Category Archives: Class of 1946

Kenneth M. Coleburn ’46

Kenneth Meeker Coleburn died on August 19, 2018, in Redding, Connecticut. He was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, on June 22, 1928, the youngest of three children of Kenneth Meeker Coleburn, Sr. and Emily Eleanor Coley Coleburn.

Ken grew up in Norwalk. He attended Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1950.

At Middlebury, Ken met Carolyn Sackett; they married in 1952. They raised their family in Rye, New York, where they lived for 46 years. Ken was a partner and sales manager at Stiles Business Products, selling and maintaining business equipment in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties. Ken would say that he drove a car for a living. He knew every mile of those counties, and was appreciated by his customers for his strong handshake and extensive knowledge of his adding machines, calculators, and mailing equipment. Instead of business cards, Ken gave his customers seven-inch rulers printed with his contact information.

Ken and Carolyn moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 2000 and then to Meadow Ridge in Redding, Connecticut in 2015.

Some of his favorite hours, from childhood into his seventies, were spent playing tennis with family and friends. While captain of the Middlebury tennis team, and at public courts, Shenorock Shore Club, and Thompson’s Point, Charlotte, Vermont, Ken was well known for both his powerful forehand and his lack of fashion sense on the court. Ken’s talents with a racquet in his hand extended into his 80s. He was still playing, and winning, at ping-pong at 89.

Ken volunteered with Meals on Wheels in both Rye and Ridgefield. He enjoyed bringing good food and good cheer to people who could not shop or prepare food for themselves. He liked to think of his bringing meals to his elderly clients as extending the time they could stay in their own homes by six months. He also volunteered with the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association. He so enjoyed making people happy that after moving to Ridgefield he got a part-time job delivering flowers.

Ken was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He will be remembered by family and friends for his sunny disposition and genuine gratitude for what is good in life.

Ken is survived by his children, William, Jacqueline, Robert, and Carolyn; their spouses, Mary Lou Coleburn, Robert McDonough, Robin Coleburn, and Harry Philbrick; and his four grandchildren, Andrew, Cameron, Kara, and Charlie.

 

Elisabeth Ward Gilroy ’46

Elisabeth Ward Gilroy of Marco Island, Florida, and Bedford, New Hampshire passed away at her home in Bedford on July 31, 2018, after a lengthy illness. She was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 14, 1929, the daughter of Henry C. Ward and Marion (Nicholson) Ward. She attended the Northampton School for Girls and graduated from Wellesley College, class of 1950. She married Gordon, her husband of 65 years, in 1953. Gordon and Liz originally lived in New York and moved to New Hampshire in 1976. She was devoted to her friends and family, raising three children. Liz participated in many volunteer roles. She served as president of the Wellesley Club of Naples for many years. She was an avid bridge player and a devoted crossword fanatic. She was famous in the family for completing the New York Times Sunday puzzle in ink in less than an hour. She was predeceased by two children, Gordon “Chip” Gilroy and Elisabeth van Duren. She is survived by her husband, Gordon C. Gilroy, her son Scott N. Gilroy and nine grandchildren and two granddaughters-in-law.

Geraldine Kelley Hollman ’46

KelleyGeraldine (Kelley) Hollman, 84, of Cambridge, formerly of Belmont, passed away on Nov. 10, 2012.

Born August 29, 1928. Daughter of the late Marjorie Harland Browne and Gerard W. Kelley. Beloved mother of the late Marjorie Hollman Hazzard. Geraldine attended Northampton School For Girls, Fryeburg College in Maine, and Katherine Gibbs School in Boston.

She worked for the Department of the Navy in Washington, DC and was released in 1949. She also worked for the Arthur D. Little Company in Cambridge and finally she retired from the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston where she worked as a customer service representative for 27 years.

She entered the Secular Order of Franciscans at St. Anthony’s Shrine, Arch St. in Boston, became an assistant to the Spiritual Director, and was one of the Provincial Visitors of all the New England fraternities. She was also a Director of Formation and authored several texts for a course of study.

Her last residence of 10 years was at the Sancta Maria Nursing Facility, Concord Ave. Cambridge, under their loving and devoted care.

Richard Knowland ’46

KnowlandRichard G. Knowland, Jr., 87, of Fayetteville, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2015 in the Crown Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, Cortland.

He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving as a pilot in the US Air Force. Mr. Knowland was employed by Agway in DeWitt for more than 30 years, retiring as Payroll Master.

He was predeceased by his wife, Marlene Knowland in 2008.

Surviving are three children, Charles Knowland of Waterloo; Sue (Erich) Haesche of Groton and Tom (Rachel) Knowland of Manchester, CT; 9 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and many, many dear friends and neighbors.

Burton Lenk ’46

LenkBurton D. Lenk, 77, died May 10, 2004 at Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, after a brief illness.

He was the husband of Frances S. (Hoback) Lenk. Born, raised and educated in Boston, he was a retired executive in the hardware manufacturing industry.

