In Memoriam: 1960s

Notices sorted by graduation date

Philip C. Learned (Law ’60) of Elmira, N.Y., died Aug. 5, 2011. He served in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Learned started his 50-year legal career at Sayles & Evans, and then moved to the Ziff, Weiermiller, Learned & Hayden firm for the next 23 years. In 1985, he began his partnership with Learned, Reilly, Learned & Hughes, where he practiced until the time of his death. He was a long-standing member of the Elmira Downtown Health Club, where he served as president. He also served as board president of Elmira’s Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council.

James J. Durkin (Col ’61) of Dallas, Pa., died Aug. 17, 2011. He began his career as vice president of Great West Coal Sales in New York City, served as president of National Diversified Industries, served as vice president and manager of Pocono Downs Racetrack from its inaugural season, and then as vice president and general manager of Shamrock Racing Association until 1973. Mr. Durkin recently served as president of Mountain Top Anthracite Inc., and was a past member of the U.S. Trotting Association, the American Racing Association and was a member of the American Waterworks Association, where he served on its standards commission.

Thomas A. Long (Grad ’61) of Cincinnati died July 16, 2011. He taught in the University of Cincinnati’s department of philosophy. He was also the author of numerous published short stories. In addition, he was a regular contributor to the radio broadcasts of the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Two years ago, he published a memoir of his medical difficulties, titled If This Isn’t Cincinnati, It Must Be Mayo.

Marie “Berry” Matheke Via (Educ ’61 L/M) of Norfolk, Va., died Aug. 15, 2011. She began her career in education at Venable School in Charlottesville before teaching for 20 years at Norfolk Academy. She served on the Centennial Committee for the Curry School of Education at the University. Survivors include her husband, James D. Via (Col ’59, Med ’64 L/M).

David K. Wiecking (Med ’61, Law ’69 L/M) of Charlottesville died July 22, 2011. He served in the U.S. Navy. Dr. Wiecking was the chief medical examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1972 until his retirement in 1993. Of particular note was his personal involvement in directing the lab in conducting the nation’s first successful DNA-based prosecution for capital crimes. During his tenure, he also taught at the Medical College of Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and served on the board of the American Board of Forensic Science. Throughout his life, Dr. Wiecking enjoyed train travel, riding almost every passenger track in the contiguous United States.

Joseph R. Huddleston (Law ’62, Law ’97) of Bowling Green, Ky., died July 11, 2011. Returning to his home in Bowling Green, he practiced law from 1962 to 1987 with his father and his brothers. In 1987, he was appointed, and then elected, judge of Warren Circuit Court. He served in that position for just over four years, then was elected chief judge and was named by the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys as “Kentucky’s Outstanding Trial Judge.” In 1991, Judge Huddleston was appointed and subsequently elected judge of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky. During that time, he taught American law at the Russian Legal Academy in both Moscow and Stavropol. In 2003, he became senior judge of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky. After four years in that position, he retired from the court to become an arbitrator and mediator. He served on the boards of numerous businesses and organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club and most recently the board of South Central Bank. He was a member of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, Noon Rotary Club, Jaycees and the Bowling Green Bar Association. He spent hours on his beloved sailboat, Tantalus, both on Barren River and in Hilton Head.

Michael Hedlesky (Educ ’62) of Big Sandy, Tenn., died July 22, 2011. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Mr. Hedlesky was a high school teacher in Virginia for more than 20 years, teaching Russian, physics, chemistry and German. He retired from teaching in 1981 from George C. Marshall High School in Fairfax County, Va. Survivors include his wife, Wanda W. Hedlesky (Educ ’70).

Andrew G. McDonald (Col ’62) of Cincinnati died Aug. 11, 2011. At the University, he was a member of Chi Psi fraternity. He was a member of Mensa and the American Marketing Association.
Wilbur A. Rapp (GSBA ’62) of Ironton, Ohio, died Aug. 14, 2011. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He served as a professor of finance at the Ohio State University for 25 years, retiring in 1988. Mr. Rapp was an expert in the savings and loan industry, serving as a consultant for numerous savings and loans throughout the United States for many years, as well as serving on the boards of directors of several of them. He developed an asset and liability management program that was used on the national level throughout the United States and which was sponsored by the United States Savings and Loan League for 25 years. He also offered executive and personnel development training programs, taught asset and liability management programs in the federal home loan bank system for 15 years and helped with savings and loan management programs specifically for the Federal Home Loan Banks of Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.

Clarence “Rance” O’Brien II (Engr ’63) of Chadds Ford, Pa., died July 31, 2011. He assisted his wife, Francena D. Chalfant, in her floral design business, Botanical Splash, for more than 10 years. Their creations ranged from weddings to Broadway openings to distributing wreaths through such national catalogs as Frontgate, White Flower Farm and Plow & Hearth. A veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Mr. O’Brien was a navigator who achieved the rank of lieutenant. Mr. O’Brien was a founding member of the Pennsylvania Pony Club; a member of the National Steeplechase Association as an owner, official and participant; a former member of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Fox Hounds; a supporter of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup and an early benefactor of the Fair Hill Land Conservancy. Among his many winning horses was his favorite stallion, Snar.

