Alumni Notes

The Rutgers University Alumni Association welcomes news about your professional accomplishments and personal milestones. Submit your information at ralumni.com/mynews on the web, send it to your class correspondent listed in the Class Notes section of Rutgers Magazine, or drop a note via postal mail (Rutgers Alumni Communications, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 7 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1280).

1943

Stan Ross AG’43 is now his wife’s caregiver but doing well himself. He’s been in an exercise program run by his local hospital, and his driver’s license (like mine) is good to his 101st birthday. A World War II veteran, he worked as a chemist.

Rich Snethen AG’43 is in a retirement home, and on Memorial Day 2020, he delivered a talk on World War II to the residents, along with an original poem.

William Suter AG’43 continues to have good health, still walks a mile every morning after breakfast (followed by an hour nap), and his driver’s license is good for another two years (’til his 101st birthday). He has a pet squirrel and a pet blue jay, both of which take peanuts from his fingers. On the bad side, he lost his wife last fall. They had married when he was 93 and Shirley was 89.

Share your news with William Suter AG’43: billsuter1319@icloud.com.

1944

Class Column: With sadness of heart, we extend our sympathies to the family of Frederick J. Kroesen RC’44, CC’80, who died April 30, 2020. Gen. Kroesen retired in 1983 after more than 40 years of active duty service. During his career, he earned many decorations from the United States, France, Germany, and Korea. He was a member of the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and was recognized as the first OCS graduate to become a four-star general. His career is featured in the Class of 1944’s military history book.

Share your news with Doug McCabe RC’44: 459 Passaic Avenue, Apt. 155, West Caldwell, NJ 07006; 973-226-3955.

1948

Doug Gross AG’48, GSNB’52 was an agriculture major and member of Zeta Psi. Like most of the class, Doug was originally in the Class of 1945 and served in the artillery in Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He received his master’s degree at Rutgers and his doctorate at Iowa State. He spent seven years in Peru as a program leader for the forage and livestock program and retired in 1990. He lives in Raleigh, NC, and has four grandkids and two great-grandsons.

Share your news with Bart Klion RC’48: 43 Abby Lane, Ballston Lake, NY 12019; 518-930-0509; bbklion@aol.com.

1953

Henry J. Hohenstein AG’53 and his wife, Susan, moved to Shady Cove, OR, several years ago, as retirees. But he recently “retired from retirement.” Now, Hank is serving on Shady Cove’s City Council because of his expertise in land-use planning. He may be reached at 541-973-5442, hankhohenstein@gmail.com, 161 Osprey Vista, Shady Cove, OR 97539.

James S. Maxwell AG’53 succinctly summarized his post-Rutgers years as follows: “The Army drafted me during the Korean War and sent me to White Sands Missile Range [in New Mexico]. I learned about missiles, radars, drones, and other military weapons, becoming a tester of these systems and retiring when I was 57. For 30 years, I did volunteer work as a master gardener and tax preparer.” Jim and his wife travel extensively and recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

Bill Sansalone AG’53, GSNB’61 attended a concert on the Princeton campus, which marked the 150th anniversary of the first collegiate football game in America (Rutgers versus Princeton). Glee clubs from Princeton, Rutgers, and Yale gave sparkling performances. “On the Banks of the Old Raritan” was the concluding piece—with Rutgers alumni singing along. What an unforgettable evening!

Share your news with Bill Sansalone AG’53, GSNB’61: 6835 Old Stage Road, Rockville, MD 20852; 301-881-0063; ws31@verizon.net.

1955

Gordon Jewett AG’55, Alpha Gamma Rho, agriculture major, is looking forward to being able to visit family members in Colorado. In the meantime, life is good in a 700-resident all-level care facility in Cincinnati, OH.

Bob Levine AG’55 is retired and lives in California.

Leonard Levy AG’55, Alpha Chi Rho, floriculture major, took his college degree to the ultimate, to create one of the largest wholesale floral businesses in North Jersey. His sons have followed in his footsteps, giving him great support and success.

