Obituaries

Editor’s note: In recognition of the toll taken by the COVID-19 pandemic, CCT wishes to acknowledge those in our community who have died from complications of the virus. Their obituaries are marked with a ♦ symbol.

1945

Anthony J. Borgese, retired electrical engineer, Niskayuna, N.Y., on February 18, 2020. Borgese entered with the Class of 1945, but earned a B.S. in 1948 from Columbia Engineering.

1946

Leonard L. Shengold, psychoanalyst and expert on child abuse, New York City, on January 16, 2020.

1947

William I. Silvernail Jr., retired physician, Dothan, Ala., on December 25, 2019. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wiregrass Area Food Bank, 382 Twitchell Rd., Dothan, AL 36303, or The Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 205 Holly Ln., Dothan, AL 36301.

1949

Paul R. Meyer, retired attorney, Portland, Ore., on May 1, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the ACLU Foundation of Oregon, PO Box 40585, Portland, OR 97240.

1950

James J. Ward Jr., retired attorney and football coach, Sarasota, Fla., on January 30, 2020. Ward earned a degree in 1953 from the Law School.

1951

John A. Handley, retired HR executive and certified financial planner, Santa Barbara, Calif., on October 21, 2019. Memorial contributions may be made to the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association.

H. Elliot Wales, attorney, New York City, on February 7, 2020. Wales earned a degree in 1954 from the Law School.

1953

Eugene Goodheart, professor of English, Watertown, Mass., on April 9, 2020. Goodheart earned a Ph.D. in English and comparative literature in 1961 from GSAS.

Robert A. Prendergast, retired professor of ophthalmology and pathology, Falmouth, Mass., on May 4, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to feedingamerica.org.

1954

Howard Falberg, retired HR executive, La Jolla, Calif., on February 24, 2020. Falberg earned a degree in 1956 from the Business School. Memorial contributions may be made to Ner Tamid Synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Beth Emek or the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

1955

Daniel B. Hovey, retired physician, Rochester, N.Y., on April 22, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Columbia varsity rowing and mailed to Emily Maury, Columbia Alumni Center, 622 W. 113th St., MC 4523, New York, NY 10025; or made online.

1956

Harmon D. Smith, writer, and retired marketing and communications executive, Kent, Conn., on February 29, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Kentland Trust or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Matthew H. Stander, attorney, Oyster Bay Cove, N.Y., on March 1, 2020.

1957

David W. Kinne, retired physician, New York City, on March 14, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Columbia’s wrestling team.

Stephen E. Ronai, attorney, North Haven, Conn., on April 30, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bronx Science Alumni Foundation.

1958

♦ John C. Diaz, retired, Philadelphia, on April 3, 2020. Diaz earned a B.S. in 1959 from Columbia Engineering.

Laurence E. Harris, attorney, Potomac, Md., on May 16, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Yellow Ribbon Program at Georgetown Law.

1961

Jeffrey H. Rudell, Jacksonville, Fla., on March 9, 2018.

1962

♦ Robert S. “Duck” Dickstein, retired attorney and former wrestling coach, Paramus, N.J., on April 4, 2020.

Frank J. Grady, physician, Lake Jackson, Texas, on January 12, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Backpack Buddies, the Brazosport College scholarship fund or the First United Methodist Church of Lake Jackson.

♦ Robert H. Weitzman, retired pulmonologist, Linden, N.J., on April 7, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Anshe Chesed, 1000 Orchard Terr., Linden, NJ 07036.

1963

♦ Thomas E. O’Connor Jr., retired law firm executive, Saddle River, N.J., on April 7, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to The Grace Foundation of Terrie O’Connor Real Estate Companies, 300G Lake St., Ramsey, NJ 07446.

1964

Jerry Oster, retired writer, Chapel Hill, N.C., on January 26, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Cure PSP, AuthoraCare Collective, the North Carolina Coastal Federation or the Fistula Foundation.

1965

Michael L. Tapper, retired physician, New York City, on March 6, 2020. Tapper earned an M.A.in 1966 from GSAS and an M.D. in 1970 from P&S. Memorial contributions may be made to Columbia College.

1966

Denis P. Behan, retired account executive, New York City, on November 30, 2019. Behan earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. from GSAS in 1969 and 1977, respectively.

♦ Stephen A. Steiner, public relations director, Briarwood, N.Y., on March 30, 2020. Steiner earned an M.A. from GSAS in 1967.

1968

David F. Phillips, heraldic scholar, author and retired attorney, San Francisco, on March 26, 2020. Phillips earned a degree in 1974 from the School of Library Service.

John Rice Cole, retired professor, Greenfield, Mass., on March 12, 2020. Cole earned an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. from GSAS in 1973 and 1977, respectively. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Center for Science Education.

1971

♦ Rafael L. Black, artist, Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 15, 2020.

Stephen J. Christian, attorney and accountant, Hopewell Junction, N.Y., on October 21, 2019.

James W. Hall, Odenton, Md., on March 11, 2020.

1974

Carl A. Yirka, law librarian, Strafford, Vt., on April 4, 2020.

1978

Donald A. Schwartz, physician, Longmeadow, Mass., on February 1, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Baystate Health Foundation, 280 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01199.

1979

♦ Donald J. Sorel, music teacher, and church music director, cantor and organist, Pomona, N.Y., on April 7, 2020.

1982

Michael S. Friedman, attorney, editor, teacher, publisher and poet, Denver, on May 5, 2020.

Rajan Sekaran, investment banker, Weston, Conn., on May 21, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to Connecticut Food Bank, The Nature Conservancy or The Inner-City Foundation for Charity & Education.

1986

Frans E. Kramer, retired airline CEO, Val de Loire, France, on March 6, 2020.

1992

James Hoge Daine, retired bank VP and retired volunteer fire chief, Riverside, Conn., on March 2, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

Obituary Submission Guidelines

Columbia College Today welcomes obituaries for graduates of Columbia College, the undergraduate liberal arts college of Columbia University in the City of New York. CCT does not publish obituaries for undergraduate or graduate alumni of any other Columbia University school. Word limit is 200; text may be edited for length, clarity and style at the editors’ discretion. Links and/or addresses for memorial contributions may be included. Please fill out the Submit an Obituary form.