Notices sorted by graduation date.

Anthony M. “Mac” Caputo
August  3, 1941–September 30, 2017

Alumnus was passionate advocate for UVA

Anthony M. Caputo

Anthony Macdonald “Mac” Caputo (Col ’63, Law ’66 L/M), known for his integrity, generosity and long-standing service to the University, died Sept. 30, 2017. He was 76.

He stood out as a humble leader from the time he arrived on Grounds.

“He had a remarkable capacity to bridge distances,” says former UVA President John Casteen, who was a student with Caputo. “His opinions were respected. His ideas made a difference in the way people did things.”

As captain of the lacrosse and soccer teams, he “set a standard … that was both rare and … wonderful,” said coach Gene Corrigan in remarks that were read at Caputo’s memorial service. A standout athlete, Caputo earned the title of first team All-American in lacrosse.

After law school, he moved to New York, landing in 1974 at Morgan Stanley, where he spent the rest of his career as an important player in the field of investment banking. He worked on the company’s international expansion before leading the investment management division and then serving as an advisory director.

Passionate about education, Caputo served the University in numerous ways. He spent two terms on the University’s Board of Visitors and was a member and chair of the board of UVA’s investment management company, UVIMCO. He also served on the Alumni Association board of managers, which he chaired for two years, and he was a member of the board of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation.

“He was a natural leader, quick to give credit to others and reluctant to accept praise, always eager to help in any way he could. And the ways he helped were myriad,” says the foundation’s executive director, Jimmy Wright.

Caputo “wasn’t interested in titles,” Casteen says. “His aim was to do things right.”

He was also deeply devoted to his family. According to his death notice in the New York Times, “His love for his family and friends was pervasive, and he was genuinely at his happiest when able to ensure that those he loved were at theirs.”

“We lost one of our finest,” Wright says. “He was one of the best.”

Survivors include his wife, Ellen; sons Anthony M. “Mac” Caputo Jr. (Col ’02, Grad ’03, Law ’09) and Scott Caputo (Col ’05, Darden ’11 L/M); and a granddaughter.

—Sarah Poole

John C. Lowe
December 3, 1936–October 15, 2017

Influential lawyer helped open UVA’s doors

John C. Lowe Dan Addison

John C. Lowe (Law ’67 L/M), who helped push open UVA’s doors to female undergraduates, died Oct. 15, 2017, at age 80. He was still practicing law in Bethesda, Maryland, at the time.

Lowe earned a chemistry degree from Lehigh University before entering the U.S. Army, where he attained the rank of captain and worked as a general’s aide. After seven years, he followed his younger brother, David G. Lowe (Law ’63 L/M), to law school at UVA, one of the few times the older followed the younger. “I always watched what he did,” said David Lowe, now a federal judge in Virginia.

John Lowe distinguished himself early on.

“I still remember his early commitment to the common good—his ability to see beyond the law as a mere vocation, to see its greater potential,” said UVA law professor A.E. Dick Howard (Law ’61 L/M), who taught Lowe.

Lowe became known as a passionate advocate and fierce opponent in the courtroom. He represented numerous clients pro bono.

“John Lowe was blessed with a sense of justice, a concern for those for whom lawyers ought to battle, even where there might be little or no compensation,” Howard said.

This included Virginia “Ginny” Scott, a teenager working at his Charlottesville practice who was applying to college but could not consider UVA because of its exclusion of women from the College of Arts & Sciences. Lowe sued the University on her behalf and won.

“He could not believe that his beloved alma mater was refusing undergraduate admission to deserving women,” Howard said. “Soon enough, the very plan which Lowe had shaped was the basis for the University’s plan for coeducation.”

He took several high-profile cases to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Virginia, even if the case was not simple for him personally, according to his brother. In a landmark case, Bigelow v. Virginia, he represented an advertiser in defense of free speech.

Though he didn’t support the ad’s content, “He did believe in the Constitution,” said David Lowe. “That, I think, took a lot.”

Despite his many contributions, he remained humble, guided by his ardent faith, said his brother, who compared Lowe’s life to the film A Magnificent Obsession: “It’s about giving and never taking credit for what you give. That’s what my brother did.”