Gordon MacDonald AG’55, GSNB’61 says he and his wife have left Hershey, PA, and moved permanently to Naples, FL, planning to make only occasional family visits back to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He spent his 40-plus-year career in medical-related positions at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Harvard University, and Penn State. He has been our class vice president, where he led the campaigns to raise money for our scholarship programs and was heavily involved in planning and executing our class reunions.

Rudy Ruedemann AG’55, Theta Chi, dairy science major, lives happily with his wife in Susquehanna County, PA, on a tree farm, but was unhappy to see the Rutgers club in Scranton disband after many years. He was the club’s oldest member.

Martin Steinweiss AG’55, Tau Delta Phi, animal science major, became a dentist to treat humans instead of animals, spent some time in the Army, then practiced for 25 years in South Jersey. He followed that by starting a real estate investment company that he still operates. He had to give up ocean sailing a few years ago but remains in good health and spirits while still living in New Jersey.

Jack Witemeyer III AG’55, Sigma Phi Epsilon, agriculture major, was our class president. He retired to New Hampshire, where he continues to improve on the house he built near many of his family members. He still enjoys skiing and outdoor activities, although he had a bad fall a few years back when he mistook a tree for a slalom stake, and now he has to wear a helmet for protection. He hopes many of us will be available in the future for a celebration of a great class.

Share your news with Robert McBride RC’55: 6409 Buckskin Lane, Roseville, CA 95747; 916-773-3603; mojomom@surewest.net.

1959

Before everything went downhill, Dave Blanch AG’59 was planning to attend ceremonies in April commemorating the 75th anniversary of the American and Russian armies meeting on the Elbe River in Germany. Didn’t we all have plans overtaken by COVID-19?

Share your news with Alan Schreihofer RC’59: 3776 Ashford Lake Court NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319; 770-458-7766; aschreihofer@bellsouth.net.

1965

Ed Doherty AG’65 spent four years in the U.S. Air Force after ROTC at Rutgers, then 29 years in sales and marketing with IBM, retiring in 2001. He lives in Hampstead, NC most of the year, spending summers in Island Falls, ME.

Jon Rodiek AG’65 is retired and is building a new home in Seattle, WA, and enjoying whale sightings in his cove.

The Class of 1965 is searching for “missing” classmates, including James Lee McKnight AG’65. If you have any news to share about Jim, or anything else to share, please send it to class correspondent, Chuck Hennings RC’65: 6079 Tarawood Drive, Orlando, FL 32819; 407-909-0507.

1969

Chuck Bowers AG’69, NJMS’74 is involved in the Blacks on the Banks Legacy Circle that is raising raise funds for the Will Power Scholarship and the Paul Robeson Scholarship at Rutgers.

The Class of 1969 Scholarship was once again awarded last fall, with about 10 scholarships this year totaling about $17,000 on income earned annually from the Class of 1969 Scholarship Fund. A committee of 10 classmates selects the winners from candidates presented by the financial aid office each year.

Share your news with John Baker RC’69, RBS’81: jbaker8809@cs.com.

1970

Edwin Bartine AG’70, GSNB’74 is a retired doctor who previously worked at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, NC, the largest medical facility in the Federal Bureau of Prisons network.

Share your news with George Trapp RC’70: gjtrapp@aol.com.

1971

Stephen Mahfood AG’71 received the Jim Fischer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Missouri Energy Initiative for his work in environmental sciences.

Share your news with Ken Common RC’71: 12804 SE 302nd Street, Auburn, WA 98092; 253-887-9174; kdcruod@yahoo.com.

1972

Angelo Iantosca CC’72 is president of Rana USA, a fresh pasta company.

Robert D. Roe AG’72, GSN’88 retired in 2019 after working in public health since 1972.

Share your news with Dan Kramer RC’72: dankramer50@gmail.com.

1975

David Gombas CC’75 lives with his wife, Kathy, in Pebble Beach, CA.

Share your news with Bruce Biegeleisen RC’75, RBS’76: bruceb35a@aol.com.

1977

John Gembitsky CC’77 retired as a project manager for Boeing, where he worked on the space shuttle program and the space launch system heavy-lift rocket.

