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Fall 2001

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Extended Family

OBITUARIES: 1976-94

DAVID W. BLUM ‘77, 50, of Winchester, formerly of Framingham, died Saturday, Sept. 16. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Framingham, he was a graduate of Framingham High School, Class of 1967. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse and an engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was employed as an electrical engineer. Survivors include his mother, Rita (Durst) Blum of Framingham; a sister, Kathryn Blum of Newton; a brother, Michael Blum of Port Royal, Pa.; and his special friend, Janice Nowak of Medford. His father, Robert Blum, died earlier. . .

(Needham Newton Tab 9/28/00)

JOSEPH FERRANTE ‘77

CHARLES A. BAJOR JR. ’78, 44, of South Hadley, died Thursday at his home. He was a woodworker for 12 years at the Riverbend Factory in Holyoke. Born in Springfield, he was a 1974 graduate of Chicopee High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1978. He was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church in Chicopee. He was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels in Holyoke and a mentor for the mentally handicapped. He served on the board of directors for the Center of Human Development in Springfield. He leaves his mother, Ilene M. (Doucette) Bajor of Belchertown; and a brother, Bruce M. of Belchertown. . .

(Sunday Republican 2/4/01)

SUSAN E. (COMEY) STAPLER ‘78, 45, of Shrewsbury, a quality assurance manager, died Wednesday, April 25, at home after a long battle with colon cancer. She leaves her husband of 13 years, John T. Stapler Jr.; two daughters of Shrewsbury; her parents, Walter E. and Irma E. (Wilson) Comey of Methuen; a brother, Stephen E. Comey of Pinellas Park, FL; nephews and nieces. She was born in Marlboro, raised in Northboro, and lived the past 16 years in Shrewsbury. She graduated from Algonquin Regional High School, Northboro, in 1973 and from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst summa cum laude, with a bachelor’s degree in public health in 1977. Mrs. Stapler most recently was a quality assurance manager at UMass Biological Laboratories in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. She previously worked for Alpha Beta Technology, Worcester, and Genzyme Corp., Framingham. She was superintendent of the Sunday school at Wellspring United Methodist Church. . .

(Worcester Telegram & Gazette 4/27/01)

SUE (OLDER) BANKMAN, ‘79G, 64, of Northampton, a retired state employee, died Wednesday in her home. She was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, and graduated from Bob Jones University in 1958. She received a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1979. Mrs. Bankman lived in Cambridge before moving to Northampton in 1970. She worked on several political campaigns for Mayor Mary Ford and John W. Oliver, now a US representative, when he ran for state Senate. She also volunteered at Cooley Dickinson Hospital and for Northampton public schools. She worked for several years for the state agency that licenses foster homes. Mrs. Bankman is survived by her husband, Thomas A.; a son, Jeffrey A. of Northampton; and a brother, William Older of Charleston, West Virginia. . .

(Boston Globe 3/4/01)

EARL P. CHEEVER II ‘79, 48, of York Beach, Maine, a former Lynn resident who managed design and construction projects, died Tuesday; apparently of a heart attack, while conducting an accreditation review at Regional Medical Center in San Jose, CA. Mr. Cheever was an architect for DeStefano and Associates Construction Managers in Portsmouth, NH, and was a project manager for design and construction of health-care facilities. Born in Chelsea, he graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1970. He later attended Boston Architectural Center, and he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Before moving to Maine five years ago, Mr. Cheever lived in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, and in Lynn. Mr. Cheever was a member of Division 10 Ancient Order of Hibernians of Lynn. He formed the Girls’ Softball League in Rancho Santa Margarita, and he served as league vice president and coach of the traveling team. He also established a girl’s softball team for freshmen and sophomores at Tribuco Hills High School in Mission del Norte, CA. He leaves his wife, Cheryl (Courtemanche) of York Beach, Maine; two daughters, Monica M. of Orange, CA and Kathleen A. of York Beach, Maine; four brothers, Wayne L. of Salem, Joseph of Lynn, Frank J. of Saratoga Springs, NY, and Paul J. of Revere; and two sisters, Janice M. of Newburyport and Joan A. Monteith of York, Maine. . .

(Boston Globe 3/11/01)

NANCY FITZGERALD ‘79, 43, of Wellesley and formerly of Wilbraham, died Monday at Newton Wellesley Hospital. She formerly worked at the law firm of Corcoran, Fitzgerald, and Hennessy in Milton. Born in Springfield, she was a graduate of Wilbraham High School and received a bachelor’s of science degree in 1979 from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She moved to Wellesley in 1981 and worked as a graphic artist. She was a member of the Algonquin Club of Boston and the Wellesley Education Foundation. She was a town meeting member. She leaves her husband, David M. Fitzgerald; two sons, Timothy J. and John M.R. and a daughter, Meredith N., all of Wellesley; her parents, Robert Raymond of Largo, FL and Evelyn Auchter of Wilbraham; and two sisters, Cheryl Raymond of Springfield and Barbara Ernst of East Longmeadow. . .

