In Memoriam: 1960s

Notices sorted by graduation date

George W. Harris Jr. (Engr ’60) of Roanoke, Virginia, died Jan. 23, 2015. He was appointed in 1985 as a judge to the 23rd Judicial District and was the first African-American judge to work full time in the Roanoke Valley. Throughout his 20 years of service, he had the reputation of being analytical and firm but very fair, and was known for his ability to gauge character and adjust his rulings accordingly. Judge Harris began his law career as an attorney in Roanoke in 1967 and was dedicated to and passionate about his profession. He was a member of many professional organizations, including the Virginia Bar Association, the Salem/Roanoke County Bar Association, the American Judges Association and the American Judicature Society, and served as president of the Old Dominion Bar Association. Judge Harris was an avid U.Va. sports fan. Survivors include his wife, Helen Camm Harris (Educ ’71); and a son.

George Hampton “Hamp” Uzzelle III (Col ’60 L/M) of Fairhope, Alabama, died Dec. 9, 2014. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the University, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and the Trident Society. Mr. Uzzelle practiced maritime law for 44 years and was a member of numerous legal and maritime associations. He was very active in his church and served on the board of L’Arche Mobile for more than 30 years. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, including Kathleen T. Uzzelle (Col ’87); a son and five grandchildren.

Max C. Littlejohn (Educ ’63) of Danville, Virginia, died Nov. 24, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army and later served for 18 years in the Virginia National Guard, retiring with the rank of major. A longtime classroom teacher who served as principal at Climax High School, Chatham High School and Renan Elementary School, he also coached basketball, football and baseball before retiring from Pittsylvania County schools in 1987 after 34 years of service. He was very involved with his church, teaching Sunday school and serving as the program’s superintendent and chairman. In his spare time, he officiated high school football and taught lifesaving and swimming classes. Mr. Littlejohn also loved to play golf. Survivors include a daughter, two grandchildren, one nephew and two grandnephews.

Alan I. Jacobson (Med ’66) of Athens, Georgia, died Jan. 6, 2015. He was a pathologist who served as laboratory director at Starr Regional Medical Center for more than 22 years. Previously, Dr. Jacobson worked for 16 years in the Atlanta area at both Cobb General Hospital and Smyrna Hospital. Survivors include his wife, a daughter and many other close family members.

Yvonne Sherow Emerson (Grad ’68) of Athens, Ohio; and Lexington, Virginia, died in June 2014. For many years, she led student groups on trips to Germany and France for The Experiment in International Living and led the first of the organization’s trips to China. She focused her academic research on the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and had a lifelong interest in the language and culture of France. As an older sister and a mentor to many, Ms. Emerson shared her wisdom and humor generously. Survivors include three sisters, one brother, and several nieces and nephews.

W. Scott Street (Law ’68) of Richmond, Virginia, died Feb. 1, 2015. He was an attorney with Williams Mullen for 34 years, having previously practiced at several other law firms in the Richmond area. His work included active trial and appellate practices in both civil and criminal matters, commercial real estate development and the resolution of corporate and other business disputes. Mr. Street was especially proud of his role in helping to rebuild the financial structure of a young Virginia college that has now grown into the largest private university in Virginia. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners from 1972 to Jan. 1, 2015, and as chair of the Virginia State Bar Section on Education of Lawyers, and represented Virginia in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. Mr. Street also served as president of the Virginia State Bar from 1999 to 2000. An avid golfer, he visited Scotland every summer for nearly 20 years and was a member of the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, the Loch Lomond Golf Club, the Kanawha Club, the Country Club of Virginia and the Kinloch Golf Club. He considered the days he spent in Dornoch, Scotland, as among the most enjoyable of his life. An enthusiastic bluegrass musician, Mr. Street played five-string banjo with the Hanover Better Boys during the 1980s and 1990s and most recently played banjo for George Winn and the Bluegrass Partners. He was an active member of JAMinc, an organization that seeks to bring lesser-known music to a wider audience through education, performance and support. Survivors include his wife, three children, six grandchildren and a sister.

James P. Terry (Col ’68, Educ ’76 L/M) of Annandale, Virginia, died Dec. 12, 2014. At the University, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and for many years after, attaining the rank of colonel. After being severely wounded in Vietnam, Col. Terry persuaded the Corps to send him to law school rather than medically retire him. As an attorney, he quickly established a reputation as a leading authority on international and national security law, and in 1992 Gen. Colin Powell, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, selected Col. Terry to serve four years as his legal adviser. After both men had retired from military service, Secretary of State Powell brought Col. Terry to the U.S. Department of State as a member of the Senior Executive Service to serve as principal deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs. Col. Terry served for 42 years in the federal government, most recently as the Senate-confirmed chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he supervised more than 50 federal judges and more than 200 Virginia attorneys. After retiring from Veterans Affairs in 2011, Col. Terry held a senior fellowship at the University of Virginia School of Law’s Center for National Security Law, where he wrote several books on issues of constitutional and international law. A pioneer in the field of cyber threats, he published his first article, “Cyberspace and the Use of Force,” in 1999. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, including Kristin Terry Abati (Law ’01); three grandchildren and eight siblings.

Arthur Willis “Bill” Lillevig (Educ ’69 L/M) of Falls Church, Virginia, died Jan. 6, 2015. He served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. Mr. Lillevig was a teacher at Falls Church High School. He loved to travel and visited all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Grace Lillevig Heffernan (Col ’92 L/M); a son-in-law; and a grandson.

Norman Gunderson Sweeney (Col ’69 L/M) of Arlington, Virginia, died Nov. 29, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. At the University, he was a member of the Cavalier Daily staff. Mr. Sweeney worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for 30 years, serving both domestically and overseas, later working as a contractor for 13 years before retiring in 2013. Survivors include his wife; a son, Timothy Sweeney (Engr ’03, ’08 L/M); daughter-in-law Kara McLaughlin Sweeney (Col ’05, Educ ’05); a brother, William T. Sweeney (Col ’65 L/M); and a sister.