Deaths

FACULTY
Lawrence H. Lanzl, professor emeritus of radiology, died December 23 in Chicago at age 80. A pioneer in medical physics, he was instrumental in starting the University's graduate program in that field. In the 1940s Lanzl worked on the Manhattan Project, following the project to Los Alamos. Returning to the University as a senior physicist at Argonne Cancer Research Hospital, he then joined the Franklin McLean Research Institute. He is survived by his wife, Elisabeth, an editor at the Institute; a daughter; a son; and three grandsons.

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1930s
Herbert B. Fried, JD'32, founder of the Law School's placement office, died December 3 in Glencoe, IL. He was 91. Awarded a Bronze Star and the French Croix de Guerre in WW II, Fried returned to private practice, eventually becoming president of Chas. Levy Circulating Co., a distributor of newspapers, magazines, and books. He is survived by a daughter and a brother, Jeffrey Fried, X'36.

Mary Wakefield Spencer, AM'32, died December 7 at age 92. Spencer's lifelong involvement in her church included serving as a Sunday school teacher and president of several church organizations. She is survived by a daughter; a son; a brother, William E. Wakefield, PhB'34; and five grandchildren.

Lewis G. Groebe, AB'34, JD'35, an attorney specializing in corporate law and savings & loans, died October 6 in Palm City, FL. He was 89. After graduation, Groebe joined the law firm of Ungaro and Sherwood and rose to partner. Enlisting in the Army in 1944, he fought in Europe during WW II, receiving a Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation. He is survived by a daughter; two sons; and six grandchildren.

Elliott W. Schryver, PhB'34, a book editor, died December 15 in Berkeley, CA. He was 89. During WW II, Schryver earned the Congressional Medal of Freedom as a civilian economist in the European theater. He worked at several New York publishing houses including Doubleday, Viking, G. P. Putnam, and Reader's Digest Books. After joining Alcoholics Anonymous in 1978, Schryver dedicated his last 25 years to helping others achieve sobriety. He is survived by his wife, Alice Stinnett Schryver, PhB'32; two daughters; and four grandchildren.

Alexander M. Riskin, MD'35, a physician, died December 3 at age 94. He served as chief public health officer for the state of Connecticut and during WW II was a Navy physician. Riskin was the chief architect and director of the Community Medical Center in Los Angeles, an early prepaid health system for the poor. He is survived by his wife, Janice; two sons; and five grandchildren.

Stefan Heym, AM'36, a widely published author of historical and political novels, died December 17 while on a lecture tour in Israel. He was 88. A Jew uprooted from Germany in 1933, Heym edited an anti-Nazi weekly and served in the U.S. Army in a psychological warfare unit. After the war, the Berlin resident wrote Marxist-Leninist novels and tracts. He is survived by his wife, Inge Hohn.

Paul C. Hume, X'37, a music critic, died November 26 in Baltimore. He was 85. Writing for the Washington Post, Hume built a reputation as one of the nation's most learned critics. He is also remembered for his review of a voice recital by President Harry Truman's daughter, in which he wrote, "Miss Truman cannot sing very well. She is flat a good deal of the time." Truman wrote back, "Someday, I hope to meet you. When that happens, you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter for below." Hume is survived by a daughter and three sons.

Clement C. Caditz, AB'38, died December 15. He was 89. Caditz built a small family factory into the nation's largest contract metal-stamping operation; Northern Metal Products produced the outer shells for Motorola's television tubes. Caditz also formed the International Council of Metal Presswork Associations to raise industry standards. He is survived by a daughter, two sisters, and two grandchildren.

Kate Meyer Herman, AM'39, an activist for health and women's issues, died October 15 in Ann Arbor, MI. She was 85. She often spoke in Chicago's south suburbs for causes ranging from child care to the Older Women's League. She is survived by a son, a granddaughter, and a grandson.

Leo Seren, SB'39, PhD'42, died January 3 in Evanston, IL. He was 83. A former U of C scientist, Seren worked on the Manhattan Project but later came to regret his role in building the first atomic bomb. Seren subsequently joined several environmental and peace organizations including a group called NOMOR (short for Nuclear Overkill Moratorium). He is survived by two daughters and a son.