Share your news with Marcia Smith Fleres RC’77, RBS’93:  marciasmithfleres@gmail.com.

1978

Debra Blodgett McDougall CC’78 has been the owner of a quality assurance consulting business for the past 25 years.

Share your news with Mike Blishak RC’78: mikealan@att.net.

1980

Michael Toto CC’80 was appointed assignment judge for Middlesex County in March 2020.

Share your news with Ron Ghilino RC’80: rghilino@verizon.net.

1981

James Etsch CC’81 was honored on February 5, 2020 with a Distinguished Service to Agriculture Citation by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture during their convention in Atlantic City. James has served on the Middlesex County Board of Agriculture since 1988, serving as president from 2000-2002.

Share your news with Nancy Greenberger RC’81: nancygreenberger@comcast.net.

1982

Andy Atzert CC’82 is dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at Adelphi University.

Doris Cappiello CC’82 is the owner of the Prospect Ridge Veterinary Hospital in West Orange, NJ.

Share your news with Norm Schleiffer RC’82: 168 Longwood Drive, Manalapan, NJ 07726; 732-792-0215; schleiff@alumni.rutgers.edu

1983

Brian Byrd CC’83 is a senior program officer for the New York State Health Foundation. He co-authored an article for the website Grantmakers in Health on the deadly impact of misleading or false health information.

Share your news with Milan Indrisek RC’83: 3132 Savannah Drive, Aurora, IL 60502; 630-272-0296; msi961@comcast.net.

1985

Susan Becker CC’85, GSNB’92 retired after 33 years as a research assistant and instructor in Rutgers’ Department of Animal Sciences.

Ellen Jarrett CC’85 is vice president for housing planning and development at CHAI in Baltimore, MD. She has worked in the field of affordable housing for 29 years.

Suzanne O’Handley CC’85, an associate professor of biochemistry at Rochester Institute of Technology, received the CUR-Goldwater Scholars Faculty Mentor Award for 2019 from the Council on Undergraduate Research.

Share your news with Linda Tancs RC’85: lindatancs@gmail.com

1989

Lillian Shupe CC’89 is media director for Team Velvet, a nonmounted horse therapy program for children ages 5 to 12 in Raritan Township, NJ.

Share your news with John Fagan RC’89, GSNB’95: johndfagan@verizon.net.

1990

Paula Lodi CC’90 achieved the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army. She was featured along with her sister, Maj. Gen. Maria Barrett SBC’09, in USA Today and other national news sites in September 2019. Paula and Maria are the first sisters to attain the rank of general in the Army.

Scott Shapiro CC’90 is a 2020 Northern California Super Lawyer for his work in the area of energy and resources law. He is an attorney at Downey Brand.

Share your news with Rob Bardsley RC’90: 856-952-0346; robbardsley@alumni.rutgers.edu.

1992

Filipe Pedroso CC’92 is council president for Bridgewater Township, NJ.

Share your news with Colleen Kane Pangretic RC’92: colleenpangretic@yahoo.com.

1993

Michael Derrig CC’93, owner of Landscape Details in East Hampton, NY, received the 2019 Star of Design Award from Cohen Design Centers’ Decoration & Design Building.

Share your news with Ronald Gellert RC’93, CLAW’97: 302-425-5806. rgellert@gsbblaw.com.

1994

Paul Orbe CC’94 received the American Chemical Society New York Section’s Nichols Foundation Chemistry Teacher Award for 2019. Paul teaches science at the Academy for Enrichment and Advancement in Union City, NJ.

Share your news with John DeFalco RC’94: jdefalco@alumni.rutgers.edu.

1998

Jessalyn Jarest CC’98 heads Jessalyn Jarest Landscape Architecture and is a member of COLLAB Landscape Collective, a collaboration of five independent, women-owned landscape architecture practices in the Northeastern United States.

Eugene Jun CC’98 is the unit computing manager for the Division of Enrollment Management – New Brunswick and is working towards the opening of the One Stop Student Services Center in 2021 at the newly renovated Proctor Hall (formerly ASB).

