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In Memoriam | Summer 2026

In Memoriam: 1980s

Notices sorted by graduation date

David Robert Brewton (Col ’81) of Pittsburgh died July 10, 2025. At UVA, he volunteered at the Charlottesville Housing Improvement Program (now AHIP). He created an interdisciplinary major in religious studies, economics and government and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. After graduation, he moved to Pittsburgh and joined Breachmenders Ministries, an advocacy group that worked to provide affordable housing to low-income families. Later in life, he worked for the nonprofit Hazelwood Initiative, Inc., to fight gentrification and improve residents’ quality of life. In 2024, he received a mayoral proclamation honoring his lifelong work in affordable housing and healthcare, citing that he had raised over $52 million toward these efforts. He loved biking, logging countless miles through the city and along the Great Allegheny Passage trail. Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Buckingham) Brewton (Col ’81); four children and their spouses, including Peter Brewton (Col ’08) and his wife, Jennifer Hayes (Col ’08); his siblings; and five grandchildren.

Elliot G. Freier (Col ’83 CM) of Los Angeles died Jan. 17, 2026. At UVA, he was an Echols Scholar, a staff member of The Declaration magazine and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He attended Yale Law School, where he was the managing editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation. He joined Irell & Manella in 1986, where he became partner. He was recognized as a leading tax lawyer by Chambers and Legal 500 and was elected as fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. He was a mentor to many of Irell’s lawyers and staff, always finding time to provide guidance despite his workload. After retiring from Irell, he continued to advise both the firm and clients as a partner at VLP Law Group. He and his wife, Cora Perez, were avid supporters of the arts and donated their time and resources to many nonprofit causes. Cora also died Jan. 17. Survivors include his two sons, Cora’s son and a grandson.

Willis Padgett “Bill” Whichard (Law ’84, ’94 CM) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, died Nov. 18, 2025. He received his undergraduate degree and Juris Doctor from UNC-Chapel Hill. He participated in UVA Law’s graduate program for judges, earning his Master of Laws in 1984 and later returning for his Doctor of Juridical Science. For his dissertation, he wrote about Justice James Iredell, a North Carolinian who served on the first U.S. Supreme Court. He edited this work into a book, which was published by Carolina Academic Press in 2000. At various points in his career, he served in the North Carolina House of Representatives, the North Carolina Senate, the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court. After retiring from the Supreme Court, he served as dean of Campbell University’s law school. In his later years, he joined Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, where he remained until 2024. He is survived by his wife, Leona; two daughters and six grandchildren.

John Edward Ebert (Com ’87) of Gainesville, Virginia, died Oct. 25, 2025. At UVA, he was a resident adviser and member of Beta Theta Pi. He began his career as a senior trader with O’Connor & Associates in San Francisco and continued with Swiss Bank. He was a founding member of a proprietary unit of RBC Dominion Securities’ Chicago office. He later founded Cavalier Trading and, along with his brother James, was a managing partner. During his career he traded on the San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago options exchanges. He was a frequent guest lecturer at UVA. Although his career took him around the U.S., he kept his hometown of Foley, Alabama, close to his heart. He helped found Starfish23, a nonprofit that provides free sports camps and clinics for children. In 2024, he got his teaching certificate and taught adaptive physical education for special needs students. He moved to Houston in 2025 to work at Larson Financial Holdings. Survivors include his daughter, Veronica Diamond (Nurs ’30); five siblings; and many nieces and nephews.

Barbara Ann Gillette (Darden ’87) of New York City died Feb. 9, 2026. She studied art history at Harvard University before earning her MBA at UVA. She had a career in public relations and marketing, working as a senior associate at Ross & Lawrence Public Relations and as a media specialist at Weil, Gotshal & Manges. She was a longtime resident of Manhattan’s East Side, where she found joy in the city’s museums and galleries, often walking miles through the city and Central Park. She volunteered for many years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She was a voracious reader and an avid traveler. Known for her warmth and outgoing nature, she was devoted to her family and was a deeply caring friend. Survivors include her mother, two siblings and their spouses, and several nieces and nephews.

James “Jim” Patrick Guy II (Col ’87, Law ’90) of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 21, 2026. He was an Echols Scholar at UVA. He met his wife, Judith Anne Trott Guy (Col ’86), while participating in young adult ministry at UVA. Born in San Jose, California, he lived his life all over the world, including New Jersey, Paris, Belgium, Germany and various regions of Virginia. He represented Virginia’s rural electric cooperatives and served as the 128th president of the Virginia Bar Association. Beginning in 2020, he served as general counsel for the Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative. He served on the Virginia Board of Directors of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For many years, he fronted an Irish American pub band in Richmond’s West End. His great passions in life were his family, the rule of law and music. Along with Judith, survivors include three children; two granddaughters; his mother; his siblings; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

William Hampton Keen (Col ’88 CM) of Palm Beach, Florida, died Jan. 23, 2026. After graduating from UVA, he studied at Oxford University before returning to his home state of Florida. Early in his career, he worked at SunTrust Bank and taught at-risk students at the Tampa Marine Institute. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida. He practiced law at Hill Ward Henderson and Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath before founding Keen Law Group. He served his clients wholeheartedly, earning widespread respect as a leading plaintiffs’ attorney. He served on the board of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County and volunteered with Meals on Wheels. He was always present for his children, leading “Team Keen” on adventures across the country and the world. He loved fishing along Florida’s Gulf Coast as well as in the Everglades. Survivors include his wife, Joette; three children, Will Keen (Col ’23 CM), Carolyn, and Virginia Keen (Col ’27); two siblings; and nieces and nephews.