Lowe “really saw the law as a noble calling and as a way to improve the lot of people as individuals,” his former law partner, J. Lloyd Snook III, told the Washington Post.

Survivors include his son, Christian Lowe (Col ’94 L/M); two grandchildren; and his brother, David.

—Sarah Poole

 

Harvey “Blair” Farinholt (Col ’60 L/M) of Gloucester, Virginia, died Sept. 28, 2017. At the University, he was a member of Delta Psi fraternity (St. Anthony Hall) and Eli Banana. Having established himself as a talented baseball player at Virginia Episcopal School, where he was known as “Ace,” he signed with the New York Yankees just before entering college. He kept up with both college and baseball, rooming one summer in the C League with Roy and Ray Mantle, younger twin brothers of his hero, Mickey. After graduation, he taught and coached at the Collegiate School for Boys in Richmond, where he stayed for four years. He then returned to Gloucester to take over the family business, Farinholt Insurance and Real Estate, which he later sold to form his own real estate firm, Mobjack Bay Properties. Mr. Farinholt made his mark in a number of ways in the county as a natural leader with a talent for galvanizing others. He located the land for and saw through the founding and building of the Ware River Yacht Club, which he served in numerous capacities. For more than 20 years, he and his loyal crew for the race committee ran the Virginia Governor’s Cup and other national regattas. As property manager for Elmington, a notable Gloucester estate, he saw the potential for a wildlife preserve and became passionate about establishing habitats for many creatures. Mr. Farinholt was involved in the community, coaching the Rotary Little League baseball team for 13 years, fundraising for the county’s Boy Scouts through an annual oyster roast and spearheading roadside cleanup each quarter. A constant presence as a father and grandfather, he was adored by his children and grandchildren. He relished the opportunity to watch them as athletes, taking in every game he could and, when they were away at college, organizing his day around streaming the contest on his laptop. He also loved teaching them about boating and other activities on the Ware River. An avid duck hunter, he shared that passion with all of them. Survivors include his wife, Tabb; two children, Bart Farinholt (Com ’84, Darden ’89 L/M) and Mary Blair Denious (Educ ’90); six grandchildren; and his brother, Jim Farinholt (Grad ’58).

Francis “Rockie” Fera (Col ’63, Educ ’68 L/M) of Leesburg, Virginia, died Sept. 7, 2017. At the University, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He moved to Leesburg in 1970, where he became a respected educator, avid volunteer and energetic advocate for the Thomas Balch Library and the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. He spent 38 years in education, during which time he was awarded the Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award, opened several new middle schools in Loudoun County and was the namesake for the auditorium at Farmwell Station Middle School. He cherished spending time with his family and treasured encouraging his grandchildren in their academic and extracurricular activities. He was an active member of Shenandoah Region Antique Auto Club of America and enjoyed playing tennis, gardening, Nationals’ baseball and his “lunch bunch,” as well as traveling with his wife and close friends. Survivors include his wife, Peggy; three children; five grandchildren; and two sisters.

Davidson “Dave” Ream (Law ’64) of Evanston, Illinois, died Aug. 21, 2017. After earning his Juris Doctor at UVA, he spent time in Asia, first as special assistant to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and later in Sri Lanka with the Asia Foundation. A member of the District of Columbia Bar, he earned a Master of Laws from the University of California, Berkeley, and became a legal writer and editor at firms in San Francisco and Chicago. Much of his career was spent at the Defense Research Institute in Chicago, where he was editor of For the Defense, a legal journal serving the defense bar, as well as publications director, contributing to numerous legal books and other publications. Mr. Ream served as an alderman on the Evanston City Council and was involved in numerous civic and volunteer organizations. He enjoyed reading, cheering on the Chicago Cubs and Bears and travel—making multiple trips through Latin America, Europe and Asia. Survivors include his partner, Jane; two children; and five grandchildren.

Michael D. Wildhack (Col ’68 L/M) of Grants, New Mexico, died Sept. 15, 2017. At the University, he appreciated Dean Bob Cross’ particular attention and career guidance. He was a genial gentleman and a gifted teacher of English as a Second Language. Survivors include a niece, Elizabeth Wildhack (Col ’86 L/M).