In Memoriam: 1940s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Thomas S. Yancey (Col ’40 L/M) of Denver, Colorado, died March 4, 2018. While at the University, Mr. Yancey was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and Sigma Delta Phi, a national athletic fraternity. He lettered in both swimming and track and, in 1940, won the gold medal in the javelin throw at the state track meet in Richmond, where he also placed third in the discus throw. He entered the U.S. Army in February 1941, rising to the rank of captain in the field artillery while serving in the European Theater during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946. While working for Amoco and living in Casper, Wyoming, Mr. Yancey was very active in the community. He served on various committees of the Chamber of Commerce, as chairman of the United Fund Drive twice, and as president of both the Kiwanis Club and the Casper Country Club. He was elected president of his class when he graduated from the Dale Carnegie Institute in 1962. Mr. Yancey was a charter member of the American Association of Professional Landmen and served on its board for four years, becoming its president in 1969. He was a dedicated landman, and the Denver Association of Professional Landmen named him Landman of the Year in 1969 before electing him to its Hall of Fame in 1984. He was active in oil industry affairs and served on the board of directors of both the North Dakota Oil & Gas Association and the Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Association. He also served as the chairman of the Public Lands Committee of the Western Oil & Gas Association from 1975 to 1976, testifying twice before congressional committees in Washington, D.C. Mr. Yancey was a director of the Denver Petroleum Club from 1971 to 1974. After his retirement from Amoco in 1978, he became a petroleum consultant and was instrumental in negotiating a number of large-scale sales of production. He was an avid golfer and fly fisherman and a longtime member of the Denver Country Club. Survivors include a daughter, a son, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Henry B. “Harry” Wilson (Col ’43 L/M) of Parkville, Maryland, died Jan. 28, 2018. At the University, where he was known as Zeke, he was a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society and Phi Beta Kappa. He attended Johns Hopkins University Medical School, where he also completed his internship and residency in ophthalmology. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, practicing ophthalmology at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, before he and his wife returned to Baltimore to establish a practice there. Dr. Wilson joined the staff of the old Maryland General Hospital and Church Home and Hospital. He was known for providing free and low-cost services and for visiting the local prison several days a week. He retired in 1988. Through the years, his patients included notable figures around Baltimore. Outside of work, Dr. Wilson enjoyed swimming in the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, and spending summers at Bembe Beach. He also liked to sail Hamptons and Mobjacks and was a member of the Severn Sailing Association. A member of Baltimore Bibliophiles, he owned some 40,000 volumes that encompassed his interest in Maryland and Baltimore history, as well as Alaska, Canada, Iceland, art, children’s literature and medical books. Interested in the arts, he attended the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Center Stage and the Lyric, and he studied painting at the Renaissance Institute at Notre Dame of Maryland University. He was an avid college and professional sports fan. He was also known for his support of local institutions like the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Boy and Girl Scouts, and the Maryland Historical Society. Survivors include five daughters, two sons, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Maxine Keck Leveque (Nurs ’47) of Mechanicsville, Virginia, died March 2, 2018. As a nurse, she worked at numerous hospitals, including Richmond Memorial and those at UVA and Duke University. She was an avid reader, enjoyed displaying her skills in bridge and in gardening, the bounty of which she shared with friends and family. She was a garden volunteer at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. She was an avid UVA basketball fan, attending Ralph Sampson’s final home game in 1983. She was known to bake especially good Christmas cookies. Survivors include two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Frances L. Yancey Robison (Nurs ’47) of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, died Feb. 20, 2018. Born in Tallahassee, she lived most of her life there before moving to Indian Harbour Beach in 2011. She enjoyed hooking, sewing, arranging flowers and most of all being a wife and mother. She belonged to the garden club and a sewing club. She was known for her loyalty to family and service to others. Survivors include six siblings, four children, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Robert H. “Bob” Schade (Com ’47 L/M) of Jacksonville, Florida, died Jan. 16, 2018. After entering the University in 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. He served in the South Pacific during World War II and returned to the University to finish his degree before joining the Graybar Electric Co. There, he enjoyed a rewarding career, moving into senior management in the late 1960s and leading the company’s international expansion. His great love in life, after his family, was the University of Virginia, and he served as a class agent for the McIntire School for many years. Donations can be made in his memory to the Robert H. Schade Bicentennial Professorship at UVA. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; four children, including Curt Schade (Com ’80 L/M) and Meredith Schade (Med ’84 L/M); 13 grandchildren, including Christopher Schade (Com ’15 L/M), Emily Schade (Com ’16 L/M) and Harlan Schade (Com ’20 L/M); and one great-grandchild.
Samuel B. “Rollo” Ross Jr. (Col ’48 L/M) of Brewster, New York, died Feb. 28, 2018. At the University, he was a member of the track and field team. He went on to earn his master’s degree in early childhood education from New York University and his doctorate in human services administration from Union Institute & University in Vermont. At age 19, Mr. Ross founded Green Chimneys, which began as a small private school and developed into a nonprofit school and multiservice agency for children and adolescents with special needs. He and his wife, Myra, were married in 1954 and worked very closely together. Mr. Ross was recognized as a leader and innovator in therapeutic education and treatment for children with special needs. His memoir, The Extraordinary Spirit of Green Chimneys: Connecting Children and Animals to Create Hope, chronicles the origins of Green Chimneys. Mr. Ross held an honorary doctorate from Salem College and countless honors and accolades from national and international humanitarian, advocacy and education organizations for his work in children’s services, humane education and public service. He also served on the board of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the first of Paul Newman’s camps for children with life-threatening illnesses. Mr. Ross was active in the community, participating in local politics and community affairs. He served two terms on the board of education for Brewster Central School District and as a board member of Putnam County Cooperative Extension. He was a devoted member of the Rotary Club of Brewster and a past governor for his district. His was one of the founding families of Temple Beth Elohim in Brewster. In addition to his wife, survivors include two children and two grandchildren.