Share your news with Lori Kagan RC’98: ljkagan@gmail.com.

1999

Faudia Clemenza CC’99, NLAW’07 received the 2019 New Jersey State Bar Association Commission on Professionalism in the Law’s Professional Lawyer of the Year Award.

Share your news with Daniel Horowitz RC’99, ENG’99: rutgers99@alumni.rutgers.edu.

2001

Dennis Dagounis CC’01 was named a 2020 Governor’s Educator of the Year for Roselle Park (NJ) High School, where he has taught science for 20 years.

Brian Prang CC’01 is an umpire for the Broward Baseball Umpires Association in Florida.

Share your news with David Sheihan Hunter Lindez MGSA’01: sheihan@icloud.com.

2002

Alessandra De Cicco CC’02 completed a chef training program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.

Share your news with Michele Bayer PHARM’02: michelebayer@yahoo.com.

2003

Svetlana Ros CC’03 is secretary of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Health Law Section and a trustee of the Somerset County, NJ Bar Association. She is a member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin.

Samantha Wirth CC’03 is a research scientist for the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, where she analyzes whole genome sequence data from food pathogens, such as salmonella and E. coli.

2004

Lisa Makarewicz-Prang CC’04 teaches fifth grade at Tradewinds Elementary School in Coconut Creek, FL.

Share your news with Melissa Wyse RC’04: melissawy23@yahoo.com.

2005

Daniel Fidalgo Tome CC’05 received his doctorate in education from Stockton University in 2019. He teaches at Stockton University and is the community engagement program manager at Thomas Edison State University.

2008

Anthony Dissen CC’08, SHRP’09 teaches in the School of Health Sciences at Stockton University in New Jersey.

Share your news with Martin Szwarc LC’08 at martin.szwarc@gmail.com.

2010

Dan Clark CC’10, GSNB’18 married Melissa Garaffa UCN’13 in October 2020.

2011

Alyssa Cook SEBS’11 and Anthony Williams SAS’11 were married in 2016.

Michael Lovich SEBS’11 is the owner of Delta S Performance, which specializes in rehabilitation of neurological conditions, concussion, and post-concussive syndrome.

2013

Joe Martucci SEBS’13, meteorologist for The Press of Atlantic City, was named to the South Jersey Top 40 Under 40 by Atlantic City Weekly. He was featured in The New Yorker in March for his role as the meteorologist for The Press of Atlantic City. He’s the only meteorologist to work for a newspaper/digital news organization in New Jersey.

2014

Samantha Edelstein SEBS’14 is an officer with the New York Police Department.

2017

Tsz Lok Leung SEBS’17 is a founder of 1212design, a graphic design and digital marketing agency that creates web and print assets for nonprofits, small businesses, and universities.

Danielle Podmayersky SEBS’17 was accepted for the internship program at the Center for Great Apes in Florida.

2019

Damon Li SEBS’19 is an associate research scientist in immune-oncology mechanistic disease discovery research at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Jiakun Yi SEBS’19 is a graduate student at Columbia University in nutrition and public health.

In Memoriam

Lorraine Alexander, Former Secretary of the Cook College Parents’ Association…April 22, 2021

