Category Archives: 1930s

William Sleeper, Jr. ’35

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William Hobbs Sleeper, Jr. 'Bill'William H. Sleeper (99) passed peacefully on December 17, 2014 from metastasized prostate cancer at his retirement home in Mill Creek, WA.

Bill was born in Exeter, New Hampshire on August 5, 1915 to William H. Sleeper and Florence (Clark) Sleeper. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Williston Academy, graduating in Physics from Harvard University.

As an electrical engineer, and radar and weapons system specialist, he worked at Foxboro Instrument, Sperry Gyroscope, Bendix Aviation, M.I.T., Caltech, General Electric, Boeing, and Raytheon, finally retiring in 1990 at age 75.

Bill joined the Navy during World War II and served as radar maintenance officer on the U.S.S. Quincy both in the Atlantic and Pacific Theatres. His ship carried President Roosevelt to and from the Yalta Conference in Malta, then traveled through the Panama Canal to support military efforts in the Pacific until the war ended. During a 3-day shore leave in NYC, he married his “child bride” Norma Jean Pribyl, had a 1-day honeymoon, then shipped out to sea for 9 more months. He and Norma were happily married for 66 years until her death in 2011.

Bill is survived by his two children, Barbara Sleeper and William H. Sleeper III, three grandchildren, Kelly (Citron) Galloway, David Citron and Josh Citron, and six great-grandchildren, Grady and Gretta Galloway and Paige, Claire, Noah and Sam Citron.

Posted in: 1930s

Donald Cook ’33

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Donald CookDonald Bowker Cook, 97, of Spring Run, PA, formerly of Hockessin, DE, passed away July 16, 2014 at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Born January 14, 1917 in Easthampton, MA, he was the son of Melvin Jesse and May Bowker Cook. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 52 years, Elizabeth Conant Cook on March 18, 1996 and by a son, Peter Bennett Cook, on August 19, 1986.

He was a member of the Menallen Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Biglerville, PA, and the Wilmington (DE) Monthly Meeting. He attended Baltimore Friends School, graduating from the Williston Academy, now the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Physics from Princeton University (1938), going on to earn an M.A. from Columbia University (1939). From 1939 to 1942 he held a three year fellowship in Langmuir Film Research from the Texas Company. From 1942 – 1946 he a was a research physicist employed by the Columbia University Division of Government Aided Research in development work for the Manhattan Project. During that time he headed a research group in charge of a pilot plant for the isotope separation plant at Oak Ridge, TN. From 1946 – 1950 he researched Niobium superconductivity for a PhD in Physics at Columbia University in 1950. That year he accepted a position as a research physicist for the DuPont Company in Wilmington, DE, specializing in nylon product development (hosiery and carpet fibers). In 1986, he retired to Spring Run, PA.

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Posted in: 1930s

John Loeb ’37

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John LoebJohn Eric Loeb, 95, of Branford, passed away on October 28, 2014.

He was born August 11, 1919 in New Haven, son of Adeline Klein Loeb and Morton Loeb.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Rhoda Leshine Loeb and his son Michael (Riva) of Toronto and sister Prudence of Walpole, MA.

John attended Hopkins and Williston Academy. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College.

He was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force during WWII, stationed in Guam. John was an Editor of the Branford Review and President of The Branford Printing Company. He was a member of the Branford Rotary Club and the New Haven and Branford Historical Societies. He was one of the foremost collectors of antique candle snuffers. In his retirement years his primary focus was the development and administration of the Annual Blackstone Library Book Drive. John lived a long, healthy life and shared his intelligence, wit, charm, and good humor with family and friends.

He will be missed.

Posted in: 1930s

Kendall Lewis ’39

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Kendall LewisKendall Lewis died peacefully, after a brief illness, on Thursday, October 30, at Piper Shores in Scarborough, ME.

Mr. Lewis was born in Abington, PA, the son of James McKeen Lewis and Alice Kendall Lewis. He first met his wife of nearly 66 years, Betsey Converse Lewis, when they were both teenagers living in Stony Creek, CT.

Mr. Lewis graduated from Williston Academy in 1939, and went on to Yale College, but left to serve in the Navy during World War II. His service was mostly in the Pacific aboard the light cruiser, the USS Denver. After the war he returned to Yale and completed his degree in Industrial Engineering, graduating as a member of the class of 1943. During the war Mr. Lewis re-encountered Betsey Converse and asked for her hand. They were married on December 4, 1948 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New Haven, CT.

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Posted in: 1930s, Class of 1939

Margaret Munsell Palmer ’37

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Munsell palmerMargaret Munsell Palmer, 94, of Randolph, died Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, VT.