Robert C. Hastings (Com ’63, Law ’66 L/M) of Yorktown, Va., died July 29, 2011. At the University, he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduation, he practiced law for several years with the firm of Jones, Blechman, Woltz & Kelly in Newport News, Va., before forming the firm of Allen, Sink, and Hastings, with partners Lewis Allen and Wallace Sink. Survivors include three daughters, Kathryn Hastings Fisher (Educ ’95), Kimberly Hastings Flanagan (Com ’84 L/M) and Karen E. Hastings (Col ’85 L/M).

Harold G. Hollans (Law ’63) of Macon, Ga., died Aug. 5, 2011. He was a banker in Virginia and Georgia for 25 years, and retired from the United States Postal Service. He had also worked at Plantation Suites at Baptist Village for the past five years.

Lee S. Booth Jr. (Col ’65 L/M) of Lynchburg, Va., died Sept. 19, 2011. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. At the University, he was a member of the golf team. Later, Mr. Booth worked in the furniture industry with the Lane Co. of Altavista for 36 years, where he served in the capacity of vice president.

Joseph J. Steinmetz (Grad ’65) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., died Aug. 7, 2011. He was a professor emeritus of Miami Dade Community College. He was knowledgeable in literature, politics, history and film. He enjoyed baseball, music and traveling the world.

Richard F. McCready Jr. (Law ’66) of Winchester, Ky., died Aug. 22, 2011. As a trusts and estates attorney, he worked at the New York law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell from 1967 to 1977. Thereafter, he was in private practice in Winchester. In 1987, he succeeded his father as president of Winchester Federal Bank, which was founded in 1934. He served on the board of directors at the Sayre School and was a member of the Lamp Lighters Club.

Kate V. Riley (Educ ’66) of Williamsburg, Va., died Aug. 12, 2011. She taught fifth and sixth grades in Chesterfield County, Va., for 26 years. During this time, she was inducted into the international honor society for educators, Delta Kappa Gamma; and was listed in Who’s Who in Elementary School Teachers in the United States. On moving to Gloucester County, she transferred her Delta Kappa Gamma membership to the Gamma Nu Chapter and joined the retired educators there. She was also a member of the Abington Women’s Club. Survivors include a son, Hugh H. Riley (Col ’75 L/M).

William B. Payne (Col ’67 L/M) of Sharps, Va., died June 4, 2007. At the University, he was a member of Sigma Phi fraternity. He was commissioned in 1968 at the U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, Cape May, N.J. His first duty was as navigator and operations officer of the cutter Sorrel out of Seward, Alaska. In 1970, he became the executive officer of the Coast Guard Base, Mobile, Ala., responsible for 17 smaller units in search and rescue from Bay St. Louis to Fort Walton. He worked at Kilmarnock Service Shop and Houston Contracting Co. in Houston, Texas; Anchorage and Prudhoe, Alaska.

Joseph L. Antrim III (Col ’68 L/M) of Richmond, Va., died June 3, 2010. At the University, he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was an executive vice president of Davenport & Co. and head of asset management. He was a director of the firm, former member of the executive committee and former member of the investment policy committee. Mr. Antrim served on many boards, including Planned Parenthood of Virginia, the Cabell Foundation, the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, the Garth Newell Music Center, Jefferson’s Poplar Forest and the Community Foundation. Survivors include two brothers, Hugh T. Antrim (Col ’71 L/M) and John Mason Lee Antrim (Col ’73); a daughter, Zayde G. Antrim (Col ’95 L/M); and a son, L. Taylor Antrim (Grad ’04).

J. Michael Jarvis (Col ’68 L/M) of Richmond, Va., died March 18, 2011. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. At the University, he was a member of the football team, Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Eli Banana Society. Mr. Jarvis was deeply involved throughout his career with the financing, design, manufacturing and marketing of communications services, founding or holding executive positions with Charter Leasing Corp., Isotec, Executone, the Jarvis Corp. and ROLM Atlantic. Mr. Jarvis was involved with many corporate and civic organizations in Richmond and most recently served as a member of the board of the Bank of Virginia, Preservation Virginia and the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation. Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Conner Jarvis (Grad ’74); and daughters, Virginia Jarvis Atwood (Com ’01), Kathryn Jarvis Scott (Col ’03) and Maria Jarvis Darby (Com ’06).

Emil “Tovi” Kratovil Jr. (Law ’68) of Charlottesville died Aug. 1, 2011. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He spent most of his legal career with the admiralty and maritime law firm of Haight, Gardner, Poor and Havens in New York City, where he was a partner. Later, in Charlottesville, he acted in plays produced by Live Arts. Survivors include a brother, David W. Kratovil (Col ’73 L/M).

William J. Garland (Com ’69 L/M) of Richmond, Va., died July 17, 2011. He served in the U.S. Army. He was the vice president of finance for the Retail Merchants Association of Greater Richmond for three decades.