2013, at his home in Kanata, Ont.
He majored in economics and minored in geog-
raphy. A standout in hockey, he was MVP of the
1989 ECAC men’ tournament and captain of the
Skating Saints in his senior campaign. He con-
tinued his passion for hockey after St. Lawrence,
pursuing a professional hockey career. In 1999, he
was inducted into St. Lawrence’s Hall of Fame as
part of the 1988 hockey team.
1991
Lisa D. Arcand Hoy
died August 24,
2013, at her home in Canton, N.Y. She was a cap-
tain of the women’s hockey team and majored in
environmental studies and biology. She earned
her master’s degree in environmental toxicol-
ogy from Trent University. Those surviving her
include her husband, St. Lawrence’s head base-
ball coach, Peter Hoy, and their two daughters,
Madison and Ava.
We have also learned of the deaths of these
Laurentians; memorial notices may appear in
future issues:
Esther Lacy Flower ’39, Sept. 30, 2013
Kathryn E. Christie ’42, July 21, 2013
Ladd L. Young ’44, Aug. 24, 2013
Robert L. Hebblethwaite ’47, Sept. 29, 2013
Dorris M. Darrah ’49, Aug. 22, 2013
Curtis W. Barker ’50, Sept. 28, 2013
Lorna Ross Johnson ’50, July 4, 2013
Allen S. Hunt ’51, Aug. 27, 2013
Paul C. Watson ’53, July 1, 2013
Joan Jensen Brandt ’54, July 30, 2013
Stuart L. Hunter ’54, May 25, 2013
David L. Richardson ’54, Aug. 2, 2013
Dorothy Fletcher Stade ’56, July 19, 2013
Robert J. Bray ’58, Sept. 23, 2013
Robert D. Curtis ’58, Aug. 18, 2013
John L. Hamill ’60, Aug. 29, 2013
Jerome P. Kovacs ’61, July 28, 2013
H. Clark Griswold ’62, Sept. 12, 2013
Earl G. Moore ’62, Sept. 2, 2013
James A. Delbel ’66, July 10, 2013
Martha Gildersleeve Nock ’66, July 16, 2013
Thomas W. Bachmeyer ’68, Aug. 1, 2013
Faculty and Staff
Emeritus Associate Professor of English
RichardKepes
died in Canton August 1, 2013. He
was 86. Dick taught at St. Lawrence from 1966 to
1989, and was admired for his intelligence, love of
nature, gardening acumen and gentle wit. He was
a leading advocate for international studies. In
addition to courses in English and journalism, he
taught Japanese language and literature, direct-
ed St. Lawrence’s international program in Japan,
and hosted scholars and journalists from Japan in
their visits to Canton. A bachelor’s and master’s
graduate of Harvard University, Dick taught high
school for several years, including three years in
the Bahamas, before receiving a Fulbright Grant
to study in Japan, one of several visits he made
to that nation he came to know and admire. In
retirement, he was active with the Friends of
Owen D. Young and Launders Libraries and local
organizations ranging from the Canton Unitari-
an-Universalist Church to the Adirondack Moun-
tain Club. He leaves his wife, Joan; four children;
and seven grandchildren.
Former Laurentian Singers Director Robert
H. “Bob” Jones
, age 77, of Wilmington, N.C.,
died June 20, 2013. He earned his bachelor’s
degree from SUNY Potsdam and his Doctor of
Musical Arts from Stanford University. He taught
music and conducted the Jubilee Singers at Fisk
University for several years, then from 1970 until
his retirement in 1987 was a member of the St.
Lawrence music faculty and director of the Lau-
rentian Singers. He relocated to Oak Island, N.C.,
and formed a catering company, Chefs-for-a-
Day, with Gail Berry, also a former music teacher
at St. Lawrence.
Tom Hooper
, a member of the St. Lawrence
facilities staff for 18 years, died at his home on
August 5, 2013, under the care of St. Lawrence
Valley Hospice. A cleaner and mechanic, he re-
tired in 2010. He had previously been a miner
and construction contractor.
The Extended Family
William Knoble ’14,
a non-traditional student
and the husband of North Country Public Radio
Director Ellen Rocco, died September 23, 2013.
He was 67. Bill was studying part-time at St. Law-
rence, with a geology major, especially enjoying
field trips. A potter and farmer, he was involved
in numerous arts and civic organizations, and
was an avid outdoorsman. As noted in a campus
announcement, “Bill never owned a cell phone,
but he had two tractors.” By resolution of the
Board of Trustees, upon recommendation of the
faculty, he has been awarded his degree posthu-
mously. Donations can be made to a scholarship
fund being established by the geology depart-
ment in Bill’s honor; to North Country Public
Radio (
; or to Bat Conservation
International (batcon.org).