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1940s
Bernice Glickson Cohen, AB'41, AM'42, a Chicago educator, died November 1 in Newtown, PA. She was 81. After WW II Cohen taught returning soldiers at Roosevelt University. Born and raised in Hyde Park, she taught English at Hyde Park High School and planned curricula for Chicago Public Schools. Survivors include her husband, Sydney; a daughter; a son; and a grandson.

John W. Nicholson, AB'41, an accountant, died August 21 in Medford, OR. He was 82. Nicholson served in the U.S. Navy during WW II, then he worked as a partner with accounting firms Alexander Grant (now Grant Thornton) and Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). He is survived by his wife, Ilse Stettner Nicholson, PhB'46; a son, Peter Nicholson, MBA'78; and three sisters.

Melvin M. Newman, SB42, MD44, a thoracic surgeon, died January 7 at age 80. A pioneer in artificial heart-valve replacement in the 1960s and 1970s, Newman began his career as a surgeon for the U.S. Navy during WW II. In 1959 he became director of surgery at National Jewish Hospital. After teaching at the University of Colorado, Newman worked in two other hospitals, retiring in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Kligerman Newman, PhD55; a daughter; a son; a sister, Muriel Newman Roston, PhB44, AM50; and five grandchildren.

Lois Hattery Stallknecht, AB'42, died January 14 in Mountain View, CA. She was 82. Stallknecht taught at Indiana University and De Anza College before retiring to teach students who spoke English as a second language. She is survived by her brother, Robert W. Hattery, PhB'48, AM'54, PhD'61, and two sisters.

Emily Wolff Sereno, PhB'33, AM'43, died December 9 in Washington, DC. She was 90. After working for the Cook County Department of Public Assistance, she move to Washington, worked at two children's hospitals, and then transferred to the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. She is survived by a daughter; a son, Julian D. Sereno, AB'72; and two grandchildren.

Alfred Clebsch Jr., SB'47, SM'48, a geologist, died January 3 in Lakewood, CO. He was 80. An Army Air Corps weather officer during WW II, he had a 37-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey, writing more than 30 hydrogeologic publications. He is survived by a daughter, a son, and a brother.

David Parson, JD'47, a corporate attorney, died December 13 at age 77. A radio broadcaster during college days, Parson worked at Kirkland & Ellis, representing media entities including the Chicago Tribune and WGN television and radio. In 1958 Parson helped establish WQAD-TV, an ABC affiliate in Moline, IL, and later in his career he had a private practice in Chicago. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, three daughters, and three grandchildren.

Roger L. Shapiro, SB'47, MD'49, a research psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, died December 3. He was 75. Shapiro directed clinical services at George Washington University Medical Center before becoming supervising psychoanalyst at the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. His publications focused on how complex family interactions contribute to psychological illness. He is survived by his wife, Dina Kostun.

Karl Siewers, AM'47, a former Chicago Public School principal, died November 23. He was 79. A strong supporter of the civil-rights movement, he led field trips to introduce low-income students to the city's cultural and educational resources. Siewers is survived by his wife, Marjorie, and a son.

Charles J. Thiebeault III, MBA'47, died December 28 in Lufkin, TX, at age 85. He joined the U.S. Navy during WW II. From 1946 on, Thiebeault worked in sales and market research. He is survived by his wife, Ellyce; two daughters; two sons; and a granddaughter.

Charles M. Otstot, PhB'48, SB'50, SM'50, an analyst of the Central Intelligence Agency, died December 25 at age 75. He began with the CIA in 1953 as an economic analyst of China. After retiring in 1983, he helped catalog 7,000 cubic feet of papers from the Office of Strategic Services, the CIA's predecessor during WW II. He also worked for the Army and the National Security Agency and retired as a colonel in the Army Reserve in 1986. He is survived by his wife, Florence Baumruk Otstot, PhB'48, SB'49; two children; and four grandchildren.

Seth Benardete, AB'49, AM'53, PhD'55, a professor of classics at New York University and of philosophy at the New School, died November 14 at age 71. A prolific scholar, Benardete published several books on Greek tragedies, Plato's writings, and classical history and philosophy. He is survived by his wife, Jane; a daughter; a son; and two brothers.

