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In Memoriam | Fall 2023

In Memoriam: 1970s

Notices sorted by graduation date

R. Bruce McKenna (Col ’70 CM) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died June 9, 2023. After earning his bachelor’s degree at UVA, he earned a master’s degree in public health at the University of North Carolina and an M.B.A. at the College of William and Mary. He spent many years working for medical supply companies and later worked in the laboratory at Virginia Beach General Hospital. He was a member of the Jaycees and the Knights of Columbus and volunteered at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. He enjoyed reading history and the classics and loved visiting his ancestral home of Ireland. Survivors include two sisters, including Letitia Matter (Educ ’72); four nephews, including Dr. Joseph Lang (Col ’97 CM); and grandnieces and grandnephews.
Peter Pinney Tilghman (Col ’70) of Wells River, Vermont, died June 23, 2023. As an undergraduate at UVA, he was a member of the men’s rowing team. He attended graduate school at the University of Texas in Austin, earning his doctorate in language and linguistics. His career as an educator took him all over the world, including Australia, England and China. He spent 20 years at the American Community School in Cobham, England, where he incorporated computers into the classroom and worked in the IT department. After retiring from teaching in 2014, he settled in Vermont, enjoying small-town life while continuing to enjoy international trips. His favorite destination was Iceland, where he went to see the northern lights. Survivors include four siblings and many nieces and nephews.
David Hart Nelson (Law ’72) of Charlottesville died April 18, 2023. After graduating from Lake Forest College in Illinois, he attended the UVA Law School, graduating in 1972. He was a fixture in the UVA law library, often found there late at night to meet a deadline for a legal brief. He maintained a love of trains, classical music, and the Chicago Cubs throughout his life. He also loved wordplay and reading stories aloud to his children in an array of comical voices. Survivors include three children, five stepchildren, two brothers, a nephew and many grandchildren.
Richard D. Wagner (Arch ’72 CM) of College Park, Maryland, died May 14, 2023. While studying architecture at UVA, he was a Lawn resident and a member of the IMP Society and T.I.L.K.A. After graduation, he attended the University of Edinburgh, where he earned his doctorate in architecture. Returning to the U.S., he dedicated his career to preserving historic buildings and stabilizing neighborhoods. An architect and educator, he founded the Urban Main Street Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation; the master’s program in historic preservation at Goucher College; and the College Park City University Partnership, a collaboration between the University of Maryland and the City of College Park. He was partner with David Gleason, FAIA (Arch ’69, ’72 CM) in the architectural firm David H. Gleason Associates in Baltimore, where he did design work for Baltimore Main Street and many private clients. He enjoyed traveling and lectured on architecture for National Trust tours of the Cotswolds and cruises of the Danube, the Baltic Sea, and the Rhine River. Survivors include his wife, Janet, his son and his brother.
Frank Albert Simiele (Com ’73) of Spangle, Washington, died Dec. 15, 2022. He was drafted into the Army and served from 1967 to 1987, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. After earning his bachelor’s degree at UVA, he attended Boston University, where he received his master’s degree in business administration. After he retired from the military, he worked at Northrop Grumman as a contractor for the government for 26 years. He loved fishing, hunting, gardening, cooking, watching movies, and traveling all over the world. He also loved horses and the Texas two-step. Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Joyce, four children, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and a sister.
William “Bill” Hellmuth (Arch ’75) of Washington, D.C., died April 6, 2023. While studying architecture at UVA, he was a Lawn resident and a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Corks & Curls and T.I.L.K.A. He also earned a master’s degree in architecture at Princeton University. He began his career at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York City. He later joined HOK in St. Louis and then Washington, D.C., where he became president in 2005, CEO in 2016, and chairman in 2017. Some of his notable designs include the 75-story Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters; the U.S. Embassy Chancery and Office Annex in Moscow; the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. His work won 29 awards from the American Institute of Architects. In 2018, the UVA School of Architecture honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award. He enjoyed painting, gardening and visiting the vacation cottage he designed in Rhode Island. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Nancy, two children, two grandchildren and two brothers.
Andrew DaMiano (Com ’76) of Northbrook, Illinois, died June 7, 2023. As an undergraduate in the McIntire School of Commerce, he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. He was president and owner of DaMiano and Graham Ltd., an export management business that has been in the DaMiano family for 70 years. An avid fly fisherman, he was a member of the Coleman Lake Club in Goodman, Wisconsin. He was also past president of the Overseas Automotive Club and a former member of the Chicago Curling Club and the Anvil Club. Survivors include his wife, Diana, and two nieces.
William “Billy” Harrison Mitchell (Educ ’76) of Madison, Virginia, died Jan. 9, 2023. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 before earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and a master’s in education from UVA. He played professional baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization from 1955 to 1958, pitching for the Durham Bulls, Augusta Tigers, Charleston Senators and Birmingham Barons. He taught and coached in the Madison County Public School system for over 40 years. In addition to teaching math and driver education, he also coached football, baseball and basketball. He served as principal of Madison Primary School until his retirement in 1995. He remained a dedicated UVA fan, especially of Coach Bennett and the men’s basketball team. Survivors include his wife, Sarah, three children and two grandchildren.