In Memoriam: 1980s

Notices sorted by graduation date

Nita J. Giroux (Educ ’80) of Waynesboro, Va., died June 5, 2014. She taught physical education in Charlottesville and Albemarle County and later retired from UVA Children’s Hospital. She was a giving person with a happy heart. Survivors include two sisters, five nieces and nephews, and 13 great-nieces and nephews.

Barbara M. Bosma Garlock (Col ’82, Law ’88 L/M) of Cary, N.C., died June 23, 2013. A pastoral counselor, health care lawyer and emergency assistance specialist, she began her career as a clerk for former judge Charles Becton at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Ms. Garlock went on to write successful legislation on health information privacy, was named a Top 10 Young Lawyer in North Carolina, served as president of the health law section of the North Carolina Bar Association and received the Martindale-Hubbell distinction for ethics. More recently, she began the Bread for Our Neighbors Summit and volunteered with the friends program of the North Carolina Bar and as the Wake County Schools character education coordinator. Ms. Garlock served on regional boards for Women NC, Triangle Family Services, the American Cancer Society and a number of other organizations. She also volunteered as a docent for the North Carolina Museum of Art and enjoyed walking the Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. Ms. Garlock loved poetry, reading, traveling, listening to music and spending time with her husband and children. Survivors include her husband, Deo Garlock (Col ’82), whom she met at the University, and their two children; her mother; her father and stepmother; and six siblings. 

Arthur J. Simpson Jr. (Law ’82 L/M) of Oradell, N.J., died May 9, 2014. He served in the U.S. armed forces for a total of 36 years, first in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War, and later in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring with the rank of colonel. Judge Simpson served as assignment judge for Bergen, Camden and Gloucester counties and as acting administrative director of the New Jersey Courts before retiring as judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. He also served as of counsel to the law firm of Winne Banta Hetherington and Basralian. Survivors include his wife, two daughters, a son and six grandchildren.

Daniel G. Knepper (Com ’83) of Woodstock, Va., died June 10, 2014. He was a senior business analyst for Shenandoah Telecommunications Corp. (Shentel) in Edinburgh, Va. Previously, Mr. Knepper worked for IBM Corp. in Endicott, N.Y., and for Siemens Co. in Cary, N.C. Survivors include a son, a daughter and a brother.

Allyson LePeter McCarron (Col ’86) of Mechanicsville, Va., died Jan. 17, 2014. At the University, she was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. She was an attorney who specialized in real estate and land use law. She enjoyed flower gardening, reading and taking walks on the beach. Survivors include her parents; two daughters; and two brothers, including Greg LePeter (Col ’93 L/M).

Stanley Parness (Law ’86) of the Bronx, N.Y., died July 8, 2014. At the University, he participated in the Master of Laws program along with a number of other appellate judges from across the United States. He was a former presiding judge of the First Judicial Department Appellate Term of the Supreme Court of New York, where he served for 18 years before retiring in 2001. He also presided for 15 years over all tax certiorari and condemnation cases in New York County. Justice Parness ruled in a number of notable cases, including a 1991 ruling involving One New York Plaza, where he determined that owners of commercial buildings containing asbestos were eligible for refunds and reductions in their tax assessments. He upheld the condemnation of many midtown properties for private development in the Matter of New York Urban Development Corp. case in 1998; his ruling laid the groundwork for the redevelopment of Times Square, one of the largest public commercial urban renewal projects in the state. After retiring from the bench, he was of counsel to Stroock & Stroock & Lavan for 13 years, advising on tax certiorari matters. He was past president of the Supreme Court Justices Association of the City of New York and served on the character and fitness committee of the Appellate Division, First Department, and on the court system’s advisory committee on judicial ethics. He also taught real estate law at New York University. Justice Parness loved people. An accomplished attorney and judge, he was a loyal friend and mentor to his colleagues. He had a terrific sense of humor and enjoyed doing the New York Times crossword, especially on Sundays. Survivors include his wife and a brother.

Amy Elizabeth Wellborn Grier (Col ’88 L/M) of Greenbelt, Md., died May 21, 2014. At the University, she was a member of Alpha Phi sorority. Ms. Grier was a social worker who specialized in and advocated for the treatment of attachment disorder. A compassionate, funny and wise woman, she taught many clients to love and parent children with exceptional needs. She enjoyed books and loved to read with her daughters; she was especially fond of the Harry Potter series. Ms. Grier sang, often at family weddings, and played the piano and flute. She also loved to garden, and her favorite flower was the bleeding heart. Survivors include her husband and their two daughters, her mother, a sister and a brother.