In Memoriam: 1950s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Alice Walker (Nurs ’50 CM) of Keswick, Virginia, died June 11, 2020. After graduation, she worked for the UVA hospital before moving into the private medical sector. Upon retirement, she moved to Keswick with her husband until his death, when she moved to Richmond to live at Discovery Village until her passing. A friend to all, especially senior citizens near her home in Keswick, Ms. Walker was cherished by many. She was an accomplished gardener, sharing her flowers with all, and an exceptional seamstress. Above all, she was dedicated to her family. Survivors include her brother, two sisters, and many nieces and nephews.
J. Shelton Horsley III (Col ’50, Med ’53 CM) of Richmond, Virginia, died June 18, 2020. At UVA, he was a member of St. Anthony Hall, T.I.L.K.A., the IMP Society, ODK, the Thirteen Society and the Seven Society. He lettered in football and basketball and captained the tennis team. In the middle of his college tenure, he served for 15 months in Germany with the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He received the Raven Award while in medical school. He practiced general surgery at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Richmond before finding his calling as a teacher. He taught and practiced as professor of surgery at UVA School of Medicine and then as professor of surgical oncology at the Medical College of Virginia and McGuire Veterans Hospital. Active in many local and national medical associations, he held leadership roles in the Richmond Academy of Medicine, the Southern Society of Clinical Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons, to name a few. He received many awards, titles and acknowledgements, but he was most proud of being named the Best Attending Physician by several graduating classes at UVA and MCV. Mr. Horsley was a humble, hardworking, fun-loving man with a great sense of humor. He pulled off a seemingly irreconcilable combination of being kind, thoughtful and gentle yet incredibly competitive. Survivors include his wife, Mary Gall; children Sally, Janet and Shelton; six grandchildren; and his sister.
Lansdale Ghiselin Sasscer Jr. (Col ’50 CM) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, died April 13, 2020. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. At UVA, he served on the Honor Committee and was a member of St. Elmo fraternity. Having completed his first year of law school in an accelerated postwar program, he finished law school at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. He returned home to practice with his father at the firm later known as Sasscer, Clagett, Channing and Bucher, beginning a decades-long legal career in Southern Maryland. Mr. Sasscer’s sense of civic duty, broad interests, and love of his community were hallmarks of his life. He represented Prince George’s County in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1955 until 1963 and served as chairman of his delegation. Mr. Sasscer was a tobacco farmer and served as president of the Bank of Brandywine, president of the Marlboro Elementary School PTA, and co-publisher and co-owner of The Enquirer-Gazette. Kind and courteous to all, Mr. Sasscer was known as a man of integrity. Survivors include his wife, Anne; three daughters, Rebecca Sasscer Henderson (Col ’78 CM), Anne Sasscer Newman (Col ’81), and Molly Kanellos; seven grandchildren, including Fraser Henderson Jr. (Col ’09, Med ’14 CM), Lansdale Henderson (Col ’13), and Landon Henderson (Col ’17); and two great-grandchildren.
Charla Claxton Barrus Long (Nurs ’53) of Miami died July 2, 2018. She taught nursing for Miami Dade County Nursing Program for many years. Before that, she worked in several hospitals in Miami. Survivors include two sons, David and Roger.
Elizabeth Makaritis Berkeley (Educ ’54, Grad ’62 CM) of Charlottesville died April 3, 2020. Born in Greece, she and her mother joined her father in Virginia when she was 4 years old. She spent one year at Mary Washington College before transferring to UVA’s School of Education as one of the few women undergraduates. She later earned a master’s in American history from UVA, where she was elected to the women’s honor society Lychnos. A teacher until she had children, she later joined professor Fredson Bowers’ research project on Works of William James as a part-time proofreader. This led to a successful career as an editor of historical works. She worked on several more projects, including one funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and served as co-editor of The Correspondence of William James. The sixth volume of the project, which concluded in 2004, received the Cohen Prize from the Modern Language Association. Ms. Berkeley was active in Charlottesville’s Greek Orthodox church, singing in the choir and later co-chairing the annual festival and other events. She loved to travel and made trips to Europe with friends and family. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed reading mysteries, playing her piano, working as an election official, and taking summer trips to Virginia Beach with her family. Survivors include her husband, Edmund Berkeley Jr. (Grad ’61 CM); children Edmund Berkeley III (Col ’98) and Maria Berkeley Lamb (Col 85, Educ ’87 CM); and two granddaughters.