(Springfield Union News 1/20/01)

STEPHEN MILEWSKI ‘79G, 53, of North Attleboro, a physicist, died Wednesday at Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital in Duluth, Ga., after a short illness. Born in Holyoke, Mr. Milewski also lived in Hudson, NH, and Connecticut. He resided in North Attleboro for the past 16 years. He graduated from Holyoke High School in 1965. Mr. Milewski graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, in 1969, earning a bachelor’s degree. He also attended Western New England College in Springfield, earning an engineering degree, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, earning a master’s degree in physics. He worked for 15 years as a physicist for Delphax Systems, now of Canton. Mr. Milewski then worked as the director of development for Color Imaging Inc. in Attleboro and Norcross, Ga. He was a communicant of St. Marks’ Church in Attleboro Falls and was a member of the Society of Imaging Science and Technology. Mr. Milewski was also an avid hiker and bicyclist. He is survived by his wife, Susan A. (Bell); his mother, Genevieve (Karbowski) of Holyoke; two daughters, Kristen M. and Sarah J., both of North Attleboro; a sister, Barbara Smith of Scarsdale, NY; and several nieces and nephews. . .

(The Boston Herald 5/12/01)

GORDON SMITH ‘79, 74, of Easthampton, a former educator, died Sunday (3/11/01) at home. He was a professor and department chair of the Radiological Technology Department of Springfield Technical Community College for 30 years and retired in 1991. Born and educated in Manchester, England, he moved to Montreal, Canada, in 1956, Framingham in 1969 and Easthampton in 1973. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a master’s degree in education from Antioch University and also attended Harvard University. He served in World War II as a sergeant with the British Army Intelligence Corp. He was a member of the Ionic Lodge of Masons, played trumpet in the Shriners’ military band unit in Springfield and was a member of the Easthampton Rod and Gun Club. He was also an accomplished magician. His wife, the former Anne Bradley, died in 1983, and a son, Robert B., died in 1977. He leaves a daughter, Kathryn J. Smith at home; a brother, Alec of Port Orange, FL; a sister, Margaret Burgess of Hest Bank, England; and a grandson. . .

(Springfield Union News 3/14/01)

JOSEPH N. ROBINSON ‘79, 50, of Ashland, formerly of Millis, died Monday, December 11, 2000, at his home. He was the husband of Lisa E. (Leeder) Robinson. Born in Newton, he was the son of the late Joseph L. and Rose (Castellano) Robinson. He was a graduate of Millis High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam. Mr. Robinson was a self-employed carpenter for 20 years. Besides his wife, he leaves three sisters, Marianne Jestings of Waterbury, VT, Florence Robinson of Norfolk, and Jeanne Crosby of Plymouth; and several nephews and a niece. He was the brother of the late Susan, Norman, and Roseanne Robinson. . .

(Framingham Metrowest Daily News 12/13/00)

ANN BOLGER ‘80, director of Residence Life at MSU since July 1999, died unexpectedly December 5. "Ann had an insightful appreciation for the role of residential life in the total academic, social and cultural experience of a student," said President Peter McPherson. "She believed that programs here should be based on a conviction that students learn where they live and live where they learn. "We were very fortunate to have had her leadership, wisdom and creative energy." As an expert of organizational theory and change, Bolger created a dynamic environment. Among her major accomplishments was a redefinition of the core purpose and values of Residence Life. Bolger came to MSU from Macalester College where she served as director of residential life from 1993 to 1999. Her son, Nicolas, survives.

(Michigan State University News Bulletin)

DOROTHY E. DOWLING ‘81, of Northampton, died Monday at a local nursing home. She was a former volunteer at the Northampton Nursing Home and a volunteer fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. Born and raised here, she graduated from Northampton High School and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She lived in Milton for 20 years and moved back to Northampton in 1975. Her husband, John P. Dowling, died in 1985. She leaves a son, John P. Jr. of San Francisco; two daughters, Katherine Keefe of North Grosvenordale, CT, and Elizabeth Dowling of Northampton; and two grandchildren. . .

