In Memoriam: 1980s

Notices sorted by graduation date

David C. Knill (Engr ’82) of Rochester, N.Y., died Oct. 6, 2014. He was a professor of brain and cognitive sciences as well as associate director of the Center for Visual Science at the University of Rochester. Mr. Knill, a leading scientist in the study of human perception, taught at the University of Pennsylvania and was a postdoctoral and research associate at the University of Minnesota before joining the University of Rochester as an associate professor in 1999. In 2001, he became associate director of the school’s Center for Visual Science, where he organized and implemented training programs for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students and served as a mentor and adviser to many. Mr. Knill had an extraordinary understanding of math, computer science and statistics that he brought together into his work, often coming up with theories and models of how systems work that could explain a broad array of observations that had before seemed loosely connected and sometimes puzzling. His work, which included more than 60 research and review articles, focused on visual perception and how humans use vision to guide physical actions. Survivors include his wife and their two sons; his parents; a brother; a sister; and several nieces, nephews and in-laws.

Jeffrey C. Sigl (Engr ’83, ’88) of Medway, Mass., died Aug. 28, 2014. After working in the biomedical industry for many years, he joined G6 Capital Management in Needham, Mass., in 2012, where he was a partner in the company and served as director of analytics. Mr. Sigl was active in Medway’s Troop 108 of the Boy Scouts of America, and enjoyed boating, music, the stock market, intellectual pursuits, and spending time with his family. Survivors include his wife, a son, a daughter and a sister.

Boyd Clifton Rist (Grad ’85 L/M) of Lynchburg, Va., died Sept. 14, 2014. He was a professor of history whose work focused on political and constitutional history from the Revolutionary era to the eve of the Civil War. Mr. Rist began his career teaching at Brainerd Junior College in Brainerd, Minn. He joined the faculty of Lynchburg Baptist College, now Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Va., in 1973, and worked there for more than 40 years. He served as chair of the division of social sciences at Liberty and, over time, moved into higher levels of administration, serving as dean of the college of arts and sciences, dean of the faculty, vice president for academic affairs and provost. For many years, Mr. Rist also served as chairman of the Accreditation Commission for the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. He was very involved in the Thomas Road Baptist Church and was a member of the weekly Bible study group at Peakland Baptist Church. He loved spending time with his family and especially enjoyed listening to his daughter play piano and violin. Survivors include his wife and daughter.

Timothy J. Cauley (Col ’87 L/M) of Fairfax, Va., died Sept. 17, 2014. At the University, he was a photographer for the Cavalier Daily. Mr. Cauley worked at the Social Security Administration for more than 20 years, retiring in 2007. During his retirement, he volunteered at the National Zoo, the local animal shelter and for the Sierra Leone Kenema District Development Mission. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant, Mr. Cauley was passionate about promoting public awareness related to the disease. He served as technical adviser on the play Becoming Christopher by Michael Slade, which debuted at the 2007 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. The play, which tells the story of a young man living with cystic fibrosis and chronicles the unique challenges faced in transitioning from a pediatric to an adult CF center, was later turned into a film by the same name and produced a sequel, Christopher Chronicles, for which Mr. Cauley also consulted. Survivors include his wife, a son, his parents, a sister and many nieces and nephews.

Edward B. Johns Jr. (Col ’87, Grad ’90 L/M) of Washington, D.C., died March 22, 2014. At the University, he was a member of the Cavalier Daily staff, the Virginia Literary Review staff, and Pi Sigma Alpha the national political science honor society. He also worked as a tour guide at Monticello. A follower of Jefferson and bon vivant, Mr. Johns enjoyed strong tea, world music and hot mustard. He had a wry wit and infectious laugh that delighted his friends. Mr. Johns served in the U.S. Department of State for nearly 10 years as a foreign service officer assigned to Jamaica, Russia, Slovakia, Brazil and Washington, D.C. He later turned his attention to public policy and government relations as senior director of government and regulatory affairs for Herbalife in the company’s Washington-based office. He worked as a senior adviser for the Association for the Advancement of Retired People in Latin America and Asia in the area of financial security and community/urban planning. Mr. Johns most recently served as the director of international marketing in Brazil for The Advisory Board Co., a global research, technology and consulting firm serving the health care and higher education sectors. He was fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and could also speak Russian and French. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, his sister and nephews.