[Editor’s Note: These updates appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Explorations, the magazine for alumni, donors, and friends.]
David Scarr AG’42 reports that he is widowed and lives in West Virginia near one of his sons. Following graduation and a stint in the Army, David obtained is doctor of veterinary medicine degree, practiced for some time and then joined the FDA, retiring as its chief of the food animal branch in the division of surveillance. This information comes from Class of 1942 correspondent Berne Rolston RC’42 of Los Angeles.
Bill Suter AG’43 was looking forward to attending the 2016 Alumni Reunion Weekend when he wrote last winter to Class of 1943 correspondent J. Domer Zerbe Jr. RC’43. The two were roommates in their freshman year.
John Brockett AG’52, GSNB’54 offers farm management consultation to fewer farmers these days at his farm in Lewistown, PA. He began the practice after retiring from the Penn State faculty in 1986. “I lost my wonderful wife to Alzheimer’s dementia three years ago,” he writes. “Due to aides and our eight children, I was able to keep her with me until the last three months. My children and grandchildren do their best to help me cope.” His wife, the former Mary Allen, was a Douglass student when they met at a campus dance. She dropped out but went on to graduate from Penn State “25 years and seven kids later.” This report comes from Class of 1952 correspondent Bob Comstock RC’52, of Redding, CT.
Fred Quick AG’53, GSNB’63 attended the annual Theta Chi reunion this past September in Hellerstown, PA. He has given up flying and has sold his airplane, but he is still working, according to Class of 1953 correspondent Jim Van Vliet ENG’53 of Center Valley, PA.
Jay Kowalski AG’62 spent time with classmates at a meeting of the Varsity R Letterwinners Association prior to the 2015 football homecoming game against Kansas, according to Class of 1962 correspondent Geoffrey Gould, RC’62, GSE’66 ’74 of Vestal, NY.
Sam Schlesinger AG’67 meets regularly in Bordentown, NJ, with fellow members of the Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity to reminisce about their time living in the Heights and share news of their latest activities, according to Class of 1966 correspondent Larry Benjamin RC’66 of Freehold, NJ.
After a career with Johnson & Johnson, Ted Graboski AG’67, GSNB’70 returned to school in 1985 for a degree in theology and ordination as a minister in the Assembly of God Church. He has served churches in New Jersey and Delaware and does a prayer and education ministry with the Victory Christian Fellowship in New Castle, DE. Rev. Graboski’s eldest daughter has retired from the Air Force; his middle daughter is an early childhood teacher; and his youngest is in the IT field, installing network printing systems. His wife died in 2009. This report comes from Class of 1967 correspondent Mike Moran RC’67.
Seth Goldsmith CC’74 is retired from Dole Fresh and lives in Monterey, CA. He reports that he has refurbished his home and recently attended a Grateful Dead concert in Santa Clara, CA. Rick Stier AG’74, class correspondent, reported that he and his family were honored this past September by the Rutgers University Alumni Association with a Legacy Award, which recognizes families with multiple generations of Rutgers graduates. His family history goes back to his grandfather, Wilhelm Rudolph Fuerchtgott Stier RC 1913, and continues with his niece, Charlotte Whitehead, who is in the Class of 2017. She followed her brother Edward Whitehead CC’11 to the university.
John “Rusty” Gilbert Jr. CC’77 is general manager of technology deployment and adoption for Chevron’s technology venture company. Daniel Van Abs CC’77 joined the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences’ Department of Human Ecology, having retired in 2012 from New Jersey state government.
Don Knezick CC’79, GSNB’84, president of Pinelands Nursery in Columbus, NJ, was honored with the Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Award by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). Don was presented the award by NACD President Lee McDaniel and Victoria Wojcik, Ph.D., at an evening reception during the pollinator protection campaign’s annual conference at the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC. This annual award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to pollinator protection, conservation, and issue outreach resulting in increased awareness of the importance of pollinators and pollination within the agricultural community.
Fernando De Aragon CC’80, GSNB’84 is the author of Dos Santos, a historical novel set in the first year of the Spanish colonization of Puerto Rico. The author lives in Ithaca, NY. To learn more about the novel, visit dossantosnovel.weebly.com.
Laura Bishop CC’81 was appointed to the Rowan University College of Communication and Creative Arts advisory board. The board supports the college and its missions by offering counsel and assistance and advocating on the college’s behalf. She also was appointed to the American Red Cross Board of Directors, Southwestern Chapter, in Pennsauken, NJ.
Vivian Baker CC’83 reports that she underwent a kidney transplant in February 2015 at New York Presbyterian University Hospital in New York City. She writes: “I was lucky to receive a living kidney donated by a coworker! Both he and I are doing very well. I urge all alums to consider becoming organ, eye and/or tissue donors. It is very easy to do; simply sign up the next time you need to renew your driver’s license. The greatest gift you will ever give is the gift of life!”
Joseph Pennucci CC’84 has been appointed chief probation officer of the Lynn, MA, District Court by Massachusetts Commissioner of Probation Edward J. Dolan. In his new role, he will manage the operations of the Lynn District Court Probation Department and a staff of 24, including two assistant chief probation officers, 14 probation officers, and support staff. His Rutgers degree is in business economics.
Scott Ruhren CC’87, GSNB’98 has been director of conservation at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island for 11 years. In 2014 he received the Professional Conservationist of the Year award from the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District for work on projects in coastal marsh conservation and New England Cottontail habitat management.
Matthew Adams CC’04 is a partner in Fox Rothschild’s litigation practice group in the firm’s Roseland, NJ, office.
Greg Dahle GSNB’09 is a co-recipient of the International Society of Arboriculture’s Early-Career Scientist Award given to professionals showing exceptional promise in arboriculture research. Greg received his doctorate in ecology.