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1950s
Natalie Rogoff Ramsoy, AM'47, PhD'50, died January 18 in Washington, DC. She was 77. While working as a researcher at Columbia University, Ramsoy began a graduate studies program at the University of Oslo. The Norwegian government later invited her to found and direct the Norwegian Institute for Sociological Research. She is survived by a brother.

Burton W. Kanter, AB'51, JD'52, a tax lawyer, died October 31 in Highland Park, IL. He was 71. After helping found Chicago law firm Neal Gerber and Eisenberg, Kanter lectured at the Law School for 15 years. A life trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art, he was also involved in producing films such as One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Survivors include his wife, Naomi; a daughter; two sons, including Joshua S. Kanter, JD'87; two brothers; and five grandchildren.

Keith Kavanaugh, AM'48, PhD'54, a longtime high-school principal, died December 1 in Sebring, FL, at age 81. Kavanaugh spent more than 30 years as a teacher and principal. In 1970 he helped found the Illinois Principals Association, the first such organization in the nation. Kavanaugh is survived by his wife, Virginia; two daughters; and three grandchildren.

Mathew H. Ahmann, X'56, died December 31 in Washington, DC, at age 70. An advocate for diversity in the Catholic Church, Ahmann founded and directed the Chicago-based national Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice. He is survived by four daughters, two sons, two brothers, and 11 grandchildren.

Durrett Wagner, X'59, a book publisher, died November 21 in Evanston, IL, at age 72. A former professor and dean at Kendall College, Wagner bought the Swallow Press in the late 1960s and helped fledgling authors publish their work. He is survived by his wife, Betty Jane; two daughters; a son; and a granddaughter.

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1960s
Edwin C. Bowers III, AM'65, a resident of Denver, and Leland, MI, died November 13 in Phoenix. He was 64. Bowers reported for two Ohio newspapers before writing for the United Press International in New York. He moved to Telluride, CO, in 1969 and coedited the local paper until he joined the ski patrol for Telluride's resort. He is survived by a son, a brother, and two sisters.

David A. Wexler, AB'67, PhD'71, a clinical psychologist, died February 2 from heart disease. He was 56. Wexler taught at Rutgers University and University of California-San Francisco. In 1975 he became section chief at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. Wexler also built a private practice before retiring. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Hargrove; a daughter; his mother; and his sister, Amy Wexler Orum, AM'65.

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1970s
Alice F. Foster, AM'70, died January 19 from cancer at age 56 in San Jose. She served as director of parks, recreation and community resources in Arlington County, VA, before becoming an executive for Santa Clara County. She is survived by her husband, Alan Christenson, a son, and two sisters.

Marian Weinbaum Fischman, PhD'72, died of colon cancer on October 23 in New York. She was 62. A scientist studying narcotics addictions, she codirected a substance-abuse division at Columbia University and conducted controversial research projects that paid addicts to take heroin, cocaine, and other drugs. She is survived by her husband, Herbert Kleber; two daughters; two stepdaughters; a stepson; her mother; a brother; four grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.

John T. Carey, AM'76, president of the Cook County Public Defenders Union, died of cancer January 6 in Evanston, IL. He was 49. Carey worked for a drug rehabilitation program and handled several juvenile and municipal defense cases before joining the office's homicide task force in 1989. His clients were often infamous, such as a former Chicago police officer sentenced for murder and a Chicago teen accused of killing his teacher. Carey is survived by his wife, Alix Stevens; his mother; and a brother.

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1980s
Maris Monitz Rodgon, AM'70, PhD' 72, JD'83, died December 15 at age 53. Rodgon was an associate professor of psychology at the University of Illinois before enrolling at the Law School. After earning her degree, she worked for two law firms and became a partner at Morgan Lewis in 1998. She is survived by her husband, Jack; two sons; her parents; and a brother.

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1990s
Christopher I. Tweeton, AB'99, died December 24 from cancer at age 25. He was attending law school when his illness was discovered two years ago. He is survived by his parents, a brother, and a sister.

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