In Memoriam: 1980s

Notices sorted by graduation date

William “Bill” T. Scherer (Engr ’80, ’81, ’86 CM) of Earlysville, Virginia, died Oct. 30, 2024. A triple ’Hoo, he earned his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate in systems engineering from UVA. He then joined the faculty, serving as professor and, later, chair of the systems and information engineering department. He taught courses on systems methodology, financial engineering, decision analytics and stochastic optimization. He has also conducted research on systems engineering methodology, intelligent transportation systems and business and sports analytics. Along with fellow faculty members, in 1999 he founded the accelerated master’s degree program in systems engineering, which provided nontraditional students with resources and instruction to excel academically and professionally. He received the outstanding undergraduate teaching award more than a dozen times. He also received an outstanding University of Virginia faculty award in 2007 and a UVA Engineering distinguished service award in 2023. He authored several publications, including How to Do Systems Analysis in 2007 and a follow-up book, How to Do Systems Analysis: Primer and Casebook, in 2016. Survivors include his wife, Amy Newcome Scherer (Col ’90, Educ ’90 CM); three daughters, Kendall Scherer (Educ ’24), Linden Scherer (Col ’28) and Merritt Scherer; and two sisters.

David Scott Thurlow (Col ’80 CM) of Mystic, Connecticut, died Aug. 21, 2024. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from UVA, where he was a member of Army ROTC. A 27-year Army veteran, he served in locations including Korea; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; the Pentagon; and the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He was deployed twice to the Middle East and once to Bosnia. He received awards including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Upon retirement, he worked as a Department of Defense civilian for the U.S. Air Force at Alaska Command and was also an adjunct professor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He transferred to the Department of Homeland Security to work with the U.S. Coast Guard in Alameda, California, before settling in Connecticut, where he volunteered with the Mystic & Noank Library and the Mystic Aquarium. Survivors include his wife, Kathryn; his sister; his granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.

Hill Montague IV (Engr ’82 CM) of Alexandria, Virginia, died Aug. 5, 2024. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from UVA and a master’s degree in information systems from George Washington University. After college, he worked for Unisys as a senior member of the engineering staff. For the last 33 years he served as senior electronics engineer in the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness at the U.S. Library of Congress. He also worked for the American Rock Mechanics Association, assisting with its annual symposia. He was preceded in death by his father, Hill Montague III (Engr ’51). Survivors include his wife, Lisa Yonan Montague (Col ’80 CM); and two children, including Rebecca Montague Cronin (Col ’10 CM).