(Springfield Union News 5/2/01)

GWENDOLYN BROOKS ‘81H, 83, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has not brought celebrated poet Nikki Giovanni to tears. There’s no need to cry, says Giovanni, because Brooks’ death was "a transition with no complaints." "I don’t think anybody who loved Gwen has complaints," Giovanni says of Brooks, who died of cancer Sunday in her Chicago home. "It would be easy to say, ‘Oh, she was taken too soon, she suffered.’ But to us, she just left. The work is here- the spirit of what she did. The courage, it’s there. You remember who she is, and she will continue to be with us." "A person isn’t dead until they are forgotten. She will not be forgotten. She is there, remembered with Paul Laurence Dunbar and Langston Hughes. Nobody can complain." Brooks was a national treasure- a world-renowned master of verse who used her talents to chronicle the condition of black life in America. During a career that spanned 50 years, she wrote hundreds of poems and more than 20 books, received 70 honorary degrees and won dozens of prestigious awards for her work, including a Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for "Annie Allen," about the tragedy of black life in Chicago. Though she lived in Chicago most of her life, Brooks did a short stint as a distinguished professor of the arts at City College. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture also houses an extensive collection of Brooks’ work, including manuscripts, original poems, letters, and newspaper clippings. . .

(New York Daily News 12/5/00)

JAMES E. TUCKER ‘82G, 97, of Greenfield, died Thursday at home. He worked in the meter department of Western Massachusetts Electric Co. for 35 years and retired in 1968. He also managed the Franklin Cooperative Store. Born in Somerville, he was a longtime resident of Greenfield and a 1922 valedictorian graduate of Black River Academy in Ludlow, VT. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Tri-State College in Angola, Ind., and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was the president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local for many years and active in town affairs. He served on the Town council for several years. He was a communicant of our Lady of Czestochowa Church in the Turners Falls section of Montague and designed and built a line of furniture. His first wife, the former Anna M. Siano, died in 1973. He leaves his wife, the former Phyllis L. Adams; a son, Dr. Albert J. Tucker of Bethesda, Md.; three daughters, Mary T. Loring of Augusta, Maine, Theresa A. Levisee of Greenfield and Ann R. Shanks of Aloha, Ore.; two stepsons, Robert A. Adams of Shelburne and John J. Adams Jr. of Hancock; two stepdaughters, Cynthia A. Jones of Northampton and Jeannette M. Steidler of the Leeds section of Northampton; seven grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; 14 step-grandchildren; and 18 step-great-grandchildren. . .

(5/18/01)

MICHAEL T. CAHILL ’88, 35, of Malden, formerly of Worcester, a business analyst, died Thursday, November 16, at home after being stricken ill. He leaves his parents, Michael M. and Ellen P. (Quinn) Cahill of Worcester; a brother, Daniel P. Cahill of Worcester; a close friend, Colleen Dwyer of Worcester. He was born in Worcester and graduated from Burncoat Senior High School in 1983. He earned an associate’s degree from Quinsigamond College in 1985, a bachelor’s degree from University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1988, and an MBA in international finance from Clark University, Worcester, in 1992. Mr. Cahill was a business analyst four years in the financial marketing division at State Street Corp., Boston. Previously, he was a loan processor for the Small Business Administration, doing disaster relief for the earthquake victims in Northridge, CA. . .

(Worcester Sunday Telegram & Gazette 11/19/00)

GLENN M. PANNIER ‘88, ‘90G, 60, of Chicopee, died Thursday at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Leeds section of Northampton. He was a former teacher in the Horticultural Department of Comprehensive High School. Born in Springfield, he received a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and lived in Springfield for most of his life before moving to Chicopee six years ago. He was a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. He leaves a son, Jason G. of Demopolis, Ala.; three brothers, Paul W. of Wisconsin, and Brian D. and Bruce A., both of Ohio; and four sisters, Jean P. Linnehan of Springfield, Karen V. Cooley of Pennsylvania, Deborah L. Gran of Connecticut, and Susan L. Loragne of Germany. . .

(Springfield Union News 4/14/01)

MICHAEL A. PERRONE ‘94, 38, of West Springfield, a facilities manager for Tubed Products of Easthampton for four years, died Sunday at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Born in Boston, he was raised there and in Springfield, and lived in West Springfield for three years. He graduated from Classical High School in Springfield and from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with an engineering degree. He served in the National Guard. He leaves his wife, the former Marina Sting; a daughter, Monica Perrone at home; five sisters, Maria Cladarola, Jennifer Gaffney and Carla Perrone, all of East Longmeadow, Joanne White of Longmeadow, and Christina Murphy of Boston; and his parents, Vincent Perrone of Springfield and Belle (Buccigross) Perrone of Longmeadow. . .

(Springfield Union News 3/13/01)