Besides his wife, survivors include two sons, Neil Lenk of New Hampshire and Kevin Lenk of Ipswich; two daughters, Sandy Lenk of Methuen and Cathy Lenk of New Hampshire; a stepson, Frank A. McDonald III of Hyde Park; and three grandchildren.

Carolyn Johnson Gleason ’46

johnson gleasonCarolyn Johnson Gleason, 84, of Auburn, died Wednesday, October 3, 2012.

Mrs. Gleason was born in Auburn, the daughter of the late Dr. Raymond and Florence Messer Johnson, and had resided in the Auburn-Fleming area for all her life.

She was a member of the former Sand Beach Church, where she taught Sunday school and served as treasurer. Mrs. Gleason was employed at Auburn Memorial Hospital as an LPN. In addition, she worked for the Cayuga Red Cross, which included coordinating the swimming program at Owasco Lake for many years. She was a caregiver for several elderly friends over the years. She particularly enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s many activities.

Surviving are three sons, Michael Worden of Skaneateles, Kenneth Worden (Sharon) of Owasco, Steven Gleason (Sarah) of Fleming; two daughters, Linda Worden (David Palochko) of Rye, NH, Denise Franklin (James) of Fleming; eight grandchildren, Brian, David and Jeffrey Worden, Jessica, Jason and Jennifer Franklin, Elizabeth and Charles Gleason; one great-granddaughter, Kayla Worden.

In addition to her parents, Carolyn was predeceased by her husband, Charles A. Gleason, of 31 years in 1990 and sister, Elizabeth Phillips of Inver-Grove, MN, in 2006.

John Lauris Blake, Jr. ’46

blakeJohn “Buck” Lauris Blake, Jr., age 87, a resident of Gwynedd Estates in Ambler died on September 17, 2015.

He was the devoted husband of Patricia Anne Kramer Blake. He is also survived by his loving children and their spouses: John, III and Patti Blake and Debbie and Denny Gardiner; by his step-children and their spouses: Eric and Chris Stanmyer, Robert and Connie Stanmyer, Thomas and Susan Stanmyer and Ann Stanmyer; by 15 grand-children and by 7 great-grand-children. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara Tefft Blake and by his step-son, James Stanmyer. He is also survived by his step-brother, Walt Bradford.

Eugene Berman ’46

BermanNoted bankruptcy lawyer and civic leader Eugene B. Berman of Enfield and Woodmont, CT died peacefully at home on September 14 after a long and productive life.

He was born in Holyoke, MA on June 1, 1928, the son of Gustave and Lillian Berman.

Berman was a graduate of Williston Academy, the University of Nebraska and Boston University School of Law, and a member of the Hampden County, MA and American Bar Associations, the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and several U.S. District Courts.

He authored the 1972 book “How to Collect a Debt” and served as President of the Commercial Law League of America in 1980. In 2009 the Massachusetts Bar Association and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honored him for his work for the victims of the foreclosure crisis and to bring judicial foreclosure to Massachusetts.

Berman is survived by his loving partner Patricia Kozaczka and her granddaughter Taylor, by his son, E. Bruce Berman, Jr. and his wife Patricia, by his daughter Caren Berman Nemtzow, her husband Andy and their sons Zachary and Alexander, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Eugene Berman left the world a better place for his having lived, achieving immortality in the hearts and minds of those who survive him, especially the many descendants of Chonan and Khasia Berman.

Janet Slocombe Murray ’46

Janet SJanet L. (Slocombe) Murray, formerly of Woodlawn Avenue, Northampton, passed away Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.

Born Aug. 5, 1928, in Northampton, she was the youngest daughter of the late Christopher and Lillian Slocombe (Vanasse). She attended local schools and was a graduate of Smith College.

She lived in Hawaii and Barstow, California, but spent most of her life in Northampton. She loved animals and bred Siamese cats for a time. Janet also loved to travel, visiting many National Parks, Europe, and cruising throughout the Caribbean.

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Barry Purrington ’46

Barry PurringtonBarry Jay Purrington, 86, of Whitehouse, Texas passed away December 10, 2014 in Tyler, Texas.

Barry was born February 8, 1928 in Pittsburg, PA, to Rollo & Marian Purrington.

Mr. Purrington grew up in Haydenville, Massachusetts before joining the Navy in 1946. After serving his country, Barry received his Bachelor’s Degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology. He enjoyed woodworking and piano tuning in his spare time. Barry was a faithful member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Tyler.

Surviving are Wife, Jean Purrington of Whitehouse, Daughter, Kim & Glenn Strauss of Tyler, Son, Jay Purrington of Irving, Son, Dan & Robyn Purrington of Huntington, WV, 9 Grandchildren, 9 Great Grandchildren, Brother, Bruce Purrington, and Brother, Dick Purrington.

Barry was preceded in death by his Parents.