In Memoriam | Summer/Fall 2022
In Memoriam: 1950s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Channing Bolton Brown Jr. (Engr ’50 CM) of Huntley, Illinois, died May 17, 2022. He followed in the footsteps of his father, who graduated from UVA in 1919, and after graduation began a career in electrical engineering. He worked for various companies including DuPont and Sargent & Lundy. The leader of a Boy Scout troop and a member of the Optimist Club, he also packed and delivered food for Meals on Wheels for 19 years. He is survived by his three children, including John Thompson Brown (Law ’86 CM), and two grandchildren.
Dr. Lewis Guy Coffey (Col ’50 CM) of Rocky Mount, Virginia, died Nov. 4, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, attended UVA, where he received his B.S. in biology, and subsequently attended the Medical College of Virginia, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Science in 1955. Dr. Coffey had numerous hobbies and interests, including electronics and amateur radio, flying, gardening, beekeeping and furniture building. He was involved in his children’s and community activities, including the Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, First Federal Savings and Loan Advisory Board, Boy Scout Troop 30’s committee, Franklin County High School’s Band Booster Club and the Parent Teacher Association. He also served in a variety of roles at Rocky Mount United Methodist Church. Dr. Coffey was preceded in death by his daughter, Melinda Ann Peters (Educ ’83), and one grandson. Survivors include his wife, Ann; children Michael Coffey (Engr ’79 CM), David Coffey, Gordon Coffey and Beth Coffey (Col ’86); 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Dr. Alvin Cohen (Col ’50, Med ’53) of Petersburg, Virginia, died April 13, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was present at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals. After completing his medical residency, he entered private practice in Petersburg in 1957. Over a 40-year career, he started the Nuclear Medicine department and was instrumental in establishing the intensive care unit at Petersburg General Hospital, where he also served as chief of staff. He served as chairman of the Petersburg Heart Association and president of the Petersburg Medical Faculty and was a member of the American College of Nuclear Physicians and the Society of Nuclear Medicine. An avid reader and writer of poetry and prose, he enjoyed gardening and woodworking and was devoted to his dog, Fred. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Sara; four children, including Dr. Michael R. Cohen (Col ’77, Med ’84) and Jeryl S. Cohen (Nurs ’89); and two grandchildren.
Marion S. “Boots” Boyd (Col ’51, Law ’56 CM) of Memphis, Tennessee, died March 20, 2022. A third-generation alumnus of UVA, he was a member of the Naval ROTC, served in the Korean War and remained in the Navy Reserve for more than 30 years, retiring as a commander. He practiced law for 45 years and, in recognition of his service, was named a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and a Pillar of Excellence by the Law Chapter of the University of Memphis Alumni Association. A lifelong resident of Memphis, he was dedicated to his community, serving on boards of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Lifeblood, and Memphis Heart Association. His passions included woodworking, astrophysics and classical music. He is survived by his wife, Maggie Cobb-Boyd, and daughter Louisa Boyd Ragsdale (Col ’15 CM).
Douglas R. Eitel (Com ’51 CM) of Brentwood, Tennessee, died Oct. 12, 2021. Raised in Ontario, Canada, he came to the U.S. to study business at UVA. After graduation, he became a U.S. citizen and continued his studies at Northwestern University in hospital administration. He led hospitals in the U.S. and as a missionary in Africa before transitioning into health care management consulting. He often shared with his family how the friends and mentors he met at UVA helped forge his career path. He is survived by his wife, Raquel, and four children, including Dr. Douglas R. Eitel Jr. (Law ’87 CM).
Dr. R. Rives Bailey (Col ’56, Med ’60 CM) of Yorktown, Virginia, died March 21, 2022. He attended UVA on an academic and athletic scholarship, and played quarterback on the football team and third base on the baseball team. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and Eli Banana. Drafted into the U.S. Air Force after medical school, he returned to Yorktown, Virginia, to take over the medical practice started by his father. Throughout a 45-year career, he tended to the needs of several generations of families. Committed to the community he loved, he served many local boards, charities and organizations, including the Lackey Free Clinic and the Boys & Girls Club. He also stayed actively involved at UVA, volunteering on multiple boards, including the Virginia Athletics Foundation, the Alumni Association, and the Medical Alumni Association. He was devoted to his wife, Betty, and his family and friends. He is survived by his wife; three children, including R. Rives Bailey Jr. (Educ ’85) and Katie Bailey Cowen (Col ’84 CM); son-in-law Harry Robert Yates III (Col ’81, Law ’93 CM); daughter-in-law Carey Bailey (Nurs ’84); and nine grandchildren, including Amelie Bailey (Col ’12 CM), Ben Bailey (Engr ’09 CM) and Emily Yates (Col ’16 CM).