Edward Humes Laughlin (Col ’54, Res ’64) died March 25, 2020. A graduate of Duke University School of Medicine, he was a general surgeon who specialized in surgical oncology. Dr. Laughlin was the first chairman of surgical programs at the School of Primary Care at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and he was a retired professor of surgery at the UAB School of Medicine in Huntsville. A member of organizations including the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology, he published three books on cancer and more than 50 medical articles. He also wrote many entertaining short stories on his history in Huntsville. Survivors include daughters Page, Nannette, Hollis and Leedy; and numerous grandchildren.
E. Frederick Fielder Jr. (Col ’56 CM) of Haddon Township, New Jersey, formerly of Haddonfield, died May 8, 2020. He also had a degree from Drexel Institute of Technology. He worked as a DuPont research chemist in experimental explosives and textiles for more than 35 years and briefly taught chemistry at St. Joseph’s University. In retirement, he volunteered for Interfaith Caregivers of Haddonfield, and he loved dogs. Survivors include his wife, Judith; daughters Elizabeth and Amy; eight grandchildren; and a sister.
Randolph W. “Ranny” Church Jr. (Col ’57, Law ’60 CM) of Richmond, Virginia, died March 24, 2020. At UVA, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, the Raven Society and T.I.L.K.A. He lettered in tennis and in 1957 was the University’s lightweight intramural boxing champion. He was sports editor of the Cavalier Daily, editor of the Virginia Spectator, and managing editor of the Virginia Law Weekly. He joined the Fairfax law firm McCandlish, Lillard, Marsh & Van Dyck, serving as managing partner from 1972 until 1983. In 1984, he became a partner in the Richmond law firm Hunton & Williams and served as managing partner of its Northern Virginia office until 1999. Mr. Church was rector of George Mason University from 1983 to 1986 and was on the boards of many other organizations. In 1999, he helped create “Fall for the Book,” a major Virginia book festival, and served as its first president. Survivors include his wife, Lucy; their daughter, Leslie Ringle Pennell (Col ’82 CM); three grandchildren; brothers John A. Church (Col ’59) and Marshall Robbins Church (Col ’71, Grad ’80 CM); and a sister.
Albert S. Kemper III (Law ’57) of Lynchburg, Virginia, died March 30, 2020. A native of Bluefield, West Virginia, he graduated from Hampden-Sydney College before earning his law degree from UVA. He served three years in the U.S. Army during and after the Korean War. In October 1957, Mr. Kemper moved to Lynchburg to work for the old First National Trust & Savings Bank and its successors for 33 years. During his banking career and in retirement, he was active in his church and in the community, serving with many philanthropic and civic organizations, in recognition of which he received the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce George Taylor Stewart III Award. Survivors include sons Carter Kemper (Col ’84), Albert IV and Hamilton; nine grandchildren; and a brother and sister.
David T. Styles (Law ’57) of San Francisco died May 12, 2020. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and graduated from Yale University. After earning his law degree from UVA, where he was an editor of the law review, he drove to San Francisco, where he specialized in corporate law with the firm of Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges. He became a partner in the firm in 1968 and remained a full-time partner until he left in 1985 to start his own business. He prepared individual income tax returns, enjoyed bookkeeping, and managed estates out of his home for 40 clients. Once self-employed, Mr. Styles enjoyed additional community activities and traveling. With his wife, he joined the local square dance club and twirled for 24 years. He trained as a City Guide for Friends of the San Francisco Library and led both Gold Rush and Market Street tours for 28 years. He and his wife traveled extensively to destinations including China, Africa, Russia and South America, and he also enjoyed traveling and camping with his family, often in the Western U.S. Mr. Styles served in multiple roles with the San Francisco Boy Scouts as his family grew. He was a role model of integrity, honesty, intelligence, respect and patience. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; children Madrone, Kenneth, Douglas, Margaret and Robert; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Carlos H. Costas (Arch ’58) of Richmond, Virginia, died April 11, 2020. He attended the University of Puerto Rico for two years before transferring to the School of Architecture at UVA. He was a member of Scarab Fraternity, Alpha Rho Chi, the Jefferson Sabres and the Monroe Rifles of the U.S. Army ROTC. After graduation he returned to his native Puerto Rico, where he practiced architecture in San Juan for 10 years before returning to Virginia and resuming his career for the next 40 years in Richmond. He is survived by his wife, Mary; two sons, Carlos Costas (Educ ’82) and David; three grandchildren and a great-grandson.