She was born on March 5, 1919 in Springfield, MA; the daughter of Samuel and Florence (McKenna) Munsell. She graduated from Springfield Classical High School and Connecticut College for Women.

She was married to Donald F. Palmer in Springfield, MA on July 25, 1941. He passed away in 2003.

She lived in Trenton, NJ, Moorestown, NJ, and Wellesley, MA, until moving to Randolph in 1991. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Moorestown, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, and Bethany Church of Randolph. She was an avid Boston Red Sox fan, and enjoyed church activities, P.T.A., Junior League, reading and travel. She is best remembered as a woman of faith, and as a loving mother who enjoyed family gatherings.

Survivors include her daughters, Margaret P. Stiles of Plymouth, IN and Anne P. Strother of Old Greenwich, CT; sons, Donald F. Palmer of Drexel Hill, PA, David M. Palmer of Randolph and Richard L. Palmer of Ventura, CA; 8 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and a nephew. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her sister, Ruth Downs.

Posted in: 1930s

Elizabeth Roberts Shaw ’38

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Roberts ShawElizabeth (Roberts) Shaw, 82. Of Wareham, MA, formerly of Millbrook, NY and New York City, died on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 in Wareham on congestive heart failure.

She was the wife of Samuel P. Shaw. Born January 16, 1921 in NY, NY, the daughter of Lawrence L. and Margaret (McLean) Roberts. Mother of Chris Ann Affleck of Cambridge, MA and Linda Boldt of NY, NY. Grandmother of Benjamin Affleck, Casey Affleck and Jason Fleetwood Boldt.

Elizabeth was a freelance writer and former director of public relations for New York City’s Museum of Modern Art who later handled public relations at Christie’s Auction House. Retiring after more than 30 years at the museum, Mrs. Shaw worked for Christie’s Auction House in New York, handling public relations and helping to keep the organization afloat in the recession of the early 1980s.

Posted in: 1930s

Margaret Mohler Sheehan ’38

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Mohler SheehanMargaret Alice Sheehan, 96, died peacefully, Oct. 1, 2014, at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

Born in Kowloon, China, on May 1, 1918, she was the daughter of Frank and Ethel Yaksol Mohler. Margaret attended Springfield College and studied teaching.

On December 18, 1942, she married Burt Charles Sheehan in Springfield, Mass. Together they had three children, Gary, Candy and Shari. Margaret was known by many names, Migs, Moppy, Mop-Mop and Mopster, and had many roles: wife, mother, friend, teacher, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Burt, in 1981; as well as her brother, John.

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Posted in: 1930s

William Maginnis, Sr ’38

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Maginnis '38William T. Maginnis, Sr., 93, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, at The Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton.

A graduate of Williston Academy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Northeastern University with degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering respectively, he went on to become the chief engineer at Prophylactic Brush Company in Florence, then retired from Osley-Whitney Engineering in Westfield. Because of his lifelong interest and commitment to the field of engineering, he was highly regarded for his knowledge and called upon frequently for private consulting.

He was a pioneer in the plastics industry and an avid reader, especially technical magazines. Other interests included working on exotic cars, particularly Fiats, and spending time reading with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Predeceased by his parents, William and Eunice Maginnis, wife Roslyn (Black) Maginnis and a son Michael, he leaves his children William, Jr., (Theresa), Timothy (Patricia), Stephen (Betsy), Dianne (William Dostal) and Katherine (Brian Begley) Maginnis, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren

Posted in: 1930s

Sally Gavin See ’39

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Gavin SeeSally Gavin See ’39 died on April 4, 2014. She was born on July 27, 1922 in Taunton, Massachusetts, the second of four daughters.

She was the niece of Sarah B. Whitaker, co-founder of the Northampton School for Girls. Sally graduated from Northampton School for Girls in 1939. Also graduates of NSFG, her sisters Phyllis Robinson and Caroline Arnold survive her; sister Mary Brenneman preceded her in death. Sally had four children: little Sally (Sarah Helen Seigel ’62 – deceased); Tess (Ellen Hope Durant ’64); Sheena (Pamela Hathaway See ’69); and Randy (Randolph Bartlett See ’75). She had six grandchildren: Michael Pitts(’91) and Eric Pitts; Phoebe and Poppy Durant; and Gloria and Rebecca See; and six great-grandchildren: Charlie and Crosby Pitts; Natalie and Perry Shen; and Harlow and Charlie Decunto.

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Posted in: 1930s, Class of 1939