Irvin Baker AG’44…October 8, 2019

Walter E. Ballinger AG’52…November 30, 2020

Carroll W. Barclay, Jr., Board of Managers…March 1, 2021

Robert E. Benoit GSNB’61, ‘65…November 18, 2020

Lawrence G. Biegel CC’77…January 21, 2020

Christine Ann Billack CC’83…September 6, 2020

Sharon P. Blase, Faculty…March 1, 2020

Romualdas J. “Rom” Botyrius, AG’60…December 10, 2020

Walter E. Burr AG’45…January 10, 2021

William H. Butchko AG’68…December 20, 2020

Louis G. Chazen AG’66…March 30, 2020

Albert H. Cheng CC’82…January 14, 2021

Albert J. Clericuzio AG’60, Faculty…October 9, 2020

Dennis R. Cole CAES’70…July 16, 2020

Henry A. Collins GSNB’57, ‘62…October 30, 2020

Waldimero Coscarelli GSNB‘61…August 2, 2020

Nancy B. Crutchfield, Faculty…November 5, 2019

Robert N. Dangremond CC’68…August 28, 2020

Jeffrey A. Deppa SEBS’11…January 16, 2020

Beatrice K. Devine, Staff…February 26, 2021

John F. Dumschat AG’68, GSED’75, Faculty…March 22, 2021

Herbert W. Dunham, Jr. AG’53…November 29, 2020

Douglas E. Eveleigh, Faculty…December 30, 2019

Roger D. Fithian AG’66…August 26, 2019

Samuel Garrison AG’54…May 17, 2019

John L. Gerwig GSNB’56, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension…April 24, 2020

Timothy X. Gibson CC’87…December 1, 2019

Elliot S. Grossman AG’66, GSNB’68, ‘73…February 4, 2020

Jesse Y. Harris, Sr. AG’58, GSNB’64, ’68…January 3, 2020

Betty Jane Hurlbert, Master Gardener, Monmouth County…August 15, 2020

Wallace “Wally” Kaenzig AG’42…January 8, 2021

Marcus Karel, Faculty…July 25, 2019

David M. Kichula CC’81…December 27, 2019

John J. Kinelski, Staff…December 11, 2019

Edward T. Kinsel AG’55…November 28, 2019

Jules G. Kollar CC’76…January 21, 2021

Lloyd B. Kornblatt AG’44…November 27, 2019

Lois Kramer, Staff…October 13, 2020

Frederick J. Kroesen RC’44, CC’80…April 30,2020

John “Jack” Kupcho GSNB’74, Faculty…May 11, 2020

Helen J. Kupcho, Staff…October 9, 2020

Gilbert A. Leveille GSNB’58, ‘60…August 8, 2019

William Manevich AG’54…June 5, 2019

William R. “Bob” Maple AG’49…December 14, 2020

Peter F. Martens, Jr. AG’48, Faculty…July 5, 2019

Thomas Matro ED’62, GSNB’66, ’75, Faculty…June 6, 2021

Samuel T. Melillo CAES’68…March 28, 2020

Joachim W. Messing, Director of the Waksman Institute of Microbiology…September 13, 2019

Christopher B. Moncrief CC’08…June 22,2020

Marilyn Mozenter-Spiegel DC’56, Faculty…January 29, 2020

Christopher “Chi” Modu CC’89…May 19, 2021

Jean D. Natereli, Staff…November 15, 2020

Robert A. Norton, AG’50, GSNB’51…February 3, 2021

Richard G. Obal GSNB’77, Faculty…June 30, 2021

Patricia Pogroszewski, Staff…November 20, 2019

Richard F. Policastro, Sr. CAES’70…January 12, 2020

Donald C. Richardson, Faculty…January 8, 2020

William “Bill” Roberts ENG’53, GSNB’57, Faculty…May 21,2020

Joseph D. Rosen GSNB’63, Faculty…April 9, 2020

Raymond Samulis, Faculty…February 24, 2021

Richard H. “Dick” Schaefer AG’57, GSNB’59…November 18, 2019

Edwin M. Schoenfeld AG’54…February 5, 2020

Carl N. Shuster, Jr. RC’42, GSNB’48…May 28, 2020

Edwin M. Simon AG’43…June 20, 2020

John F. Stephenson, Jr. AG’52….October 4,2020

Warren C. Stiles AG’54, GSNB’55…July 28, 2019

Herbert T. Streu AG’51, GSNB’59, ‘60, Faculty…January 16, 2021

June Sudal, Staff…June 2, 2019

Kathy Ann Sylvester (Spielman) CC’81…December 5, 2020

Arthur O. Tucker III GSNB’70, ‘75…August 5, 2019

Anton van Ouwerkerk, Founding President of the Cook College Parents Association…April 8, 2020

William “Bill” Ward, Faculty…November 3, 2020

Thomas J. Weiner CC’74…December 1, 2020

Charles J. Wilcox GSNB’55, ’59…December 16, 2019

Donna L. Woody GSED’89, SSW’05, Staff…August 23, 2020