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In Memoriam | Spring 2026

In Memoriam: 1970s

Notices sorted by graduation date

Thomas Decker (Col ’70) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec. 1, 2025. At UVA, he studied psychology, leading him to a 40-year career at the Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, where he worked to make a positive impact on the lives of young people. He had a private pilot’s license and loved taking to the skies in his spare time. He was an avid reader and enthusiastic photographer. He was predeceased by his wife, Beth. Survivors include four sons and three daughters-in-law, including Christopher Decker (Col ’94 CM) and his wife, Megan Polson Decker (Col ’94 CM); eight grandchildren; a great-grandchild; two sisters; and a niece and nephew.

Lelia Jane Shields Evans (Educ ’71 CM) of Fairfax, Virginia, died Sept. 29, 2025. After graduating from Mary Washington College in 1968, she moved with her husband, Kerr Stewart Evans Jr. (Col ’68, Law ’72 CM), to Charlottesville, where she earned her master’s in education with an emphasis on reading from UVA. During this time, she worked as a teacher in Albemarle County to support Stewart while he attended law school. She was a devoted member of her church, serving many years on the altar, wedding and funeral guilds. Her hobbies included cooking, hosting parties, traveling, gardening, reading, and playing bridge and tennis. Along with her husband, survivors include four children, including Sarah Evans Eiler (Col ’93) and Kerr Stewart Evans III (Col ’99 CM); and six grandchildren, including Kelsey Eiler (Educ ’28).

Peter Edward Tenney (Col ’71 CM) of Brunswick, Maine, died Sept. 16, 2025. After graduating from UVA, he worked in the record department of the Harvard bookstore, fostering his love of classical music vinyl collecting. His subsequent teaching career led him to discover a passion for history, and he eventually became president of the World Affairs Council of Rhode Island. Through this role, he was able to meet notable intellectuals and politicians, as well as travel to China with a high school group. In 1993, he moved to New Hampshire to join Crossroads Academy, where he taught until his retirement in 2017. Students remember him as a thoughtful, creative teacher who always sported a bow tie. After meeting his wife, Alix Howell, he moved to Brunswick, Maine, where he became a docent at the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum. Along with Alix, survivors include three stepchildren; three brothers; and several nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

June Welsh Echols (Educ ’73 CM) of Richmond, Virginia, died Sept. 1, 2025. Hailing from Ohio, she first attended the University of Cincinnati to become a nurse. After several years in that profession, she earned her master’s degree in education from UVA. After graduation, she taught English in the Lynchburg, Virginia, area. She was involved in several organizations in the city, including the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, the Point of Honor museum and Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. She and her husband, Porter “Pete” B. Echols Jr. (Col ’55, Med ’58 CM), moved to Richmond in 2002 to be closer to family. She was predeceased by Pete. Survivors include two daughters; a son, Burks Echols (Col ’85 CM); a daughter-in-law, Ann Carter “Boo” Refo Echols (Col ’86 CM); two siblings; and two granddaughters, Carter Echols (Com ’22 CM) and Sarah Echols (Col ’24 CM).

Mitchell Kahan (Col ’73) of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, died Oct. 16, 2025. At UVA, he studied art history and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi. He served as director and CEO of the Akron Art Museum in Akron, Ohio, from 1985 to 2013. Under his leadership, the museum evolved into a nationally and internationally celebrated institution. He lectured widely on 20th-century American art and received numerous accolades in his field. He was proud to have marched at the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979 and to have helped start the Gay Community Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation. Loved ones remember him having a strong sense of wonder and appreciation for beauty. Survivors include his husband, Chris Hixson; his mother; three siblings, including Karen Kahan (Col ’81 CM) and Barbie Kahan Wright (Col ’77); two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law; a nephew; and several cousins and their spouses.

Patrick Clifford Graney III (Col ’75, Darden ’81 CM) of Charleston, West Virginia, died Aug. 29, 2025. At UVA, he was a Lawn resident, the managing editor of the Cavalier Daily, Queen of the Imps, and a member of St. Elmo Hall, T.I.L.K.A., the Raven Society and ODK. A prominent entrepreneur in the coal, oil and gas industries, he expanded Petroleum Products Inc. from a local business to a multistate operation. He was inducted into the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2014. He was dedicated to public service, working as financial strategist to the governor of West Virginia in the Office of Community and Industrial Development and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Richmond Federal Reserve, among other endeavors. Survivors include his wife, Jessica S. Graney (Col ’75 CM); four sons, Patrick C. Graney IV (Col ’00, Darden ’07 CM), Gov Graney, Kevin Graney (Col ’04, Darden ’10 CM), and Michael E. Graney (Col ’13 CM); nine grandchildren; and two siblings, Sharon Bibb and Michael R. Graney (Col ’82, Darden ’90 CM).

Mary Beth Krank Cameron (Arch ’78 CM) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, died April 21, 2025. Along with a bachelor’s degree in city planning from UVA, she held an MBA from Temple University. She was a dedicated public servant, working at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1979 to 1989, during which time she oversaw the Community Development Block Grant Program for the Philadelphia region. She and her husband, Beverly R. Cameron (Arch ’78 CM), lived in Fredericksburg, where she raised her two sons full time. Later, she taught middle-school math at Holy Cross Academy. In her free time, she was an avid gardener, bird-watcher and crossword enthusiast. Along with Beverly, survivors include her two sons, Matthew C. Cameron (Col ’13 CM) and Brian P. Cameron (Col ’19, Law ’25 CM); daughter-in-law Mengtian Xie Cameron (Com ’14 CM) and future daughter-in-law Mary Garner McGehee (Col ’19 CM); a grandchild; two siblings; and many nieces and nephews.

Thomas Carbonneau (Law ’78, Grad ’79) of State College, Pennsylvania, died Oct. 23, 2025. He was a scholar of international, comparative and domestic arbitration. A lifelong student, he held degrees from Oxford University, Bowdoin College and Columbia University in addition to his French and law degrees from UVA. He was a Rhodes Scholar. He held the Samuel P. Orlando Distinguished Professorship at Pennsylvania State University’s law school and the Moise S. Steeg Jr. Professorship at Tulane University’s law school. He was also a visiting professor at many universities across the globe. A prolific writer, he authored more than 15 books and 80 scholarly articles on law, including a treatise on arbitration. He loved being a father and a professor and considered looking after his family and students his greatest pride and joy. Survivors include his daughter, his niece, three brothers and two sisters.