David Bigelow Bowes (Col ’56 CM) of Washington, D.C., died May 13, 2022. While earning an English degree at UVA, he also studied naval science in Naval ROTC. After graduation he served as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer in the Pentagon and National Security Agency. During his sea training, he volunteered to write a shipboard newsletter, an early sign that he would later launch a successful career in journalism. Starting as a newspaper reporter in Ohio, he went on to become a Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Back in his UVA years, he co-edited Corks & Curls and nurtured his lifelong love of music in the jazz club. In retirement, he could be found sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Rosemary Bowes; three children; and two grandchildren.
Joseph Hugh Call (Col ’56) of Raleigh, North Carolina, died April 12, 2020. He served in Italy as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, after which he returned to Virginia with his wife, Sara. While at UVA, Mr. Call played football and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In 1962, he and his family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he started JHC Properties Inc. and developed several apartment projects throughout North Carolina. Mr. Call was active in the Rotary Club and president of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International for several years. He was a man of tremendous faith and a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Mr. Call was predeceased by his mother and father. Survivors include his wife, a son, a daughter, six grandchildren, a great-grandson and brothers Dr. Frank L. Call II (Col ’59, Med ’63 CM) and William Davidson Call (Col ’65 CM), as well as several brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Milton Edward “Ed” Gladstone (Col ’57 CM) of Exmore, Virginia, died Feb. 3, 2022. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Gladstone was stationed in Poitiers, France, in 1961. He matriculated at UVA when just 16 years old and later worked for Landmark, parent company of The Virginian-Pilot, for 41 years. He retired in 1998 from his job as district manager overseeing all newspaper carriers in Northampton and Accomack counties. A dedicated Phillies fan, he attended his first game in 1948, and baseball played an important part in his life. Mr. Gladstone was an avid bridge player throughout his adult life, and he knew his way around a pool table, always thinking multiple shots ahead and running many a table. Survivors include his wife, Diane; his son Ned Gladstone (Engr ’87) and his wife; a granddaughter; a sister-in-law and her husband; a nephew; and several cousins.
Leonard Bertram “Bert” Sachs (Law ’58 CM) of Virginia Beach died Jan. 7, 2022. He interrupted studies at UVA in 1951 to enlist in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for four years, including one in Korea. At UVA, he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. After finishing law school, he served as a clerk for Judge Walter Hoffman of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia during implementation of the U.S. Supreme Court mandate to end segregation of schools in Norfolk and Hampton Roads. Following his clerkship, he worked in private practice, representing clients in many civil and voting rights cases, until he was elected judge of the General District Court of Norfolk in 1980. He was appointed to Norfolk Circuit Court in 1985 and served until his retirement in 1994. His reputation for upholding the law with integrity and for treating all people fairly earned him the nickname “The People’s Judge.” He was active in the Anti-Defamation League, and his many passions included traveling, art, history and photography. He was predeceased by his wife, Sarita. Survivors include three children, including Amy Sachs (Col ’82 CM); son-in-law Howard Furman (Darden ’85); seven grandchildren, including Shira Furman (Law ’14); and a great-granddaughter.
Gregory Alden Betor (Educ ’59 CM) of Potomac, Maryland, died April 1, 2022. A retired real estate manager and American Kennel Club judge emeritus, he resided in Washington, D.C., Herndon, Virginia, and Indianapolis during his career. With his father, he helped develop the Greg Roy subdivision in Herndon. Mr. Betor was predeceased by his parents and a brother. Survivors include three daughters, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren.
David McClellan Williams (Col ’59) of Charlottesville and Fredericksburg, Virginia, died Feb. 13, 2022. While at UVA, he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. Mr. Williams began his professional career in the insurance business, working in Charlottesville, in Richmond, Virginia, and in Dallas. He later returned to Charlottesville, where he worked for the Darden School Foundation and retired in 2003 after more than 23 years of service. Mr. Williams was an avid fan of country music and the Virginia Cavaliers. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his family, and he often spoke fondly of his time at UVA. Survivors include two children; a son-in-law; a daughter-in-law; four grandchildren, including Lindsey McClellan Peters (Col ’15 CM) and Caroline Elizabeth Williams, who plans to enroll at UVA in fall 2022; and a great-granddaughter.